Year: 1871

amazing and amazing 10 an impartial
observer.


A card, with holes pricked at the dis.
lance Of a quarter of an inch apart, is
now given TO the li.tle one with thread
of bright-colored worsted and a needle; he
Is shown how to put the needle back and
forth so as TO form straight lines in seri, 8;
he is told that this is perpendicular
and when this lesson by frequent repeti.
tion has been taken fully in, he is shown
how to form 'brizontar lines, and before
YOU are aware that he has learned any.
thing at the Kindergarten, he is using
these terms intelligentlY in reference to
objects around bin,


At another hour a slate and pencil are
given to the child, for the drawing lesson
is in progress now. You will observe
that the slate is ruled into squares OF
balf an inch by lines Gu: in the surface
of the slate, and here again perpendicular
lines of one squares length are made.
These lessons go on regularly, week after
week, until lines of two, three, four and
tive squares in length are made perfectly.
This Is the foundation for system OF
drawing so beautiful in its sci leve'ooing
character as TO seem to those who have
observed it 10 be the only true method.


If you will look in on another day,
you will find your child and his little
companions happily occupied with two,
three, four or five, or perhaps ten, little
smooth sticks, which they arrange, ac.
cording TO directions given, on the lines
on their tables When as much knowl.
edge has been given as the young thugs
may at once receive, permission is given
to invent forms, and when each child
starts off on its own hobby the differ
ences in the bent OF each child begin to
be seen whenever free invention is the
order of the hour. The vivid imagina.
tion of the child will see likeness to
many things in the simple forms it can
create from these few and simple mate
rials and l speak from a careful obser-
vation of children under both conditions,
there is far greater pleasure to the child
in this exercise of its inventive faculties,
than there can ever be obtained from the
most elaborate toys, which are often
broken by children simply tor material
to work out their own inventions with.
But our careful Kindergarteuer is ever
watchful, lest even this occupation, so
light, and rendered so cheerful from the
orderly interchange of opinions aud
ideas among these inventors, should
overtask the little ones and now the
luncheon, temptingly hidden in various
tiny receptacles, awaits the busy little
bees, and troopng they come and
VIII |; the gentle and sympathetic teachee
makes all air of peace surround the little
group, the luncheon is eaten, and rosy
apple and golden orange luscious grapes
or juicy pear, with bread or its substi-
tutes, forms feast which seems a sort
OF angelic picnic; the happy, merry
tones bear witness to the healthiul effect
Of this social feature of the lunch to-
gether. All, well may it be if in the
future banquets of maturer years such
genial flow of the soul refine the joys OF
the table, and make diding feast of
reason and flow Of soul Lunch is
over, the tiny baskets are emptied, the
sense of satisfaction which is inspired by
food eaten In due season and In social
surroundings makes every one in good
humor, and, the signal beng given, the
ring is formed, and one of the one hun
dred plays, while the ball, which Froebel
calls the earliest friend OF the child is
played TO the rythm of song adapted
to each play. The balls educate more
than mere skill Of hand They are six
IN number, of the thee primary and the
three secondary colors. Froebel's drec-
tions are very precise as to the sequence
n which these shall be used-a primary
color should be followed by secondary
color connecting it with another color
so careful has Froebel been in all that
pertains to the education of the child
nothing so minute as TO be unnoticed by
him. Half an hour quickly passes while
'the ball comes round to meet u.s. my
favorite play of who'll buy eggs are
each played till each child has had
turn, after which more lessons fellow.
You would weary OF reading, sooner
than of writing, if were to describe
the weaving the building,' the prick.
ing,' the peawork,' the clay-modeling,'
'the folding lessons which fiji out the at
tractive round of occupations or of the
object-lessons which are given every
week of the knowledge OF seeds and
plants, which is impaired by sundry
walks in autumn days to gather seeds of,
perhaps, maple trees, which are planted
in pots, and are actually growing before
their sight OF the bulbs, which were
first made the subject of an object-lesson
| before they were started !; and OF the
daily mission Of watering the plants,
which is given to the children in turn
of The visit to the fernery, where our
frogs are passing the winter in serene and
safe retiracy, OF the groups of embryo
artists, who are engaged at some por-
tions of the morning in "free-hand draw
ing" at several blackboards. Indeed, l
verify believe there is no limit to the de-
lights of true Kindergarten, kept accor-
ing to the teaching of Froebel, by a
teacher such as | have made my model
in this letter, I htst not forget to say
here that every thing made by the child
rem is set apart, from its first beginning,
as gift OF love to- dear mammal or
grandma or nurse, OF some loved one;
and one of the prettiest sights imagina-