Class _LELiI^? Rnnlc .'V? Cofiyriglit N°_ COPYRIGHT DEPOSm ,/ PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR Kindergartners, Primary Teachers and Mothers. A PROGRAM, With Suitable Talks, Stories and Illustrations, BY JEANNETTE R. GREGORY. >'. t'' i" j'o ■,', Conie, let us li^^e with the children." SECOND EDITION. ST. LOUIS: C. B. WOODWARD COMPANY, 1895. ^tc-'^f i^Jt^-*-^ 2^ /ifj3 Entered according to Act of C'ongress in tlie Year iSgj by JEANNETTE R. GREGORY, la tlie office of the Librarian of Congress, at Waslilngton, D. C. INDEX. TALKS ON THE SONGS OF "DIE MUTTER AND KOSE-LIEDER." PAGE. The Bird's Nest 14(3 The Baker 150 The Carpenter 149 The Charcoal-Buruer 153 The Church Door 155 The Flower Basket 148 The Fishes 152 General Survey of Songs 141 Go to Sleep, Little Thumb 151 The Grandmothers 154 Hasten to the Meadow, Peter 148 The Joiner 150 The Knights and Good Child 152 The Knights and Cross Child 153 The Little Window 154 The Pigeon House 147 Thumbs and Fingers Say Good-Morning 146 This is the Mother So Good and Dear 147 Tick-Tack 150 The Target 151 What's This? 147 TALKS ON ANIMALS, BIRDS AND INSECTS. Birds — Their Activities 156 Camels 158 Coral 163 The Cat 159 The Elephant 163 The Frog 160 Humming Birds 165 Insects 162 Living Lights 164 Natural Architects 157 Our Bodies 159 PAGE. The Ostrich 160 Perchers 156 Silk Worms 161 Snail 156 The Spider 164 Scratching Birds 157 Sheep 158 Swimmers and Waders 158 TALKS ON PLANTS AND FLOWERS. Climbing Plants 170 Flax 167 March 168 Outer and Inner Conditions 166 Plant Doors 166 Pine Trees 166 Plants and Their Food 168. Si)ring Flowers 170 Spring 167 AA'heat 169 TALKS ON GENERAL SUBJECTS. Autumn 176 Clothing 181 Christmas 178 Candles 187 Change 182 Carpenters of Many Lands 172 Easter 186 The First Thanlcsgiving 177 Flags r 184 Families 170 Family Duties 172 Forms of Water 175 Gifts Keceived 180 George Washington 183 Homes 171 INDEX. PAGE. Location 178 Location (No 2) 179 Leather 181 Motion 182 Men who Have Given us Great Gifts 187 The Many who Assist in Building a House 173 Motive Power of Thought 183 Modes of Communicatiou 185 Musical Instruments 186 Natural Expression 18(} Natural Bridges 173 The Pilgrims 177 Paper 184 Rubber 181 Eound and Red 171 Room Decorations 179 Time Pieces 174 Time and its Divisions 176 Winter 180 STORIES. The Building of the Ship 196 David and Goliath 192 Florence Nightingale 202 A Little Boy's Dream 190 A Little German Boy 199 PAGE. The Last Dream of the Old Oak 201 The Little Match-Seller 200 Robin Red-Breast's Visit 189 The Storks 192 Story of the Flax 197 Three Butterflies 191 Three Little Fishes 193 Why the Valley Lilies Hang Their Heads 198 What the Shepherds Found 195 William Tell 193 APPENDIX. Bird Charts 208 Color Charts 208 Dictation for Basis of Folding and Cutting. _ 210 Description of Material 209 Extra Charts 209 Family Chart 208 Form Collections 208 Fruit and Vegetable Charts 208 Mats 209 Room Decorations 207 Sewing 209 Story Charts 208 Suggestions for May-Baskets 211 Time Chart 208 The songs mentioned are to be found in "Merry Songs and Games," by Clara Beeson Hubbard. A few additional songs have been indicated, which are to be found in "Kindergarten Chimes," by Kate Douglas Wiggin, and in Mrs. E. L. Hailmauu's "Book of Songs for Kindergarten and Primary." All stories mentioned will be found in the "Kindergarten Gems," a collection of stories by Agnes Taylor Ketchum and Ida M. Jorgeusen, with the exception of the following list: "The Walnut Tree That Wanted to Bear Tulips," "A Legend of the Great Dipper," in "Stories for Kindergartens and Primary Schools," by Sara E. Wiltse. "When I Was a Little Girl," "Aqua, the Water Baby," in "The Story Hour," by Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora A. Smith. "The Story of a Raindrop," (Booklet) by Elizabeth Harrison. "The Birds' Christnuis Carol," by Kate Douglas Wiggin. "The Little New Year," in Child-Garden (Magazine), January Number. 1893. "The Shepherd's Children," Child- Garden (Magazine), December Number, 1892. "Autumn's Party," Kindergarten (Magazine). November Number, 1892. INTRODUCTORY. This work is designed to aid Kindergartners in building programs upon the correct basis, i. e., the truth expressed in the songs of the, "Mother Play and Nursery Songs." Each week is based upon a phase of truth growing out of the thought of the previous week, making the entire program a connected whole, which begins with the Family Eelationship, and moves out into Civil Society, State and Church. The program is based upon the principle of Relationships, for the reason, that out of it can be evolved or deduced every principle or truth which Froebel's insight has made valuable to us, and further- more, the little child is the living personification of the idea in himself, possessing Body, Mind and Soul, each with its various organs or faculties, related intimately and working in harmony with every part of the organic relationship. The aim has been to make the child absorb and transfer the feeling of relationship to his hio-her life, by carefully emphasizing the relation of nuiterial elements and leading him to use them as means to an end, rather than as sepai-ate elements. Method, every idea given in concrete form by using qualities in connection, leaving the abstract for the child when he has reached the subjective stage. The most inclusive relation of the child we desig- nate as that of Physical aud Spiritual, and this we meet in the very earliest period of life, so early that Froebel bids us provide for both natures in the beginning; therefore, his system presents the material ob- jects with the developed spiritual nature (Mother or Teacher), to bridge for the child these two great re- lated contrasts. So we have the child on one hand, a system of education on the other, and to mediate and unite them, the conscious mother or teacher, who, like all mediations, touches the extremes and unites them by possessing the qualities of both. The association of all material objects of the Universe, together with the laws by which they are gov- erned, with the child in organic relation, will lead him to feel that life aud its varied expression, is but one great organic whole, of which he is a part, and of which God is the Creator and Ruler. This is the avowed object of Froebel's system expressed in the opening paragraphs of the Commen- tary of " Die Mutter and Kose Lieder," and I venture to say, that our success with the children, depends less upon the systematic use of the material gift aud occupation provided by Froebel, than upon the sys- tematic related presentation of the spiritual truth which pervades the "Mother Play." A true program must, therefore, be based upon the songs of Froebel, which root the truth deeply in the heart of the child by direct appeal to his feelings, and our aim should be, rather to search for that logical progression of this truth, which shall best meet the need of the developing child, and fit our gifts and occupations into the truth expressed, making them illustrate, in the material sense, the truth which the song emphasizes; so shall material take its proper place as the embodiment of the higher, having in itself no permanent value, but respected for its transitory expression of the eternal truth. Trusting that the above may clearly indi- cate the basis of the program, I will now endeavor to trace the progression which I have followed in the presentation of the songs. The child must be led from unconsciousness to consciousness of himself as a part of a larger whole, through the mediatory efforts of one who has, in a measure, realized this knowledge. . The child must adapt himself to three great relations of life — Relation to Nature, to Man, to God. The relationship to Nature, externally considered, becomes merely material relation, while the relationship to God is a purely spiritual relation. Mediating the two great contrasts is the relationship to Man, and like all mediations, it exhibits the nature of both extremes, showing a changing variety in contrast to the permanent nature of the two extremes. Nature obeys the same unchangeable laws, God is the same "Yes- terday, to-day and forever," but man is ever wandering and "Turns ever to his own way." So we see 6 INTRODUCTORY. that while relationship to Nature has but one phase, and relationship to God has but one phase, the rela- tionship to Man must be presented to the children in three phases. To the Family, to Civil Society and to the State. The family relation, touches the child in the first stages of his development, and surrounds him with the unity of life, based upon harmony and love, which God ordained in the beginning. This is the first relation which he feels, consequently it is the first relation which should be made conscious to him through reflection, therefore we hold up to him when becomes to us from his home, the family life in nature, that he may grow into the habit of intei-pretiug nature by an inner standard which shall make it all the expression of one Power. The first week, attracts the child to families outside of his own, thereby appealing to his feeling and leading him to feel that the universal family life is based upon the same prin- ciple — Love. (Tender care of the strong for the weak.) The second week appeals more strongly to the thought, by the observation of the homes, and their manner of construction, leading him to think that the universal family seeks the same object. (Adapta- bility of surroundings to necessities). The third week appeals to the will of the child, by introducing the idea of individual responsibility, resulting in mutual helpfulness, leading him to the thought that the out- ward harmony which he feels is a result of the active consideration of the various members of the family for each other manifesting itself in loving performance of the duties which devolve upon them. In these three connected programs, we have held up the relationship to the family symbolizing the ideal attitude of the individual to the institution which most nearly concerns him. The man who feels right, thinks right and acts right in any relation of life, may be said to have realized his relationship. The hai'mony of any institution depends upon the feeling, thinking and doing of each individual which makes up the community. This, then, will be our method in leading the child to realize the threefold relation- ship of life; make him feel right by enlisting his sympathies; think right, by exercising his reason to abstract the vahie of the thought which underlies the relation; act right, by putting into practice in the small community of which he is a part, the same willing service which he is led to perceive in the institu- tions of life. Each relationship will present itself as a whole in which a number of individuals strive together to attain the same object, and the inter-dependence between the one and the many, resulting in harmonj' of feeling, thought and will or action, forming an ideal to be early established in the being of the little child. So having laid the foundation for all the relationships of life, by the harmony of the family unity, we carry the family (of which the child now feels he is an organic member) out into the larger institu- tional life of civil society, rooting it in the sjnnpathies first by a reflection in nature. (Fourth week.) Then appealing to the thought of the child in the succeeding weeks, whei'e the benefit of the harmonious working of a number of families in the relationship of civil society is clearly shown, coming at last to the individual responsibility of fitting into the relationships and th6 acknowledgment of universal conditions, time and space, again symbolized by nature. The child, permeated by the feeling of the dignity of labor, will be ready to enter into the thought of Christmas, becoming a woi'ker in the ideal sense that his work is, indeed, a labor of love, and the thought of the Christ who entered into the actual labor of mankind, that He might show them the straight road out of labor into light, ever coming to the highest knowledge through the work which teaches aud includes the doctrine. The transition then follows to the State Relation, representing the good abstracted from the thought of many and established as an ideal which demands approximation from all. The individual is thus shorn of his individual caprices and led to regard truth or goodness as an ideal outside of himself which is not altered by his opinion of it, but which becomes a molding element in his character when he 3'ields himself to its influence. The State, so considered, points toward the highest relationship of man, that is, to God, the Unchangeable Creator of all, whom man nuist acknowledge as Father, Teacher, Sovereign, which acknowledgment necessitates the rendering up of feeling, thought aud will. To our Heavenly Father, our deepest feeling. To our Heavenly Teacher, our most profound tldnking. To our Heavenly Sovereign, our most willing obedience or action. The child will have abstracted the thought that feeling right, think- ing right, doing right, toward the World, Man aud God, is being right, or realizing the end for which he was created. DIVISION OF TIME. 9 to 9-10. Group Talks. 9-10 to 9-30. Singing. 9-30 to 10-10. Gift. 10-10 to 10-20. Recess. 10-20 to 10-40. General Exercises. 10-40 to 11-10. Games. 11-10 to 11-50. Occupation. 11-50 to 12 Closing Exercises. Story, Talk, Ball Lesson, Bead Lesson or Drawing. 8 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FIRST WEEK. SALIENT IDEA, Home Life. Place emphasis ou Family Idea. SPECIAL IDEAS. Birds. Color. SONGS. "In the branches of the tree." "Thumbs and Fingers." "This is the mother so good and dear." Hymn: "Father, we thauk Thee for the night." GAMES. "Two little birds once made a nest." "Hopping birds." "Flying birds." "1 open now my pigeon house." STORY. Robin Eed-Breast's Visit. TALKS. Families. Birds. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Balls. Sewing. Balls. Peas Work. Third Gift. . Sewing. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Eings. Mats. Folding. Mats. GROUP WORK. MOXDAY. Talk on the various homes of the children and encourage each child to name the members of his family. TUESDAY. Talk about the pictures of birds brought by the children. WEDNESDAY. Talk about the things brought to illustrate color. t THURSDAY. Talk about animal families. FRIDAY. Talk about the story, impressing the facts by the review. ^ FOR KINDERGARTNERS. PRAYER. We thank Thee, dear Father, With hearts glaJ and free, For the kind loving parents, Given to us by Thee ; For the dear little playmates, We meet every day ; Make us kind to each other, Dear Father, we pray. Amen. BALLS. Birds, in relation to their liome, reflecting tlie experience of tlie little child. Just see oar nice warm nest. Where the baby birds may rest. Until they learn to hop and fly, ^ To take good care of them we'll try, *~ So here we let them stay Until they learn to fly away. "The little birds hop in their nest so cosy and so warm." "The little birds hop out of their nest so cosy and so warm." Fly, little birds, up, up so high. Where the sunbeams live in the bright blue sky ; When you are sleepy, fly back to your nest. And we will sing you a song while you sweetly rest. "Hush-a-bye, birdie, we'll sing you a song. One that is sweet and not very long." Our birds are re.'sting, and we will talk about them softly, so they will not be wakened. Where were thev at first? In their nests. "What did thev do? Tried to hop about in their nests, so that their legs might become strong; then they hopped out of their nests and became acquainted with their little neigh- bors, just as you will become acquainted with the little children in the Kindergarten. After having hop- ped about in this manner, they became strong enough to use their wings. They tried to fly up, up so high, to the home of the little sunbeams, but found it such a long distance, that they decided to come back again to their nests where they found their mother waiting for them. I think I should like to count some of these birds while they sleep. AVould you like to help me? I mean to count all that look like mine. Hold up red bird; count one, two, three, etc., until all red ones are counted. Now, I mean to put my little bird (red) to sleep in this box. Every one who has a bird like mine may bring it here and put it to sleep with mine. Now, this other little bird (orange) shall go to sleep in another box. All who have one like this may place it in the same box. Then yellow, green, blue and violet in same manner. Through this lesson the children will have an experience of the process which underlies all develop- ment, and by the definite putting away, an experience of classification and a strong sense impression of color, by the exercise of sight recognition. Ask children to bring pictures of birds. BALLS. SECOND LESSON. Repeat the lesson of yesterday. It will appeal more forcibly to the children, as they will be able to help sing to-day, having lived through the gesture previously. After tlie song sequence is completed, and birds are resting in their nests, ask the children to peep into the nests and find out the color of their bird's feathers; red, orange, yellow, etc. See that you have about the room, fruits and flowers of the six colors. Let children individually find something, which has the same color as their birds. Pass around rapidly a box containing strips for making chains in the six colors. Each child must take one strip of the same color as the bird he holds. Pass the box quite rapidly, so as to test the readiness of the child to perceive the like quality in another form. Come back to the children who could not get the strip the first time, and let them match the colors. Take up balls, but hang one of each color upon the wall in the order of a spectrum — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet — and say 10 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS to the children, "If 3'ou find anj^thing at home, which is like the color of any hall, you may bring it to- morrow and pin it under the hall which it is like." Make chains, giving each child strips similar to the one which is like his ball. Take home. THIRD GIFT. / z Pi! / l/^A 1 -i Connect with the story. Where do the birds buihl their nests? In the branches of trees. You may try to nudve me a tree. (See No. 1. ) This will utilize the natural tendency of all children to mass material. What kind of a tree shall it be? Select cherry tree from among those named, because the young robins will like to eat cherries when they are old enough to fly among the branches. Make a nest with the hands and hold it up in the top of the tree and sing, "Just see our nice warm nest." This is the bird's home. Now we will make the home of the little girl whom the baby robin visited. Who can build her house? (See No. 2.) Try to get a house from the children. If one child makes one better than the others, induce the children to copy it by saying, " We will all change our houses into one like Mary's, so that they n;ay be alike." In this lesson you will have hinted at the transfer of harmonious family relation from the life of the birds to the life of the child, which is the truth contained in the song of the bird's nest. RINGS. Picture of three cherries that grew in the tree where the robin built his nest. Allow the children to color inside the rings wiih red chalk upon the table. Each child counts one, two, three cherries; then count his own and his neighbor's; one, two, three, four, five, six cherries. This M'ill foreshadow the emphasis upon round, which will be presented in next week's programme. MATS. Ked, normal and light. Strips, half-inch in width. Precede with a short talk about some birds who weave their nests out of strings, horse-hair, etc. Emphasize the activity, weaving. Can any of you weave this needle in and out, in and out, into this mat? Simply hold before the child the idea of weaving. Let number and form alone until some future time. Notice the child who succeeds in producing squares by weaving one up and one down. Hold it before the children and ask if the form looks like anything which they have seen before ? Show them that it is like the face of one of the blocks. All try to weave mats just like this one. Just try to have them grasp the principle of weaving in this fii'st lesson. PEAS WORK. Experience of position. Stick with one pea upon the end, call it a hat-pin. Stick with one pea in the middle, a breast-pin. Stick with one pea upon each end, a dumb-bell. Stick with one pea upon each end and one in the middle, breast-pin. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 11 FOLDING. Fold -A red bird. Use red paper large size and fold the life form usually called the chicken, letting children name it a red bird, to connect with the thought of the week. Fold one to take home and one to put in books. SEWING. A simple picture of a wood-pecker, as the red upon his head will more nearly approach the normal tone. The picture should be simple enough to complete in two sewing hours. Children sew outlines of complete objects, which suggest familiar ideas, far more readily than unrelated lines. DRAWING. Give piece of paper from brown practice block, rough surface. We will draw a family to-day in such a funny way. You may all place your hand upon your paper, spreading out the fingers, and draw with your pencil around each finger. Take away hand and mark the finger nails, then put a ring upon the finger next to the little one. Name the fingers, "This is the mother so good and dear," etc. Let them copy upon white drawing paper, not ruled or dotted, and take the brown paper home. 12 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS SECOND WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Adaptation of homes to their occupants. SPECIAL IDEAS. Eound. Red. Perchers. SONGS. Same as last week with addition of, " Wh}' do you come to my apple tree?" GAMES. Same as last week with addition of, "See my little birdie's nest?" "Snail." STORIES. A little boy's dream. Charlotte and the Fairy Dwarfs, TALKS. Homes. Perchers. MONDAY. TUESDAY. AVEDNESDAY. Balls. Modeling. Second Gift. Folding. Second Gift. Pasting. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Rings and Sticks. Sewing. Third Gift. Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Talk about all living things which have their homes in the ground. AVorms, snakes, ants, prairie dogs, gi-ound hogs, trap-door spiders, seeds, bulbs, etc. TUESDAY. All living things which have their homes in the water. Fishes, whales, water frogs, tad-poles, alliga- tors, sea-lions. AVEDNESDAY. All living things which have their homes visible above the earth. Birds, dogs, deer, liears, l)utter- tlies, many insects and man. THURSDAY. Material used by man in making houses. Cloth for tents, wood for frame houses, stone and lirick for brick houses. Which is most easily moved? Tent. Who uses them most? Soldiers and people who cannot stay long in one place. Which kind lasts longest? Which kind would you like to have? FRIDAY. Who made the very largest home that was ever made? God. What is the name of the home which he made? Earth. AVould ^-ou like to know the name of the mother in this home? She is called Mother Nature. Name some of the people who live in the earth-home. Indians, Negroes, Esquimaux, Arabs, Chinese, etc. Name some animals. Dogs, bears, lions, etc. Some birds. Oriole, wood-pecker, etc. Some insects. Flies, ants, butterflies, etc. Some plants. Roses, lilies, oaks. Some fishes. Goldfish, minnows. Each child should name one thins;. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 13 BALLS. " In the branches." "Just see our nice warm nest." " Rock-a-bye birdies on the tree top." Change the last two lines of the latter song as follows : And the birds sleep so snug in tlieir nest, While their mother keeps watch o'er their rest. Complete the song sequence with, " Hush-a-bye birdies, I'll sing you a song." I will take all the birds out of their nest, and you may look at the nest. What shape is it? Round. Did the little bird fit into it? Yes. Why? Because he has a round body. When a mother bird is build- ing a nest, how does she make it fit her 'i She gets into it and presses her little round breast against every part until it is just right, and shaped like her own body. Birds uuike their nests fit into the places where they build them, making tliem of the same color, so that they would be hard to find by one who wished to harm them. Some small birds build high, because they fly easily. Large birds usually build near the ground because their bodies are heavier. We have found that our nest is round; see if you can find anything in this room which is round like the nest, and like the little bird which we had in it this morning. I will hold up this little red bird so that you may see it while you are searching. When all round things in the room are found, name fruits and vegetables which are round. Ask children to bring- round things to the Kindergarten. SECOND GIFT. To-day we will have a new I)ird for our nests. This bird lives in a nest in the trunk of a tree. Place arms close together with elbows upon the table, hands joined at the back, small round opening in front formed by spreading thumbs. His name is, " Wood-pecker," and we will sing to him just as we did to the little birds yesterday. Sing, "Just see our nice warm nest," and, " Hush-a-bye birdies." Now we will let him hop out of his nest. Let children observe the noise which this bird makes and connect it with the hammering of the wood-pecker. This will attract attention to the difference in material. SECOND GIFT. SECOND LESSON. Analytic lesson, preceded by a story of two little brothers who lived in the same house, one of whom always wished to be moving and rolling about, but the other always wished to sit still. A little sister came who liked to roll, and also to sit still, so then they M-ere happy together, because each had a playmate. Take out sphere and roll. Why does it roll? Because it is round. Has it corners? No. Take out cube. Can it roll? No. Why? The corners and edges prevent it. Take out cylinder and roll with the sphere. Why can it roil with the sphere? Because it has a curved face. Let it stand still with the cul)e. Why can it stand still with the cube? Because it has a plane or flat face also. How many faces has a sphere? One. Count faces of cube. Six. Count faces of cylinder. One curved and two flat. Show corner on cube, also edge. Show edge on cylinder and notice difference. Now take up each one and have children observe that it is M'ood all the way through. That it is long, broad and thick. Explain the words, finding long things, broad things, thick things, and then tell, thai we call all things which are long, broad and thick, solids. Find other solids about the room. RINGS AND STICKS. Mother cat and kittens, sitting on a fence in the sun- shine. Illustration of the family idea among animals. Tell how mother moves them from place to place by taking them in her mouth. Whole rings, large and medium size. Half rings, me- dium and small size. Ears, small sticks. 14 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRD GIFT. / / ^ / / Jill H / / jji IF / / tiiilli P'^ pr Now we are to build with our blocks to-day, but before we open boxes, I want you to look at the lines upon the table. Why are they here? To place our work upon, and we must make everything we do fit into its home among these lines just as the birds make their homes to fit them. From every line to the next one, means one inch, so that wc may measure things just as the man in the store measures dress goods for 3'our Mamma. Have each child show one, two and three inches. Tiien give a strip of paper, asking him to measure and cut one, two and three inches. Eepeat this frequently as a general exercise until the children know what inches are. Build a short sequence of objects used to furnish a home. Stove (1), chair (2), two chairs (3), two beds (4), table (5). BEADS. A plate of various colored beads upon the table. Each child have one five inch stick. Hold up red ball and say, " You may place upon your stick a })ead just the color of this ball." Formulate, "I have placed upon my stick one bead like your ball." Hold up in succession, each of the six colors, child finding the bead like it, and placing upon his stick. Ccnint beads. How many kinds have we? Take off in the same manner choosing balls, which will necessitate child searching for color : namely, hold up green ball, saying, "Take off the bead like this ball and place it in the plate." He will have to remove other beads and replace them again. Put all away in this manner. MODELING. Bird nest, upon three twigs, containing two eggs. Salt cellar for tabic. FOLDING. PASTING. Cut a large white circle the size of a fruit plate. Paste in the center of this, three small sized red circles. Cut small green stems and add to them making cherries. Take home. SEWING. A picture of three red balls upon circular disc of card board. Sew in normal red on gray card board, and leave in the child's box for lines illustrating position to be filled in next week. Use them to emphasize round, this week. (See figui'e 1, Circular Sewing in Appendix. This illustration is full size.) DRAWING. Give brown pi'actice paper and place before each child the nest made in modeling. Let them draw it just as they see it. Accept the crude drawing and do not impose your idea upon the child. Let the drawing be an absolutely free expression of that which he observes. Let him copy upon white paper and take the first drawing home. 16 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRD WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. L">utj of individual members of a home. SPECIAL IDEAS. Position. Orange. SONGS. "What's This?" "Flower Basket." GAME. We birds, we are a merry set. STORIES. Three Butterflies. The Storks. TALKS. Taniily duties. Scratching birds. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Balls. Modeling. Second Gift. Mats. Third Gift. Sewing, THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Rings. Pasting. Mats. Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. ^ Talk about fruits which grow up in trees. Give colors and shapes, and name parts. Outer skin, pulp, juice, seed, core. TUESDAY. Vegetables which grow down in the ground. Radish, turnip, potato. WEDNESDAY. Nuts and vegetables which grow hi shells or pods. Cocoanut, waliuit, beans, peas. THURSDAY. Vines which twine avouml other things. Grape vine, honeysuckle, morning glory. FRIDAY. The things we obtain out of the interior of the earth. Coal, tin, oil, lead, rock salt, gold, silver, diamonds. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 17 BALLS. "Now lot your soft balls rise." "You arc tired, little ball." "From front to back, now swing." "Now swing from left to right." "Round and round it goes." Just play the games that the child may be attracted to the activity and gain the experience of posi- tion in a general way. Hold all the balls up, now down. Now out in front, now back. Now on right side, now on left side. Repeat rapidly, children suiting the pro[)er word to the activity. Up, down, front, back, right, left. Take all the balls away except the orange balls. AYe will have all the little balls which are left, play. Repeat the games and the similarity of color will attract the child. What color are these little balls with which we have been playing? Orange. Some child find the orange collection and take it down. Find all other orange things in the room and upon the children's clothing. Name things which they know about, and ask them to add to the orange collection sufficient to make a chart. (See color charts in Appendix. ) Results gained, a definite experience of position and the color orange developed. SECOND GIFT. Sympathetic analysis of sphere through change of position. "A sphere is in my hand, you see." (Defines position as the manner in which objects occupy space, by the impossibility of two objects occu- pying the" same space at the samo time.) "In a straight line the httlo sphere." "Round I run." (Permanency of form not dependent upon change of position.) "A sphere I am wherever I go." THIRD GIFT. Develop position. Find all corners above, all corners below. Give in addition a second gift box lid to each child, also five three-inch sticks and a small cubical bead. All the little folks may get up on their feet. What are you doing? Standing. Now sit down and build me a post which shall stand just as you did. We will count them eight at a time. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight posts standing. One, two, three, four, etc. The repetition will impress the position upon the children. Let the first ten children find or name individually something which stands. Build cube. When you go to bed at night what do you do? Lie down. You may all make me a post which shall be lying. Repeat counting by eights, substituting lying for standing. The next ten children find or name individually things lying. Build cube. What do you do sometimes when you are tired? Lean against something. Place one short end of this box lid upon your cube-box and place upon it a post leaning. Repeat counting by eights, sub- stituting leaning for lying. Ten children find or name leaning things. Build cube and put away. Take one stick and place in small bead cube to secure standing position. Take one more and place it lying from front to back, and another from left to right, Take the remaining two and place ends upon bead cube, one leaning on right side, one on left. Now introduce the word position, having children formulate standing position, lying position, leaning position. How many in a lying position? How many in a lean- ing position? Hold one finger in a standing position; hold it in a lying position; hold it in a leaning position. Draw upon the board, lines in three positions. RINGS. One large ring, four medium. Make large one fit into two inch square. Place one medium in front, one back, right, left. Have children find rapidly as you call for the positions, middle, front, back, right, left. Then individual attention, each child point to ring and tell the position. BEADS. Plate of second gift beads. Hold up sphere of second gift. You may place two beads which look hke this upon stick. Hold up cube. Place two like this upon stick. Hold up cyhuder. Place two like this upon stick. How many beads altogether? Six. How many kinds of beads have you? Three. Hold stick vertically. Where are the two beads which are like this form? (Sphere.) Below. Like this? (Cylinder.) Above. Like this? (Cube.) In the middle. You may change the two like this (cylin- der) so that they will be below. Hold up each form again and have children tell where they are. Now 18 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS change the two like this (cube) so that they will be below. Hold up forms again and ask where they are. Have children take them off and put away in the same manner. (Sight recognition of form.) MODELING. Baby rattle from sphere. Roll clay about a five-inch stick and add a circle upon end for handle. In the talk, define the position which baby holds in the family, and the relations of the other members to him. Emphasize his dependence upon the older members, and the happiness he brings to them. MATS. Red mat, normal and light. Strips half-inch in width. Use it to emphasize positions — up, down. We have been playing with our balls this week, putting them in different places. While we weave our mats to-day we will think, up, down, up, down, just as we placed our balls, and we shall lift one strip up, just as we raised one ball up, and push one strip down, just as we placed one ball down. When the strip is drawn through, count how many strips were lifted up and how many were pushed down. All those which we left down have something upon them which was not there before. What does it look like? Like the face of our blocks. Pass a small cube and let child compare the result in his mat with the face. Do not name it square, but lead him to observe the form from the beginning, that he may not fall into the habit of weaving his mat wholly according to number. Thus the mat may bring out the thought of the week. SEWING. Give children the page which they sewed last week and have them sew a line in a standing position in the first circle, lying in the second, and leaning in the third by connecting the small lines indicated at opposite sides of circumference. Then give a sample card of pricked card board containing five holes in width. Ask children if they can put one standing, one lying and two leaning lines upon this card so that they will all cross in the middle and look like the spokes of a wheel. When one child has discovered this arrangement, hold it up and have the others copy. Thus one child becomes the inventor and all have the opportunity to so become. Lead them to repeat, in order to form border, making a concrete use of ele- ments, instead of merely reproducing them disconnectedly. When finished, paste in book below page of circles containing all these lines. (See Sewing in Appendix.) PASTING. In books, upon page opposite red mat, circles, connecting with ring lesson. One circle in middle. Do not mark middle. Let children find and paste for themselves even if they make mistakes. Cut two circles into halves and paste in front, back, left and right, curved sides touching. This page, with the red mat opposite, will illustrate the child's experience of position. DRAWING. Little child's face. John may stand up here and all the little children may try to draw his face, put- ting his eyes, nose and mouth in the right place. Pass your finger about his face so as to suggest the cii-- cular outline to the children. Draw the outside of his face first. Now John may close his eyes. What do his eye-lids look like now? Just like straight lines in a horizontal position, so you \\\A,y draw them just as you see them. (Two short horizontal lines.) Draw one for his nose, and one a trifle longer for his mouth. He looks just as though he were asleep. Let us see if we can make him laugh, so that wo may take his picture when he is laughing. His eye-lids and mouth seem to curve upward now, so we will draw curved lines instead of straight ones. I wonder if John can show us how he looks when he cries. All the little lines curve down now, and he looks sorry, so we will put curved lines turned down. This will cultivate the children's observation if the teacher will allow him to represent just as he sees, however crude the execution may be. Copy and take home original. 20 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOURTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Relationship of family to Civil Society, foreshadowed by a reflectioo in the bird life. SPECIAL IDEAS. Two points in position. Number. SONG. "The Swallow." GAME. " Hasten to the meadow, Peter.'" STORIES. " Nest on wheels." "Adventures of a Mouse family." TALKS. Natural Architects. Plant doors. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Balls. Sewing. Second Gift. Modeling. Third Gift. Mats. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Rings. Pasting. Folding. Sewing or Mats. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Give each child two sticks. Every one count his own sticks. One, two sticks. One, two sticks, etc. all around. Then begin to combine. Each two children hold their sticks together. First one count, one, two; next one continue, three, four sticks. Then the next two children do likewise. Now have three children to combine. One, two; second child continue, three, four; third child continue, five, six sticks; next three do likewise. TUESDAY. Two sticks. First child one stick, two sticks, two sticks, one stick. Each child do the same. Two children continue; first child one stick, tvvo sticks; second child three sticks, four sticks; four sticks, three sticks, first child, two sticks, one stick; next two do likewise. WEDNESDAY. Two sticks. Each child, two sticks. Repeat several times until the repetition of the number two impresses itself. Then first child say two sticks ; second child hold his sticks to them and say four sticks ; next two do the same. Then try two, four, six, eight. THURSDAY. Each child three sticks. Hold them up and say I have three sticks. Teacher take one. "Now I have two sticks." Take another, " Now I have one stick." Take another, "Now I have no stick." How many did I take from you? Three. Repeat with every child. FRIDAY. Three sticks. Each child say, one stick from three sticks leaves two sticks. One stick from two sticks leaves one stick. One stick from one stick leaves no stick. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 2:2 BALLS. Arrange children in rows facing the same way. Slug the following song: "My ball is left above, and now 'tis right below; From place to place as we make it move, ' Tis still the ball we children love, And now from right above to left below it will move." Same air as, "Now let your soft lialis rise." Find things on the right side above, in the room ; ,eft below, etc. SECOND GIFT. Take out the cube which is not perforated. • Let children place it back upon the table and roll sphere against the face in front; then stand and roll from the back so a? to strike the face at the back; then from the right striking the face on the right, and then from the left; lift sphere and drop upon the face above. Lift cube and toss up sphere, so as to touch face below. Formulate, the face touched each time. Put spheres in box. Hide cube in hands. Sing, "Nothing but two hands I see." "Of the cube one face I see." "Of the cube two faces I see." "Now count the faces, one, two, three, more at one time you never can see." Then count all faces. "Here is one corner, where are the others." "Here are two corners," etc., with three and four corners. Place on table and touch with two thumbs and two pointer fingers, the four corners above. Formulate four corners above. Find four below and formulate. Place fingers on four above, and remove two pointing fingers. Where are these two? Above. But where else? In front. Formulate two corners above in front. Replace pointer fingers and remove thumbs. Where are these two? Above at the back. Find those below in same manner. Hide cube and sing, " Here is one edge, where are the others?" Then find four edges above by running the fingers around the cube. Formulate four edges 13'ing above. Then four edges lying below. Find the four standing edges. Bring things to the Kindergarten like cube. THIRD GIFT. WEDNESDAY. /////// ^qz-i x:;z:3 ziz-i z-z / / A 1 i /- L ^ 1 li p Connection with the talk on, "Natural Architects." Show how man finds his material to make every- thing which he creates, from nature just as he finds his food. Build parts which go into house. Stones for foundation (1), Long boards for floors (2), Short boards for halls and stairs (3), Window frames (4), Door frame (5), House (6). RINGS. One large ring, four medium. Large one in the middle, medium arranged right in front, left at the back, left in front, right at the back. Be very careful to make a distinction in the use of words which formulate position, never using above, below, where the work is in a Ij'ing position on the table. When the child pastes and holds up his book, he may use above, below. K 30U will allow the child to color inside the rings with orange chalk, you will make the connection with the pasting more definite and lay the foundations for the relation of color to form, in artistic productions. Count rings. Draw on the board. 22 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS BEADS. Three red and three orange beads in plate (Sphere). Place one red, one orange, one red, one orange, one red, one orange. Read one red, one orange, one red, one orange, one red, one orange. Read one, two, three red; one, two, three orange. How many kinds? Two. How many of each kind? Three. Place all of one kind together. Count one, two, three, one, two, three. How many times did we count three? Two times. Place back into plate. Now you may arrange them upon your stick as you like. Each child reads his own. MODELING. A small bowl from the half ball to connect with " Hasten to the Meadow, Peter." Merely flatten a little upon the bottom so that it will stand. Let children try to make a spoon. Talk about how we must get our food from nature just as the birds do, and how Peter and Mollie and Mamma all help the baby to get his milk and bread, but above all, is the God who makes the grass grow, which feeds the cow. MATS. Oi'ange mat, normal and light. One wide, one narrow strip. Place before each child a third gift. Take out one small tube. Make something in your mat which shall look like this small face. Do not name square. Let your children get a strong sense impression of form through active experience, always before you name it. Now put small cube in its place. Let the next strip make something which shall look like this large face. When the two strips are in, take away cube and let child proceed with the mat. He will be very sure to call the forms, mamma and baby as the talks of the preceding week will make him have the disposition to seize everything in the family relation. SEWING. Pictures of three balls in orange colored zephyr. Have children hold up their cards and individually name the positions of the circles ; right above, left above, middle below. Leave them to be filled in with the angles which will follow later. PASTING. Orange circles. Cut two circles into half circles, arrange as the rings, with curved side touching circles. Let the child paste middle circle and then arrange half circles in the proper positions, depending upon his eyes and hands. Make no marks to indicate the position for him. Oblique illustrated. FOLDING. Life forms. One paper transformed into six or eight forms. Begin with tablecloth, table, letter case, rabbit, boat, boat with sail, chicken, duck. Reproduce duck in small orange paper making three ducklings. Paste in book, opposite orange sewing. Let children draw with gray and blue chalk several waving lines to represent water. Finish sewing and mat if necessary. INTERTWINING. Give each child a piece of pasteboard upon which has been carefully drawn an accurate square. Give an orange strip of intertwining paper, ready folded. Let child paste the end of the strip about the middle of the side of the square in front, laying it along the line. At the first angle on the right side, fold over to back, laying along the right side. At the angle at the back fold over and to the left. Next angle fold over and to the front. Next, over and to the right. Loosen the end pasted, cut and slip one end into the other, laying upon square to see if every side is equal. Paste in books opposite page reserved for trades pictures. DRAWING. Hold ball suspended from one hand by stnng. Let children draw it as they see it. Hold it with string down. Draw it in many positions letting children represent the directions of string and position of ball. 24 Carpenters of many lands PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FIFTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Relationship of family to civil society. SPECIAL IDEAS. Angles. Opposite. SONG. *' Carpenter." GAME. Bridge. STORY. "Three Bears.'* TALK. Swiuimers and waders. Natural bridges. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. s. Modeling. Third Gift. Folding. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Third Gift. Pasting. Sewing. Peas Work. Sticks. Sewing GROUP WORK, MONDAY. Give each child a second gift cube. Everyone show an edge and run finger along the entire length. Then each child use two fingers and run along edges which meet. What do these edges do, here where our fingers stop? They touch. Find two others which do the same. Each one may take hold of his neighbor's hand. AA^hat do we make when we all touch each other in this manner? A circle. This will foreshadow the thought of angles which will be developed during the week. TUESDAY. All the forces which come in contact with a plant. When a little seed is planted what touches it all around? Tiie earth. When the little roots begin t(j go down, what touches them? Eai'th, and some- times a mineral rock, and the little living creatures that live in the earth. When the leaves come above the earth what touches them? The sunbeams, the air, the dew, the rain, strong winds. What does the touching of all these things do for the plant? Makes it grow. (Thought: Contact produces results. ) WEDNESDAY. Sit in two rows. First child show the child across from him. Each one do the same. Then the other row, show likewise. We say things are opposite when they are just across, one from the other. Each child may join hands with the one opposite. What are we doing? Touching each other. What does it look like? A bridge. THURSDAY. What a bridge does. It joins the opposite banks which are separated by a brook or river. Tell all the places which a bridge may join. Opposite sides of a deep hollow in the woods. Over a small streai a large river, &c. FRIDAY. Natural bridges. (Sec talk.) FOR KINDERGARTNERS. BALLS. 25 Introduce salient idea of week by the Fruit Vender game. "I am a little merchant." "Oranges ripe, oranges ripe, who will buy my oranges ripe?" Sell six or eight, then let children find them. Talk upon the huckster who brings fresh fruits and vegetables to our dooi's, and his usefulness to the families. THIRD GIFT. 7ZZ / y ./ 5^/ / / y y / 5 6 7 Carpenter's tools. Tool box (1), bench (2), mallet (3), plane (4), square (5), gimlet (6), saw (7). Talk about the use of each tool. As the result of using all these tools, together with his hands, eyes, thinking-cap, he makes houses, tables, door-frames, bridges, ships, forts for soldiers, &c. Have children place their fingers into the places where the sides come together, noticing whether it be lai'ge or small, to prepare for angle lesson. STICKS. Develop angles. We have been talking of families, which are alive, but to-day we will have a family of three little things which belong together, and any one may make them at any time when they have once learned how. You may take one two-inch stick. Hold it in a standing position with the thumb and f oi'efiuger of left hand. Now take another stick just like it and hold it in a lying position, with the right hand and make it point towards the other. Now the}^ are far apart, but we will let them take a little journey. See they are coming closer and closer, and what have we made them do? Touch each other, just as we touched each other in our group work this morning. Lay them carefully down upon the ta))le still touch- ing, and each one upon a black line. Take in the left hand athree-inch stick and hold in a standing position. Take in the right hand a two-inch stick and hold in a leaning position, pointing toward the one in the left hand. Make them take a journe}- until they touch, as you did M'ith the others. Now place upon the table, the long stick lying upon a black line from front to back, while the short stick will not be upon a line. Take one more three-inch stick, hold in a l3'ing position, with left hand. Take a one-inch stick, hold in a lean- ing position with right hand, and move until they touch. Place upon table the long stick on line from left to right, the short stick, not upon a line. Place your finger in the place where the sticks touch in the first thing made, then in the second, then in the third. Which is the largest place? Which the smallest? Which medium sized? Make with two fingers the medium sized angle, then the small, then large. We call this family the angle family. Can yow find the papa angle ? Then the mamma angle ? Then the baby angle? I will show you a way that will help you to always know the mamma angle when you see it. Give each child a square of paper. Touch the angle and say, "This part will always just fit into a mamma angle. Try it and see." Have them try to fit into the others, saying, "This one is too large, and this one too small, but the mamma angle is just right, so people have named it the mamma right angle." As the children come to be familiar with the angles, gradually withdraw terms mamma, papa and baby, sub- stituting right, acute, obtuse. The baby gets its name from being small and is called acute angle, while the papa has a name which means big : obtuse angle. Send children to the board to draw the angles. 26 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS Give them small strips of paper to take home to paste together, forming angles, and bring them back to you, impressing on them that jou wish them to try to do it for themselves. THIRD GIFT. Carpenter sequence repeated from memory. Then go through sequence, having children in succes- sion retain one form, so that the entire sequence may be seen. Let children march around tables so as to see it as a whole. MODELING. Orange and half orange. Have the two passed about so that children may observe, and let them try to reproduce just as they see. Remember that modeling is the most concrete form of drawing, and that the object of drawing is to provide a means for the expression of thought accumulated by observation. FOLDING. Three papers. First, a bridge as follows: Fold a book, then fold pai'allel sides to the middle line. Then fold boat to sail on river, and a fish to swim in the water, out of a small paper. FOLDING. SECOND LESSON. First sequence. Forms of beauty. Salt-cellar, ground form. Yellow. Emphasize the right angle, as you fold it in and out. (See Folding, Appendix, figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.) SEWING. Sew the angles into the orange circles, which were sewed last week. Give a sample piece of card- board. Ask children to make a standing and l^'ing line cross each other, making four mamma right angles as they did inside one circle. Can any one join baby angles to the ends of these lines so as to make a star? When a child discovers this form, let him go to the board and draw it. Then ask all to copy. Give a strip of card-board to each child and let him sew a border by repeating figure. Color, orange. Paste below circular sewing. (See figure 2, Circular Sewing, Appendix.) DRAWING. Children illustrate story of the "Three Bears." PEAS WORK. Reproduce the three angles. PASTING. Normal yellow. Large circle in center. Cut another circle into four parts, producing right angles. Paste front, back, right and left side, curved sides touching middle circle. 28 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS SIXTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEAS. Eelationship of family to civil society. Emphasize particularly what the universal labor brings to th* individual child. Growth of man's dependence, a factor in civilization, SPECIAL IDEA. Angles. Square. SONG. "Joiner." GAME. "Cat and Mouse." STORIES. "David and Goliath." "The Lion and Mouse." TALKS. The many who assist in the production of the house by supph'ing different parts. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Second Gift. Modeling. Third Gift. Pasting. Squares. Mats. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks. Sewing. Mats. Peas Work. '»• GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Examine tools of carpenter and joiner. Saw, hammer, plane, gimlet, auger, plummet, square meas- m-e chalk, carpenter's pencil, sand-paper, chisel. Have as many as possible, or the pictures of them. The children will have brought a number for the chart. Each group take about three tools. Examine material of which each is made, tell the use ; for instance, saw is used to make the long boards short ; plane and sand-paper used to make rough boards smooth, etc. TUESDAY. Materials for a house. Wood, nails, screws, hinges, glass for windows, stone, brick, mortar, pipes, mantles 'n-ates. Wood obtained from the trees which grow in the forest; nails made of iron found in the o-round ; glass made by the glazier from sand, etc. WEDNESDAY, Everybodv who worked that the house might be Inult. Woodsmen, men who work in planing mills, the men who drive the wagons which bring the lumber, and the engineer and othor men who run the freio-ht trains, if it is brought from another part of the country; men who work in the nail and screw miUsj the manufacturer of glass and the plumber. Tell what part each one supplies. THURSDAY. Furniture of house, necessary for use and comfort. Stoves, to make it warm. Beds in which to sleep. Chairs, tables, wardrobe for clothing, bureau, lamps. FRIDAY. Furniture, ornamental and for the pleasure of family. Carpets, rugs, sofa-cushions, pictures, piano, books. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 29 SECOND GIFT. Cylinder. Hide in hands. "Nothing but two hands I see, where, oh, where, can my cylindei- be?" "Here is one face, where are the others?" Let cylinder roll from right hand into the left hand. How many faces did it roll upon? One. We will call that face a curved surface. Now let it stand. Notice the face above. What shape? Round. Find another i-ound face below. What are they to each other? Opposite. What connects them? The curved surface. Pass your finger around the edge above. Is it like the edge of the cube? No, it is curved. Howmany curved edges? Two. Has it any corners? No. Now take sphere in one hand and cylinder in the other. Tell what they have alike, and unlike. Both have a curved surface, and both are without corners, but the cylinder has two round, flat faces, and two cui-ved edges, which the sphere has not. Now take cylinder and cube. Both have plane faces and have edges, but the faces of the cylinder are round, while the faces of the cube are not. The edges of cylinder are curved, and those of the cube are straight. The cube has more faces than the cylinder, and it has corners, which the cylinder has not. Which of the two have nothing alike? The sphere and cube. Put away sphere and cylinder and keep cube. Hide with hands all but the face above. Look at this face. Count its sides, one; two, three, four. What kind of angles? Mamma right angles. Count. Are the sides all the same? Yes. Examine the face opposite in the same manner, then in front, etc. We will name these faces square. Find other squares in the room. THIRD GIFT. / \ y M .. / / A\ House (1), church (2), boat (3), bridge (4), table (5), chair (6), bed (7), wardrobe (8), com- bining works of carpenter and joiner. When children have completed sequence, build again, letting each child keep a form in turn. Individual attention, having children find square faces upon their forms. SQUARES. Give each child a small cube. Take out a square tablet and cover the face above, then below, front, back, right and left. Let children observe that the squares tit upon the faces of the cube. Have ready a cube made of clay, from which cut square sections to show derivation. Place cube back. Take one square and name it a life form, each child to have one form. Copy about ten forms upon one table. Develop memory by having children tell what they are and who made them, /. e., "This is the cracker which John named." "This is the window which Mabel named." Vary questions by asking, "What 30 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS did John name his square?" etc. Before putting squares away let the children use the six to make a table cloth, some all red; some, one red, one white; some all white. STICKS. €: A S i>: 12 3 4 5 e Give sixteen two-inch sticks to each chiUi. Take two sticks and make a right angle. Place it upon the table so that one stick will be three inches from front of the table, from left to right, and the other will be three inches from the right side, lying from front to back. Take two others and place this right angle so that the stick lying from left to right will be two inches from the first stick and upon the same line, and the stick lying from front to back will be six inches from the other which lies from front to back. Place another right angle at the back on the left side, so that the front to back stick will be two inches from the other, and the left to right stick six inches from the one in front. Now place the last right angle so that there will be two inches between each stick. Place finger in middle of figure. (See figure 1.) How do the angles turn? Away from the middle. How many sticks in one right angle? Two. In two? Four. In three? Six. In four? Eight. How many sticks lying front to back? Four. Left to right? Four. Lift the two sticks in front, place them back two inches so that they will form right angles by touching the other ends of the same sticks. (See figure 2.) Lift the two sticks at the back and place them forward two inches. (See figure 3.) Now lift the two sticks on the right side and place them two inches to the left. (See figure 4.) Lift the two at the left side and place two inches to the right. (See figure 5.) Now how are the right angles turned? In. How many? Four. Count sticks again. Take two more sticks, make an acute angle and place at the back. Another in front, then right and left sides. (See figure (5. ) Count sticks by two's to sixteen. Count acute angles. Count obtuse angles and right angles, then all the angles. Take away acute angle in front, how many acute angles left? How man}' sticks left? Fourteen. Take from back. How many sticks left? Twelve, etc., until all are taken away, then send chiidi-en to the board to draw. BEADS. Two yellow spherical beads, two yellow cylindrical beads, two yellow cubical, upon each plate. Place two beads which look like sphere upon 3our stick, place two which look like cylinder, place two which look like cube. How many beads? Six. How many kinds? Three. Point to them and let the children say what they are like. Like the sphere, like the cylinder, like the cube. Point to two of the same kind tell- ing what they are like. Two like the cube, two like the sphere, two like the cylinder. (Individually.) There is one thing that all are alike in, what is it? Color, they are all yellow. Find all the yellow things in the room. Tell me yellow fruits and vegetables and flowers. What kind of work did you do this week in which 3'ou used yellow material? Mats, sewing, folding. Bring me some yellow material for a chart. (See Yellow Chart, Appendix.) MODELING. Make a cube by pressure. Make a sphere first by pressing round in the hand, then place in one hand and press above and below. Place on the board and press with the hands, front and back, then on right side and left, continue until corners and edges are accurately defined. Let those who finish first make a second cube, cut into two parts by diagonal line and give to each child to add to his cube, transforming into a house. Make window and d,')ors. Fiiul square faces, mark a small square window in gable. FOR KINDER.GARTNERS. 31 PASTING. Gree*i paper. Large circle in center, another, cut into fourpart?; paste right in front, left at the back, left in front, right at the back, curved side touching center. MATS. Yellow mats. (Half-inch width.) Hold up brick of fourth gift. Show longest oblong face. See if you can make one picture of this face in j-our mat, right in the middle. Watch for the child who dis- covers three up, three down, three up, and attract attention of the others to it. Let all copy from it. When they have all secured the first strip, have each child count how many strips are under the oblong, how many left on each side. For next strip, cover the three on right side and on left side so as to make two pictures of the face of the brick, then make another like the first, etc. SEWING. Derivation of square from circle. Normal yellow on gray card-board. (See figure 3, Circular Sew- ing, Appendix.) PEAS WORK. Chair. Seat, a square one by one. Back, a square one by one. Acute angle added to back, of one inch sticks. Four one-inch sticks for legs. Cut a square of pale blue paper one and a half l)y one and one-half inches, and take out from each right angle a small square one-fourth inch by one-fourth inch, then let children paste it over the four sticks which outline the seat of the chair, giving it the effect of an upholstered chair. Do the same for the back. DRAWING. What does mother use in her kitchen for boiling water? A teakettle. Try to draw a frying pan and any other utensils used in the kitchen. Let children copy and take home original. 32 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS SEVENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Relatiousliip to civil society. Emphasize upon the place of the iiulividual as shown iu "Baker." SPECIAL IDEAS. Equal. Square. Obloug foreshadowed. SOiNG. Baker. ■ ■ GAMES. Farmer. Miller. STORIES. "Booster and Hen, or Learning to "Wait." (Obedience to time.) "Amy Stuart." (Individual responsibility.) TALKS. Ants. Blackboard exercise. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Second Gift. Modeling. Third Gift. Folding. Fourth Gift. Pasting, THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Squares. Mats. Sticks. Picture Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Farmer. "Where he lives. Living animals which he has. What he raises on his farm : grain, fruits, vegetables, etc TUESDAY. Miller. His place in his mill. Read Longfellow's poem, "The "Wind-Mill, " "Behold a Giant am I." Try to bring iu the thought there expressed. It is simjjle nough for the children to repeat line by line. Then let them draw upon the board the story it tells. WEDNESDAY. Have a third and fourth gift upon a modeling board. Let childi-en see that boxes are alike, ask if the same thing is iu botli boxes. Take them out. Same size. Show that they have same number of parts, but parts are different. Reconstruct and let children tell how nuuiy lines on top of the cubes. Two on old, one on new. Below the same. Front, two on old, three on new. Back the same. Right side, two on old, four on new. Left side the same. Do it I'apidly so as not to strain the attention and cause the children to lose interest. Use talk, simply to establish a connection between third and fourth gifts to prepare for the l)uildiug lesson. THURSDAY. Have I'eady a number of objects in pairs. Two equal squares, two equal circles, two equal sticks, two equal cubes, two equal pencils, etc. Arrange in two boxes, placing one of each kind in each box. Give every child one object out of one box. Each tell what he has. "I have a stick," "I have a brick,"' etc. Pass your box to the first child, asking him to take out something equal to the object which he has. If they be different in color, so much the better. Then show them how the brick and cube are equal by combining the square pi'isms of the sixth gift. FRIDAY. Review the stories of the week, each child telling that which he remembers. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 33 BALL EXERCISE. Review the bird games of First and Second Week. Sing, "I'm a Robin," changing the words as follows : " I'm a robin, I'm a robin, and the whole Winter long. In the far-away South, I sing gaily my song. ^^ But in the bright Sjiring-time, I fly back to you, When the trees wear their green dress, and the sky is so blue." For the last verse, sing the first verse, changing to "We are birdies, so fearless and true," making seven vei'ses. SECOND GIFT. Rolling games with sphere and cylinder for five minutes. "Roll over, come back." Why do they roll so easily? Because the faces upon which they roll are curved. Name quickly ail the things like the sphere. Place it in box, take out cube and sing, "Be quiet little playfellows," having cube and cylinder stand. Can they .stand just as well upon either of the plane faces? Yes. Why? Because they are equal. How many faces on cylinder which are equal? Find faces on cube which are equal. How many? Something else equal upon the cube? Corners and edges. How many corners? How many edges? Sing, "My cube has six faces, as smooth as my hand," etc. Name all objects like the cube. Name all Uke the cylinder. Ask for cylindrical objects. THIRD GIFT. / / A IP / / A iP Forms of beauty. Lift four cubes from above and place upon the lines of the table. Take one cube and place in front in the middle, face touching. Place one at the back in same manner, then right and left. What shape is the face in the middle? Square. Those around? Small, square faces. How many snuiU square faces could be made of the large one in the middle? Four. If the four cubes outside were put together, what sort of a face should you see? A large, S()iiare face like the center. (Similarity of quantity.) Push the cube at the back, one inch to the right, nuddug two edges touch. Push the one in front one inch to the left. Push cube on right side one inch toward the front, and cube on left side one toward the back. How are they touching? Edge to edge. Now put two fingers upon the two cubes nearest the front, in the middle part. Take away left finger and move tlie other cube one inch to the front so that it will touch face to face with the outside cube. Place two fingers on cubes nearest the back. Take away right finger. Move other cube back one inch. Place finger on the center cube in front which you did not move and move it to the left one inch. Do you see s(iuare faces on top of these parts? No, they are too long to be square. (Fourth form.) Touch two cubes on right side in front. Move one inch to the front, now one inch to the left, so that they touch edge to edge. Touch two cubes on left side at back, move around to the front and place opposite the two just moved. Move the remaining two around to the front and place toucliing edge to edge. What shape is the space enclosed? Square. Do you see any square faces above? No. Move the two cubes at the back around to the right side, placing opposite the two in front, touching edge to edge. Take two cubes on the left and move to the front. What shape is the space? Square. How many squares do you see on the table in this space? Four. How manv inches does that make? Four inches. (Square contents.) These last two squares are formed because the cubes are not there, while in the first two form.s they were nuide because the cubes were there. (Con- crete and abstract perception of form.) Toucli two cubes on right side and two on left. Push one inch to the middle, making them touch face to face. Touch two cubes in fron*-. Push one to right, one to left, touching edge to edge. Back the same. Last form obtained like first. 34 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOURTH GIFT. Dictate wagon. Place one brick Ij'ing upon the table. Place two others in a sitting position, touch- ing the fii'st brick. Now, place one, left and right .sides in a sitting position, touching the other three ; place two in a sitting position on left side, two small faces touching the largo face of the brick upon that side, leaving just one inch between the last two placed, place the remaining brick between these last two in a sitting position, not touching either brick, representing the horse; place in the wagon eight cylindrical beads for barrels of flour being taken from the miller to the baker. STICKS. Cup, bakiup- pan, tilled with biscuits and rolling-pin. Cap. Square, one by one-inch, small half ring for handle. Bakint^ pan. Oblong, four liy two inches. Handles, small half rings. Eight small rings inside. Rolling pin. Oblong, four by one inches, Handle, one inch sticks. Count sticks and right angles. Find equal and opposite sticks. Trace process in baking. SQUARES. D □ Bed; anal3'ze. BEADS. Cubical beads. Two red, two orange, two yellow. Arrange them as you like. Have each child read his own arrangement; tell ht)W many colors and how many beads of each color. Lead them to notice that the large face produced hy placing them all on the stick is like the face of the brick. MODELING. Cylinder. Transform into a barrel f(n' l)aker. Push edges in slightly and add hoops. FOLDING. Sequence of life forms. One paper changed. Table-cloth ground form. Take home. PASTING. Normal blue. Derivation of square from circle, fold twice, then fold curved side toward the right angle and cut the line so marked. Paste pieces with curved side touching square. MATS. Green, normal and light. (Half-inch width.) Dictated pattern showing S(]uares. Lift one strip and then make a scjuare, lift two strips and make another square, then two more and make another. How many S(juares? Three. How nnany strips did you cover to make a scpiare? One. Take your needle and make a scjuare on the right side and one on the left side of the first S(|uarc touching right angle to right ani;le. Leave three strips up in the middle and make a square on the right and left sides of the last FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 35 square. Then put in a strip lii^e the first. Insist upon the children getting it by reference to the first strip, not by nuuil)er dictation, for the chiUl must accustom himself to relate forms before he can be reasonably expected to invent patterns. Place fourth strip in so as to make a square touchino- the mid- dle square, right and left sides, angle to angle. Then another like the first strip, then like second, then third, fourth, etc., until mat is finished. Let children count all squares produced. Notice the cross form produced, counting the number of them, so as to attract him to regular pattern produced. SEWING. Trades pictures. Carpenter, baker, farmer's tools. PEAS WORK. Boiling-pin. Make an oblong, three b}' one inch, placing a pea in the middle of each one inch stick. Add one incii stick on each side for handles. DRAWING. Make a dog house, using the cube of second gift, and a triangular prism made from parts of the fifth gift. Mark a door with curved top upon the face in front and place before children, asking them to draw it as they see it. Cop}' and take home originid. • BLACKBOARD EXERCISE. Leslie may come to the board and dra\v a vertical line, that is, one in a standing position. Margaret may come and draw one just as long by the side of it. What do we call them when they are the same length? Equal. Lawrence may draw a horizontal line. Louise draw another equal to it. James draw an oblique line. Another child draw one equal. Proceed in like manner obtaining oblique having two directions, then take following arrangements. One child draw vertical and horizontal equaL Another draw vertical and oblique equal. Another draw horizontal and oblique equal. Another draw vertical, horizontal and oblique equal. Measure, to be sure they are equal after drawing. This will be an excellent exercise for developing accuracy of vision. Now let children draw two right angles which are equal, two acute angles which are equal and two obtuse angles which are equal. Then draw two circles which are equal and two squares which are equal. Show that every part of the outside of circle is an equal distance from the center by placing a dot in center and measuring. Measure sides and angles of square and form- ulate, "The square has four equal sides and four equal angles." Ask children to cut any two things out of paper which are equal and bring to-morrow. 36 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS EIGHTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Fitting into relationships, by realizing value of time. SPECIAL IDEAS. Oblong. Green. SONGS. "Tick-Tack." "Go to Sleep, Little Thumb." GAMES. "River." "Round and round it goes." "Frogs." STORIES. "The Walnut Tree that Wanted to Bear Tulips." "The Grass Princess." TALKS. Tick-Tack. Time pieces. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Second Gift. Modeling. Third Gift. Folding. Fourth Gift. Mats. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Squares. Sewing. Sticks. Peas Work. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Use of the words "A" and "An." Give each child an object. We will all tell what we have in our hands: "I have a book." "I have an apple." "I have a stick." "I have an egg," etc. Change objects next time so that the children may all have an opportunity to use the word "An." Explain that "A" and "An" mean the same as "one." TUESDAY. Use of "had." Give each an object. Take the object from the first chikl and say, "Tell me what you had." "I had a book." "I had an apple," etc., everyone tell what he had. WEDNESDAY. Use of "Has." Seat the children opposite each other. "I have a knife, Warren has a pencil. '" Each one tell what his neighbor has, as well as his own object. THURSDAY. Review the three. Take an object from the third child and the fii'st child tell, "I have a knife, "War- ren has a pencil, and Ruth had a stick." FRIDAY. Review the stories of the week. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. SECOND GIFT. 37 Begiu twirling games. "A sphere I am wherever I go." Notice that the sphere does not change its appearance when in motion, because it apjiears the same when in rest seen from any point of view. CUBE. " With a stick through my mi X I 2 3 4 5 Sequence of forms of beauty. Notice manner of touching and count; two and one, three and two, five and two, seven and two, etc. Subtract in same manner. Number six is like umuber one. BALL LESSON. Develop blue. Birds hopping and Hying, then hop and fly together. Take all but the blue balls away, and sing the following song: (Tune, "Two Little Birds Once Made Their Nest.") "I am a happy little bird with a fea'her coat of blue, I love the little children and sing the summer through, -^ But when Jack Frost comes creeping 'round among the trees and flowers, L^ 48 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS To the fair, warm South I fly away and spend the Winter liours ; Good-b)-e, my Httle pla^-niates, I go far away from you, But wlien tlie Spring returns again, you may look for your friend in blue." Find blue things and bring blue for chart. (See Color Charts, Appeodix.) MODELING. Have a collection of fruits and vegetables in the room and let children model from them. It would be well for the teacher to model a large basket and place in it the fruits and vegetables modeled by the children, thus making a unity of their work. FOLDING. Normal blue paper. Inventions. (Dictate figure 9, Folding, Appendix, to those children who can not invent.) SEWING. Autumn leaf. Light orange with noruud orange ribs. Color with red, orange and a touch of green chalk, when sewing is finished. Also trefoil arrangement about a circle. Nornuil blue. (See Circular Sewing No. 5, Appendix.) PEAS WORK. Basket from basis of square. Two squares ; one, two by two inches, the other four by four inches. Join with two-inch sticks; place a pea in the middle of two opposite sticks of large square to attach han- dle. Fill with autumn leaves. DRAWING. Let each child draw an autumn leaf from one before him. BLACKBOARD EXERCISE. Quadrilaterals. John, you may goto the board and draw a square ; another child draw an oblong. Now send a child to draw an acute angle turned up, another join an acute angle turned down, producing Rhomb. Draw an acute angle with one long hoi"izontal line and one short oblique. Join another angle of the same kind to it, producing a rhomboid. Now a child draw a right angle at left below, short verti- cal line, long horizontal line; join to it an obtuse angle formed of siiort hoiizontal and long oblique, pro- ducing shoe trapezoid; then draw obtuse angle of long horizontal and short oblique; join another obtuse angle with a longer horizontal and oblique line having opposite direction, making boat trapezoid; now draw right angle turned above; join acute angle turned down nuide of long lines, making trapezium; count the sides of every one. All have four sides and all have four angles, so they must belong to same family. Point to each one and tell about sides and angles. Square has four equal sides, four right angles. Oblong, two long, two short sides, four right angles. Rhomboid, four equal sides, two acute and two obtuse angles. Rhomboid, two long, two short sides, two acute and two obtuse angles. Boat trapezoid, one long, two short, one medium size; two acute and two obtuse angles. Shoe trapezoid, one long, two short, one medium side; two right angles, one obtuse and one acute. Trapezium, two long, two short sides; one right angle, one acute, two obtuse. Find the two which have all sides equal. Find four which have opposite sides parallel. Find two which have four right angles. Find two which have only two sides parallel. This exercise will make the child familiar with the quadrilaterals as a whole, and as he meets them in his work, they nuiy be named. GAME. Come, little leaves. Some ten or twelve children represent trees, with arras upraised, at one part of the circle. One little child runs into a corner to represent the "wind." The remainder join hands enclos- ing a meadow. Wind runs back and forth in front of leaves, while children sing, "Come little leaves." At the second verse, "Soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call," all the little leaves flutter after the wind, over into the meadow, spinning about in every way. At the words, "Soon fast asleep," they flut- ter down to the ground and the children extend their arms horizontally for covering. 60 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWELFTH WEEK. (Thanksgiving Week.) SALIENT IDEA. Fitting into relationships. (Gratitude of all, to God, in the form of praise. ) SONGS. "Can a Little Child Like Me?" "All Things Bright and Beautiful." "Over the River and Through the Woods." GAMES. Ocean and Pebbles. The Ship. STORIES. Bab's Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims. TALK. The First Thanksgiving. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review Eleventh Week. TUESDAY, Talk about the Voyage of the Pilgrims. WEDNESDAY'. Why we have Thanksgiving in the Autuum. Because everj'thing in nature gives us the result of its Summer's growing. THURSDAY. Each child name something for which he wishes to thank God. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 51 GAME. The waves roll in upon the beach, Then out ag^in beyond our reach. They bring us treasures from the deep, And we gather the shells and pebbles to keep. Tra, la, la, la, la, etc. Air—" Our Vessel O'er the Broad Blue Sea." Arrange children in parallel rows at one end of the room, facing the same way. Place in front of them a number of the smallest children — to represent pebbles and shells. As they sing, take the glide step, and the little pebbles move forward each time, while the waves roll in, then out again, coming farther each time, until the last two lines are sung, when they recede entirely, leaving the pebbles upon the beach. SHIP. Change words as follows : Our vessel o'er the broad blue sea, to a country far away doth sail. And on her way she oft doth meet, with wind and cloud and stormy gale. But bravely through the dangers all, she sails until her voyage is o'er, Then back again to us she comes, and we greet her from our own dear shore. We welcome you, we welcome you. GIFT WORK. — — '-= — •= 1 = v ^ ^Z 2l ^^ V \- t 7 t t t \- t X \ x i 7 ^ "^^--t^^^ ^^t S S 2=^ --N iC L -t -t L ^ t r — 1 — Illustrate Thanksgiving with the Gifts, using all the same day. Divide the work with each Gift among the teachers, and have it all produced at the same time, each set doing their particular work. When finished, the story of Thauksgiviug will be represented. FIRST SET. Build a church with third and fourth sfifts combined. SECOND SET. A log house with beads. Place upon a three-inch stick fourcubrcal beads. Make four of this kind, and stand them three inches apart, forming the four posts for a house. Place upon a five-inch stick six cylindrical beads. Make twelve of this kind. Place the ends of the sticks, which project, between the first and second cubes of the two posts in front. Eepeat at the back, then right side, then left side, let- ting the ends of the sticks cross each other, which will render it firm. There will be three logs upon each side. Now place seven cylindrical beads upon five-inch sticks, and form the roof by laying them from front to back across the top. Second row, between each two of the first row, then third row likewise until it ends with one log. * 52 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRD SET. Fire place. Place two cubes six inches from the front of the table, touching face to face, square faces on the right and left sides, a cube on right and left sides of these two, extending half inch in front. Stand a brick on right and left sides, long broad faces touching square faces of last mentioned cubes. Place two bricks in a sitting position above the four cubes. Place two cubes in the middle above the bricks, extending to the front a half inch. Place a brick in a lying position on right and left sides of these cubes, then a brick in a sitting. position above, and place the remaining two cubes below in front, on right and left sides. Add two cylindrical beads on the mantel, one on each side of the clock, to represent can- dlesticks, and let children place red, orange and yellow sticks in the fireplace to represent logs. FOUUTII SET. Ship, with sticks. Name it the "Mayflower." Cut sails of white paper. FIFTH SET. Kings and sticks. Fruits and vegetables — apple, pear, potato, carrot. SIXTH SET. Peas work. Wigwam, for Indian. Try to have small pictures of Indians to place in the wigwam. SEATENTH SET. Use sand table. A child from the set who made the log house with beads, reproduce it on the sand table. Several children make wigwam with sticks and peas, covering with dark cloth to represent buffalo skin. Stand pictures of Indians about, and make little hills of sand and trees of sticks and beads. Mark off a large square in the sand, and lay it off in small figures to show how the floor of the best room of the early settler was ornamented. When all is complete, let children walk around and examine the different forms made. This method of having all the Kindergarten work out one idea, will yield very good results, impi-essing the child with the sense of the organic relation of the part to the whole. MODELING. An ear of corn. Modify the foundation form from the cylinder and produce the grains by shaping with the thumb nail, pushing all toward one end of the ear, in regular rows. Grains may be made upon one side only, and a leaf placed around the other side. FOLDING. A boat to take home, connecting with the Mayflower. Also finish blue folding for books. Finish blue sewing. SEWING. DRAWING. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds. Let the children color inside of the outline with chalk. Copy the best ones and take the original home. 64 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTEENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Gratitude in the form of doing and giving. SPECIAL IDEA. Violet. SONGS. "The Merry Bells are Ringing." " Christmas is Coming." j, "Hang Up the Baby's Stocking." Hold the thought in your Christmas work, that any one who works and gives becomes a Santa Claus, making the child feel that the term is only a name for one who does much and gives mucM^- Do not em- phasize impossible facts, such as coming down the chimnej' and crawling through key holes, but try to have the children seize the universal thought of giving one's self for others, and then they will realize that the spirit of giving transcends all material limits. GAMES. r "We Are Playing Together." "The Sparrows." STORY. " Solomon, the Camel." TALKS. Camels. Sheep. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fourth Gift. Modeling. Third and Fourth Gifts. Sewing. Squares. ]\Iats. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks. Sewing. Mats. Folding. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Eeview Eleventh Week. TUESDAY. Shepherds and sheep. Connect with "Story of David," and tell about the country near Bethlehem; how the shepherds placed the sheep in the fold at night and watched them. WEDNESDAY. What the sheep gives us. Food and clothing. Show woolen cloth, aud tell how wool is made into thread and woven into cloth. THURSDAY. Tell about the desert and its heat, aud luck of vegetation. How people traveled upon camels aud why, aud a little about the wise men f roui the East. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. THIRD AND FOURTH GIFTS COMBINED. / ' 7 r 1 z -li 1 11 / / / / A w 5 6 Sequence of life forms. Fire-place and mantel, bed, sofa, couch, piano, dressing case. FIRST FORM. Place one brick in a lying position on the table and place a cube touching it upon the right and left sides, also another cube above each of these two. Place two bricks in a sitting position back of these, then two more above them in a sitting position ; two more above these in the same position ; place the four remaining cubes in front. SECOND FORM. Take the two cubes in the middle in front and place touching the cubes on the right and left sides. Take the other two cubes above at the back and place in the same way. Take out the brick below in the middle and place between the two cubes in front in a sitting position. THIRD FORM. Take two cubes from the right side and two from the left side. Join together and tit in the space between the remaining four cubes. Take the brick in front and the brick above and place in a sitting position on the right and left sides upon the cubes. FOURTH FORM. Take, the two bricks from right and left sides, join together and place upon the left side of cube. Take away two cubes from right side, and place in the space, two bricks joined together; take one more brick from the back, place in a lying position on right side, then place the two cubes on top of this brick. Take down the remaining brick at the back and make the three fit in a row. FIFTH FORM. Take away two bricks on left side. Take away three cubes in front, and place on the left side of the remaining three cubes. Move the three bricks at the back, two inches to the left; take away the bricks and cubes on the right and place a brick in a standing position on each side; place two bricks in a sitting 56 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS position ill the middle at tlie back, then another in the same position in the middle above. Place remain- ing two cubes on right and left sides, making them even with the bricks at the back. SIXTH FORM Take down the last two «ubes, also push out bi'icks at the back and on the sides, two inches awav. Take two culies from the right side and place with the other two in a row in front of the remaining four. Join two bricks on long, narrow faces and place on left side at the back, square face in front; stand one brick on right side of these two, then stand three bricks above them. Join the remaining two on long broad faces, and place in right side, over the middle of the two cubes. SQUARES. n n D D 12 3 Form of beauty. Divide into parts as illustrated, and reconstruct. FOURTH GIFT. Let us make a square sheep fold, placing a long, low wall around it. How many inches long inside? Four. How wide? Four inches. How many inches does it contain? Sixteen. What are fences used for? To keep out dangerous things, and to keep inside that which belongs within. (Right of property.) Let us make this sheep fold oblong, instead of square. Count length of sides and square contents. Then let children place fences about any space they wish. Individual attention, questions on dimensions. STICKS AND RINGS, Give rings, large size, and two-inch sticks. IMake a border, placing a square first, made of the sticks, then a ring one inch away, then another sijuare, then another ring, etc. Limit with straight lines one inch away from the units. MODELING. Let children try modeling a sheep. Have a number of pictures that they may see. Accept it, though it be crude. Man has ever developed through crude expression. SEWING. Quartrefoil arrangement about a circle. Sew in normal violet. (See I^igure 6, Circular Sewing, Appendix. ) DRAWING. Let children draw a number of Christmas bells in different sizes and connect them. MATS. Violet, normal and light. Make a large oblong, covering five strips on the right and left sides of the FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 57 mat, leaving five strips in the middle. (Number formula, five down, five up, five down.) Second strip, two small oblongs, each covering two strips, touching the large ones, leaving one strip between them, a square covering strip in the exact middle of the mat. (Number formula, two down, one up, two down, one up, two down, two up, one down, two up, two down, one up, two down.) Third strip, a square be- tween the two oblongs, touching angle to angle, in the middle, an oblong, over three. (Number formula, two up, one down, three up, three down, three up, one down, two up.) Fourth strip, like number two. Fifth strip, like number one. Sixth strip, an oblong covering five strips in the exact middle of the mat. (Number formula, five up, five down, five up.) Seventh strip, lift two strips and make a square, then two more and make an oblong, then one more, make another oblong, lift two, nuike a square. (Number formula, two up, oue down, two up, two down, one up, two down, two up, one down, two ixp.) Eighth strip, nuike an oblong touching the square, then a square in the middle of the mat, then another oblong touching square. (Niuiiber formula, one up, three down, three up, one down, three up, two down, one up. ) Continue mat by referring to foregoing strips. FOLDING. Normal violet. Proceed as in folding the octagon. Find the center of each small square, and fold only two right angles to the center, leaving the one in the middle of the paper and its opposite, unfolded. This will produce the effect of the first hexagon cross, with the exception that the angles are folded ou top, instead of under. The experience of folding on top of the paper should precede the crosses, M'hich are folded under, as the technical skill i-equired is not so great. Fold the short sides in to the middle again. (See figure 10, Appendix.) 58 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOURTEENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. (Emphasis upon the Divine Gift.") SPECIAL IDEA. Rhomb. SONGS. "Jack Frost." "Christmas Anthem." "Merry, Merry Christmas Everywhere." GAMES. Skating. "Round and round we are lightly stepping.' STORY. "The Shepherd's Children." JIONDAY. Third and Fourth Gift. TALKS. Christmas. Our Bodies. Location. TUESDAY. Fifth Gift. THURSDAY. Sticks. FRIDAY. Christmas Work, WKDNKSDAY. Triangles. Review last week's irift work. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. TUESDAY. Bible babies — Moses, Sanuiel, Jesus. Tell children about them simply. WEDNESDAY. Christmas trees. (Read Howe's article in tlie Kindergarten ^Magazine, December number, 1892.") THURSDAY. The star which led the shepherds. Review story. FRIDAY. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. THIRD AND FOURTH GIFTS. 59 / / / / vC / / / / "7~ 4 5 Sequence of life forms. Sheep-fold, inn, manger, wall, gate. Emphasis on direction of edges by twos. Show me two vertical edges in front. Two vertical edges at back. Two horizontal edges above, lying front to back. Two horizontal edges below, lying from front to back. Two horizontal edges above, lying from right to left. Two horizontal edges below, lying from right to left. FIFTH GIFT. Ann chair for grandfather to sit in Christmas night while he tells us how they kept Christmas when he was a boy. How high is the back and how high is the seat? Each child find an edge and tell where it is. One horizontal edge above on right side, lying front to back, etc. TRIANGLES. Eight isosceles. Abstract from face of a triangular prism. ' Put two together, what does it make? Scjuare. How do you think these were made? By cutting squares in half. Each child name his triangle a life form. Draw on board with additions. Boat, tent, hill, dish, etc. Then make life forms with two, three, four and five. STICKS. Diagonals of two by one. Make acute angle pointing to the back. The ends of the stick must be two inches apart in front and upon a black line. Now make another acute angle, pointing to the front. Join it to the other two sticks, and see, we have one of the four-sided figures. Let us see which it is. The one with four equal sides and two acute and two obtuse angles, and having its opposite sides parallel. 60 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS Now make another oae like it aud })lace two inches iu front of it. Then make one on the right side and on the left side, two inches apart. We have four of them, and I will tell you their names. It is rhomb. Now, take two two-inch sticks and make a right angle. Place it in front on the right side, the ends of the sticks touching the obtuse angles of two rhombs. Repeat upon the other three sides. Have the diagonal sticks colored so that the children will not confuse them with the two inch sticks. o SUGGESTIONS FOR CHRISTMAS PRESENTS. MATS. PICTURE FRAME, A square mat lined with silver or gilt paper. Fold two shawls iu order to find center. Now, fold the right angles into the center, then out again to the middle of the side and place in center a picture of a child's head, or some Christmas picture. Attach cord and tassels by which to hang it, arranging so that one right angle will be below and one above. HAIR RECEIVER. Oblong mat lined. Paste short side to long side, forming a cornucopia. The oblong portion above, fold back into right scalene triangles. Attach cord aud tassels.' MATCH CASE. Oblong mat not lined. Draw lengthwise upon the back of mat, three lines, dividing it into four equal parts. Take one long side of the mat and fold it to the line which marks one-fourth. Paste it in this position, leaving the one-fourth extending beyond. Now, cut this at intervals the entire length of the mat, up to the place where the other side is pasted over. Give each child a cylinder and let him wrap the mat about it and paste together the portion which overlaps. When pasted, turn the little cut portions under upon the plane face of cylinder and let it rest upon the table and press liat. You have now a small cylindrical box about an inch aud one-half high. Give child snuiU circular disc of card Ijoard al)out an inch larger than the circle which the box forms. Hold the cj'linder and put stiff paste upon the pieces on the bottom, then place in the middle of the card-board, pressing firmly until dry. Eemove cylinder. Cut fringe of crimped tissue paper, and finish around the card-board at the l)ottom. NEEDLE BOOK. Oblong mat, one-half inch strips, woven one up, one down. Cut an oblong piece of card-board, the width of the margin, smaller than the mat. Fold the two short sides together, thus making a book. Cut a needle book of pretty cloth and sew it upon the middle line of the card-board. Place upon the mat, fold the margin over the sides of the oblong card-board aud paste. This is a very simple present which can be made easily by the children. SEWING. PHOTOGRAPH CASE, Two oblong pieces of grey card-board eight by one inches. Rough surface card-board makes a prettier foundation for all presents than the smooth. Sew a sprig of holly. Color the berries with red chalk and leaves with green, or paint, when sewed. Tie the two pieces of card-board together with scarlet ribbons, upon the two long sides, making three ties upon each side, leaving the long ends of ribbon. Cord and tassels may be used instead. CALENDAR. Oblong card-board six by nine inches. Picture of little girl blowing the down from a dandelion ball to tell the time by counting the remainder. Attach small calendar in one corner; line, and suspend with cord and tassels or ribbon. (See Appendix.) I'EX WIPER. Five pointed star, pale green card-board. Trefoil in each point, sewed in gray-green silk or wool. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 61 Tie through the center with narrow green ribbon to piece of chamois or felt, cut in five pointed star or circle. It can be made in other colors by drawing on each point three circles, each a trifle larger than the middle one. Sew in three tones of any color desired and tie with ril)bon of same color. (See Appendix.) FOLDING. Glove and handkerchief boxes may be obtained from the Kindergarten supply depots and covered with folds. HOLLOW PICTURE FRAME. Cut square or oblong one inch and one-half in width and any dimension which you desire your frame to be. Let children crush tissue paper, and after pasting a little cotton upon the card-board frame, cover with the tissue paper, pasting it upon the under side. Care must be taken to make the corners fit nicelv. Now, fold small rosettes of white folding paper as follows : Table cloth ground form : fold as for second trapezium cross, having the acute angles to the center, but fold the side on top of the middle line, instead of turning it under. Open the triangle and press down, forming eight small equilateral triangles around, making a rosette form. Paste in, a round yellow center, and cut away the outside around the triangles. This will make it look like a daisy. Paste them at regular intervals around the frame upon the tissue paper. Put a picture upon a stiff background and paste frame around it. A cord may be attached, or a piece of card-board pasted at the back to make it stand. PASTING. Blotting pad. An oblong of gray card-board, eight by four inches. Cut quatrefoils, circles, or stars of any kind in three sizes: Smallest, light tone; medium, lighter; largest, normal. Paste light on lighter, then on normal. Make three of these and paste upon the card-board as a border through the center, not touching. Border the two long sides with two narrow strips eighth of an inch apart of the same color. Tie to an oblong piece of blotting paper. 62 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FIFTEENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. (Child's gift valuable for the love he puts iuto it. j SPECIAL IDEAS. Balance. Triangle. SONGS. Change hymn to "Our Father in Heaven, we hallow thy name." "in a Manger, far away." "Hang up the Baby's Stocking. GAME. Scissors' Grinder. STORY. What the Shepherds found. TALKS. Our Kindergarten Room and that which we have put iuto it. Location, North and South. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY, ourth Gift. THURSDAY. Sticks. ♦ Fifth Gift. FRIDAY. Christmas Work. Triangles. Review Fourteenth Week. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. TUESDAY. History of the Red Charts. We first noticed red when playing with our balls, then we brought reO things and our teachers made one chart and certain little children made the other. Talk about the forms o used and the thought represented. Orange charts. Yellow charts. Review story. WEDNESDAY. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 63 FIFTH GIFT. Compare with Fourth Gift. It has the same number of faces, corners and edges, but it is larger than the Fourth Gift. Notice lines and take down one divided cube of each kind. Observe the number of parts, and the manner in which they are put together. Lift the top of your new cube, and place three inches to the right side. Have the children place thumbs firmly over the two lines in front, pointers over the two lines at the back, and doul)le the other three fingers, so as to press firmly against the sides. Lift another part, and place three inches to the right side. How many parts? Three. Draw three cubes one inch to the front from each part, then push three cubes one inch to the back from each part. How many parts now? Nine. Leave the middle cube in each part and push the one on each side of it away one inch. Count parts. Twenty-seven. Keconstruct in same manner, and let the children build. ■ TRIANGLES. Hold up triangle. How many sides has it? Three. Now I have a whole family of three-sided things, and I mean to let you see them all, and find out al)out them. Give one of each kind to every child. Hold up any one, and tell me all about it. All listen while one tells what he can about one trian- gle. The right isosceles has three sides, one long and two short; three angles, one right and two acute. Right scalene. Three sides, one long, one short, one medium. Three angles, one right, one small acute, one larger acute angle, etc. Let children draw on the board and name things which have three sides like the triangle. Ask children to cut triangles at home and bring to the Kindergarten. FOURTH GIFT. Balance. Place one brick in a lying position, short, narrow face in front. Place another brick in a lying position on top of it, short, narrow faces, right and left sides. Now another like the first one. Continue until all are built up. How many lying front to back? Four. How many lying left to right? Four. Upon which face are they resting? Long, broad face. Why do they lie without falling? Be- cause we placed them right over the middle each time. Build cube. Now begin with a brick in a sitting position and build up. Then in a standing position. Which is the most difiicult to keep from falling? When the little bricks remain without falliug we say they are balanced, that is one does not lean awaj- from the middle any more than the other. Place a brick lymg front to back, and balance one upon it standing left to right, then another lying, standing, etc. Balance them, lying and sitting, then sitting and stand- ing, then 13'ing, sitting, standing. STICKS. Eio-ht two-inch sticks. See if you can make me two right angles with only two sticks. How did you do it? By making the end of one stick touch the middle of the other. Now see if you can make four right ano-les with two sticks. How did you do it? By placing one across the middle of the other. Make two, as you did at first, having the left to right stick in front, four inches from the front of the table. Make two more right angles, having the left to right stick at the back and the front to back stick upon the same line as the first one, but placed two inches back of it. Make two right angles for the right side and two for the left side. How many right angles? Count by twos. Two and two are four, four and two are G4 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS six, six and two are eight. Take the left to right sticls in front and make it touch the other end of the same stick. Take the left to right stick at the back and do likewise. Move the stick on the right side to the left, making it touch the other end of the same stick. Move the stick on the left, to the right. Count right angles. Twelve. Move the left to right stick which you moved at first, so that it will lie across the middle of the front to back stick, making four right angles. Do so with back, right and left sides. Count right angles. Sixteen. Push the four right angles in front, to the back one inch, then push the fou^ at the back, to the front one inch. Push the right and left sides one inch, making all touch in center. Count right angles. Twenty-four. Lift out sticks making them touch outer ends of sticks as they did ia figure one, then push all out one inch which will make figure one. B6 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS SIXTEENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. (Bring out the thoiiglit that thev are to make pai'ents happy when they come to see the tree. Give songs, games and smiles away as well as gifts made with tlie hands.) SPECIAL IDEA. Rhomboid. GAMES. l!^mphasize the " Baskets" and Dancing Games. STORY. Kcad ami adai)t "The Birds' Christmas Carol." TALK. Pine Trees. MONDAY. Fourth Gift. THURSDAY. Sticks. TUESDAY. Fifth Gift. WEDNESDAY. Triansles. FRIDAY. Christmas 'Work Review Fifteenth Week. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. TUESDAY. Counting. First child say one, second child say two, third child say three, etc. Begin at other end of group and repeat. Encourage them to follow i-apidly. WEDNESDAY. First child, one, two; second child, three, four; third child, five, six, etc, THURSDAY. First child, one, two, three ; second child, four, five, six, etc. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 67 FOURTH GIFT. Invention. Notioo bricks which are bahiuced ; notice any space enclosed and ask dimensions. FIFTH GIFT. Temple. Tell about the temple at Jerusalem, M'here Mary and Joseph took Jesus, and where he taught the Doctors. TRIANGLES. Right isosceles. Each child make a form of life containing one, two, four [ and eight triangles. Notice every rhomboid. STICKS. Add rhomboids to a square four inches by four. Then add an acute angle to front, back, right and left sides, forming trapeziums. 7\ n -. If: s ^7 z (^Hx /^\, ^z x^ Z 7^ \, t w \t ■ ti8 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS SEVENTEENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. The result of realizing relationships. (Happiness.) SPECIAL IDEA. Hexagon. SONG. In January falls the snow." STORY. •'The Little New Year." TALK. Gifts received. MONDAY. Doll Party. TUESDAY. Fourth Gift. Folding. THURSDAY. Triangles. Folding. FRIDAY. Sticks. Sewing, WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Mats GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review the work before the holidays. TUESDAY. Month of January. What it brings, snow, ice, sleet, cloudy days, icicles, frost pictures on our window panes. WEDNESDAY. Number. Each child two sticks. Let us count the twos. Two children hold up their two sticks. How many sticks do two twos make? Four. Three twos? Six. Four twos? Eight. Let them say two times two are four ; three times two are six, etc. THURSDAY. Give each child a different number of sticks; two, four, six, eight. Ask first child, how many sticks have you? Two. How many twos have you? One. Second child, he*' many sticks have you? Four. How many twos have you? Two. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FOURTH GIFT. 69 f. 7] 1 / \- |L I £^ y V A . V r 1 y ' H 1 /" /d House forms. Join short, narrow faces of two bricks, and place them upon the table, resting on long, narrow face ; stand one upon the right side and one upon the left side, long, broad face in front; place one upon the middle of first two resting upon long, narrow face, then two more al)ove in same manner, then one above in same position. How wide is your house? Six inches. How high? Four inches. How many windows? Two. What shape? S(juare. How wide and high? One by one inch. Take out the four from the middle, lift the two upon the sides and stand upon the first two, one on each side ; now stand one in the middle; place two in a sitting position across the top, then one above these two. How wide? How high? How many windows? How M'ide and how high are thev, and what shape? Take down all l)ut the first two. Now take away one of these; stand one upon the left side of this, and upon the table; stand another at the right side upon the sitting brick; stand another above the one on the left side and fit one in a sitting position upon the right side. Now place one standing upon the table, one inch from the right side ; place one above it in a sitting position, then stand one above that near the middle. How wide? How high? etc. Take the last one which you placed, away, and also the standing and sitting brick from the left side ; now place one at the left side in a sitting position enclosing a sijuaro window ; place the remaining two above in a sitting position. FIFTH GIFT. Table with chairs al)out it for the Christmas dinner. Make four chairs of three whole cubes each, and use remainder for table. TRIANGLES. Six equilateral triangles. You may put them together as you like. Notice the child who makes the hexagon and ask the others to copy. Count sides and angles. Si.x sides and six angles. What is its name ? Hexagon. Is it like the hexagon which we made in our folding ? No. Let children discover that this has equal sides, and equal obtuse angles, whereas the other had two long sides and four short ones, and two right and four obtuse angles. Let them draw both kinds upon the board. Add two triangles, making a baby rattle. STICKS. A / \ \ / / kl 7 \ \ 1 ^ / \ / ^ \ / T T / Vv y. 1 -V, ^ ^ ■ / } ..-/ s ^ ^ + C ^ / f c ) ( ) / First set children make tree and wagon. Second set, house and plane. Third set, shepherd's crook 70 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS and star. Sum up the Christmas thought. Ever^'body happy. Little children happy, because of the toys received, represented by tree and wagon. Older people happy, because of the good work they do, which helps other people, represented hy house and plane. Highest happiness shown by the shepherds, who simply followed the light and found the great Christmas gift. MATS. Eed, light and lighter. Strips one-third inch wide. Two up, two down, broken steps. Emphasis on the number three. Dictate by form. Lift two strips and make an oblong, two more and make another oblong. Second strip, lift one strip make an oblong, lift two strips make an oblong, two more and make another oblong, etc. Now let us see how these oblongs touch each other. Part of the long sides touch. The second oblong begins at the middle of the first oblong and extends over one strip beyond the first. If you will impress this relation of form upon the child, he will be able to work his unit mtelligently. Now we will put in another strip. Make an oblong first, then lift two strips and make another oblong, etc. How many steps? Three. What shape? All oblongs. Can you begin like the first one and make three more steps? CUTTING. Ked, light and lighter. Have squares of lighter red paper, five by five inches upon whicii to mount the cut. Light red paper three by three inches. Fold the light paper into the basis for cutting, then fold the acute angle on the left, back to the right angle, producing an oblique line. Cut this line obtain- ing a cross form and four squares. Paste the cross on the lighter square and each small square fitting into the angles of the large square, away from the center piece, letting it stand out as a distinct form. (Figure 17, Appendix.) SEWING. Normal and light on light red card-board. Hexagon cross forms. Let the children have a sample card and try to put four hexagons together to form a star like their folding. Select the best and let all copy. Leave one or two holes all ai'ound and place the four crosses in the middle of the card not touch- ing. Border with straight lines, in light red. (Figure 23, Appendix.) FOLDING. Light red. Fold hexagon cross form. Let children count its sides and angles. Give name hexagon. How many hexagons to make a cross? Four. Which angles turn in? Right angles. Which turn out? Right angles. What shape are the spaces between the hexasons? Three sided figures, or triangles. 72 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS EIGHTEENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Adaptability of Earth to the Seasons. Larger family (Nature) fitting into a lai-ger universal law. Foreshadowing relationship of family to State. SPECIAL IDEA. Prism. Not named, but definite experience given. SONGS. " Old Winter is a sturdy one." "O, 1 am the wind." STORY. North ^Vind. TALK. Winter. Mother Nature's care for her children MONDAY. Fourth (lift. Folding. TUESDAY. Fifth Gift. Mats. WEDNESDAY. Triangles. Sewing. THURSDAY. Sticks. Peas Work. FRIDAY. Sewing. Mats. GROUP WORK. Review Seventeenth Week. MONDAY. TUESDAY. Name Season duriug which each wind prevails. Winter (Noith wind). Summer (South wind). Spring (East wind). Autumn (West wiud). WEDNESDAY. The Season to which each belongs. Effect of each wind. North wind makes cold weather. South wiud brings warm weather. East wind brings rain West wiud l)rings snow and cold weather. THURSDAY. ^^'iuds plant seeds by blowing them from place to place. FRIDAY. Review story, FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 73 FOURTH GIFT. Enclose space by dictation. Make a fence about a yard four by four inches. Make a fence about a yard six by two inches. Make a fence about a 3'ard six by one inches. Make a fence about a yard five by two inches. Malve a fence about a yard three and a half by three and a half inches. Make a fence about a vard five and a half by one and a half inches. Notice square contents each time. FIFTH GIFT. Divide into thi-ee parts. Formulate, I have divided my cube into three equal parts. How many cubes does each part contain ? Nine. How many threes in one part? Three. In two parts? Six. In three parts? Nine. What shape is the face above? Square. How many scjuare faces has one part? Two. Where are they? Opposite to each other. Place the middle part so that the square faces will be front and back. Place part on the left so that the square faces will be left and right. Now the square faces are all m different positions. Hold your hands against the square faces of the part on the left and tell about them. These two square faces are opposite, equal and parallel. Formulate the same with the other parts. Notice that each part only has two sijuare faces. Build cube. Now 30U may make several solids which shall have only two square faces, opposite, equal and parallel. Make some large and some small. You may use the small pieces too. I would try to make a very small one. Hold in mind the fact that a prism depends upon the relation of its bases and try to impress this definitely upon the ciiild's mind by having him formulate the relation of the faces which are the bases, before you give him the name. TRIANGLES. Give each child two right isosceles and two right scalene triangles. Separate your tables and arrange children so that four sit at a table, each two opposite. Take your smaller tri- angles and put together, making a larger one ; place it four inches from the first line on the table, long side toward 3'ou; take the other two triangles, join, making a larger triangle, then jom the short side of this triangle to the long side of the other, making a four-sided figure. Now put your hand upon your own figure and push up until the right angle touches the right angle of your partner's figure opposite, and see we have made a star. Where are all the right angles? In the middle. Where are the acute angles^ Outside. This is the very star which we shall make in our next folding. I will let you all have a paper and you may fold it now to take home. Have the tablecloth ground forms previously folded at odd times, by children who took papers home for that purpose. Let children try to discover the method of folding after you have shown them where the acute angles must be. STICKS. Sled. Place one four-inch stick from left to right, four inches from first line; place another one inch back of it parallel to it. Now move the second stick one inch to the left; join the ends with diagonal sticks; notice sides and angles; place another four-inch stick one inch back of second stick parallel to it ; join with half rings, both turned to the right; add a one inch to the second long stick on the right side, join with a diagonal stick ; add long stick for rope. PEAS WORK. Sled. Make two rhomboids, long stick four inches, short sticks one inch, join together above with two-inch sticks. Add long stick in front. ^^ I I^ -r ^ Pictures of animals. Continue red sewing Continue red mats. Continue red folding. SEWING. MATS. FOLDING. 74 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS NINETEENTH WEEK, SALIENT IDEA. Adaptability of man to seasons. ( Ackuowledgiiieut of universal law.) SPECIAL IDEA. Prisms. SONG. Shoemaker. GAME. Emphasize the Scissors' Grinder. STORY. Traveler and the Wind. TALKS. Clothing. Leather. Rubber. MONDAY. TUESDAY. ' WEDNESDAY. Fourth Gift. Modeling. Fifth Gift. Mats. Triangles. Cutting. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks. Sewing. Folding. Picture Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. Cotton material : Where obtained. WEDNESDAY. Woolen material : Where obtained. THURSDAY. Silk material : Where obtained. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 75 FOURTH GIFT. luveut house forms. Talk about the protectiou afforded man l)y the house. Notice dimensions. FIFTH GIFT. Make all the solids which you can that will have two faces alike, opposite, equal and parallel. The faces may be any shape, just so two are alike. As fast as children discover the different prisms, hold one up aud let all copy, so that all will have a variety. Scjuare prism, trianirular prism, rhomboid, trapezoid, pentagonal, octagonal. Individual attention; let each child find the faces which are opposite, equal aud parallel. Now, whenever we have a solid and can find two faces upon it which are just alike, and are opposite and parallel, we call it a prism. All these solids are prisms, then. There is a great family of prisms, but the two faces which are alike must always have straight sides. Find all the prisms which are in this room. A prism always gets its other name from the two faces which are alike ; now this one which has two square faces opposite, equal and parallel, will be called square prism, and this with two triangular faces will be a triangular prism. Name each one of them. TRIANGLES. ^ Shoe. (Protection.) Seven right isosceles, one right scalene, one equilateral. Make an oblong with four right isosceles, then make a square with two right isosceles and place it back of the square on the right side. Then fit the remaining one into the right angle on the left side. Now place a large triangle, on the left side, short side touching the side of the square. Place the remaining triangle in front on the right side, with side touching the square, to form heel. ^ STICKS. Umbrella. (Protection.) How many equal sides has this triangle? Two. What kind of angles? Two acute and one obtuse. For what purpose are umbrellas used? To protect from sun, rain and snow. Of what material are they made? Silk, wool, cotton, wood, bone, ivory, silver, gold, nickel for handles, steel for ribs. OCCUPATIONS. Continue red mats, sewing, folding and picture sewing. 76 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTIETH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Progressive movement of the Seasons. SPECIAL IDEA. Square Prism. SONG. "Old Winter is a Sturdy One." GAME. Kitty and Mouse. STORY. TLe Seasons. TALKS. Cats. Change. MONDAY. Fourth Gift. Sewin"-. TUESDAY. Fifth Gift. "Mats. THURSDAY. Sticks. Sewing. WEDNESDAY. Triangles. Folding. FRIDAY. Peas Work. Mats. GROUP WORK. Review. MONDAY. TUESDAY. Hold up three sticks, then three more, etc. Add, three and three are six, and three are nine, and three are twelve, and three are fifteen, and three are eighteen, and three are twenty-one, and three are twenty-four, and three are twenty-seven. Just as many as we have small cubes in our large cube. WEDNESDAY. Add again to twenty-seven, then take away three at a time. Twenty-seven less three are twenty- four, etc. THURSDAY. Count how many times three it takes to make tweut3'-seven, laying three together, saying one three, two threes, etc. FRIDAY. Eeview story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FOURTH GIFT. 77 "^ X 10 11 12 13 Sequence forms of beauty. Push the two at the back ou the right side, cue inch to the back; then push the four in front, oue inch to the right. Now push the two in front on right side, one inch to the back. What did we do? Changed our form. Who can show us another way to change it? Let some child show. When you find oue who encloses the triangle, let all copy. How many triangular spaces? Who can change so as to get a larger space in the middle? When one shows the way, let all follow. What is enclosed? An octagon. Which faces are toward the middle? Short narrow faces. See if you can change the one in front on right side so as to turn the long narrow face to the middle; change the other three bricks ; draw out the remaining four to make a larger octagon in the middle ; change the same four, turning the long narrow faces in ; draw out the other four. What is enclosed? An octagon. The largest we have had. Do 3'ou think we could make a larger one with these bricks? No. This is as far out as they can be placed. Push in the front, back, right and left bricks, enclosing a square; turn the other four with the short narrow faces in ; draw out the first four, making an octagon again ; push in the ones having the short narrow faces turned in forming a square in middle; turn the front, back, right and left brick with short narrow faces in; draw out the other four; push in the front, back, right and left bricks; turn the brick at the back on the right side, from front to back, touching the brick in the middle at the back; turn the oue in front on the left side, from front to back, touching the brick in middle in front; turn the one in front on the right side from left to right, touching the one on the right side, opposite one the same; move two bricks on right side, to the front one inch; move the four in front, to the left one inch; move the two at the back, to the front one inch. Now we have our first form. FIFTH GIFT. Development of square prisms. (Pi'ogression in contents.) In making the one containing sixteen, give children three extra cubes from Third Gift to complete it so that they will have four complete prisms. These are all solids, they are all prisms. They are all square prisms. Let us see if we can tell why they are solids. Because every one is long and broad and thick. Why are they prisms? Because they each have two faces which are just alike, that are opposite, equal, and parallel. Why are they square prisms? Because the two faces which are alike are squares. How many faces has each? Six. Corners? Eight. Edges? Twelve. How many cubes in each? One, four, nine, sixteen. Free building. 78 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS STICKS AND RINGS. _,Z^ Z \ z ^ z :^ 7 ^ ^/ ± \ ±1. ^1 ^V "^-t-I^*^ ^ > ^ Connect with the game, "Kitty cat, I hear a mouse." TRIANGLES. Risht isosceles. Invention with sixteen. Individual attention. CUTTING. Orange, light and lighter. Cut the three by three-inch paper as marked in figure 18 Appendix. Mount the lighter on the light and place oblongs away from the center piece, in middle of the sides of the lighter square. MODELING. Coffee mill developed from cul)e. Bend wire for handle. SEWING. Orange, normal and light on lighter card-board. Invention from basis of square. Make a horizontal line upon your card leaving five holes above it and five holes on each side of it. Let children find it for themselves. Make a square, then add anything which they choose. Encourage the children to make lai'ge figures. PEAS WORK. Form of beauty from basis of triangle. Three two-inch sticks; make a triangle; add a square to the side in front; take three more sticks and add a square to the right side at the back; then left side at the back; add two more sticks making a triangle upon each side. Draw on the board. MATS. Orange, light and lighter. First strip ; make two oblongs each covering three strips, leaving two strips on the right and left sides of the oblong, and five strips in the middle between them. (Number formula, two ui), three down ; five up, three down ; two up. ) Second strip ; lift one strip, make an oblong covering two strips, lift one more strip, make another oblong same size, lift three strips in the middle and make two oblongs on the left side in the same way. (Number formula, one up, two down, one up, two down, three up, two down, one up, two down, one up.) Third strip; make an oblong covering two, lift three strips, make another oblong covering two, leave one strip in the middle and repeat the same on left side. (Number formula, two down, three up, two down, one up, two down, three up, two down.) Fourth strip, like number two. Fifth strip, like number one. Sixth strip, an oblong covering three, in the exact middle of the mat. Continue making one figure in the middle, like the two figures on left and right sides, made with the first five strips. Continue repeating figures. FOLDING. Light orange paper. First trapezium cross. (See figure 12, Appendix.) 80 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTY-FIRST WEEK. Review of Experiences. SONG. "Knights and the Good Chikl." STORIES. ChiWreu clioose one for eacli day. TALKS. On the progression of the work. MONDAY. First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh and Eighth Gifts. Beads. WEDNESDAY. Sticks. TUESDAY. Modeling. Peas Work. Mats, Fokling, Pasting, Sewing, Drawing. THURSDAY. Occupations. FRIDAY. Occupations. Occupations \\\nn\ whicli chiklreu are working to be fiuislied this week GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review hist week. TUESDAY. Each fhikl name some song learned since we came to the Kindergarleu. WEDNESDAY. Name games. THURSDAY. Name stories. FRIDAY'. Review stories. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 81 MONDAY. Divide tlie Kindergarten into eight divisions. Give first division, balls; second division, second gift; third division, third gift; fourth division, fourth gift; fifth division, fifth gift; sixth division, squai'es and triangles, all the kinds, different children taking different triangles ; seventh division, sticks, all lengths, I'ings and half rings, different sizes; eighth division, beads. We have on our tables all the things with which we have worked, but did not keep for our books or take home with us. Which did we play with first? Balls. Hold them up. What shape? Eound, having one curved surface, no corners, no edges, and are always the same, whether nioviug or still; they have straight strings, though, and since we have had the things that come after the ball, I think you can tell nie what those little strings make you think of, that you have had since. The straight edges of the cube. Now what is most like the ball? The sphere, because it has one curved surface, no corners, no edges. It has no string attached and is made of wood instead of wool, so that it is hard instead of soft, and makes a noise, while the soft ball does not. What did I tell you about the surface of the sphere and the middle of it? Every part of the surface is the same distance away from the middle of the sphere. Which one next, is most like tiie sphere? The cylinder, because it can roll like it, and has one curved sui'face, and no corners; but it can stxiud and has some plane faces and some edges, which make it like the cube, which comes after it. We can not find anything alike in the sphere and cube, but the cylinder is like both. The cube has more faces (all plane), more edges (all straight), than the cylinder, and it has corners, which the cylinder has not. These three forms are solids, because thej- are long and broad, and thick. What comes next? These cubes in the boxes. What is the diiference between this cube and the other? It is just like it except that it is divided into eight parts. When the eight parts are together it makes a cube, and each little part is a cube just like the large one. What can you do with this cube, that you could not do with the other? Take it apart and build new forms. Which comes next? The cube divided into bricks. What is the difference be- tween this one and the first divided cube? The whole cube is the same, but the parts ai"e not like the large cube, so we can make better forms. The large cube comes next. It is larger, has thirty-nine parts and some of the parts are like the whole cube and some are not. It has new kinds of faces, upon some parts (triangular), and we can make more forms. What do j'ou thiLk comes next? The squares which are like the face of the cube, then the triangles which are like the faces of the triangular parts. What is the difference between the things we make with the cubes, and those we make M'ith the squares and triangles? We make the whole thing with the cubes, and only the picture of one side with the squares and triangles. What is taken away from them? Nearly all the thickness. Now what else comes that seems a part of the cube? The sticks, which are like the edges of the cube and rings like the edges of the cylinder. What do we make with them? Pictures of the outside of one face of an object. Then what comes next? The beads. If they were veiy small they would look like the corners of the cube, so everything would be taken away from the solid except a little point (show small seed). I have indicated that which the teacher should hold in mind in order to let the children see the progression in the gifts and the connection between them, but do not make it laborious analysis for the children. Rather give it rapidly and in a playful manner. Now each have a different thing so you muv do or make that which you like with them. The children will probably roll the balls, spin the cube aud cylinder and build with the divided cubes. TUESDAY. First set, clay; second set, peas work aud sticks; third set, mats; fourth set, folding; fifth set, pasting; sixth set, sewing; seventh set, drawing. The things we make with clay are alwavs what kind? Solids, showing faces, corners and edges. The peas work always shows us how a solid looks with the inside all taken out, and where the edges and corners would be. Our mats are strips woven together so as to make something which looks like the face, and the folding and the cutting paper, show us squares like the faces, and the sewing and drawing show us the lines, or the sides of the faces, which we can put together. If we take a piece of card-board and prick little holes, one after another, we see how to make lines out of points. Let me see if you can tell me while I point how we can begin with little points, and put together until we make a solid. Many points make a line (Sewing and Drawing); many lines make a face (Folding, Cutting, Mats, strips representing lines,) many faces make a solid. (Peas Work 82 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS shows how they must be put together. Modeling shows the solid wheu all is tilled in. ) You may use the material which you have, making an^^thing you like and take it home. STICKS. Lav sticks in four ways, not touching. Put two together making three different angles. Make a fio-ure containing only acute angles. Make two figures containing only right angles. Make a pentagon, hexagon and octagon. What did we begin with ? Three lines. What next? Angles. How did we get the angles? By making two lines touch. What did we make next? A figure containing three angles. Can you make any figure with just two angles? No. Then we made all the figures containing only right angles. Then we made a figure containing five olituse angles. Then we made the figure containing six obtuse angles. Then we made the figure containing eight obtuse angles. Name them all. No occupations indicated for this week. Finish all work on hand, or let children choose the kind of work which they like best and take home, when completed. 84 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTY-SECOND WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Motive Power as demonstrated in song, " Wheelwright." SPECIAL IDEAS. Number bj threes. Position of corners b)' threes. SONG. "Wheelwright." GAMES. Millwheels. Cooper. STORY. "The Grist Mill," and "The Saw Mill." TALK. Motion. MONDAY. Fourth Gift. Peas Work. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Sixth Gift. Sewing. Obtuse Isosceles, Triangles, Pasting. THURSDAY. Sticks. Mats. FRIDAY. Modeling. Sewing.' GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review last week. TUESDAY. Things which move as wholes; apples when they fall ; pebbles when they roll, etc. WEDNESDAY. Things having power to move one part at a time; a dog may move his head, foot, or tail; a bird may move his head, foot, tongue, eye; a child may keep all parts of his body still and use his thinking cap. THURSDAY. We will think how to make a wagon to-day. Each one may think of one part and when we have them all we may tell how the parts must fit together. (Mental picture construction.) Each child tell how wheels help him individually. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 85 FOURTH GIFT. Communicated motion, the material illustration of the salient idea for the week. Let each child stand his eight bricks half an inch apart; at a given signal all touch lightly the brick upon the right side, so that each child will experience the same fact at the same time. Let each two children stand tlieir bricks together making a row of sixteen; then let all children place their bricks together either upon the tables or upon the floor. Select the smallest child to touch the first brick, and the interest in the successive motion of each brick, will be intense. Bring out the positive side in your talk, i. e. : that one brick helped the one next to it, to move, giving away its motion instead of keeping it. Let children make their own application of the truth by asking them individually, "Show me the little child you can most easily help," until you have circled j'our Kindergarten and every child has been touched and included, even as every brick received motion. ■> SIXTH GIFT. Hi Wind mill. Give each child four cubes from the third gift to support flappers. When twelve rows have been built up as illustrated, place a cube upon the right and left sides. Place a brick in a standing position, long narrow face in front, projecting one half inch forward. Place another brick in the space remaining in a standing position not projecting. Place two more cubes above the first two projecting one- fourth inch forward. Place a square prism upon the two cubes on the right and left sides, another s(|uare prism upon the first standing brick projecting at the back, and place the remaining square prism standing upon it, thus completing the flappers. Obtuse isosceles TRIANGLES. Wheel. Show one like it in clock. Count by threes. STICKS. Barrel. Let children bend sticks with which to obtain a curved effect. Barrels roll as the tree trunks did. Fill with various articles of food; sugar, flour, potatoes, apples, etc. PEAS WORK. • Corn-popper. Analyze the form according to sides and angles, and assign it to its place as a member of the four-sided family. If possible have a corn-pop- per and an ear of pop-corn as well as some which has been popped. Ask the children if they believe the popped grain came out of the same kind of grain which is upon the ear? What made it change so? If 86 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS there be a fire within reach, let the children hold some corn over the fire and really observe the active chano-e. Bring out the idea of the expansion caused by heat in the most simple way that you can. Em- phasize the thought that the outside is only the covering which holds more than we can really see, and the heat makes that which is within want to grow larger, so, of course, when it pushes hard against the out- side, it succeeds in bursting the covering and comes out so that we may see it. This will foreshadow the idea of next week, that motion is a result of au unseen force. MODELING. Illustrate the progressive development of the wheel. Divide entire Kindergarten into five groups. First group of children have before them a piece of a limb of a tree, which they copy in miuiatui'e with their clay, marking the rough bark and the lines upon the ends. Second group, a thick section cut from the limb with a hole in the center, which children copy and mark. Third group, a section like the previous with four parts taken from inside. Fourth group, a thinner section with eight parts taken from inside. Fifth group, a small wheel, perfectly constructetl from elementary parts, having hub, spokes, rim, tire, etc. This they can reproduce in clay, and may be aided by a pattern wheel cut from card-board, the hub beinsr added afterward. When all have finished, let the children march around and lead them to observe that the wheel was evolved by elimination of material, each taking away, rendering it more susceptible to motion. Allow the wheels to become dry, then put away carefully to be used in a lesson next week. SEWING. Light yellow card. Sew in two tones, light and lighter. Give sample card first. Let children invent a border using the hexagon and octagon as units. Dictate to those who can not invent. (Figure 25, Appendix.) MATS. Yellow, light and lighter. One down, three up; continued steps. FOLDING. Let each child fold one, two or three pin-wheels, attach to a stick and take them out into the yard to observe the power of the wind in making them move. This in addition to the regular folding for the books. Yellow (light tone). Modify table cloth ground form by folding four right angles from the "center out, then back to the line thus marked, as in figure three of first salt cellar sequence. Fold the short line thus marked on top of the first line marked, thereby bringing the right angle nearer the center. Then proceed to fold the hexagon cross form and double hexagons will be shown u})on each section. (Figure 13, Appendix.) PASTING. Yellow, light on lighter. Cut as illustrated and mount the same as red cut. (Figure 19, Appendix.) 88 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTY-THIRD WEEK. (Washington "Week.) SALIENT IDEA. The motive power of earnest purpose. SPECIAL IDEA. Anal^ysis of boat trapezoi(hil prisms. SONGS. Emphasize: "Knights and Good ChiUl," "America," "Star-Spangled Banner," "Washington, the Soldier True." GAMES. Ship and Cooper: Emphasis on marching and on driunming at tal)les. STORY. Adaptation (»f Longfellow's "Tiie Building of the Shi[)," emphasis on the creative power of the Master Ship Builder. TALKS. Soldiers. Incidents in the life of General Washington. Flags and countries. IVfONDAY. TUESDAY. M'EDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Picture sewing. Sixth Gift. Picture sewing. Triangles. Folding. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticlvs. Picture sewing. General gift work. Modeling. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Revii-w. TUESDAY. Flags, every country has one. Show pictures of English, French, Irish, Swiss, Turkish, Egyptian, American flag. A\'EDNESDAY. What joins cities? Railroads. What joins countries? Ships on the ocean. THURSDAY. How do we hear from other people and know what they do? Telephone, telegraph, postal service. Lead out, from the telephone method of sending messages, with which they are fannliar. FRIDAY. Review storv. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. 89 f^?[ / Monument. Tell of the mouumeiit at Mt. Veruon, and how the ships lower their flags when they pass by it. SIXTH GIFT. Fort. TRIANGLES. Soldier's cap. STICKS. ■^--^ K^- '^'^s. ' > {i ^ Cherry tree. (Use the tree illustrated in Seventeenth Week.) Hatchet, gun, ship. Make a con- nected story of it. Use the ship illustrated in Twelfth Week, cutting flags and sails for it. Tell the story of crossing the Delaware. SEWING. George Washington's picture. FOLDING. Fold tent to take home, and red, white and blue stars for books. Tent, white, fold two books and two shawls; fold first book and place on table, long closed side" in front; show me the line, fi'om the angle at the back to the middle in front; fold one-half the long side in front over to that line; take hold of right angle on left side in front, and turn the paper right over so that it will be on right side in front; 90 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS now fold the rest of the loug side up to the line which extends from the vertical angle to the middle of long side in front, the same as you did at first; show me the line in the middle extending from front to back; fold paper together by that line, placing obtuse angle on closed side, in front; fold closed side on the right to the line extending from right angle to middle; turn paper over and do the same again; fold the right angles up over the triangles which have been made and open out; place stick in the top with a tiny flag upon it. Star for books. Four white, two red, two blue. Cut large folding papers into four small squares. Fold two short side of squares to the middle line, forming a ti'apezium ; put eight together, acute angles to middle, two red opposite and two blue opposite, four white between, paste upon small square and paste in books opposite George Washington's picture. On Friday let separate groups make the different things with all the gifts and connect them, with talk. MODELING. Cannon. Use the wheels used last week. Put three sticks through the hole in the middle and place a pea upon each end, holding the three sticks together. Model cannon and mount upon wheels. i,2 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS rWENTY-FOURTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA, luner motive, not external appearance, valuable. SPECIAL IDEAS. Halves and quarters. Triangular prisms. SONG. "Charcoal Burner."' GAME. Blacksmith. STORY. The Flax. Adapted from Anderson. TALKS. Outer and inner conditions. Plant seeds ami bulbs. The ostrich. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Folding. Sixth Gift. Sewing. Triangles. Mats. THURSDAY. FRIDAY'. Sticks. Sewing. Peas. Mats. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. Beginnings .•uid ending. Acorn, oak ; bulb, lily ; seed, flower, etc. WEDNESDAY. How end comes from the beginning. Putting outside all that is within so that it can be seen. Things always show what is in them sooner or later. THURSDAY. When we take our books home, at the end of the year, what will they show to Mother? All the "Thinks," we had in the Kindergarten. FRIDAY. Review storv. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 93 FIFTH GIFT. Oae-thii'd of cube arranged so as to divide into triangular prisms. Divide square prism into two parts. Formulate, I have two equal parts. How nmch of the square prism is one part? One-half. How many halves in the whole square prism? Two. How many halves in one apple? Two. Illustrate by dividing cylinder made of clay, a cube, a folding paper, a stick and in all other ways possible. Is this half a square prism? No. See if you can tiud out what kind of a pi'ism it is. It is a triangular prism, because I see two triangular faces, opposite, equal and parallel. Count faces? Five. Corners? Ten. Edges? Fifteen. There are how many times as many corners as faces? Two times as many. How many times as many edges? Three times as many edges as faces. Divide each half into two halves. What kind of prisms? How many pax'ts have you made of your square prism? Ffiur. How much is one pai't? One- fourth of the square prism. Illustrate with other objects. Count one-fourth, two-fourths, three-fourths, four-fourths. How many fourths in one-half? Two. In two halves? Four. How many fourths in one whole square prism? Four. Push two fourths together. How much? One-half. Push two more. How much? One-half. How many halves? Two. Push two together. Take one-fourth. How many fourths left? Three-fourths. Formulate; one-fourth from four-fourths leaves three-fourths. Takeout another fourth. How many fourths have you taken? Two-fourths. How many left? Two-fourths. Two fourths from four-fourths leaves two-fourths. Take one more fourth, etc. SIXTH GIFT. Comparison with fourth and fifth gifts. Size the same as fifth but it is divided differently. Parts look more like those of the fourth gift. Count lines upon each face. Take away the front part. Divide the back into three parts. Divide the front into two parts. Four parts have same contents, one part has less. It divides into four oblong prisms and one square prism. Reconstruct. Divide by layers into six square prisms. Notice lines upon each. Reconstruct. Free building. TRIANGLES. Development of triangles. Place one triangle upon the table, long side in front, upon a line five inches from front. Place another two inches to the right on same line. Take three triangles, make a boat trapezoid, join the short side to the long side of the second triangle. What does it make? A larger triangle. Make another triangle larger than this one, beginning with one, and adding two boat trapezoids. Make another still larger. How many have you? Four. Tell me all about them. All have three sides, three angles, two short sides, one long side, two acute angles, and one right angle which is opposite the long side. How many small triangles does each contain? One, four, nine, sixteen. Take the first one and place it back three inches, with right angle in front on right side. Make a shoe trapezoid with three, add to the right side, making the short side which is parallel to the long side, touch the short side of the triangle. Add another shoe trapezoid to this same triangle, making it larger. Add another. Count tri- angles. Twenty-five. Divide it into all the small triangles which you can. STICKS AND RINGS. ZP Illustrate the sons; of " The Charcoal Burner. PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOLDING. Continue yellow folding. SEWING. Continue yellow sewing. PEAS WORK. Spoon, knife and fork. §ecure curved effect by bending sticks. MATS. Continue yellow mats. ytj PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. (Inner condition permanent, outer manifestation transitory.) SPECIAL IDEAS. One-half, one-fourth, one-eighth. Octagonal prism. SONG. "Oh I am the Wind." STORIES. •'Lark and Butterfly." "What a Worm could do." TALKS. Life of Nature, awakening. Silk Worms. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Folding. Sixth Gift. Sewing. Triangles. Intertwining. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks. Drawing. Modeling. Mats. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Keview TUESDAY. Month of March. What it brings. Winds, little warmer weather, blue birds, pussy willows. WEDNESDAY. What is taking place under the ground? Worms and insects are plowing the earth, so as to make it loose about the seeds; evei-y little seed and bulb is beginning to get ready for a jom-ney, all its possessions packed into one tiny brown trunk. THURSDAY. What will each be when it reaches al)ove the ground? Just what it began to be down in the ground. (Life of the whole pervades each part.) FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. BALL LESSON. Color. " My ball is like the sky so blue." 97 z£ s ^ffl FIFTH GIFT. L^ ^^i^ Arrange the entire gift into an octagonal prism one inch high. Give each child one more cube from a Ihird gift as it will re(|uire twenty-eight cubes. Dictate as follows : With two whole cubes and two half cubes make a boat trapezoidal prism; place largest oblong face in front, eight inches from front of table; place one whole cube in front on right side touching oblong face, another whole cube to the left of this, then a cube divided into four-fourths to the left of this, then another whole cube to the left; place a half cube on right and left sides forming a boat trapezoid prism ; place two rows of whole cubes, six in each row touching the oblong face; place four whole cubes just as you did the second row, taking care to use one divided into four-fourths exactly opposite the one in the second row which is so divided ; place two whole cubes in front of the form and fill in the right angles with half cubes in front. Find the two faces, just alike which differ from all the others. What shape? Octagonal. What kind of prism? Octagonal prism. Find contents. Twenty-eight cubes. How many faces has this prism ? Ten, Corners? Six teen. Edges? Twenty-four. Are the oblong faces all equal? No, four are larger than the other four. See if you can find a smaller octagonal prism contained in this one and take it out from the right side. Combine the remainder into an octagonal prism. SIXTH GIFT. / / / / / / ^"^^ Arrangement so as to divide it into halves, thirds and sixths. TRIANGLES. Octagon formed by placing long side to short side. Begin with one triangle, placed with the right angle in front on right side. Place another touching right in front, long side to short side, acute angle to riofht angle, and continue working to the left until eight triangles form the octagon, inside and outside. Add a boat trapezoid of four triangles, front, back, right and left. MATS. Finish yellow mat. SEWING. Finish yellow sewing and picture of Washington. 98 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS STICKS. A / ' V 1 / V / \ > "^ k ■^ ^ ^ — v / 1 \ / > \ 1 v Sequence forms of beauty. Square, live by five iuches, add two two-inch sticks in front, one inch apart, then two at the back and upon right and h'ft sides. Connect with right angles made with four-inch sticks. (Figure 1.) Move right angles out, then move sticks in front to the right and left so that they will be three inches apart. Eepeat on each side. Make acute angles, and add front, right, back and left. (Figure 2.) Change acute angles to the right in front, left at the back, etc. (Figure 3.) Change back to figure two, then to figure one. How did we balance our forms? By putting just as much upon one side as we did on the other. FOLDING. Finish yellow folding. DRAWING. This week, begin elementary drawing with the children. The technical training acquired from the free drawing of the previous week, will render the execution less tedious, while the child has now become suf- ficiently familiar with geometric elements, to draw them from abstract dictation. Draw a page each week. A school of drawing will be found in the Appendix. Introduce free invention frequently. For this week, vertical lines as illustrated in number one. Lof lUO PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTY-SIXTH WEEK, SALIENT IDEA. ( From permane«it in Nature to permanent in Man.) Movement toward the abstract. Goodness pre- sented as an inherent possession in the Charcoal Burner, must be made positive through contrast, which is embodied in the "Knights and Bad Child," defiuiag (as it does,) Evil as the absence of Good. SPECIAL IDEAS. Fx-actional Number and Language. SONG. Three "Knight Songs." GAME. "Two little birds once made their nest." STORY. Goldilocks. TALK. Modes of Communication. MONDAY. Fifth Gift. Folding. TUESDAY. Sixth Gift. Sewing. THURSDAY. Sticks. Drawing. FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY'. Triangles. Cutting. Peas Work. Mats or Intertwining. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Keview. TUESDAY. Why the knights rode away in the first song. To tell others about the good child, and so give away their joy. WEDNESDAY. Why they rode away from the bad child. Because there was nothing they could get to take to any one else. THURSDAY. Why they came back to play with hini when he became good. To show how glad they were that he had something now to give to others, and to make the mother happy too. FRIDAY. Keview story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 101 FIFTH GIFT. Free invention. Individual attention. Notice halves, quarters, eighths, and every prism made. Em- phasize language, requiring each child to tell about his form : i. e., "I have a house, John has a church ;" " I see a triangular face above on my form, and a scjuare face above on Leslie's form." SIXTH GIFT. Free invention. Indivichial attention. Notice dimensions. TRIANGLES. Free invention, with any number or kind. It is well tf) have triangles in large boxes, assorted like the sticks, so that children may select their own material. STICKS. Free invention, with any number and any lengths. MATS. Neutral gray mat, lighter green strips. Make two oblongs in your mat, each covering six strips, leav- ing six strips between them in the middle. (Number formula; six down, six up, six down.) Second strip. Lift one strip, make an oblong covering four strips, lift three strip.s, make an oblong covering two, lift three again and make oblong covering four strips. (Number formula; one up, four down, three up, two down, three up, ftnir down, one up.) Third strip. Lift two strips, make an oblong covering two, lift three strips make square covering one, lift two strips, make square, lift three strips, make oblong coverino- two. (Nund)er formula; two up, two down, three up, one down, two up, one down, three up, two down, two up. ) Fourth strip, like second strip. Fifth strip, like first strip. Sixth strip. Begin to reverse pattern taking six up, six down. PASTING. Green. Three tones. Light on lighter, mounted on normal. Fold light. Cut as illustrated (Fig- ure 20, Appendix.) Paste on larger, lighter square, and mount on normal square six by six. Lio-ht paper, three by three inches. Lighter paper, four by four inches. SEWING. Large gray card. Six by six inches. Sew in green, two tones, light and lighter, using the lighter to border the design. Make a horizontal line having six holes above and eight holes on right and left sides of it. Make an octagon, using this line as one side. Let children add to it anything which they choose. Discourage the use of many small lines and encourage large figures. (Figure 26, Sewing, Appendix.) FOLDING. Light green. Inventions. PEAS WORK. Invention. INTERTWINING. Child lay form in sticks which he wishes to outline, and teacher give card upon which it is drawn. Have all the mathematical forms previously prepared so that they may be given without delay. Use light green strips, and save to paste in books opposite the flower pictures. Let children who wish, make two of the forms which they choose and intertwine. DRAWING. Horizontal lines, as illustrated in No. 2, Appendix. 102 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTY-SEVENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Attitude of iudiviclui'l toward Truth or Goodness, as expressed by the aspiration in Song of Grand- mothers. Seek to attain goodness. SPECIAL IDEAS. ' Number and Language. SONG. "Two hands, thereon eight fingers are." GAME. Emphasize "Pigeon House" and "Baskets." STORY. Pussy Willow. TALKS. Illustrate the story of the "Grandmothers" upon Friday, so as to present it as a whole, and give talk. Insects. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Folding. Sixth Gift. Sewing. Squares and Triangles. Drawing. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks and Rings. Mats. Fourth Gift. Modeling. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. Talk on the social side of the song. Grandmothers help each other by telling experiences ; connect with the Knights helping the little child by their visit, and refer to pigeons telling what they see by cooing when they come back. How can you help people by visits? WEDNESDAY. How is it possible for us to visit those who live at a distance? THURSDAY. Name some cities where there are people whom you know. Name some of the countries which we might visit, and what we should find. FRIDAY. Review. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. lo;; / W 1 4i^ (yhurch Interior. Organ, Pulpit Chairs and Desk, Pews. Church Exterior. SQUARES AND TRIANGLES. Rolling Pin, Basket. FOURTH GIFT. Pigeon House. 104 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS STICKS. -^ $3' ^v i^2^^ - -J- V L-zr\ 1 v: I ^ >- tc ^ = =^y IE ■ 1 <'^)l T N - /\ A l " - -• ' ■■-.•'' ^ - ' V -^^ ^^ J'-' N^"^ L ^ ^-J: • 7 X t -^ 3 '■^^ -^"^-^ " ■ . ,' ^ ^ ■ . ■ -^ - - With a piece of chalk let children outline two oblongs, whose long sides lie from left to right, four inches from front of table and two inches apart; ten inches back, directly opposite, outline two others iu same way ; two inches back and two inches to the right, outline one oblong having long sides lying from front to back; two inches back of it another. Repeat on left side. Now take one stick, place through oblong on right side in front, making a diagonal, from the right at the back to left in front. Diagonal in oblong at the left side in front, opposite direction; do the same at the back, placing in opposite directions to those iu front. Place diagonal in oblong, in front on right side, direction, right at the back to left in front; in oblong at the back on right side, place diagonal having opposite direction. Repeat on left side. Take two long sticks, join one on right side of the stick in front, one on left side of the other stick, laying them toward the center, where the ends will be just two inches apart ; same at the back, left and right sides. Notice right angles, and formulate, "These right angles are formed by diagonal lines." Modify this basis in any way using only diagonal sticks. (The dotted lines, iu illustration, indicate possible modification.) 108 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS MODELING. A leaf belonging to a Lily of the Valley plant. Model, by building up, on aplacque. Press leaf upon the placque. Draw with a wire the outline, take small pieces of clay and follow the outline, then fill in with clay until the leaf is raised about one-fourth inch from the placque. Mark veining, by looking at the original leaf. PEAS WORK. Rake for farmer. Place five peas upon a two-inch stick ; then place one upon a five-inch stick push- ing one inch from the end of stick ; join the five-inch stick to the middle pea, on the two-inch stick ; con- nect the pea on the long stick to the peas right and left of middle, by one-inch sticks ; place five one-inch sticks vertically in each pea on the two-inch stick. SEWING. Continue green sewing and sew picture of a blue-bird. FOLDING. Continue green folding. MATS. Continue green mats. DRAWING. Borders with right, acute, and obtuse angles, as illustrated in No. 4, Appendix. no PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TWENTY-NINTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. (Expression in Nature.) SPECIAL IDEA. Pentasron. SONG. "Daffodil Came up iu the Cold." GAME. Barn Yard. STORY. "Story c)f a Raindrop." TALKS. Musical instruments. Natural expression. The Spider. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY'. Fifth Gift. Modeling. . Sixth Gift. Peas Work. Triangles. Drawing. THURSDAY. FRIDAY'. Sticks. Mats. Folding. Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. UESDAY. How to listen to Nature. What can everybod}' hear when the>^ go out where things ai'e growing? The wind, the singing of the birds, the patter of the rain, the rustling of the leaves, but only a few people hear the beautiful stories which the sunbeams tell and the raindrops whisper to the flowers, and the oak leaves tell to the violets, etc. You must listen with your iufiide eai's if you want to hear these stories. WEDNESDAY. Name all the flowers which you know and tell their colors. Buttercups, daisies, violets, spring beauties, dandelions, crocus, hyacinth. THURSDAY'. Name all the singing birds. Thrush, robins, blue-birds, oriole, wrens, and one little bird called the hummino' bird sinsjs quite a pretty song with its wings, just as the insect called the cricket does. Differ- ence between the sounds made by birds and those made by insects. FRIDAY'. Review story. <> / \ / , /\ I> X7 \7[ > 1^ ^ KT' 2 3 4 Forms of Beautv. Five forms. Number five like number one. &\ SIXTH GIFT. Burn Yard enclosed and gate. Place a table in the middle of the room and let eight children make the fence and gate, using as many gifts as necessary, enclosing a very large space. Make small rabbit hutch in corner. Join two bricks on short narrow faces and place in a sitting position from front to back on the table. Join three bi'icks on long narrow faces and place in a leaning position on right side, also three on left side of the first two bricks. Pump and trough ( 1 ) in another corner, and barn near by with pigeon house on top, a pig pen in another place and a pond (plate of water) in another place. The rest of the children fold large and small chickens, large and small rabbits, large and small ducks. Place each in its respective place, and have a picture of a cow and a horse pasted upon card-board so that they will stand. Let some children make a hayrick (2). Using yellow zephyr to represent the hay. Place small fishes in the pond. This will lie a de- lightful lesson to the children, and the Barn Yard will ever be a favorite game. Children imitate sounds of the various animals and tell what they think they are saying. (" Imagination is the germ of greatness." — Buskin.) TRIANGLES. Eight isosceles, equilateral and right scalene triangle. Make an octagon with fourteen right isosceles triangles, make a boat trapezoid with three equilateral triangles, and join short side to octagon, front, back, right, left. Join two right scalene triangles making a larger triangle. Add front, back, left and right, making pentagons. Move pentagon away from octagon two inches. Move triangles in front on left side, on the octagon, out one inch, move the opposite one likewise. Divide the remainder of the octagon into two hexagons. Notice difference between the hexagon and pentagon. Reconstruct. Draw on board. STICKS. Repeat the basis of last week from memory. Give children sewing cards upon which to copy it as the basis for an invention MODELING. Invention. Encourage children to attempt modeling animals. 112 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS MATS. Gray mat. Lighter blue strips. First strip ; lift three strips, make a squai'e, lift five strips, make a square, lift five strips, make a square, etc. (Number formula, three up one down, five up one down, five up, one down.) Second sti'ip, lift two strips, make a square on each side of square in first strip; lift three strips and repeat, three more and repeat. (Number formula, two up, one down, one up, one down, three up, one down, one up, one down three up, one down, one up, one down, one up.) Third strip, lift one sti"ip, make a square, lift three strips, make a sijuare, lift one, make a square, etc. (Number formula, one up, one down, three up, one down, one up, one down, three up, one down, one up, one down.) Fourth strip, make a square, lift five, make a square, lift five, make a square. (Number formula, one down, five up, one down, five up, one down.) Fifth strip, like number one. Eighth strip, like number two. Ninth sti'ip, like number three. Tenth strip, like number four, etc. PEAS WORK. Pentagon, with five one-inch sticks. Add a pentagon to each side, making a form of beauty. SEWING. Large gray cards. Sew in blue, light and lighter. Dictated design. (Figure 27, Appendix.) FOLDING. Light blue. Modify tablecloth ground form as follows : Fold right angle from center to outside. Fold trapezium star, acute angles to the center. Let children observe pentagon produced. Now fold right angles in center out, so as to fit in the space between pentagons, then under, producing small boat trapezoids, (Figui'e 15. Appendix.) CUTTING. Blue, three tones. (Cut light paper as illustrated in Figure 21, Appendix.) Paste on lighter square and mount on normal square six by six inches. DRAWING. Life forms from square, as illustrated in No. 5, Appendix. 114 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTIETH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. The same as last week. SPECIAL IDEAS. Form, Number, Language. (Blackl)oar(l exercises.) SONG. "Fitter Patter on tlie Pane." GAME. "Give, said the little stream." STORY. Thumliling. TALKS. Blackboard exercises on Form, Number, Language. Rivers, Seas, Oceans, Springs. GIFTS AND OCCUPATIONS. Use the week to review experiences, repeating any of the previous lessons in the gifts which the teacher mav deem necessary, or, if she likes, permit the children to choose some lessons which they would like to have again. (The Barn Yard and the Grandmothers, will probably be chosen.) In the occupation work, finish work of last week. DRAWING. Border arrangement, using the scjuare as a unit, as illustrated in No. (i. Appendix- GROUP WORK. MOXDAV. Review. TUESDAY. Many raindrops together make large bodies of water. Name all you can — ponds, lakes, little streams, rivers oceans. Tell them something al)out ponds and lakes, or l)aby rivers, and springs up in the mountains which form the beginning of rivers. WEDNESDAY. Rivers and seas and oceans. Rivers keep tr3ing to get to the sea or ocean. Name any rivers children know anvseas; any oceans. What ocean did Columbus' ship come across? The Pilgrims? Tell them some interesting facts about the Niagara River and its falls. The Sea of Galilee, and the story of Jesus walking upon it. IIow Peter tried to do so, and how Jesus helped him. THURSDAY. Mineral springs of Yellowstone Park. FRIDAY. Review story. IIG PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-FIRST WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. The same. (Purpose of Nature's expression; for Man's use and pleasure.) SONGS. " Are you here, my little birdie?" " There is a brooklet just over the way." GAMES. Hasten to the Meadow, Peter. There is a flower in my hand. (Smell.) STORY. "When I was a little girl." TALKS. Frogs. Fishes. MONDAT , TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY Fifth Gift. Modeling. Sixth Gift. Sewing. Triangles Drawing. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks. Mats. Folding. Peas Work. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. First: To make useful things. What man obtains from the mineral kingdom. Fuel, material for tools and implements with which to work; material for household cooking utensils, tin, granite, iron, steel, etc. Second: To make things which give us pleasure. Metal work upon our pictures, clay in our fio-ures, and bronze in bronze iigures. Miaeral kiugdom furnishes us least material adapted to the pro- duction of art forms, but it furnishes the things to use to produce them, as china for beautiful dishes. Tell how many pictures could not be made without the metal plates from which they are engraved. Mineral beauty ; mountains, hills, plains. WEDNESDAY. What vegetable kingdom gives us that is useful. Food, clothing, shelter, furniture. Beautiful flowers, shrubs and trees. Vegetable kingdom gives us actual beauty which has been made over into such from the elements of the mineral kingdom. (Emphasize color.) THURSDAY. ThiD£;s from animal kingdom which are useful : Food; power to convey heavy objects by the locomo- tion of aninuils. (Beautiful nuisic; family life of nature.) Develop idea that man is an animal too, but is the hio-hest of all, and from him we get many things to make our lives comfortable and beautiful; mention some of his works, preparing for the thought of next week. FRIDAY. Eeview storv. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. Review forms of beauty. 117 SIXTH GIFT. Dressing-case. TRIANGLES. Invention of thirty-two equilateral triangles. STICKS. Children lay all the four-sided figures which they can. When completed classify them: Four which have opposite sides parallel; square, oblong, rhomb and rhomboid: two which have all right angles, square and oblong: then two which have only two sides parallel, boat and shoe trapezoids: one which has no sides parallel, trapezium. MODELING, GLOVE BOX. Square prism, about three times as long as wide, obtained l)y modification of cube, mark line to indicate cover, and decorate top with a buttercup flower and leaf. Arrange five small pieces of clay in a circle and press down the center, then roll small ball of clay and press into the center; add leaf. SEWING. Continue blue sewing. MATS. Continue blue mats. PEAS WORK. Invention. FOLDING. Continue blue foldiu". DRAWING. Life forms, from basis of oblong, as illustrated in No. 7, Appendix. 118 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-SECOND WEEK. FROEBEL WEEK. Froin expression in nature to expression in humanity. Thought of noble men expressing itself in unsel- fish action for the benefit of humanity. SONGS. " O, come to the woods and let us play." "We are joyous to-day." GAME. "Now the garden beds are blooming." STORY. A little German boy who lived across the sea. TALK. Men who have given us great gifts. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Modeling. Sixth Gift. Sewing. Triangles. Cutting. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks. Sewing. Drawing. Folding. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. Germany. Attract attention to the card-board which has the- flag and Froebel's picture upon it, telling that Froebel did most for the little children, and we wish always to remember the country where he was born. WEDNESDAY. Characteristics of the German people. Always busy; love flowers, music and children. THURSDAY. Germany has given us some men who made beautiful music. Mozart, Mendelssohn, Beethoven, Wagner. Show pictures and tell a little of their work. FRIDAY. Review storv. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. 119 High-backed chair, such as might have bseu found in Froebel's home. SIXTH GIFT. German bed with high posts. Have previously prepared, heavy paste-board oblongs, six by foulr inches. Join two briclcs on long broad faces, making post. Place two of these posts two inches apart and four inches back from the front of table. Place two more four inches back of these two. Place the card-board on top of the four posts. Cover with twelve bricks in a lying position. Place a small cube made of two small square prisms, upon each corner. Stand one of the remaining square prisms upon each cube in front, and two upon each cube at the back. TRIANGLES. Obtuse isosceles trianorles. Basket for Froebel's birthday. 120 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS STICKS AND RINGS. Buttercup iind leaves, with half riugs aud sticks. Color with 3'ellow and green chalk. MODELING. Sphere, cul»e and cylinder, joined together, making a monument for Froebel. Write "Froebel," upon the face of the cube, and let children twine the flowers which they have brought, around the monument. SEWING. A picture ot Froebel. CUTTING. Cut a buttercup out of yellow paper, leaves and stems of green. Paste on white square and take home. Have a pattern cut from card-board aud let children trace and cut their own flowers. FOLDING. Fold two books of white paper, one of brown. Sew the two white ones inside the brown, making a small book, with cover and leaves. Let children paste in books pictures of things which Froebel loved. Have assortment of small scrap pictures ready. On fii'st page, a picture of a child. Second page, picture of a bird. Third page, picture of a butterfly. Fourth and tifth pages, animals. Sixth aud seventh pages, flowers. Ninth and tenth pages, moon aud stars. Take home. DRAWING. Form of beauty as illustrated in No. 8, Appendix. 122 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-THIRD WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. (From expression iu nature to expression in humanity.) SONG. "Busy Children." GAMES. "A little worm is on the ground." "Come, take your l)arro\v, neighbor John." STORY. "Legend of the Great Dipper." TALKS. What people have done to help the world. The elephant. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Modeling. Sixth Gift. Sewing. Triangles. Cutting. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Beads and Rings. Mats. Folding. Drawing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review last week. TUESDAY. Benjamin Franklin. What he did. WEDNESDAY. Florence Nightingale. What she did. THURSDAY. George Washington and Friedrick Froebel. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. 123 Writiug-desk. SIXTH GIFT. luvention. TRIANGLES. Reprodiue wheel-barrow with right isosceles, from memory. (See Twenty-eighth Week.) BEADS AND RINGS. Garden gate. Place small bead cubes upon a line just far enough apart to connect with a lai'ge half ring, placed from hole to hole; at the corners, place three cubes, in order to make a square corner; in the middle of the side in front make a gate, formed by placing four cubes one above the other upon each side and connecting with a half ring above; make flower beds inside with the colored beads; a pansy bed of violet beads, a marigold bed of orange beads, etc. MODELING. Let the children try to model a head. If there be a bust of Froebel or Washington in the room, refer to the manner in which busts are made. SEWING. Violet; two tones, light and lighter on gray card-board. Invent a unit, to be repeated, making an all over design. Give a sample card containing nine holes each way. A unit covering nine holes will repeat nine times on a large card, leaving one row of holes all around. (To those who can not invent dictate Figure 28, Appendix.) MATS. Gray mat with lighter violet strips. Inventions, FOLDING. Light violet. Inventions. CUTTING. Violet, light on lighter, mounted on noi'mal. Cut as illustrated. (Figure 22, Appendix.) DRAWING. Picture of third gift cube, as illustrated ni No. 9, Appendix. 124 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Recognition and interpretation of nature's expression. SONG. "All the birds and bees are singing." GAME. "Tra la, la, la, there is joy in the air." STORY. The Daisy Seed. TALK. Spring flowers and their colors. Ciiniliing plants. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Sewing. Sixth Gift. Drawing. Triangles. Folding. THURSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks and Rings. Mats. Modeling. Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. May, the month of flowers ; lilacs, snow-balls, honey-suckles. AVKDNESDAY. May day. When we go out to enjoy the flowers. THURSDAY. Bees. The honey which they give us. "Where they get it and how they take care of it. FRIDAY. Review story. FOR KIXDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. Invent forms of beauty from same basis as Twenty-ninth Week. SIXTH GIFT. 125 ^ ^ ^ r^ c ^ ^ Forms of beauty, TRIANGLES. A pair of scissors Connect with "Garden Beds" and "Flower Basket. STICKS AND HALF RINGS. '\r\ ^' \ 1 ^^\ izr^ ' ^ V - yt ^-^ ^ \ ZSL ^2^^ ^ 1 ^ r > ^^^/i^ IZ^^^ ^{ / \^^ -^ -f \^J ^27 \K^ t r--f \iJ^2 Form of Ijeaut}-. Sticks and half rings. SEWING. Finish sewing of last week. FOLDING. Finish folding of last week. MATS. Finish mats of last week. DRAWING. Life form from rhomb as illustrated in No. 10, Appendix. 126 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-FIFTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Relationship to God. (Abstract truth, symbolized in light songs.) SONGS. 'Do you know how many stars?" "Last night as I looked from my window." The third verse of "Way down in the buttercup meadow." "O see the little window bright." STORY. " The Little Match-Seller." TALK. Caudles. MONDAY. Fifth Gift. Modeling. TUESDAY. Sixth Gift. Folding. WEDNESDAY. Triangles. Mats. THURSDAY. Sticks and Rings. Cutting. FRIDAY. Peas Work. Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review last week. TUESDAY'. Natural light : sun, moon, stars, lightning, glow-wornxs. \ WEDNESDAY. Artificial light : lamps, gas, electricity. THURSDAY. Effects of light upou objects. Light makes things grow, helps us to distinguish objects one from the other. FRIDAY". Review story. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. w>. < ' % ^ / \ t A] ^ Hi Church Wiudow. Couuect with sons SIXTH GIFT. Pipe organ . TRIANGLES. . Church windo^y. Maiie hexagon with six equilateral triangles of the same color. Add to each side, SIX other hexagons of the same size, but contrasting color. Fit into the spaces on the outside, rhombs of the same color as the middle hexagon. STICKS AND RINGS. _L 5 1 \ r 1 -^-J^-. s> ^ Candle-stick and candle.- 128 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS MODELING. Mornino- o-lorv, from the cone. Have flower and leaf for each child. Model cone and hollow it, turning the edge slightly outwards. Add stem and leaf, and mount. MATS. Continue violet mats. CUTTING. Inventions. Children choose their own cclors. Take home. SEWING. Continue violet sewing. INTERLACING. Nine slats interlaced. Push opposite right angles in slightly, to produce the rhombic panes. PEAS WORK. Chandelier. Make four small pyramids from a square basis, using one-inch sticks ; place one pea in the middle of a three-inch stick and push another three-inch stick through the same pea, at right angles to the first one ; place another pea, a half inch away from the center one, upon the four sides ; make a pyramid by placing a one-inch stick in each of these last four peas and joining with one pea. Repeat pyramid on opposite side, so that the apex of one pyramid will ))e above and one will be below; join the four small pyramids, upon the extreme ends of the three-inch sticks, with the square face above; join a five-inch stick to the pea forming the apex of middle pyramid. DRAWING. Life form from the rhomboid, as illustrated No. 11, Appendix. 130 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIOXS THIRTY-SIXTH WEEK, SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. SONG. "The light within the window gleams."' GAME. Cuckoo. MONDAY. Fifth fiift. Modeliuii. STORY. The stars. TALK. Light. TUESDAY. Sixth Gift. Drawinsr. WKDNESDAY. Triangles. Sewing. THURSDAY. Sticks and rings. Mats. FRIDAY. Peas work. Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. Tallow and wax used for caudles. WEDNESDAY. Sulphur. Where obtained and for what used .'' THURSDAY. Glass and its uses. FRIDAY. Keview story FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. Cluu'ch interior. (See Tvveutv-seveutli Week.) SIXTH GIFT. Church exterior. (See Twenty-seventh Week.) TRIANGLES. 131 Church bell. STICKS AND RINGS. Church window. MODELING. Book from tlie oblong prism. Lead childreu to connect with the hymn book and Bible used in church. "And every one who enters there, to be attentive, must prepare." PEAS WORK. Church. Make a square prism five inches high, the bases being squares, two by two inches. Place upon two of the five-inch sticks a pea, two mches from one end ; let the prism rest upon the oblong face and add four two-inch sticks to the four peas upon the opposite oblong face ; join them together with four two-inch sticks and add four five-inch sticks, terminating in one pea at the top, to form steeple of the church; in the square face below the steeple, may be added a door, if desii'ed. 132 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS OCCUPATIONS. For the remaining weeks of the year, allow the children to choose their own colors iu mats, sewing, foldin"' and pasting, making free inventions, which may be pasted about the room, or taken home. GENERAL EXERCISE. Developing the idea, that power to express lies within. Arrange children in groups. Each teacher have previously prepared a slip of paper for each child with his name upon it. When we talked of the little plants we found that when they came to the earth every one was just what it began to bo down iu the ground, and that it was the little baby plant inside which pushed itself out into leaves, stems and flowers. To-day we will be just like the little plants and push out something which is within us. When I ask you to tell me something about your work you always think about it before 30U tell me, and the little thought is your own, something which belongs to you. Thoughts are something which you and I have that are our very own. ( Power. ) I can give you my tiioughts, and 3'ou can give me your thoughts if you wish to do so, but we must have something to take them from one to the other, so we have little locomotives which take my thoughts from me, over to 3'ou, and bring back 3'our thoughts to me, just as the large locomotives take trains from one place to another. Would you like to know what these locomotives are ? They are the words which we speak to each other, each one carries a thought. (Means to use power.) Now I will send a locomotive to you with a thought. I am thinking about birds, so it shall carry my thought to you. "The birds sing sweetly." What is the thought I sent you? The birds sing sweetly. ( Participation, relation of word and thought.) Each child may send me a locomotive with a thought, but as I wish to keep them for keepsakes, j'ou may whisper it to your teacher, and she will write it upon a card, then I may have it to keep. Copy upon the card having the child's name upon it. ( Thought put into form.) I have all the cards and I shall read one thought at a time. When I read the one which you sent, you must stand up. Each one listen and claim his own thought. ( Recognition, develops memory and in- dividuality.) 134 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-SEVENTH WEEK. SALIENT IDEA. Same as last week. SONG. " Lo, sunk in each others arms they lie, Dear brothers and sisters so peacefully." STORIES. The children aud the moon. Last dream of the old oak. TALK. Living lights. MONDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY. Fifth Gift. Modeling. Sixth Gift. Drawing. Triangles. Sewing. THUKSDAY. FRIDAY. Sticks and Eings. Mats. Peas Work,, Sewing. GROUP WORK. MONDAY. Review. TUESDAY. Talk about the sun. WEDNESDAY. Talk about the moon. T}IURSDAY. Talk about the stars. FRIDAY. Review storv. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. FIFTH GIFT. 135 Children make from memorv the cliurch, clmrch whulow aiul church interior, which the}' have pre- viously built. Let each chikl make the form wliich he remembers best. SIXTH GIFT. Children reproduce from memory the church front and the pipe organ which they have previously made. TR-IANGLES. Lamp, with obtuse isosceles and right scalene triangles. STICKS AND RINGS. ^ "^ ~ ^ — 1 7 Z H r \ / \ / \ / \ / T ■s ^ s ■^ ^ \ y \ / / ^ ' \ / \ / ^ / s, / ^ y K ^ y ^ / \ y \ / 1, y \ ^ ) / A / \ k J 7 / \ / \ ^ i / ^ / \ / \ 1 \ / ^ _ U Border. Limit with straight lines in front and at the back. MODELING. ^'ase from oblate spheroid. Decorate with small flowers. PEAS WORK. InventioD - 136 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-EIGHTH WEEK. Let children select songs, games and stories for the remainder of the year. TALK. Relationship of all life to its source. MOKDAY. TUESDAY. WEDNESDAY'. Fifth Gift. iVIodeling. Sixth Gift. Drawing. Triangles. Sewing. THURSDAY. FRIDAY'. Sticks and Rings. Mats. Peas "Work. Cutting. GROUP WORK. MONDAY'. Review. TUESDAY'. Children tell anything they remember about any bird. ^\^DNESDAY'. Tell anything about any animal. THURSDAY. Tell anything about any insect. FRIDAY. Review stor}'. FOR KINDERGARTNERS, 137 FIFTH GIFT. Invention. SIXTH GIFT. Invention. TRIANGLES. Invention. STICKS AND RINGS. Invention. MODELING. Flower and leaf from the real object. PEAS WORK. Easel for picture. Place two peas one inch from each end of a five-inch stick and a half inch apart; make two of this kind. Place pea in middle of a two-inch stick, and join the two peas near the end of the five-inch sticks; join the next two peas with a two-inch stick; join the two other peas at the other end of a five- inch stick with three-inch sticks. Place a five-inch stick in the pea, in the middle of the two-inch stick at the top, so that the easel will stand, and make a place to hold the picture by placing two one-inch sticks joined to the two lowest peas, and extending out at right angles with the five inch sticks. Join the ends of the two one-inch sticks with a three-inch stick. Have children sew, the day before, a simple pic- ture, and place upon the easel to take home. 138 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS THIRTY-NINTH AND FORTIETH WEEKS. In the gifts, repeat auy lessou which has been previously given, allowing the children to add to, or change it in any way. Eepeat any talks or stories previously given, for which the children ask. In the occupations repeat or invent in any one to take home. EXPLANATORY NOTES, STORIES AND TALKS. STORIES AND TALKS. GENERAL SURVEY OF SONGS. The highest use of the Sougs of "Die Mutter and Kose Lieder," is to establish ideals in the mind of the child, which shall become his standards of life. Consequently we find the songs all pointing to the one thought of unity, which makes all expressions of life but a part of one idea, and the book as a whole is simply the symbolic reflection, in an ideal sense, of the relationships of the individual to the inclusive whole, symbolized in three phases: Nature, Man and God, which latter relation includes the other two. Assort- ing the songs, we find the active life and growth in Nature pictured to the child, and associated with the relations to man, many of them being a reflection of human life in its relations, as the "Bird's Nest," and "Basket." The Finger Songs form another group, which pictures family life in its several phases, each song emphasizing some particular phase. The Trades Songs, form another group which includes the family relation and establishes it as a part of a larger whole, that of civil society, where the inter-dependence of families establishes a community relationship. The harmony of communities depends upon an underlying unity, just as the harmony of the family depends upon an underlying unity; so the next gi'oup pictures the abstraction of the thought that the good of the whole, or the universal good, must be the rule of each, by placing the communities as a part of a still larger whole, namely, the State, represented by the " Songs of the Knights." The last group, the Light Songs, symbolizes the highest and most inclusive relationship of Man, where Individual, Family, Civil Society, and State are brought into relation to the Creator of each and every one, thus forming a complete unity, of which each set of songs is an organic part and points to the highest and most inclusive relationship. An ideal use of the "Mother-Play," would consist of three stages. First, a use of the songs as lullabys, by the conscious mother, who would hold in her mind the three-fold relationship, and so create in the feeling of the child the germ of thought to be molded into conscious perception at a later stage. Froebel sa3"s, "In the feeling we must look for the thought, as we see the corn in the seed, and the fledged bird in the egg." Second, the mother would use the pictures of the book to appeal to the earliest thought of the child by making definite impressions upon the sense of sight, together with strongly defined mental impressions b}' means of the simple story connected with each picture, the child gaining in this way the biography of his bab3'hood. The third use would then come more properly under the domain of the Klndergartner who would build upon the feeling and aroused thiuldng of the child, by assorting his experiences absorbed in the home atmosphere, making them more universal and more conscious, and above all, developing the will by the application of the duties which grow out of relationships in the small Kindergarten community of which he is a member, so that his daily life in the Kindergarten becomes the anti-type of his life among his fellow men, each child a promoter of the general good. Frequently the Kindergartner must combine the three uses of Froebel's book, as the mothers have little or no knowledge of its principles. So in building a program, she must select from each group of songs, as many as she can use, to meet the need of her particular class of children, some classes needing one relationship emphasized more strongly than others, although every relationship must be included in Dfder to complete the unity. 142 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS [ have eudeavored to show iu this program how this may be done, hoping that it may prove suggestive to nany other Kindergartners, although it should not be followed literally, but be subject to the iudi- vid lality of the teacher. The basis, I believe, is the correct one, according to Froebel's own commentary upon the songs. The progressive leading of the child out of the Family, through Nature into Civil Society, S^iate and Church should be our method, and in proportion as we reverence each phase of life as a part of t le Eternal Life, so will our children do likewise. To keep up the unity of feeling in the Kindergarten, it is better to give the same lesson to all the ihildren at the same time, adapting the language of dictation to the youngest children. The application may be made by the individual teachers who should adapt the aualj'sis to the needs of their respective children. FINGER SONGS. Tliis oroup of songs grew out of the instinctive finger plays which Froebel observed were employed by the mothers generally. The child becomes conscious of the various members of his body, and is led to make a proper use of them, thereby preventing a pernicious use. By the intimate connection of the fino-ers upon the hand and the difference in the size, they may easily impress the child-sense with the Family relation. In the "Thumb, Bend Thee," all the fingers are engaged in a similar activity, the creneral character of which is consideration in the form of friendly greeting. We mast ever provide action and employment for the whole child, engaging feeling and thought in persistent, willing action, and in the pleasure which this little play gives to the child, may be foreshiidowed that real and abiding joy which comes to the man who engages his whole self iu helpful and suitable activity, at the same time showin"' due consideration for the rights of others. Ultimate culture and realization of relationships result iu consideration on the part of each individual for the rights of every other individual, so the child may be led to feel iu the friendly greeting an underlying principle, to be carried into Family, Civil Society and State life. "This is the Mother, good and dear," defines the family as a whole, composed of nmtuall}' dependent members, whose individuality is valuable in so far as it promotes the general good of the family unity. The child as an individual is amhored to this uuity and given the foundation for his life as a whole, that he may ne\ er be satisfied with separation or incompleteness. The " Thumb, a Plum," carries out in the individual sense, the thought of useful activity found in the " Thumb, Beud Thee," assigniug to the individual fingers, a particular work. The man who uses special powers in the best way, is the man who is most useful in the general sense, while the community is most active in which the individual activity is greatest. "To the Thumb, say I, One," meets the instinctive love of counting and harmonious repetition which is inherent in the child. The restful sleep into which all are lulled by the musical counting, is indicative of the harmony which underlies all balanced development. The child is impressed with the intimate relation of number measuring and harmony, and should early be led to associate time, and counting or number, as leading to harmonious results. The " Finscr-Piano," emphasizes the same thought of rythmic measm-e, by an appeal to the sense of hearins:. The child shall learn to listen for the harmony in all life, as he was led to see it in the repose of the little finger-children of the previous song. Upon the regularity and well-timed motion depends the sweet harmonious sound, and he who readily perceives harmouious motion and sound often discovers harmony back of apparent discord. So Froebel would have us lead the child to feel, see and hear, with the inner, finer sense, that deep-lying harmony of Nature, expressed by the ripple of the brook, the hum of the bee, the rustle of the corn-stalk, the song of the lark, the motion of cock-chafer's wings, the color- ing of the flowers, that he may become a part of the great harmony. The "Brothers and Sisters," leads the child directly from this atmosphere of harmony into the peaceful security which comes from the realization of Divine Power, which creates the universal harmony and maintains it by unchangeal)le law. Thus early, would Froebel have us provide for the nurture of the innermost and highest life, since the germ of spiritual life is present loug before it is outwardly percepti- ble. The unity of the family life, heretofore impressed upon the child, shall be transferred to the higher union of the familv as a whole, with the Creator of all, who protects, watches and loves His ci-eatures. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 143 NATURE SONGS. After the Finger Songs we may group together the songs which picture the active life of nature and find in each one a separate manifestation of the inner harmony which binds all the variety of natural life into unit}^ The song of the "Bird's Nest," pictures the already familiar family life, under different con- ditions, and in different form, thereby intensifying the feeling of the home relation by the reflection afforded outside of the special family to which the child belongs. The very fact that the conditions, and the indi- vidual members are different from those of his own home, serves to make clear the vital organism of all family life, while the beautiful adaptability of the bird home, to its occupants and to its surroundings, deepens the sense of harmony already awakened in the child, and establishes the mdividual family as an organic part of a larger whole, upon which it is vitally dependent. Thus the little child is led to assign the entire family of which he is a member to its place in the natural world, by the pictured fitting in of the little bii'd-home to the larger natural home. Having been attracted to nature through a family in which there is life, the individuals in the various families of nature will necessarily attract the child, so we have, "Beckon to the Chickens," " Beckon to the Pigeons," "Barn Yard Gate," and "Garden Gate," each representing phases of life in which the child is invited to participate. The chickens and pigeons reflect the instinctive activity of the child by their constant moving about, impelled by the same physical life which animates the living child. He is ready to enter into their life, to take them into his sympathies and expend upon them the fostering care which is his inherent possession. The mother fosters the sympathetic interest on the part of the child and endeavors to make him feel that he is one with all life in nature. * The "Barn Yard" and the "Garden Gate," show the variety of animal and of plant life to which the child has already been attracted, while the value of limitation or boundary, symbolized by the gates, leads the child to feel the order which is the outgro^vth of keeping things in their legitimate space. In the "Little Gardener," the child rises to the position and dignity of the care-taker of natural life, thereby indicating the inherent superiority which gives man dominion over all created things, but it nuist ever- be presented to the child as a superiority involving the greater responsibility of rightly using and help- ing that which is inferior, so the child becomes the tender gardener who cares for the flowers, being in turn rewarded by the unfolding of all their inner beauty to his delighted eye. In the "Pigeou House," we see the effort to lead the child to gather all the experiences afforded him by the attraction of life all around him into a complete unity, and relate them to his home life. This is fitly symbolized by the going out of the little pigeons .whose life he has already been in sympathy with, and their return at night to a common abode, where their soft cooing tones seem to be the language through which they convey to each other their experiences of the day and the contentment they feel for the even- ing home coming. The child also goes out from his home, participating in the attractive life which sur- rounds him, but the mother wishes him to feel the restraining influence of the home in all his out-goings, so she establishes the habit of making the daily experiences tit into the home life, by becoming to him the interpreter who renders the natural phenomena a part of the one great unity of all life, linking the several separate experiences of each day into a whole as they are eagerly told to her by the little child. The song of the " Fishes," attracts the child to one of the freest movements of natural life, and the sympathetic interest of the child takes the form of an attempt to possess the fish. The result of taking the freely moving fish out of its watery element proves unsatisfactory since the graceful, easy movement is gone, and there remains but the baser animal nature, all its beauty lost because its freedom is lost. The child must feel, even though the attraction in nature be strong, that his own personality is greater and the germ of freedom within him must be developed in an atmosphere conducive to its highest attainment. Un- like the fish, he may create his own atmosphere, and so be ever in the proper element, which will allow him to be spiritually free and active. The " E'lower Basket," establishes the correct attitude of the child to nature and to the family. His experience with nature shall be put to the proper use, namely to enoble and beautify the life of man. The child is led to consciously use the elements of nature to enrich the family life by introducing the beauty of nature into the home, as a fitting expression of the love of the child which is day by day unfolding the petals of its usefulness, under the loving, watchful care of the parents. 144 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TRADES SONGS. The attraction of the moviug life of nature will tend to arouse in the child a disposition to observe all activity, especially the activities of the people around him. The Trade Songs introduce him to the com- munity of workers who, by their united, constant labor, render it possible for the child to have the comforts of life. The child is impressed with the labor which underlies the simplest necessities of life, beginning with the "Carpenter," we see that through it the child is led out into civil society through the home, keeping up the thought of the underlying relation of tlie home to all the outer experiences of life. The in- stitution of civil societ_y is the outgrowth of the necessities of the home, the many workers in various trades, systematically providing necessities for the homes of man. Tiie carpenter produces the house which binds the various members of the family by affording them a common pi-otection and a center of common interest. The Joiner supplies the furniture necessary for the comfort and convenience of the various members. The Baker introduces the connected process which uaderlies all the production of the labors and establishes a re- lation between the individual tradesman by the iiiter-depeudeuce through which the best results are obtained. The emphasis placed upon the fitting of one man's work into that of the other, suggests the progress of civilization, which has assigned individual labor as an integral part of an organized work which renders the completed result more perfect, because tlie parts are more perfectly constructed. In the "Wheelwright," the power of embodied activity is emphasized and the progress through the combined efforts of civil society is shown in one production. The wheel, a result of man's thought, em- bodied in useful form by his hand, becomes a heritage of the whole race, undergoing successive improve- ments as new uses for it present themselves, but its power ever lies in its possibility of onward motion, so typical of the higher use of man's God-given powers which attain their highest development in exact pro- portion to the measure m which they are given out in helpful and ever increasing activity to our fellow men. In the "Charcoal Burner" we move from the thought of motive power embodied in the wheel to mo- tive purpose in thought. The child must be led to look beyond the external appearance, which so often fails to truly indicate the real purpose, and to'reverence and value the motive purpose which is the real life of action. He shall value the work produced by the charcoal burner above the soiled body of the man, but he shall value the personality of the charcoal burner, which is found in the true purpose of being help- ful to humanit3\ We lead the child to think of the brightness of the refined silver, as the ultimate result of the work of the burner which renders liim black and ugly in outward appearance, during the produc- tion of the coal. In the "Target," the child passes from the position of ou-looker among life's laborers, and takes his individual place among the workers, feeling the law which governs all construction. Correct relative pro- portion in material construction renders a result s^'mmetrical and harmonious, and worthy of proper com- pensation, while disregard of this law renders the work invaluable and useless. The next song which may be included in this group is that of the "Children on the Steeple," although it also belongs to the "Finger Songs;" it serves the purpose of briuging the experiences of the child in the community of civil society into organic relation to the family, just as the song of the "Pigeon-house" resolved the experiences of nature into a unity with the family. We pass from material construction in the "Target," to spiritual construction in the "Children on the Steeple." All the particular experiences used as organic parts of a spiritual structure which culminates in the dedication of the whole structure to the great "Master-Builder," symbolized by the entering into the church, of the two grandmothers, while the children, not yet able to separate elevation in spirit from elevation in a material sense, attempt the literal climbing which results in the sad fall and consciousness of real spiritual climbing. From this wo pass to the "Bridge," which combines the material and spiritual construction in proper relation. The child sees the connection of opposites in the material sense and feels it in the spiritual sense. The carpenter, M'ho renders the literal connection possible, exemplifies the value of constructive activity as a means of bringing into relation apparently disconnected conditions, and the child feels the value of the thought which guides, governs and modifies labor. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 145 STATE SONGS. This grou[) of songs leads the child from the thought of dependence of man upon man in a material sense, to the inter-dependence of humanity in a spiritual sense. The results of man's labors are perfected by the interchange of thought, and the organized relation of the workers, so also does the spiritual dependence of man result in the establishing of higher standards of life. The State represents the univer- sal conception of good, and the standard can be no higher than that which exists in the mind of the nation which creates it. The child must be led to feel the highest standard with which he is contemporary, that the future standard of the nation may l)e uplifted b}^ the pressure of the universal. The "Knights and Good Child" represents the individual in harmony with the universal standard, and therefore receiving the ready recognition from the universal. The " Knights and Bad Child" represents the individual in rebellion against the universal, thereby cutting himself off from recognition, and only meriting the con- demnation of the universal. The "Hiding of the Child" completes the conception of the ideal by holding up the universal as well as the individual value of goodness. The "Hiding of the Child from the Mother," introduces the phase when the individual through contact with the universal, has come to the recognition of his own personality', and its value to the universal, binding the State relation to the Family by the dependence of the State upon the family, for the standards of the individuals which compose it. The Song of the "Cuckoo" emphasizes the transfer of the universal idea from the outer to the inner life, there to become a motive purpose which shall guide, control and define the outer action and life. The "Merchant and Maiden" and "Merchant and Boy" mark the transition to a state of independ- ence on the part of the individual, who now, having a standard abstracted from the universal shall be allowed to exercise the law and right of selection, based upon needs and held in check by his relationships, so that it may not be the mere gratification of capricious desii'e. The "Artist" shows the legitimate effect of the atti'action of activity in the life around the child. His own inherent creative power is aroused and stimulated, and he desires to use the material about him to express his individual conceptions, as he has observed other people doing. LIGHT SONGS. The last group of songs symbolizes the highest relationship of the child. Man has ever tried to symbolize this relationship to God by confining His power to particular manifestations in nature, and Froebel desires that we shall make the child feel the universal power ever present, so he chooses light as the fitting emblem of truth, since it is imalterable in the hands of man. All i)revious experiences must be gathered into this higher relation, so the " Light Bird" combines the family life, and nature, presenting life in motion to impress the feeling, that truth is valuable, only when it exists as an active agent in our lives. The "Child and the Moon," " The Boy and the Moon," and "Maiden and the Stars" emphasize the child's inherent feeling of nearness to God. He does not realize distance which separates objects from him, but calculates it, only by the sympathy which he has for the object. We must foster this feeling and encourage him to bring into his life, by the a|)plication of his experiences, that which seems afar, but is really near, through its influence for good. The little maiden shows the way by her instinctive application of the best she knows, in order to interpret the new and unknown experience. Father and mother in her experience ai"e synonyms for love, wisdom, goodness, so she calls the two bright stars which attract her, father and mother stars. The " Shadow-Plays" represent the use of light to produce definite form. We nuist use our spiritual light to explain that which seems vague, and to give force and character to our actions by putting them in definite shapes of helpfulness to mankind. 146 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TALKS ON SONGS OF "DIE MUTTER AND KOSE-LIEDER." "THE BIRD'S NEST."— First Week. Show picture in "Die Mutter uud Kose-Lieder." A nest of little liirds. How came it here? A father and mother bird built a nest of leaves, threads and moss, working many days to complete it. Then the little bird mother laid the eggs and sat upon the nest, keeping them warm with her own body, while the father bird brought food to her each day. At last the little birds wore hatched out of the eggs, and then both mother and father were kept busy feeding them. Just as soon as the little birds could make a sound, they began to call "Pip, pip," which means, "How much we love our mother dear." See if you can find mother and father bird in the picture? See if you can find another mother and baby in the picture? Where is their home? The house in the distance. See how many homes you can find in the picture? I can find five. These little bird parents are always very careful to find just the right place for their home, so that it will be safe from harm. They make their nests the same in color as the things which are all about it, so that it will not be noticed by those who wish to do them harm. Then they always select a place where they may easily obtain the kind of food which their babies like, so you see many birds building near houses, that they may obtain flies and insects, which are always near houses. What kind parents the baby birds have to prepare everything about their homes for the comfort of the little ones and for their protection. Birds build their nests and lay their eggs in the early spi'ing, so that the little ba])y birds commence their life journeys when everything else in the world around them is begin- ning to grow. At first they are small, and weak, covered only with tender skin, and the careful mother tucks them under her soft downj^ wings and keeps them snug and warm until their feather-coats gi'ow out and cover their bodies. The parent birds bring food every day until the little birds are large and strong enough to use their legs and wings. When the birds leave the nest they fly about during the long warm Summer, and by the time the cold Winter comes they ai'e able to seek their own food, or to fly away to a warm climate. The nest in the picture shows us the little birds alone in their home, and the children who have found them thought the parent birds had left their babies, so the}' wished to take care of the little birds, l)ut their mother showed them the father bird sitting quietly up in the tree keeping watch over his children, until their mother comes back with the food for them. The little birds stay quietly at home and wait for their mother who is always thinking about them while she is away from them, and hastens back to the nest as soon as she obtains sulficieut food. Whom do you think taught the birds to do all these things? "THUMBS AND FINGERS SAY GOOD MORNING."— First Weel<. What did we have our finger family do this morning? We had them bow while we sang " Good Morn- ing" to each other. How man}' finger children bowed good morning? All. Let us count them. Ten. I Avill show you a picture where ten little children are saying good morning to each other just as we had our finger children do. How many boys do you see? Five. How many girls? Five. Upon what are they standing? Upon a sunflower. So they must be fairy children. Did you know that the sunflower always turns its face toward the sun? I think, perhaps, the reason it has so much gold in its leaves is because it is always trying to catch sunbeams. The flowers on each side of the picture seem bending toward one another as though the}-, too, were saying good morning. Children and flowers all doing the same thing at the same time, just as we do in our singing. Let us play that the little fingers upon our right hand are the little boys, and those upon our left hand are the little girls. Hold up the right thumb and find the little fairy thumb boy in our picture. Now hold up the left thumb and find the little fairy thumb girl. Hold up right first finger and find the tall straight boy, then the left first finger and find the tall straight girl. Hold up the two middle fingers, one on each hand, and find the boy in the middle, and the girl in the middle. Hold up the ring fingers, which are next to the last, and find the boy and girl in the picture. Which one holds the ring? The little girl, so tlio ring finger is upon the left hand. Now hold up the least fingers of all and find the fairy baby boy and the fairy baby girl in the picture. The little boy is very friendly, and reaches out his hand to greet the little girl. If we always keep our little finger children busy, FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 147 using them to help us do kind things for each other, as the fair}^ children are so kindly greeting each other, we shall be like the flowers around them, which always grow up, up, up, toward the bright sunshine, which gives them light, warmth, color, and fragrance to shed abroad in the world and make it a bright and beautiful home for the people who live in it. "THIS IS THE MOTHER GOOD AND DEAR."— First Week. Here is a picture of many families. We will find the mother, good and dear. See how willingly she stops her spinning work for a moment to play with the little })aby fingers held up to her. Find the father, with hearty cheer. See how happy and cheerful he seems to be, and is so glad to be at home in the even- ing M'ith the rest of the family. Find the brother, stout and tall. What is he doing? He sits at the table with a pencil and paper upon which he is drawing. Perhaps it is the picture of the little sister or the baliy. Find the little sister, who plays with her doll. She has been playing with the baby, too, for she holds him by the hand, and he is the pet of all the family. I think he wants his mother to show him how to use his little fingers because he sees that she keeps her own so busy. The mother is pointing to each little finger and singing, "This is the mother so good and dear," etc., so that the baby has a whole finger family upon his own little hand. See him look at each one as the mother sings, and then he looks about the home and sees his own father, mother, sister and brother, while he himself is the little one, pet of all. The mother does not leave one out, because the family would not be complete if she did, and she wants the baby to love one, just as much as the other. See how all the members of the family stay together iu the same room, and all about the same table. Look at the picture and you will see that the members of the other families stay together, also. A family of ducks, and a family of geese, a family of fishes. A deer family, a mouse family and a rabbit family. An insect family, a liird family in the tree, a stork family near the pond, and some tad-poles in the water, which will become frogs. How many in each family? Five. Find the blossoms on the tree and count the petals. We find they have five. Bring to the Kindergarten all the pictures of families which you can find. (See Family Chart, Appendix.) "THE PIGEON HOUSE."— First Week. Here is the picture of the pigeon house about which we sang to-day. See the pigeons flving about. In the morning they like to fly away far from their homes, to the broad, green fields, coming ])ack again at night. When they go into the pigeon house they begin to make a soft, cooing sound, as though they were telling about the things which they had seen during the day. The mother is taking the little baby out of his home that he may enjoy the sunshine and the fresh air, just as the doves do. See how he watches the three little doves on the ground, while his little brother forgets to eat the apple whicli he holds, because he is so interested in the little bird upon the branch of the tree iu front of him. The two little childi'en com- ing home from the fields are telling to each other all the things which they have seen. The little bov on th« riffht side is telling his mother where he has been and what he has seen. He tells her that he saw the chickens picking up the corn iu the yard, the geese and ducks swimming on the pond, and the swallows, sparrows and larks in the trees. Some of them walked, some hopped, and some waded in the water, but they all had wings and feathers, though some did not fly. "But they are all birds xay son," said the mother, "and the hens do not fly high, because they practice it so little." " But I saw something else which could fly, the bees, bugs and buttei-flies." " They are not birds," said the mother, "but are called iusects, because their bodies have little notches in them, and as they have no feathers we do not call them birds." After telling all he has seen, the little boy wants his mother to go out with him aud stay in the fields, but the mother must stay at home and do her own work, just as the apple tree stays in one place and bears fruit. Children may run about and see many things while they are young, aud when they grow older they, too, will have work to do just as the mother has. WHAT'S THIS?— Third Week. Here is another picture of our finger children. The mother is teaching the little baby how to use his fingers one by one. He Ukes to reach out his hand for things, but the mother wants him to know thaft 148 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS each little fino'er has something to do, so she holds them up one by one and sings to him about them, while the two little girls who have already learned aT)out their lingers are using them in their sewing work. On the other side is the picture of two little girls who are using their hands and fingers to water and take care of the flowers, while the little boy has learned how to use his hands and body well enough to enable him to climb the tree and gather the sweet plums which grow thereon, to show his little baby brother what his own little fat thumb is like. Below is the picture of the fairy finger children which we saw in the other picture, and the song which the mother sings to the baby is the song which we sang, about our fingers this morning. "This is a little thumb round, It looks just like a plum round." ' The boy on the right side is looking across to the girl on the left side who holds a basket tilled with plums, so they are the two thumb fairies. The second boy is pointing to the place on the left, where the little girl is showing how she can bend with grace, so these two are the pointing-finger fairies. The next two stand straight and tall in the middle of the row, and show the longest of all. The little girl next to the middle one holds the ring in her hand while both herself and the boy opposite have crowns upon their heads to show that, like the gold, they are pure and fair. The two little children are close together in the middle of the picture and, although they are least of all, they just fill the space and complete the small number and close the fairy circle. Each finger must have its right place upon our hands, just as the fairy children have their places. Let us count how many upon the right hand and how many on the left. Does the thumb help us work? Yes, it is very strong. What does the next finger do ? It also helps us M^oik, points the place and is very straight, yet can bend easily. Which is longest, and w'here is it ? In the middle of the row. How many on each side of it ? Two. "Which wears the ring ? Fourth finger, which is not so strong as the others, but helps too. "What does the least finger do ? Completes the number five. They all belong to one hand, and each one is needed to help us do good work. FLOWER BASKET.— Third Week. You may look at this picture and see if you can read the story which it tells. The children have a basket which they are filling with flowers. To whom will they give it, think you ? To their father who is drawing in the summer house. Why are they all helping to make this basket, and why is the mother cut- tino- this lily ? Because it is the father's birthday, and the children have chosen this way to tell him how much they love him because he does so much for them, just as the little birds say "Pip, pip," to tell their parents how thev love them. When the papa receives this basket I think he will say "What a beautiful picture my little children have matle of the love which they have in their hearts for me." See how the little girl and boy reach high to pluck the brightest flowers which are so fragrant. The little baby sister can not wait until the basket is finished, for she is so happy because it is her father's birthday. Away she runs to the father in the summer house, taking her little bunch of flowers, and tells him that her mother, brother and sisters are coming with many more. The father shows her the picture which he has been drawing of the beautiful sun as it appeared over the hill-tops, and tells her that he is happy to-day because of the beautv of the sunshine and flowers about him, the music of the birds, and above all, the love of the mother and little children who are bringing the basket. "Do you know, little daughter, whom I thank for all this joy ? 'Tis the Father above who sends all the life and light into the world, so when the mother and the rest of the children come we shall all thank Him together." When your papa or mamma has a birthday I will let you make a basket for them, if you wish. "HASTEN TO THE MEADOW, PETER."— Fourth Week. This song is introduced this week because it embodies the three relationships of the child by showing his dependence for one necessity (food), upon nature, man and God. Show picture in "Die Mutter and Kose-Lieder." Find everything you can and tell about it. The mother and baby, the bowl of bread and milk, Mollie churning and milking, and Peter mowing, horses waiting with wagon to carry the grass to the barn, and the little girl and boy making a chain which extends around the whole picture. What did the FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 149 baby have for its supper ? Bread and milk. "Wliere did the milk come from ? From the cow. Who did the milkiug ? Mollie. Who fed the cow ? Peter. Where did he get the food to give her ? He mowed the fresh, green grass in the meadow where it grew. What made the grass grow ? The rain, sunshine, dew, air and earth, which God gave, and you see the baby could not have had the milk if God had not taken care of the grass for the cow. Where did the bread come from ? The mother ol)taiued it from the baker, but he could not have baked it without the flour which the miller prepared from the little wheat grains by grinding each one into fine, white powder. Where did the miller get the wheat ? From the farmer who ploughed the earth and planted the seed. God sent the rain and sunshine to make it grow just as the grass grew. Many people work together in order that we may have food, so the mother is singino- the "Thank You " for the baby, to all who helped give him the bread and milk, but these little children may sing the "Thank You" for themselves to-da^', so we will sing the song again, and each one sing the very best thank you he can, because there are so many people working for little children who can not do the work for themselves. CARPENTER.— Fifth Week. Wheu we were talking about our families, what did we say the father did for us? He went awav from home each day to earn money that we might have food, clothing and shelter. Let us talk about some of the people whom he meets when he goes from home. If he goes a long distance, he must ride on a car, so he meets the conductor and motorman who help him to get to his work. Then he sees a car- penter going to his shop, a baker getting his oven hot in order to bake bread, a shoemaker sitting at his work bench, a wheelwright, a blacksmith, a farmer coming to market with bags of grain, and a miller who grinds the grain into flour, corn meal, etc. So many people, and what are they all doing? Working. Are they working for themselves alone? No, fori see a little girl go into the baker's shop and buy bread, a lady buys shoes from the shoemaker, and all seem to be giving what they have made to each other. A long time ago, people did not do this, but every man was obliged to make everything for himself. He had to build his own house, grind his own grain to make bread, make his own shoes and clothes ; in fact, do everything for himself. People did not have the well-made articles which they have now. ' For houses, they had only caves dug in the earth, or made of trees piled together, the crevices plastered with mud, M'hich they learned how to make by seeing the animals make their homes. For clothing, they bad simply the skins of the animals which they used for food. When one man has to do all for himself, he can not have the best things. After a while, men began to see that one man could do one thing better than his neighbors, so they said, one to the other, "You build all the houses, and I will bake all the bread, then we will change with each other." This they soon found M'as a good plan, for the man who built houses could think al)out them all the time and keep trying to make better ones. Now everj^ num chooses the kind of work he can do best, and works at it all the time, uutil the people see what good work he can do, and they buy from him that Mhich he makes. I will show you a picture of some men who chose to be carpenters, and they are trying to do the very best work. Find everj'thing which you can in the picture : Two men sawing a tree to use, one boring a hole, one cutting a hole with chisel and mallet, two men way up high nailing parts together, one raising a piece of wood with a pulley rope; two children building a house, two little girls playing that they are sawing their little brother like a piece of wood. I suppose that the little boy wants to show that the carpenter nuist put some of himself into his house. And then we must not forget the houses which are finished, and the mother and baby who are watching the good carpenters. Who lives in the houses which the carpenter builds ? The families. What does the house do for us? It keeps us all together, and protects us from the wind, rain, hail, snow, sleet, cold and hot weather. Are you glad that the carpenter devotes all his time to building houses? Who does soniethino- for the carpenter? The baker, shoemaker, and many others who work hard in their work, too? When we sing about the carpenter we will try to do the best work, just as these in the picture are doing. What shall we build now? A Kindergarten for little children. Sing the song and name parts of building. Bring to Kindergarten anything which the carpenter uses. 150 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS JOINER.— Sixth Week. Show jiicture and find the long and short things in it. Here is a man planing as the carpenter does, yet we call him a joiner, because his work is different from the carpenter's. We said a man could do bet- ter work if he did only one kind, and we found out that men did not have very well made articles until they began to do separate kinds of work and buy from each other. (Review previous talk on carpenter.) The carpenter soon found that it would be better to let some other man make the articles which belonged inside the house, after he had finished building the house, so this joiner (or cabinet maker will appeal to our children more forcibh^) works away upon benches, tables, chairs, dressing cases, wardrobes, beds, etc. He makes the little pieces of furniture with just as great care as the large ones, and you may hear the sound of the plane, as it takes off short shavings and then long ones, "zish, zish, zish, long, long, long." Show me a short distance with your hands, now a long distance. Tell me some place which we could reach by going a short distance. The house across the way. Tell me some place which we should reach by traveling a long distance. " The World's Fair, at Chicago." When we make chains, how much does each child make? A short piece. When put together what does it make ? A long chain. Why does it make a long chain? Because each child did his part of it. Could one little child have made so long a chain in the same time? No. It would take many days for him to do it. What small person did we hear about this week who killed a wicked giant? David. What small animal did we hear about, that helped a large animal? The little mouse. Illustrate, in as many ways as possible, how work generally is made better, by individual application to one kind of work, while more work may be accomplished and each man enjoy more by reaping the benefit of the other man's woi'k as well as his own. Also that ability does not always accompany great size. BAKER.— Seventh Week. Show picture. Let children tell all they see in it. Help them to trace process. Where did the baby get his cake? From the mother, who bought it from the baker. The baker obtained the flour from the miller, who produced it by grinding the grain which the farmer brought from his fields. How did the farmer get the grain? He ploughed his field, then harrowed it to make a nice bed for the seed-grains, which he planted and covered earefully. The sunshine, rain and dew, which God sent, caused the little seeds to begin their growing. When they appeared above the ground, the good farmer took care of them, keeping the earth loose by ploughing about those grains which needed it. After a time the corn showed large seed-ears packed in green houses, while the wheat was smaller and placed in bright golden houses. The farmer cut and threshed the wheat, gathered and shelled the corn, and placed both in large bags, which he carried to the miller. Do you think any one else could have done the farmer's work? No, because he knew just how to do it, and he worked hard, for he knew the miller was waiting for the grain. Coidd any one else but God have given the rain, dew and sunshine? No. When the farmer's work is done, the miller's work begins. Into the huge hopper he pours the grain, the wheels begin to turn round, around go the stones, and out comes the white flour and corn meal. Could any one else do his work? No. Now the baker receives the flour and meal. He makes it into bread and cakes, watches his oven carefully to see that it is just hot enough to bake them well. He puts them in just at the right time and stays where he can watch them in order to take them out when done. He is very busy and does not have time to attend to other things wiien he is baking bread or cakes. When the cake is golden brown, he must be there to take it out, or it will surely burn, and ho will have no nice cakes to sell to the mother, and the baby will have to do without his supper. The mother in Ibis picture is letting her little bal)y play that he is a baker, while she sings the song, and he is doing everything just at the right time, as the farmer, miller and baker do. I surely think this baby will know how to work in the right way when he grows up and becomes a carpenter, farmer or baker. TICK, TACK.— Eighth Week. Let children examine picture aud express freely their own impressions about it. Then connect them by 3'our talk. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 151 What do you think this mother is doing? Helping her little baliy to play that he is a clock. I expect this baby was listening to the great clock which hangs upon the wall, and as it said ''Tick, tack," his mother began to show him how to use his little arm for a pendulum, while she sang our pretty clock song to him, ami he made his arm move just in time. What does the clock do for us? Tells us the right time to do everything. Tell me some of the " right times" it tells us. Time to get up, time to go to bed, time to eat our food, time to bathe, time to come to the Kindergarten, time to sing, time to work, time to play, time to be quiet. What da^'s are happiest and best in the Kindergarten? The days when we do every- thing at the time the little clock tells us. When the clock says, " Tick, tack," it is time to play for the little children to fold hands, if we all listen and fold our hands, we have a lovely fairy Kindergarten, with- out any sound, except the kindly "Tick, tack, tick, tack" of our faithful clock. But how many children must fold hands? Everyone. When must everyone fold hands? At the right time. When must we work? When it is the right time to work. . Is it time to work wiien we are singing? No. It is time to sing. When must the man who mixes the cake take them to the baker? He must come just at the time when his oven is heated right, because that is the right time. If we forget to do everything at tlie right time, we have to take somebody's time to do it afterwards, and they do not get their own work finished. If one little child forgets to work, then his teacher must help him some other time, when the little clock is telling her to do something else. How many want our Kindergarten to be a right time Kindergarten? Chorus of "I do's." "GO TO SLEEP, LITTLE THUMB."— Eighth Week. Put in this song this week to emphasize the thought of harmony which grows out of the proper dis- tribution of time. What did we do with our fingers? We put them all to sleep, one by one, just as every- thing in the picture is asleep, and now they are aU resting, their working time being over. Do you remember our first song about our fingers? It was, "Thumbs and fingers say good morning," and they were a>ll doing the same thing in that song, the difference being in the time of the day. When do we say good morning to each other? When we awake in the morning. When do we say good night? Before we go to sleep at night. These little children are sleeping so peacefully together, that I am sure they will be quite ready to say " Good morning," when they awake, and then help each other all day. Plow many are there? Five. Can you find any other things in the picture which are sleeping? The five birds in the tree, and the poppy flowers. Why do we sleep? To rest our bodies. When do we sleep? At night, because our day's work has made us tired. When do we awake? In the morning, when the sunbeams get up. What do the birds do in the morning when they awake? They sing beautiful songs. What do the flowers do? Lift up their heads to the sunbeams. Tell me some flower which opens every morning. The morning gloiy. TARGET.— Ninth Weel<. What are the archers doing? Trying to strike with the arrow the mark in the center of the target. Let children examine the picture. How do we make a target? One piece lengthwise, one crosswise, making four right angles. You may do it with these strips of card-board, pasting them together in the middle. Paste upon them this red circle for a face, then a smaller one for a mark. Now we will make a stand to hold it. Cut a piece of card-board in this shape. Bend back the middle piece and paste upon the back of the target. Each piece of wood must be the same size to make a good frame. How much does the wood cost? A half penny. And the smooth round board? A half penny. If we have done the very best work we can, it is also worth a half penny ; so how many half pennies is our target worth? Three. The child thus takes his individual place in Civil Society and becomes, in spirit, the upright tradesman, who receives a proper compensa- tion for his work, in order that he may supply his individual needs from the universal work. Show some pennies, five-cent pieces and ten-cent pieces. What do we call this which I am holding in my hand? Money. Why do we use money? To obtain articles which we need from those who make them. I will tell you how men began to use money. A long time ago, you remember, each man was obliged to do everything for himself, and I have old you how they thought of having one man do just one kind of work, and other men do other kinds. They had to exchange the things which they made, with each other. They soon found this to be very troublesome, for the things whicii some men made, had more ir,2 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS material iu them and more work about them, /. e., it would take a £;i'eat number of shoes to be worth as much as a house. So they thought that they must have something which everybody could cany easily and exchange for the things which the^' needed. At first they chose a certain kind of pebble or stone, and said, "This shall be our money." The man who wants a house, must give so many of these to the man who builds the house. Then the house builder, may give a certain number to the man who makes shoes, in order to receive a pair of shoes, etc. This was a good plan and they used it until they changed from the pebbles to money, which they made from metals which are found in the earth. They also made paper money. Every country makes its own kind ol mone}', and this is the kind of money which our country makes for us. Every American must do some kind of work for the money which he receives, and when he gets it, must spend it for good things. (Show copper, silver, gold and paper money. ) If we go to another country, we have our- money changed into the kind which the people of that country use, and buy from them just as we do in our countrj'. FISHES.— Ninth Week. Name all the fishes which you can. Cat-fish, minnows, trout, gold-fish, perch, herring, salmon, globe- fish, bass, mackerel, craw-fish, whales, sharks. Where do they all live? In water. They have many bones, tiieir bodies are covered with scales, they have cold blood, and their ej'es have no lids over them to cover them as our ej'es have. They have a tail and fins which help them to swim. Can they swim when they get out of the water? No, they can move very little when they are out on the land. What else do you know that swim on the water? Ducks, geese, swans, etc. But they do not go into the water and stay there as the fish do. Can all fish li\e in the same water? No, they must stay where they belong. Where do the big sharks and whales belong? In the great ocean. The smaller fish live in smaller bodies of water. Here is a picture of two little boys who are playing in a brook. What do you see? Some fishes in the brook are straight and some are bent; some trees are straight, some are bent. The stem of the lily is straight, and the snake coiled about it is bent. The little brook flows straight and cuiwed. What is the little boy who stands in the brook doing? Catching the fish. When he holds it in his hand what will happen? The fish will no longer move easily. Can the fish swim upon the ground or in the air? No. Its home is in the water, and its body is suited to its home. It does not even breathe as the land animals do, but has gills instead of lungs. The little boy does not think the fish is pretty when it lies struo-o-iino- upon the grass, so he puts it back into the water, that he may see it dart about, like a bright flash of light. It feels at home in the wat<'r, and likes to stay there just as we like to stay in our homes. Bring pictures cf fishes to the Kindergarten. KNIGHTS AND GOOD CHILD.— Twenty-third Weel<. Show picture. Five knights or soldiers upon horseback riding into a court. Mother with little child in her arms showing him to the knights. This little child was good and happy and made his mother happ}'. All day he was gentle like a dove and played about joyousl}' like the lambs in the meadow, so that every one who saw him grew to love him dearly, and they talked to each other about him until the knights heard about him and mounted their horses one day and rode far to see him. When the mother saw them comino' into the court, she stepped out and asked them what they wished. " AVe wish thy precious child to see," they said, "for we have heard how good he is, and Me wish to greet him and tell him how much he is loved." So the mother brought the child in her arms and he waved his little hand to the knights and smiled, making them feel glad and happy. They would take with them the joy which the little child had made them feel, and tell other little children about the busy little child who used his hands and eyes to help his mother, and so was good and hapjiy. The knights always knew a good child, and loved him because they knew he woidd grow to be a good man, and perhaps become a good knight. They liked to see little children begin to grow in the right way, just as little seeds always begin to grow up toward the sunshine which gives them light. The little baby was glad when they came to see him, and he listened to hear what they said to his mother about him, because he liked to know whether other people loved him. When he heard them tell his mother that he was good, he thought how nice it would be to have the kniffhts say the same thing about him every time, and when they rode away, the mother told him, perhaps his lieiug good would help some other little child to be good, because the knights would spread the glad news to all. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 153 CHARCOAL-BURNER.— Twenty-fourth Week. What do you see iu the picture? A mother feeding her baby with a spoon while she sings to him a little song which tells him where his little spoon comes from, just as she sang to him the " Grass-mowing" song that he might know where his bread and milk came from. Find everything you can in the picture. You will see that just as the mother is using her hand to feed her baby, so everybody is using his hands to make the spoon for the baby. Let us tell all the kinds of work which we do in the Kindergarten, in which we must use our hands. Tell all the kinds which large people do, in which they must use their hands. There could not be any work done if people did not use their hands. The things M'hich men make with their hands, are the things which help us and make us happy. If you wish to give your motiier something, how do you take it to her? In the hands. How do you take things from other people ? By reaching out our hands for them. How do you help a little child with his work? Show him by using our hands, how to use his own hands. Everj'thing useful and beautiful must have some handwork. Do 3'ou not think that God must have beautiful hands, since He has made so many useful and beautiful things, and given us such wonderful gifts? Our hands are for working, helping and giving. Who made the spoon? The silversmith made it out of silver. Where do we get silver? From the mines under ground mixed with dirt. This dirt must be taken out of the silver, which is done by melting it over a very hot fire. The silversmith could not use ordinary coal, for it smokes so much that his silver would be black, so he sends to the char- coal burner for charcoal, which makes a very hot fire and does not cause any smoke, as the other coal does. The silversmith places his silver into a vessel over the charcoal fire, then sits and watches it until he can see his face in it just as you see yours in a mirror, then he knows that it is ready to be taken from the fire and shaped into spoons, knives, forks, napkin rings, cups, pins, sleeve buttons, etc., for our daily use. As he could not make these bright silver things for us unless he had the black charcoal, we shall visit the charcoal burner and see how he makes the charcoal for the silversmith's use. He begins by felling the trees in the forest, then cuts and arranges them so that the ends come to- gether above and spread out below, looking very much like an Indian's wigwam. You nuiy see in the pic- ture how it looks. Then he packs straw all about and covers it over with wet clay, leaving only a small opening at the top, and some openings around the bottom. He then builds a fire inside, which he keeps up for two or three weeks, and the smoke pours out from the opening above. The wood does not burn en- tirely but is charred enough to take all the smoke out of it. The charcoal-burner watches the smoke, and if it becomes thin and blue he knows that the wood is burning too fast, so he stops up some of the open- ings below with ashes or clay, which makes the fire burn more slowly, and the smoke is thick and white. When the charcoal-burner thinks it has burned enough he covers it with turf and ashes, tlius putting out the fire, letting it remain thus for two or three days, after which time he uncovers it, and pours water upon any that is still burning. It is then ready for use. The charcoal-burner's face and hands become very black as he works about the fire, but it is only out- side black which may be washed away with soap and water. I do not think one bit of it gets into his heart, for the song tells us that although his hut is very small, both he and his son live together in it, and are happy and cheerful all the time. We will think about the good heart of the charcoal-burner, and of the good work which his hands do for us, because he furnishes the coal to make clean, hot fires, and although his hands may be soiled, the work of his hands is clean and bright. THE KNIGHTS AND THE CROSS CHILD.— Twenty-sixth Week. Do you remember aliout tiie visit of the knights to the good child, and how happy they were when they went away ? To-day I shall show you another picture. Here are the same five knights, but they are not happy, and they are riding away from the little child's house, while the mother looks so sad and seems to have been telling tiie knights something which is not pleasant to hear. The little child is not in the picture, and I am sorry to tell you that he is inside the house crying, and so cross, that even his dear mother cannot think him a good child, so she is forced to tell the knights that he is bad. They came to make him another visit, expecting to find him good, and to get something from him to make other little children good, but he had forgotten to be busy, and as his little hands had nothing to do his heart began G 154 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS to set tired, and somethiug in it told him to be naughty and cross. His mother could not please him, althouo-h she fave him many things with which to work. When she heard the knights coming, she slipped quietly out the door, and they knew by her sad face that the child was bad, even before she told them. They told the mother bow sad it made them to hear such tidings, and turned their horses to ride away in search of good children. The mother went back into the house, and taking the baby in her arms, she carried him to the window that he might see the knights riding sadly away. Poor little baby, he saw tliat he had missed the visit and the greeting of the knights whom he loved, just because he was not ready to see them, and he began to be sorry, so the mother staid with him and told him how to keep the bad away, bv beino- so busy doing something for people whom he loved, that there would be no room for anvthing but f^ood in his heart. By and by he grew into a good child again, and each day he watched to see whether the knights would return again. One day when he was playing with his mother in the garden, the live knights came riding up very fast, for they had heard that this little boy had grown to be good ao-ain, and they said, " We will tell him we should like to take him with us." The mother loved him, too, because he was good, so she hid him in the folds of her dress and said, "No, no, fair knights, yow can not have my child, although he is glad to have you visit him." Then the knights rode away, and the little child peeped out and waved his hand to them, telling them good bye, but he reiuaiued with his mother whoni he loved better than any one else. THE GRANDMOTHERS.— Twenty-seventh Week. What do you see in the picture ? Two grandmothers shaking hands with each other, while behind each one are five little grandchildren. Ou the otlier side of the picture the grandmothers are sitting upon the portico, tolling each other all the good things which they know, while the little children play the games together. What games will theyplay ? ThC'Basket," "The Bird's Nest," "Fishes," "Pigeon House," "Baker," "Target," making one pretty story out of all the songs and plays, and the grandmothers were o-reatly pleased to see how happy their little cliildren were in their play. When they had played all they knew, they began to look about saying, "What else shall we do ?" Suddenly they spied the tall steeple of the church, and jumping up they said "We will climb to the very top of the church steeple," but the o-randinothers said " No, that is not the place to go, let us go into the church." So they led the way, go- in<^ into the church door with bowed heads, thinking the little children would follow. The children, how- ever, thousiht they knew a better way, and said to each other, as they walked toward the steeple, "Did you ever see grandmother's face when she comes out of church ? I wonder what makes her look so happy and wear such a kind smile when she has been there. Let us climb up on the steeple, and perhaps we can peep down at them and lind out what makes them so happy." Up they climbed, but the farther they climbed away from the door of the church the less they could see. Still they tried to go higher, until down fell the steeple, and every one feared that the grandnnjlhers and little children were crushed beneath it. There was great joy when the grandmothers were seen coming out unhurt, and the little children also creeping out from a deep, deep hole. Close to their grandmothers they clung, and all folded their hands in prayer to thank the Father who took care of thein. The little children said "We will follow our grand- mothers another time." THE LITTLE WINDOW.— Thirty-fifth Week. Here is a picture telling us about the window through which the light comes. Let children find all they can in both pictures. One little boy has a window frame which ho has made of slats, and the little girl has a piece of paper in which she has cut a hole; I think she is playing " Peep-boo," with the sun- beams. The little boy who stands by is watching the pretty colors which the light has made in the glass of water, while up in tlie corner is a very pretty story of a little girl whose mother went into the dark cel- lar to get some vinegar, I suppose, and the little girl has just opened the window and door, so that the bright light may come into the cellar and drive away the darkness. The little sunbeams are always glad to make dark places light, if we will only open the windows and doors to let them in. Over on the oppo- site side is the picture of a little boy crying. He has broken the clear glass in the window, and the beau- tiful light can not come in to his home because they have put a board into the place where the glass was. Now he must take a long journey to the glazier's to get him to fit another pane of glass into his window. When we drive the light out of our homes we must have some one help us to get it back again. In the FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 155 other picture the little babies are so happy because their mothers are showing thein the lio-ht, and the two little children are asking if they may go into the garden to play iu the sunshine, which is just as good for children as it is for plants. What does the window do for us ? It fills the room with light, which chines through it all day. What does the light say to us ? That it loves to be with us, for it came such a long distance to see us. Where did it come from ? From the great sun which is so far away from us, and around which our world travels once every year. Do we love the light ? Yes, because it makes things bright aud helps us in our work and in our play. Suppose w^e built our houses without windows, should we have light in them ? No. Can we shut out the light from our houses ? Yes. Can each little child shut out the light from himself ? Yes. We may close our eyes and then we can see nothing. When is it right for us to close our eyes and shut out the light ? At night, and God does not give us so much light at uigiit as he does during the day, for people do not need light when tliej' are asleep. Did people ever build houses without windows? Yes, the people who lived in caves, dug in the earth, aud iu mud huts, did not have windows, but they did not love their homes very much and did not stay iu them very long at a time, but spent the greater part of their time out in the sunshine. All our pretty colors have their home in the sunbeams. I will hold this piece of glass so that the sunbeams will shine through it and show us the colors upon the wall. You know we can not see any color in the dark when the light is gone. What colors do you see upon the wall? Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. Even lights which men make are made from things which the sun helps to grow. What does the light do? It helps things to grow, shows what things are, gives us the colors we have, keeps ua warm and healthful, and goes all over the world, so that everybody may have some of it. THE CHURCH DOOR.— Thirty-sixth Week. Find all things in the picture. The bells, the two little boys pulling the rope, the many people in the church, the minister who preaches and to whom the people listen. What is all through the church? The light which streams through tho window. AVho made the light? God. Why do people go to the church? To worship the God who made the light. How did the wise men find the Christ-child? By the light of the star which God sent to guide them. How do the people worship? By singing praises, praj-ing and listening to the reading from God's book, the Bible, then by going to their homes aud doing the good things which God's book teaches them to do. May every one enter the church? Yes, the door is open to all, but each must listen when he enters and remember that it is God's house. The tone of the oro-an fills the church, as well as the voice of the people, who sing the gladness which they feel in their hearts. What does the bell do? Calls to the people, telling that the hour is near for the church service. See in the picture how the two little children are watching the people as they come from the church. Do you remember the talk we had about the home which God had made for all living creatures? What did we say is the name of the home? The earth. What is the name of the mother of this home? Mother Nature. God tells Motner Nature the secret about taking care of all living creatures, aud she obeys Him and does just what He tells her, so that everything in the earth-home is kept in order and made to do its own work. But God has a more beautiful home tiian the earth-home which we must learn to think about. It is called the heavenly home, and the angels of God take care of it and fill it with music. This is why we go to church. To hear about the home which God has for us when He takes us away from the earth- home. All the beautiful things which we have in this home, but which we can not hold in our hands, we shall have in the heavenly home. It will be filled with beautiful light, because the Christ-child whom the shepherds found, long ago, will give the light to that home. He Himself shall be the light, because the light is in Him. You remember I told you once of some little sea-animals who carried theii- own light with them, but the Christ-light shall be the kind that goes into all the dark heart-corners in the world and takes out the pain which makes .so many people sad. Our heavenly home shall be filled with music, too, because all who live there will know how to sing songs, as sweet as the song of the angels who sang "Peace on earth, good will to men," when Christ came into this world. There will not be a baby too small to sing, or anybody too old or too tired to sing. So when we go into the church and hear the voices of the people as they sing praises to God, and the word wliich is read from God s book, it helps us to know about the home to which we all want to go, and 156 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS our hearts are filled with a sweet feeling which makes us waut to give light and music in this world to help take the tired feeling from the hearts of the people about us. Sing, " Our Father bids us shine With a clear, pure light, Like a little candle Burning in the night." TALKS ON ANIMALS, BIRDS AND INSECTS. BIRDS. THEIR ACTIVITIES.— First Week. What can birds do ? Hop, tiy, eat, drink, sing, perch, walk, wade, swim, climb, build nests, lay eggs, etc. Tell me just what they can do with their feet. Hop, \valk, scratch, climb, wade, clutch things and hold things. Do all birds hop? No, some walk. Do all birds wade? No, only those which have skin growing between their toes. Do all birds fly? Yes, all birds can fly. Tell me something else that all birds can do. They can eat, drink and lay eggs. All birds fly, can you tell me anything else which can fly? Butterflies, bees, flies, locusts, katydids, etc. All ])irds lay eggs, can you tell nie anything else which lays eggs? Spiders, ants, bees, flics, butterflies, snakes and wasps. Now let us find out how birds make their nests. Some birds plaster sticks and leaves together with mud-plaster, just as a mason plasters bricks and stones together. Some birds hammer upon old wood. Some birds weave pieces of string in and out and make nests which swing from the branches, just as men weave carpets and cloth. Emphasize this activity of weaving, and then give children mats to illustrate the activity. PERCHERS.— Second Week. You know we talked about what birds could do, last week, and to-daj' we mean to name all the things that a bird has in its body. Feathers, skin, flesh, bones, blood, veins, head, tail, feet, eyes, beak, legs, toes, toe-nails, oil-bag, back, breast, throat, ears, stomach, heart, tongue. You said they had feet. Have all birds the same kind 'of feet? No, some have large, some small; some have skin growing between their toes. I will show you a bird we call the swallow, and you may look at the feet and count the toes. Tell me about the feet. They are small, each has four toes, three in front and a short one at the ])ack. Long toe nails. The legs are thin, but he has a small body, so he does not need thick legs to hold him up. See how he is standing upon the twig. His toes are firmly wrapped around the wood. When a bird like this one alights upon a branch, there is a tiny muscle in his leg which acts like a spring and makes his toes close together about the twig, so that he can not fall off even if he should go to sleep, for the toes can not come apart until he lifts his body, which raises the little muscle or spring. We call a bird of this kind a percher because he perches upon the tree. We will pick out from among our bird pictures all the perchers. We will name all the others we can think of and bring them to the Kindergarten to make a chart. (See bird charts in Appendix.) Most small birds are perchers; oriole, swallow, robin, blue-bird and blue-jay, sparrow, etc. SNAIL— Second Week. A small animal which carries his house upon his back. It grows as he grows, so that it alwa3's fits him. It is made of a hard substance, which we call shell. His body is soft, and he has no bones inside his body. He has two long horns and two short ones upon his head. Many people l)elieve that the two little balls upon the ends of the long horns are his eyes. He eats grass, moss and mushrooms. He always crawls up one side and down the other side of a rock. He carries a sort of glue in his mouth with which he mends his house when it is broken, and you may tell how old he is by the number of rings upon his shell. When the snail has crawled into the shell, let the children ask him any questions and he will answer them. As, "What do 3'ou do whenyour house gets broken? " "I mend it with glue." "Where do you get the glue?" etc. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 157 SCRATCHING BIRDS.— Third Week. Do you remember the talk we had al)out the small birds called perching birds? To-day we will talk of some larger birds in the family who use their feet to help them get their food. Here is one of them. A rooster. You may look at his feet; thick,' short legs, large, thick toes, large toe nails, just as many as the perchers have, and arranged in the same way. Why are his legs and feet larger? Because his body is larger. How do you suppose his feet help him to get his food? He scratches in the dirt for it. What does he find? Small bugs, seeds. The skin on the feet must be tough so that it will not break when scratching. The toe nails are sharp. Scratchers build their nests near the ground. Let us pick out all the scratchers, and name all the others we can think of. Chicken, turkey, pea-fowl, guinea, pigeon, quail, prairie chicken etc. Place in a box and ask children to add to the collection enough to make a chart. (See bird charts in Appendix.) NATURAL ARCHITECTS.— Fourth Week. I mean to tell you to-day of many little builders. The tirst is the swallow which our song tells us of. Here is his picture : He is a mason, for he makes his nest by plastering hay and leaves together with mud and a sticky substance which he has, using his beak for a trowel. How many have seen a stone-mason put large rocks together to make a foundation for a house? The swallow works very much like the stone- mason. He flies to a river or pond of water and obtains soft wet mud, which he rolls into balls. When he has a number of balls he places them upon his back and carries them to the place where he wishes to build his nest. He places a ball of mud close to the wall, making it stick by pouring a little o-lue upon it from his mouth, then he glues another ball to the first one, and so continues until he has a rinw of balls. He then begins a second row, which he joins to the first, making the ring smaller. He proceeds to make enough rows to form a snug little nest, firm and solid, which is then lined with feathers and bits of strino- to make it soft and warm. There is also a little insect called the mason-wasp which makes a house of mud by plastering in the same way. She makes a separate room for each baby and packs a small worm into it so that the baby may have something to eat as soon as it comes out of the egg. Then there is the wood- pecker, who is a carpenter, using his strong beak for a hammer. He finds an old tree and begins to rap, rap, rap upon it until he succeeds in making a hole, which he digs deeper and deeper, then makes a nest of wood-dust or moss, and the babies are never wet by the rain or made cold by the wind. The woodpecker likes an old dead tree because he finds many small insects in the wood which serve him for food. His tongue is strong, and has a peculiar sort of hook upon the end of it which he thrusts into the soft wood, and so draws out the insects. There is also an insect called the carpenter bee, which has a peculiar little instrument which she uses just as a carpenter uses his saw. She cuts a nest out of a piece of wood, and puts the babies in it. Then there are some wonderful builders, called beavers. Some scarcely larger than a cat, but they are both masons and carpenters. They build their homes in the water and gather their own material for the house. The first thing which the beaver does is to select the tree nearest to the water where he intends buildino- then he begins to gnaw with his strong sharp teeth (which serve him for chisels), a deep notch in the trunk, on the side nearest the water. When he cuts half way through, or more, he goes to the opposite side and begins to gnaw, and when he has cut nearly through the trunk the tree falls toward the water, of course, because he began on that side, and away from him. He then strips the tree of its bark and gnaws it into pieces the proper size, just as a carpenter saws his boards. His hind feet are webbed like a duck's so that he can swim, and he uses his broad tail for a rudder, while he carries the wood in his forepaws and teeth. He takes the lighter branches with the leaves and places them so as to form a sort of basket, which he plasters with mud, grass and moss, making it waterproof, and as the openino- faces down stream the water can not flow into it. He lines it with wood fibre and dry grass, and then proceeds to build the logs into a dam around his home, so that the water can not flow entirely away and expose the opening. They live in companies, each having his own home and family. If one is lazy, and will not work, the others drive him away and will not let him live among them. 158 PRACTICAL SbGGESTIONS SWIMMERS AND WADERS.— Fifth Week. ■\Ve must not forget the rest of our bird pictures. Take dowu a picture of a duck or other swimmer. Compare with the perchers and scratchers. It is large like the scratchers, but has a different beak and diiferent foot. Let us look at the beak. It is broad and larger than that of the other birds and is not sharp at the end. The ducks like to eat the tiny insects which they find in the water, and their beaks are shaped so that they may catch them easily. Their feet are very different from the other birds, having skm growing between each two toes so that it joins the foot together ; so we call them web-footed. When they go into the water to swim they use their feet for oars with which to paddle just as a man uses oars to make a skiff move, and if you will look at the bodies of swimming birds you will find that they look very much the same shape as a boat. They have a very ixrcmy habit of diving down into the water to catch little buo-s, leaving only the end of their tails above the water. When they come up, the water runs off their backs, and their feathers seem quite as dry as before they went into the water. This is because there is so much oil in them and they are packed so closely together. The oil in the feathers keeps them from gettino- wet. (Show with a little oil and water in a plate that the two will not mix.) Every bird which you find with web-feet will be a swimmer or wader, and you must bring enough to make a chart. (See bird charts, Appendix.) Can you name some? Geese, swans, pelicans, storks, cranes, penguins. The remainder of the bird pictures may be assorted into climbei's, i-unners and birds of prey. CAMELS.— Thirteenth Week. Are camels large or small animals? Large. Where do they live? In the desert. What sort of a place is a desert? Very sandy, dry and hot, with few shrubs growing, and occasionally a grassy place near an oasis. The camel is made so that he fits into his desert home just as every other living thing fits into its home. He has upon his feet broad cushions of flesh, very thick, which serve to protect his feet from the hot sand, just as your shoes protect your feet. He also has tough places upon his chest and upon the joints of his legs, so that he will not be hurt when he kneels down to receive a burden upon his back. His toes are not separated, which makes it much easier for him to travel on sand. He has a very lono- neck, small head, large eyes, which have long lashes to protect them from the glare of the sun, and prevent the drifting sand from getting into them. His nose has ol)li(iue openings for nostrils, which he may close to keep out the sand. He can see and smell vei-y well indeed, and is a patient worker, willing to carry just as much as he can, but when the load is too heav}', he utters a peculiar cry. His teeth are sharp and shaped like a wedge, so that he ma}' easily eat the shrubs in the desert, for he does not often obtain tender, green grass. Some camels have one hump upon their backs and others two. I wonder how many of you have ever thought that the camel's hump is the place where he keeps food stored away to supply him when he is unable to obtain things to eat? It contains fat, and if he is compelled to go without food, the fat from the hump supplies him. Should he do witiiout food so long that the fat becomes com- pletely exhausted, he must have several months' rest and good food furnished him to regain the supply. Another queer thing about him is, that be has two stomachs. The second one is supplied with a great number of little cells, which serve as tiny cups to hold water, from which he may take a drink if he does not find any upon his journey. People alwa3's give the camels a great amount of water to drink before startino- upon a long journey. The Arabs use the camel's milk for food just as we use cow's milk. The hair is used for cloth and brushes. Our Kindergarten paste brushes are made of cameJ's hair. Show a piece of camel's hair cloth. SHEEP.— Thirteenth Week. What kind of a coat does a sheep wear? Soft coat of wool. Where does he like to live? Out in a green pasture where there is plenty of grass and water. They are very quiet animals, and go about all day nibbling the tender grass. They soon grow to know the one who takes care of them, and will follow where he leads them. They like to do anything which they see the others doing. If they come to a low wall and the first sheep jumps over it, all the others will follow him. From the sheep Me- receive food and clothing. Its flesh serves us for food, its wool is made into cloth, and the skin is prepared and made into gloves and shoes. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 159 The baby sheep are called lambs, and their wool is fine and soft. During the Winter the wool on the sheep's back grows heavy and thick and keeps him warm, but when the Spring time comes he feels very uncomfortable, so the men take all the sheep into a pond of clean water and wash the m'ooI on their backs, after which it is cut off with large shears which look like our scissors. The sheep are turned loose again and they are far more comfortable during the warm Summer without the wool on their bodies. After the shearing, the wool is taken to a mill where it is scoured, making it clean and free from burs and bits of twigs which get among it. It is then separated and pulled into long slender pieces shaped like our cylin- ders, and is ready to be made into different kinds of threads, by spinning, and the threads are made into cloth by weaving. Yarn for knitting stockings, and our zephyr which we use for sewing, are made of wool. Find all things in the room ha\ing wool in them. Bring anything made of wool to-morrow. Place a picture of a sheep in the middle of a large page in a book, and let the children paste around it any bits of woolen materials which they bring, making their own arrangement. If a child brings a very large piece let him cut from it any small form which he cliooses and paste. It would be well to have the picture enclosed in a circle or square, and the remainder of the page divided into small sections, so that many small pieces may be placed around it. Let there be a piece of sheep-skin leather in the collection. The fat of the sheep furnishes us with mutton-tallow, which is good to cure little children's hands when they become chapped by the wind. OUR BODIES.— Fourteenth Week. Let us name the parts of our body to-day and tell their uses. Head, hair, eyes, eyebrows, eyelids, eyelashes, pupils of the eye, ears, nose, nostrils, forehead, mouth, lips, teeth, tongue, cheeks, chin, neck, shoulders, arms, ell)ows, wrists, hands, fingers, fingernails, back, chest, hips, legs, knees, ankles, feet, toes, toenails, fiesh, bones, muscles, veins, blood, heart, lungs, stomach. What holds all the parts together? The skin, which is like a house to the body, protecting it from harm. Name parts of which we have but one. Head, nose, mouth, tongue, forehead, chin, neck, heart, stomach. Name parts of which we have but two. Eyes, ears, cheeks, eyebrows, eyelids, pupils of eyes, lips, hips, shoulders, arms, eyebrows, wrists, hands, legs, knees, ankles, feet, lungs. Of what use are the eyes? To see the beauty in the world, and help us tell one object from another. Of what use are the ears? To listen to the music of the world. Of what use is the nose ? To smell the sweet odors of flowers. Of what use is the mouth? To convey our food into our stomach. Of what use are teeth? To grind up our food before it goes into the stomach. Of what use is the tongue? To speak the "Kindest things in the kindest way." Of what u?5e are arms? To carry burdens. Of what use are hands ? To work and help others. Of what use are feet? To move about from place to place. How do -we keep our bodies alive? By eating the proper food. The food which we take into our mouths and grind with our teeth, is passed into the stomach where it is ground up very fine by a little machine which God placed there for that purpose, and is made over into blood, fat and bone. The blood is sent into the veins by the heart, which acts like a little pump, and constantly pumps the blood into the veins, which serve as many little pipes to carry the blood all through the body. Put your hands over your heart and j'ou can feel the little pump at work. The lungs, in the meantime, are gathering in air, M'hich mixes with the blood, making it the proper food for our bodies. The portion of the food which is not made into blood, becomes fat and is stored away in our bodies until such time as we shall need it, as when we are ill and can not eat food. At such times our bodies live upon the fat already stored up, just as the camel lives upon tlie fat in the hump upon his back, and when we become well, our bodies are often very thin, for the fat has been used up. Our food is changed into something else after it reaches our stomachs. And all animals have a stomach which changes their food in some manner, so as to make it nourish their bodies. Let us name some things which we use for food. Flesh of animals, vegetables, fruits and fish. Some other time we will find out how the plants get their food, CATS.— Twentieth Week. Name all the parts of a cat's body. Head, neck, trunk, tail, limbs, skin, hair, whiskers, eyes, mouth, teeth, tongue, nose, lips, claws, heart, lungs, stomach. How many legs? Four. The two front legs aie shorter than the other two, and have five toes and five claws, while the hind legs have but four toes and IGO PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS four claws. The hair ou its body grows back from the head to tail and down on the limbs, but cats can make it stand up straight by moving little muscles. Long hairs grow inside the ears, which are narrow and pointed, having the hollow side turned forward and out. The feet are furnished with soft little cushions or pads of flesh, under which the claws may be drawn, and these pads, as well as the end of the nose and lips, are naked, no hair growing upon them. The head is round, eyes large and far apart, fur- nished with eyelids. When in a bright light the pupil of the eye becomes very small, looking like a vertical line, although in a less brilliant light it is round. The backbone extends from head to tail, and to it are attached the ribs and limbs. When the kitten is two or three weeks old it gets its first teeth, six in number, and by the time it is six or seven weeks old it has twenty-six teeth. These are called milk-teeth, and begin to fall out when the kitten is seven months old, after which it has a new set, thirty in number, which are permanent. The three front teeth above and below are very small and sharp, but the rest of the teeth ai-e large. Black cats have yellow eyes, white cats have blue eyes. A kitten can not open its eyes until it is nine days old. The cat family is a very large one, most of its members being wild animals, but they all have some things alike, by which we know they belong to the same family. All the animals belonging to this family hunt other animals for then- food. Our cats eat mice, and the wild members of the family eat larger animals. The lion, tiger, leopard or panther, ounce, puma, jaguar, lynx are members of the cat famil}'. They are large, powerful and fierce, with very strong, sharp claws which tear things easily. The lion diffei's a little from the rest in having a mane and a tuft of hair on the tail. It is yellowish-brown in color. It lives in Africa, where the black people live. The leopard is yellowish, with dark spots. It lives in Africa and also in Japan, where the Japanese live. The tiger is the largest of the family, of a bright fawn color, with dark stripes crosswise on bod}^ and limbs, which makes it look different from the other members of the family; it lives in China, whore the Chinese live. The puma is reddish-brown, and lives in our country, America. The jaguar is a yellowish color with dark spots, and also lives in America. The ounce has long yellowish gi'ay fur and a long bushy tail ; it lives in Asia. THE FROG —Thirty-first Week. The frog has two arms in front, which end in a sort of hand having four fingers, of which the third one is longest and the second, shortest. The long, hind limbs are larger and stronger, with a very long foot which has five toes joined together by skin, called the web, just as the feet of wading and swimming birds are formed. The first toe is shortest and the fourth toe longest. The upper jaw has a row of very small teeth, but there are none in the lower jaw. The tongue is large and flat and is tied down to the jaw in front, while the end at the back is loose and divided into two parts. The frog eats only living animals, which he catches by suddenly throwing out the hinder end of the tongue, which is covered with a glue- like saliva, and the insect or small animal adheres to it and is drawn into the mouth and swallowed. The eyes are large and brilliant, having two eyelids, the lower one of which is more movable than the ui)per. He wears a smooth coat of skin of yellowish or greenish-brown, with lilack, brown or gray spots upon body and bands upon the legs. Underneath, the body is pale yellow, with a few spots which are lighter than those upon the back. In winter the frog buries himself in mud at the bottom of a pond and goes to sleep. The mother frog lavs eggs, which are mere dark specks, all of which are glued together and resemble a great mass of jelly on the water. When the eggs hatch out, the little creatures are not frogs, but small fish called tadpoles, and they breathe through gills and live in the water, eating only vegetable food. After a time the gills become smaller and the tail disappears, two legs begin to grow out in the back, then two more in front, and at last the tadpole has become a frog and can live upon the land as well as in the water. THE OSTRICH.— Twenty-fourth Week. Show picture. This bird is very large and can run as swiftly as a horse. I will tell you how they live. People keep them upon large farms, because their feathei's are valuable. The mother ostrich digs a shallow hole in the sand and begins to lay her eggs, which are about the size of your head. If an FOR KINDERGARTNERS. IGl egg is taken out of the nest, the ostrich will continue laying until she sometimes lays sixty eo^p-s, but if none are removed, she leaves off laying as soon as she has fifteen or twenty, as that is all she can cover and hatch. The father bu'd always sits on the nest at night and the hen rests, but comes regularly in the morning to take her place and relieve the male bird. When the hen leaves the nest during the daytime, she carefully covers the top of each egg with a good pinch of sand, to prevent the blazing sun from injuring the eggs. Every morning and evening the nest is left uncovered for a short time, to allow the eggs to cool. Sometimes when the birds go off in search of food, another bird, called the white-necked crow, comes along and makes up his mind that he will have an ostrich egg for his breakfast; so, as he can not break the shell with his beak, he carries a stone high up in the air, and holding it directly over the nest, he lets it fall upon the egg, thus breaking the shell, which is so hard. He then flies down and feasts upon its contents. When the ostrich returns to its nest and finds any one near it, he gets low down upon the ground, and seems to beg the person not to harm the eggs, but as soon as the visitor turns away from the nest, and he is able to place himself between the eggs and the intruder, he immediately becomes savage and drives one away. After six weeks of patient sitting, the baby ostrich chicks are hatched out. About ten days before this they can be felt moving about in the egg, and when nearly ready to come out they make a squeaking noise, at the same time tapping against the shell, which is finally broken, and a little pink bill is thrust forth from the opening, while a bright eye looks out curiously into the world. After a few hours, out comes the little ostrich, and no sooner is he free from his shell cradle than he seems to swell out and becomes so large that you wonder how he ever managed to fold himself up in the shell, and it would prove a hard task should you attemijt to place him back again in it. At first he has no feathers, but is covered with a rough coat of prickles, making him look somewhat like a hedgehog. The head and neck are covered with a soft down, which feels and looks like plush. Coarse, wiry feathers begin to sprout out, and when he is nine mouths old these are plucked. When he is two years old they are plucked again, but the feathers are not pretty until after the third plucking. When the bird is about five years old, he has twenty-four long white feathers in each wing, which hang like a graceful fringe upon each side of his body. When the time comes for plucking the feathers, the birds are all driven into a small pen, where they have just room enough to stand but can not turn around. At one side is a pluckiug box, and one bird is driven into this and finds he can not kick or turn around, as it is just large enough to hold him, A man stands upon either side of the box and cuts the feathers from the wings, the pieces of quills being allowed to remain in the wings for several months, when they may be pulled out without hurting the bird, and the new feathers then begin to grow. The ostrich is easily tamed, and there is a story told of one bird which became so tame that it insisted upon staying close to the house, especially near the kitchen. If the children were given bowls of rice to eat, he would reach his long neck over their shoulders and help himself to the contents of their bowls, being very fond of rice. One day he went into the kitchen, and seeing that the cook dipped the rice out of a pot upon the stove, he resolved to help himself ; so walking up to the vessel he plunged his bill into the boiling rice and swallowed a quantity of the hot dainty, which made him dance with pain. After this incident the cook had no trouble in keeping the tame ostrich out of the kitchen. SILKWORMS.— Twenty-fifth Week. We obtain the silk which we use from a little worm which spins a nest about its body, lining it with silk fiber, long and fine. The silkworms are raised in China and Japan, although people m our country are beginning to raise them now. Eacksare made of wood, upon which are placed small tray^ having twine stretched upon tacks from side to side, forming a network of small squares. The eggs are laid upon a tray covered with white cotton cloth, and are j-ellow at first but soon change to a dark gray. If kept- in a warm room, the eggs will hatch in one or two days, becoming snuill black worms no larger than a pin head. They must be fed upon mulberry leaves, and if a branch be placed above their tray, they will crawl upon it and begin eating the leaves. They eat most in the early morning and at night. Three or four days after hatching, the little black worm changes his dress, taking off his skin. The worms attach themselves to a branch, and do not eat anything for a time. A new head appears and the old skin is slowly worked back on the body until 162 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS it is cast off. After four or six days the worm again casts off his skin, and repeats the process until he has changed his dress four times, each time becoming larger. About a week after the last change, the worm gets ready to spin his little cocoon or nest. He changes his color from white to yellow, and seems to become smaller, at the same time throwing out little silken threads. They soon attach themselves to the corners of the tray or small branches, and in three or four days they are entirely hidden away in a silk-lined cocoon or nest. After this, people gather the cocoons from which the silk is to be taken and leave a number in the trays, so that they will change into moths and lay eggs for the next season. The cocoons taken out, are sent to a silk manufactory where a machine carefully draws out the long silk thread from the inside of the nest and winds it in skeins ready for twisting and weaving into silken cloth. INSECTS.— Twenty-seventh Week. Name some insects. Bees, wasps, spiders, flies, moths. An insect gets its name from the formation of its body, which is divided, or insected, into three parts, head, thorax or middle body, and the abdomen, or hind body. The head has upon it a pair of aflitennee, also a pair of upper jaws (mandibles) and two pairs of lower jaws (maxillie), two of M'hich unite so as to form the under lip. They usually have six legs and a pair of wings fastened to the middle body. Insects breathe through a series of holes along the sides of the body, the air being carried to all parts of their bodies through small air-tubes. Insects eat their food by moving their jaws from left to right instead of up and down as we do. Insects walk by throwing two legs forward on one side and one ui)on the opposite side. A fly has little hairs upon the under side of the foot, which are called holding hairs, because the fly can use them to hold on to a slippery surface or wall when walking upside down. All insects change from eggs into larvK, or small worms, then into pupae, in which state they hang suspended from a twig and do not eat, but at last they change into the perfect insect, which does not grow larger. Caterpillars change like the other insects, some becoming moths and some butterflies. Silkworms spin a cocoon lined with fine silk, out of which comes the moth, while we use the lining to make our silk. The tiny little insect called the clothes-moth, which you hear your mammas talk about in the spring and summer, is a very interesting little fellow. The moth lays the egg in an old garment of fur or wool, and just so soon as the little worm comes out of the egg it begins to make a house for itself by cuttuig the woolly fibers into bits and placing them together, forming a cylindrical nest, which it lines with soft silk. When he grows and the little woolen house becomes too small for him, he cuts open one side and puts in a patch to make it larger, just as your mamma does with your clothing. If any one cuts a hole in his house he mends it with fine silk thread. The little holes which we see in a garment upon which a moth is found, are made because the little fellow finds it easier to cut his way through than to drag himself and his house over the rough surface. After a time he changes into a chrysalid, and soon appears as one of the small yellow moths which fly about in the summer and lay eggs upon our woolen garments, if we do not put them away carefully. The mosquito is a little friend of ours which we shall be glad to know about. We all know about the sono- which she sings and the jjain of her stings, but we may learn more about her. She has a round head upon Avhich are two large eyes an'd five long, slender, necdle-Iike hairs, which she plunges into our flesh and sucks the blood for her food. She lays her eggs upon the water in the poods, where they change into larvie and pupce and finally into mosquitoes, which use their old skins for little boats in which to float about, until their wings are dried by the sun and are strong enough to use for flying. The little flies which live near our houses and like to come into them, are provided with a very curious tono-ue. When a fly settles on a lump of sugar it unbends its tongue, which is rolled up in its mouth, pushes it out and the broad end divides into two broad, flat parts, like two leaves, the inside of which are rough, and with this funny tongue it rapidly sucks up the sweets. Insects have different ways of living. Some bees live in nests, inade up of numbers of small cells, shaped like our hexagons, and some shaped like our cylinders. They build nests in trunks of trees, in banks of clay, or in steins of plants. The carpenter bee cuts out tunnels in solid wood, with her jaws, which are like sharp saws. She has stiff brushes upon her legs for cleaning out the tunnel as she descends, running l)ackwards out of the hole to throw out the chips which she cuts. She makes a numl)er of cells, placing little partitions between each, FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 163 lays the eggs therein, aud places some honey and pollen, which is the bee's bread, in the cells, upon which the laiTaa feed. The perfect insect cuts its way out of the nest. There is a little tailor bee who cuts out pieces from leaves and constructs her nest of them. The mason bee constructs a nest in sunny banks of earth, or in rotten wood, or an empty snail shell, and makes the cells by putting together tiny bits of clay. She takes a small ball of clay into the nest, and then scoops out a hole in the top, making a shallow mud cup in which she lays the eggs, putting a lid over the cell. CORAL— Twenty-eighth Week. Some queer little animals live in the sea, whose bodies consist of circular discs fringed round with a number of small arms, called tentacles, which branch out from the middle like the petals of a flower. The mouth is in the center and opens directly into the stomach. They can only move very slowly, but many of them attach themselves to the backs of crabs and so ti-avel about verj^ much faster, by usino- the crab locomotive. Thev remain upon the backs of the crabs, ofrowins larser and larger They are very beautiful, looking so much like stars that they may be called God's water stars, or the stars of the sea. They have many colors, as green, red, pink, bluish, yellow. These small animals whenever disturbed draw in the arms or tentacles by means of certain muscles, so that they look like a spherical lump. When they wish to expand or open out the arms, they fill the body with salt water, taking it through the mouth, and the flower-like animal opens out, showing its petal- like arms again. The food is swallowed whole, the mouth and stomach stretching open to receive it. The parts unfit for food, such as shell aud bones, are gotten rid of by smiply turning the stomach inside out, when the rest of the food has been digested. All over the body there are little cells which contain fine threads, which they throw out and catch and hold the food which they eat. They are called lasso-cells, for the reason that the little threads serve as ropes, used in a similar manner as men use lassoes of rope. Some of these small animals build a hard covering around the sides of their bodies, by sending out a secretion, taken out of their food, from the different parts of their bodies, just as a part of the food which we eat is made into bones. We have our bones inside our skin and flesh, while the coral-making animal pushes out that part of the food which makes bone, so wearing its bones on the outside. The babies of this sea animal, or polyp, grow out from the sides of the parent, just as the branches of a tree grow out from the trunk. Each new one has mouth, stomach-lasso-cells, tentacles or arms, just as the first one has. A great number grow together. (Show pieces of coral.) THE ELEPHANT.— Thirty-third Week. The elephant is the largest living land animal. His body is large and upheld by four huge legs like massive pillars. There are usually five nails on each fore foot and four nails upon each hind foot. His ears are large and serve as fans with which to create a breeze and drive away insects. His neck is so short that he can not obtain his food from the ground, so he is provided with a trunk which serves him as a hand and nose. He uses it to carry water and food to his mouth, pull down trees, throw things out of his way and carry burdens. When he lifts heavy weights, he simply uses the trunk to hold the article upon the tusks, which bear the weight. The tusks are two very large teeth which grow out from the upper jaw. When an elephant wears away his front teeth, the old ones are pushed out by good teeth from behind, which have been growing for that purpose. The eyes are small. The stomach is somewhat like that of the camel, having a cavity in which water may be held, separated from the main stomach. The favorite food of the elephant consists of figs, pineapples, sugarcane, palms and grains. The elephant has a language of his own, which we call trumpeting. Sometimes it is a low, squeaking sound, and at other times, when angry, it becomes a loud, shrill roar. They like to swim, but object to the water if cold. The elephant supplies us, from its tusks, with ivory, which is made into knife handles, piano keys, umbrella handles. The people of Asia and Africa use the elephant in their work. He carries heavy burdens, such as lumber and logs. He drags loads, when harnessed, like our horses. He is very sure- footed, and goes down steep hills in a way of his own. He kneels down, then carefully extends one foot and digs out a foothold, then the other fore foot is extended a little in advance of the first one, and another 164 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS place dug. He theu extends the first again, and so continues, bringing tlie hind feet down into tlie foot- holds made by the fore feet. THE SPIDER.— Thirty-fourth Week. The family of spiders includes among its relations the scorpions and the daddy-long-legs. They are distinguished by the distinct separation of the body into two parts and their power of spinning cobwebs of silk. The legs are used chiefly for running, jumping and climbing. He usually walks upon six legs, usino- the two front ones as feelers, held up before the body. Tiie two hind legs are used to guide the thread in spinning. The spider family have two sharp little claw-lilce teeth with which they bite, if dis- turbed, but if not annoyed they simply use them for obtaining food. The spiders have little tubes, which connect with small sacks containing a fluid which forms a thread, and these tubes are used as small spin- ning-wheels. When he washes to spin a web, he presses one of the small tu])es against some object, and sends out some of the fluid from the bag which contains it. The fluid holds fast to the object and the spider moves away, drawing the fluid, which hardens rapidly into a thread. Sometimes they let themselves down by the thread, as if it were a rope, and are able to stop the flow of thread whenever they wish. The trap-door spider digs a hole deep in the ground and lines it with a silken web, then makes a cover of dirt, fastened together with threads aud lined with silk. When the door is shut, it looks exactly like the ground around it. If any one tries to open the door, the spider holds on to it with his legs and mandibles, so that it is impossible to raise the door without tearing the threads. The eggs are laid in these ground homes, and the young spiders live there until able to go out aud dig homes of their own. Some spiders make bags of silk upon the plants on which they live, and spin a silken cocoon which holds the eggs. Another spider, called the water spider, makes a bag of silk on the leaves of water plants, where the eggs are laid and the young live. They all spin a silken cocoon about the eggs so soon as they are laid, fastening it securely, so as to make a safe cradle for the young spiders. LIVING LIGHTS.— Thirty-seventh Week. To-day we will talk of some living lamps which give light, yet do not seem to burn anything in order to do so. Some are animals and some are plants. Some live in the ocean and some live on the land, but they have light which they carry with them, aud God must have meant for them to be little living lamps and shine in their small corners of the world to help fill it with light. The sea is like the heaven above, filled with light. We might call these animals the stars and comets of the sea. Some animals which live in the sea are no larger than the head of a pin. They have the power to give out their light, or to take it in, just as we turn the wick of a lamp higher or lower, producing bright or dim light. When a ship is sailing upon the ocean at night it seems to be ploughing through a sea of fire, aud men who dive for pearls find there is light enough by which to read under the water if they should wish to do so. The lights are of different colors, blue, green, yellow. They might be called Mother Nature's fireworks. Some of these light giving animals attach themselves to the shells of crabs, and so become small, moving light-houses. Some are fastened to rocks and give out their light in the same place. If a number are placed in a glass they make a living lamp, aud may be used to give light for read- ing. There is a small animal which bores a home into the rock, as a miner digs for coal, and, like the miner, he carries his lamp with him. There are also many little light bearers which live upon the land. We have all seen the lightning bug in the summer, which flies about raising and lowering the flame of his lamp at reo-ular intervals. Even the eggs of some of these bugs give out light. Fire-flies, beetles, lantern-flies. The heron and blue crane, among the birds, also give light. Some flowers give out out light at night, sun- flowers, marigolds. A plant in South America has in its stems a milky juice which becomes light at night, and if a stem be broken and used as a pen with which to write, the letters appear as though written with fire. Most of the animals which give out light live in the great oceans aud seas. The ocean is like a house with a number of stories, in each one of which live different kinds of families. Some of those which live in the top story may go down to visit the animals which live below, and those living lower down may come above for a visit, but they have their j)articular places in which they thrive best. The first story is near & FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 165 the surface of the water, aud the animals which make this their home require more light, air and warmth than any others, so you see why they should live nearest to the top of the water, where the sunbeams may give them this light and warmth, aud where they may easily dart up from the water and obtain fresh air. The second story is just below the tirst, deeper down in the water, and is the home of the sea-weeds. This part of the ocean-house is very beautiful, the plants having so many lovely tints, and resemble great meadows of beautiful floM'ers, while the bright colored fishes dart among the sea plants as the butterflies flit among the flowers in our woods. In the next story below live the coral animals, of which we have heard before, the small animals bud- ding out from the parent animals like buds upon a plant, until, after a time, they form a group looking very much like a tree covered with star-like blossoms. The lowest story is very deep and dark, the sunbeams not being able to shine through the great body of water and light up the floor of the ocean-house. In this part live the animals and plants which do not require much light, warmth or air. Many of them being supplied with light in their own bodies, so that they carry their own lamps about with them. Sometimes when a ship is sailing upon the ocean at night, and disturbs these tiny animals, they come to the surface and dance and l^lay about the ship, following her like a track of fire. There are also stars in the sea. We call them star-fish, and they have five arms. If they happen to lose one or two of them they soon grow again, aud sometimes when they are caught they tear themselves to pieces, rather than be prisoners. HUMMING BIRDS.— Twenty-ninth Week. There are many kinds of humming birds, but all are somewhat alike, being distinguished by long, slender bills, very small delicate legs, long wings, which move very rapidlj^ and extremely brilliant plumage. Let us talk about the bill first. It is very long and slender, some being quite straight, while others are curved up or down. Some birds have a row of teeth upon both the upper and lower portions of the bill, which slopes backwards toward the throat, aud never extends to the end of the bill, which always has a sharp point, the upper part sometimes curving downward and over-lapping the under part. Inside the bill the tongue lies snugly coiled up, and resembles somewhat the tongue of our common wood-pecker. It is very long and may be drawn back into a very small space, and so it lies, while the sharp bill- opens the way into the flower cups, when it is suddenly darted out, and quickly secures the small insect which is concealed in the flower. They like honey, but also live on the small insects, which are found about the flowers. The feet are small and adapted to climbing, but the humming bird does not have much use for his feet, as he takes his food while hovering on the wing, over the flower-bells. The wings are formed very much like the wings of a swallow, and are generally longer than the tail. When spread, we see that the wing is very much curved, the feathers upon it are close together, and nearly all the small muscles of the little humming bird are in its wings, giving it great power, which enables it to fly rapidly. When it is hovering' over a flower the wings move so rapidly that we can scarcely perceive their motion, and the ra3's of the light striking them produce the most beautiful hues of various colors, until the little bird looks like a lovely jewel, glittering with beaut}' in the sunlight. The}' live only in warm climates, and are found in great numbers in South America. Their nests are beautiful and delicate in structure, yet warm and close. They are made of moss, fine grass, cotton and vegetable down, glued together with a sort of gummy saliva, sometimes they are made entirely of thistle- down, with seeds attached, and a part is wound around the stem of the tree to give them a firm hold. They are usually shaped like a cup with the entrance above, but sometimes they look like a long bag, in which case, the entrance is near the bottom. The eggs are very small and white, there being nearly always two of them, and the baby birds are hatched out of them in ten or twelve days, and are ready to fly in about a week, although they are very small when first hatched. 166 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS TALKS ON PLANTS AND FLOWERS. PLANT DOORS.— Fourth Week. Did you know that plants have doors, which they close in order to keep out visitors whom they do not want ? I will tell you about them. All plants have a fine powder which is called pollen, and this must be carried from one plant to the other, so that each will give to the others in order to produce beautiful flowers. The plants can not do this work themselves, for they can not move about from place to place, so Mother Nature has messengers who do it for them. The wind carries the pollen of some plants, but the bees and other insects which visit the plants to obtain honey, carry that which the wind can not take. While they sip the honey the powder gets upon their wings and they carry it to the next flower which they visit. But there are insects which can not fly, such as the ants, which also like to eat honey. These the plants can not let into their houses, for if they did the messenger bees would stay away, because the ants would pinch them when they tried to sip the honey, so now comes the wonderful part about the doors, which are formed by the parts called the petals, being so close together that only certain insects, with a long, slender tool, called a proboscis, are able to secure the honey. Some plants keep their honey in a sort of hollow storehouse, around which the parts of the flower crowd closely to form a lid, so the little creeping insects must obtain their honey elsewhere, and 1 will tell you of them again. PINE TREES.— Sixteenth Week. Have pieces of as many kind of pine trees as possible, also cones. Show cedar wood and white and yellow pine. You know that you call trees of this kiud, Christmas trees, but they have another name. They belong to a large plant family called the pine family, of which there are many kinds, but they always have some things which are alike, just as little children of the same family look alike. They have sharp leaves which look more like needles than leaves, and some are very much sharper than others. The little pine babies are wrapped in cradles, called cones, of which there are many queer shapes. Pine trees grow in sandy soil, do not need much of any other kind of soil, and remain green all winter. The wood is used for making boards for floors and door frames, window frames and a great many kinds of furniture. One member of the family, called the cedar tree, has red wood and is very useful for making posts to place in the ground. There is a white pine wood and a yellow pine wood. The fir, cypress, cedar, spruce, hemlock trees all belong to this family, and we select from it for our Christmas trees because it is so green even in the winter. Mother Nature's trees are all made of fine wood-threads, called fibres, packed close together, just as thread in cloth is put close together. Some woods have fine, close fibres and we call them hard woods, but others have coarser fibres, farther apart, and we call them soft woods. When mamma wants to make a fire she likes soft wood for kindling, because it burns more easily. Name other kinds of wood. Oak, maple, elm, walnut, hickory. Bring a small piece of any kind which you can find and we will \vi-ite its name upon it. OUTER AND INNER CONDITIONS.— Twenty-fourth Week. Show lily bulb and pansy seeds. What do you suppose these are? They are the little cradles which I told you Mother Nature prepared for her babies in the autumn. Do you think them very pretty? No, they are not, but you can only see the outside of them now, and even if I were to cut them open, you would not see anything beautiful, for we must let the little plant babies climb out of their cradles them- selves if we wish them to show us their pretty faces and forms. This large cradle is called a bulb, and contains a lily baby which belongs to a very large family. This tiny brown cradle is called a seed, and contains a pansy baby, which also belongs to a large family. The little wild violets are its brothers. How many believe there is really a baby lily and a bal)y pansy in these seeds? We shall make a bed for these babies and put them in our window for the sunbeams to wake up. (Japanese lily bulbs may be grown in a vessel containing water and a few pebbles.) We shall make two kinds of beds, a water bed for the lily, and an earth bed for the pansy bab3% Give each child a pebble, and let him place it around the bulb. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 167 explaining that plants obtain their food from soil, and that soil is the result of rocks and minerals wearing away and becoming earth. Let each plant a pansy seed in a box. The lilies will bloom for Easter. What do you suppose these bal)ies will do so soon as the sunbeams wake them ? They will do just what your babies do when they awake, stretch themselves and try to get out of their cradles, which is just the right thing for a plant baby to do. Then it will want something to eat, and will feel all around in its cradle until it finds the small bundle of starch and sugar, which Mother Nature placed there for its food until such time as its little roots were strong enough to gather food. So each day it will push and climb until it gets above the edge of the cradle, and after a while the cradle will be changed into soil to feed the growino- plant child. "We shall look for the first sign of the little baby in its green dress, and we shall think about the beautiful baby inside instead of the ugly brown outside, just as we think about the good heart of the charcoal burner, instead of thinking about his black face. FLAX. — Twenty-fourth Week. Show a piece of linen, a flax seed, and a box of growing flax which you have previously planted for the occasion. This piece of cloth was made from a plant like this, which grew fi'om a tiny seed of this kind. The best flax is grown in Holland, the country far across the ocean from which the Pilgrims came, and our ships go over there and buy it from the people and bring it to us. The farmers work very hard to frow flax and I shall tell you to-day how they do it. They select soil which is moist and low, for it would not grow well upon hillsides. They plough this soil very deep for the flax roots like to go far down into the earth. The soil must be ploughed three times, and the dirt made very fine by harrowing; then the seed is sown in even rows. As soon as the tiny flax plants begin to grow, women and little children go all over the field and take out every weed, so that the flax may grow tall and slender. It has a tiny blue flower. When the leaves begin to fall fi'om the plants and the stems turn yellow, the farmers know that it is time to gather it. This is done by pulling it up by the roots, and laying them evenly upon the ground, until all are pulled up, after which they are stacked together, so that the seeds may be dried by the sun, and then they are separated from the stalks. Now the farmer begins to get the flax ready lo make linen thread of it. This is found inside the stalk and is called fibre, and can not be separated from the stalk without rottin"- away the outside part, which is done by a process called retting. The flax is carefully laid in rows in a a pond of water, the roots all pointing the same way, and is kept there from five to ten days, durino- which time the outer wood becomes soft, and is loosened from the fibre. It is then taken out and spread upon the grass to dry, l)eing turned over occasionally with long poles. When dry it is beaten until the wood drops away from the fibre, which is then carefully combed, taking away all the short bits, leaving only the long, clean, flax fil)re, now ready for the spinning into fine linen thread, which is then woven into linen cloth like this piece. You may bring any pieces of linen cloth or thread, which you find, and we will paste in a book. The seed is used for medicine and for making oil. SPRING.— Twenty-fifth Week. We planted our lily and pansy seeds, and they will grow faster than the little seeds outside, because they are in this warm room. But already Mother Nature has called all her babies, and is getting each one ready for its journey to the world above. Did 3'ou ever go upon a journe}'? Do you remember how busy mamma was, getting you ready, packing your clothes in a trunk and putting up your lunch for you? Mother Nature is just as busy as your mother was, and each little seed takes his food and clothing with him, for he never has any other kind of clothes, except the kind which is inside his little seed cradle in the beginning. Every one in the great brown house is busy too, and the little farmers begin their ploughing under the ground, to make it loose so that the seed babies may have room to stretch. These little farmers are the funny little worms and bugs which live underneath the ground, and Mother Nature keeps them busy all the time. They must do their ploughing early in the Spring time just as the farmer men plough the ground before they plant grain. You never thought the little worms could plough before, did 3'ou? When each baby awakens and begins to grow, it must be just the kind of plant which was tucked into the tiny cradle. If it is a little lily egg, it can not be an oak plant, but must grow as all its sister lilies gi'ew before it lived. Every plant must keep on bemg the thing which it began to be, and all its parts 168 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIOAS must have the same kind of life as the little seed bab}^ A violet must have violet leaves, stems, buds and flowers. It can not have violet leaves and rose flowers, but must have flowers after its own kind. (This is a good opportunity to impress the importance of individuality, by placing emphasis upon the similarity of the life which pervades every part of a plant. ) MARCH.— Twenty-fifth Week. What month is this? March. What season does it bring in? It is the first Spring month. How many months will it take the Spring season to change into the Summer season? Three. Name the Spring months. March, April, May. March is the mouth of beginnings, and all during the Spring season everything is moving, moving, moving in Mother Nature's home. AVhat does March bring? Windy days. The first blue birds and robins. The crocus and other Spring flowers. Also something sweet that all children love ; for this is the month when people cut holes in the trunks of the sugar maples and let the sweet sap flow out, which they boil down and make into maple sugar and maple syrup. PLANTS AND THEIR FOOD.— Twenty-eighth Week. Name the parts of a plant. Roots, stem, leaves, buds, flowers, fruits, seeds. What is the difference between a plant and a rock? A plant may grow, and it has many different parts, while the parts of a rock are all the same. Must a plant have food? Yes. Where does it obtain food? From the rocks and minerals in the earth and from the gases in the air. People change the food which the}' take into their bodies into blood, which strengthens the body, and plants do e.Nactly the same thing with their food. The roots of a plant are the little pumps which suck up the food from the earth, while the stems are the pipes or conduits which carry the food to all parts of the plant, and the leaves are the kitchens in which the food is cooked by the sun and air, making it ready to strengthen the plant. The flowers are the little nurseries where the baby plants are born and safel}' tucked away in seed cradles, until it is time for them to grow into a plant like the mother plant. What part of the plant holds it fast in the ground? The roots. They keep the plant in one place, but they are great travelers, for they are the food gatherers, and reach out in all directions in order to hunt the proper food, just as your papa often goes a long distance from home, in order to earn money with which to obtain food for his family. The first roots which reach down into the earth are soft and tender, and take up easily the moisture, but they soon grow hard, and other little rootlets branch out from them and begin to drink up the moisture. As fast as a root grows hard and unable to absorb moistui'e, rootlets branch out from it. The roots always grow where there is least to push against them, but they separate and grow around a large rock if it happens to be in the way. The food which they need is obtained from the minerals, but they can not take the mineral into their stems in the hard form in which it is found, so the rain, which God sends, Avears away the mineral and mixes it with water, just as your mamma dissolves little powders in water when she wishes you to take them for medicine. The roots then suck up great quantities of water containing the minerals, and the stems carry it to all parts of the plants. When a plant has many stems and leaves, which spread out like an umbrella, the roots send out many rootlets, which extend beyond the space covered by the leaves, thus obtaining a greater amount of moisture. This mineral water is pumped into the stems, which always grow up toward the light, and hold up the leaves to the light, heat and air. Some stems are made up of a number of little pipes all through the stem (show stem of lily or asparagus), while others have the little openings arranged in rings, small ones in the center, each ring growing larger as we reach the outside. (Show stem of geranium or sunflower, giving one to each child.) The stems, which have the openings all through, carry the sap through each pipe, while the stems in which the openings are arranged in rings, only carry the sap through the outer ring, pushing the inner rings so close together that they become hard wood, as in the trunks of trees which w'e use for building houses. Ncjw we are ready to talk about the little kitchens of plants. (Give a leaf to each child.) They are fastened to the plant by small stems. Down the middle you will see a rib, also smaller ones branching off from it, which are like the bones in our bodies, because they support the fleshy part of the leaf. There is a skin above and below on the leaf, covering the fleshy part, and upon the under side are numbers of small openings called mouths. The leaves hold up the sap to the sunshine, which cooks it, then the plant FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 1G9 pushes out the gas which it does not need for food, through the small mouths, as well as a large amount of water which the roots took in. When the gas is thrown off, it takes in another gas from the air, to mix with the mineral which the roots take in, and the very gas which they take in from the air, is the gas which we throw off from our bodies, while the gas which the plants throw off is the gas which we breathe into our bodies to make us grow. So you see plants and people help each other to live. There are many queer leaves, and they have funny ways of helping the mother plant to grow. In some places where it does not rain often, the leaves of certain plants form themselves into little pitchers, and grow a lid, attached with a cunning little hinge, so that the plant may lift the lid when it is raining and close it when the weather is dry, holding the water for the plant. In South America there is a plant, the leaves of which are called monkey-cups, because the monkeys are said to drink water from them. One of these pitcher plants has the open end of the pitcher close to the stem, and the plant sends out little root-like fibres, which dip into the pitcher and drink the water, taking it into the plant. Some plants can not make the minerals into the right kind of sap to feed upon, so they climb about other plants which can do so, sending their little roots into the bark to find the readj'-prepared sap. The mistletoe is a plant of this kind, growing upon the hawthorn tree in England. When the roots have pumped the mineral water into the stems, and they have sent it into the leaves, and the leaves thrown off the useless portion and mixed the remainder with the gas Avhich it takes in from the air, the sap is then made over into the plant and becomes a part of it. Some becomes a gummy substance which heals the wounds, caused by breaking off parts. Another portion becomes starch, which is like the fat in animals and is laid by for future use. This starch is packed into the little seed-cradles all around the baby plant, and turns into sugar, as soon as the plant begins to grow. Now let us see how the seed-cradles are separated from the mother plants. At first they are all kept in a seed-pocket until each is supplied with enough starch, and a strong brown house is formed about it; then the pocket bursts open and the little brown cradles are sent out. Some have little parts upon them" which look like wings, by which the wind catches them up and blows them far away. Other seeds, such as the mistletoe, are carried by the birds and dropped into the bark of trees ; so they all take journeys and begin their life in new places. Plants give us food, clothing, shelter, medicine, coloring matter, perfume. Roots which we eat : Turnip, carrots, radishes, beets. Stems which we eat : Asparagus, celery, rhubarb. Seeds which we eat : Nuts, peas, beans. Leaves which we eat: Spinach, lettuce, cabbage. WHEAT— Twenty-eighth Week. Show some grains of wheat. This is the grain from which our nice white flour is made. The ground is ploughed, then harrowed to make it fine, after which, these little grains are planted and covered over with earth. The little covering bursts open after it has been in the earth bed for a time, and the baby wheat plant begins to push its way up into the world of sunshine. At first it looks just like green grass, but after a time strong stalks begin to shoot up from among the green leaves, and out of the ends of these stalks, a funny little bunch grows. We call this a head of wheat, which at first is green, but after the sun has shown upon it for many, nuiny days, it becomes a beautiful golden color, just like the sunbeams, and this head is filled with a number of wheat grains just like the first one planted, but from that first one, manj' more have come. When the sun has ripened the wheat sufiiciently, the farmers cut it down and tie into small bundles, which are piled together, forming what is called a wheat stack. It is arranged smaller above, so that the rain will run down the sides as it does from the roof of the house. When it is diy the farmer threshes the wheat. Some years ago, this was done bj' placing it upon a floor and beating it with sticks called flails, which caused all the little grains to fall out of the pockets which held them, after which it was sifted to separate the wheat grains from the little coverings called chaff. Now there is a great machine which farmers use, called a threshing machine. The wheat is placed in it at one end and comes out at the other, separated into straw, chaff and wheat, by the motion of the wheels inside the machine ; a much quicker method than the old way, and saves the farmers much hard labor. Wheat is planted both in the Spring and in the late Summer. That which is planted in the late Sum- mer comes up and gets started in its growing before Jack Frost comes, so that the little roots stay in the 170 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS gi'ouiKl all Wintei' and rest, kept warm by the snow blanket which Jack Frost brings. As soon as Spring time comes this wheat grows very rapidly and is soon quite tall. SPRING FLOWERS.— Thirty-fourth Week. In the autumn we noticed that the leaves changed their colors, and the light was not so bright. When we look about us now what color do we see most? Green. Is the light dim as in the autumn? No, the sunshine is very bright, and the spring flowei's have very bright colors. Let us name all the spring flowers which we know and tell their colors: Butter-cups, dandelions, crocus, daffodils are yellow; lilacs and violets are violet; lilies of the valley, snow-balls and daisies are white; trailing arbutus is pink. CLIMBING PLANTS.— Thirty-fourth Week. Name some plants which climb. Honey-suckle, hop-vine, morning-glory, cypress, pea, bean, mistle- toe. Some of these plants wind themselves around a stick or stem of another plant and keep climbing up- ward as they twine about it. Others do not wind around the stick but climb upward, by catching little hook-like rootlets into the stick, taking hold higher up each time. The twining plant sends out from the root, a long, slender shoot, whose stem is not strong enough to support it in an upright position, so if there is no stick near, it will bend over to one side, but it does not remain in the same position in which it falls, but moves around in a circle, about once in every two hours, the movement being constant and regular. When a stick is placed for the plant to twine about, the little shoot keeps swinging around, just as you would swing a rope round and round over your head. When it touches the stick the part of the shoot which extends beyond the stick curls around it, and as the stem grows longer it continues to climb upward. Some others are called hook-climbers, because they send up a slender shoot upon which are arranged small hooks, which catch firmly into any crevice with which they come in contact. Even the leaves of some of these climbers serve as hooks and clasp themselves securely around any stem or stick near them. Some have little curled tendrils, which take hold upon a wall and pour out a sticky, gummy fluid which pastes the plant firmly to the wall. TALKS ON GENERAL SUBJECTS. FAMILIES.— First Week. Where did all these little children come from this morning? From home. Did you bring everything with you which you had at home? No. Tell me what you left at home? My doll, kitty and dog. But tell me whom you left at home that you love very dearly? Mother. What is mother doing while 3'ou are here? Taking care of our house and making it clean and bright for us when we get back. Who else went away this morning and will come back home to-night? Father, and perhaps an older brother. Now tell me every one who will be at home to-night for supper? Father, mother, brother, sister and perhaps a dear old grandfather or grandmother. All these people may live in one house, and we call them a family. Are all families large ones? No. Some are small, having only a father, mother and baby. Let us have one hand for a family, and name each finger. " This is the mother so good and dear," etc. Are you glad to see A'our father come home in the evening? Do 3'ou think your mother will be glad to see you come home to-day? Wh}'? Because she loves me. Let us all close our eyes and make a picture of our home with all the family in it. What is your family doing, Harry? Eating supper. And yours, Eflie? Sitting near the fire, listening to father tell a story. Encourage the children to form these mental pictures. We have been talking about the family in which we live; can any of you tell me about some other family which does not look just as we do? Black people (yes, Negro families), Indians, Arabs, Esquimaux, Chinese people. The fathei's and mothers and children of these people love each other just as we do. Now can you think of any families that are not people? Dogs, cats, chickens. What is the papa chicken called? Rooster. What is the mamma chicken called? Hen. What are the baby chickens called? Chicks. Then there is the drake, duck and duck- lings; gander, goose and goslings. What is a cow's baby called? Calf. What is a sheep's baby called? Lamb. What is a goat's baby called? Kid. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 171 Coutiuiie naming as many as children can. We have talked about the families of people, animals and birds, what other families are there? Insect families, fish families and plant families. Name some insect families. Wasps, bees, etc. Fish families? Salmon, trout, etc. Plant families. Oak family, rose family, lily family. The queer thing about insect, fish and plant families is, that every mamma can take care of so many more babies than the other families of which we talked, and the babies learn how to take care of themselves very much earlier, too. You never thought that there were plant families before, did you? What do you suppose the babies of the oak family are called? Acorns. Every acorn is a baby oak; it is the little oak egg just as much as the eggs in the nest are bird eggs. And what do you suppose the lily babies are? Why bulbs, which look like onions, they are the lily eggs, every one of which becomes a lily ; and there are papa oaks, mamma oaks, papa lilies and mamma lilies, just as in every other family. r I shall put in the middle of this large round piece of card-board a picture of a mother who loved her baby boy very much, and you may bring me pictures of any mother whom you can find, who loves her baby. (See family chart. Appendix.) HOMES.— Second Week. We will talk to-day of the special homes which all living things make for themselves. How do you think the plant mothers make homes for their babies ? Nearly all of them fasten the baby plants up very snugly in a round ball. Some we call seeds (show a seed) and some we call bulbs (show bulb). Explain, that seeds are prepared by the plant above ground and bulbs below. These little round homes have in them everything which the baby plants need, even food to begin on, before the tiny roots are strong enough to gather the food. Animals or insects which live upon or near the ground, dig homes in the earth, which just fit their bodies and suit their babies, because they can go in and out easily. Example : Prairie dogs. They dig homes under the ground which are reached by long passages, only large enough to admit their bodies. Animals living near the water prepare their homes close by, so that the young may be taken into the water early. Birds living most of their time in the air, build nests high in trees, making them of a size and shape to fit their bodies, and to resemble in color the tree wherein they are placed, affording protection from enemies. And now about people. Let us see if they build their homes to suit them. In countries where it is very cold they build houses with few windows and doors, so that the cold can not enter. In very hot climates, they build very open houses so as to admit all the air possible, and in climates where it is sometimes warm and sometimes cold, houses are built in such a manner that they may be thrown open or closed as the occasion requires. But men build their houses with doors as large as they themselves are, when standing up, for we do not crawl into our homes as the animals do, and we must have our homes fit us just as they make their homes fit them. Ours are large enough to admit of our bringing into them other things to make them pleasant and comfortable and still have room for ourselves, so you see everything and every- body must see that his home suits him. ROUND AND RED.— Second Week. We will pick out from the round collection all the things, or pictures of things which grew. Apples, peaches, tomatoes, peas, beans, peach-stones. Place the real objects together and the pictures separate from them. Place in another place the remaining objects which are inanimate, as marbles, wooden balls, etc. Divide the real fruits from the real vegetables and make the distinction that nearly every vegetable requires cooking before eating, while most fruits have been sufliciently cooked by the heat of the sun to admit of eating just as they are gathered. Place pictures of fruits in one place and pictures of vegetables in another. Tell children to bring more pictures of these and pin them under the right collection each morning. Observe every morning whether mistakes have been made, and have the children thank the ones who bring. When enough are collected, make fruit aud vegetable charts. (See round charts. Appendix. ) In like manner select and talk about red collection, separating it from the other colors, telling children to bring more material in order to make charts. (See color charts, Appendix.) Notice material and try to have as many kinds brought as possible. Silk, wool, linen, cotton, paper, wood. 172 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FAMILY DUTIES.— Third Week. You will remember that we talked about families one day, aud found out how many families lived in this earth-home. To-day we will talk about every one who lives in our families and what he or she docs for the rest. We will talk about papa first. Tell me anything he does. He goes to work and earns money to buy food and clothing, and to keep a house for us. He helps mamma take care of the little chil- di'en when he is at home. He hangs the pictures, drives nails aud brings in the coal for her. He takes care of the yard, fences and gates, and the cow and horse, if we have them. He takes mamma and the children out in the country or to a beautiful park sometimes. He plays with the children in the evenings, and tells them stories while he sits by the tire with the baby on his lap, and closes the doors and windows when we go to bed. Altogether a very helpful and cheerful somebody to have, and we could not do without him. What does the Mother do? Takes care of the house, cooks our food, washes and irons our clothes as well as making and mending them, rocks the baby to sleep, and sings him little songs. Binds up our fingers when we cut them, helps us to make little pies when she is baking big ones. Tells us stories, aud kisses us when we get into trouble, and has a smile for papa when he comes home. Brother, if he is large enough, helps papa with the garden, the horse, or the cow, feeds the kitty and dog, and helps bring mamma kindling wood and coal. Builds block houses for baby, aud mends sister's doll-buggy for her, and runs errands for mamma. Sister helps mother when she sweeps, for she has a little broom; she irons some small pieces, stand- ing on a stool to make her tall enough to reach the table, finds baby's I'attle for him, feeds the chickens and hunts for eggs, helps mamma wash the dishes, answers the door-bell when it rings, runs to get papa's letters and papers from the post-man, carries a dish of nice soup to the little girl across the way who is sick, and runs to meet papa when he comes home in the evening. But dear little baby brother what does he do? (Read "A Baby's Day Journey" in the January, 1893 number of "Child Garden.") He wakes up before daylight in the morning and pulls papa's whiskers to make him wake, then he coos and sings little baby songs while the dimples play around his mouth. He splashes in the water like a little fish when mamma gives him his bath, and laughs gleefully. He cuddies down in his cradle and goes to sleep, when he has become tired Avith play. He kisses little sister and plays with her curls, and does so many things to make us think him the dearest baby in the world, that we could not be happy without him, and we all want to be near him ; indeed, I do not see how we could do without any one in the family, for every one heljis everybody else to be happy. CARPENTERS OF MANY LANDS.— Fifth Week. How many carpenters do you think there are in the world? How many do you know? I think there are so nuiuy that it would take us a long time to count them. There is one thing that every carpenter in every land does, and that is, he puts separate things together to make one place, to shelter people from the rain, snow and cold. Each carpenter must do the best he can with the materials which he has, and some of them use very queer things for houses, we should think. There is one carpenter who builds a house by taking small saplings, which bend easily, sticking botii ends into the ground, forming an arch. Then he places another across the first one, then begins to stick in small branches of trees worked close together until every crack is filled in, after which he puts the bark from a tree upon the outside and makes a door just large euough for one to enter at a time, and so near to the ground that a man must get upon his hands and knees and crawl into it as an animal does. This carpenter needs very few tools, using his hands for most of the work, and he would not know how to use any tools if he had them. He lives in Australia, and must do his work just as he knows how and in his own way. Then there are Indian carpenters who sew buffalo skins together and arrange them around poles which are stuck into the ground. After the skins are painted, they think them very good houses. Then there are some people living in a country called Africa, and they look very much like the negroes whom you see among us. The carpenters arrange long flexible sticks in a circle, sticking one end iuto the ground and tying the other ends all together at the top, making it look like a mouse trap. Then they place over these FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 173 sticks a number of reeds which grow iu their coimtry, aud tie them together with long viaes which grow twisted like our ropes. These people have uo windows iu their houses and uo chimneys, so I think you and I should not enjoy living in them. Now, the Esquimaux carpenter uses material very different from any other people. He lives iu a country where there arc uo trees, but plenty of snow and ice, so, of course, he uses that which is most plentiful. He cuts the hard snow in blocks and places them one above the other just as our masons place stone and brick ; but he makes a round hut, instead of four straight walls. For wintlows he puts in a block of clear ice instead of our glass, and there the family may live just as cosily as we do iu our homes. Then you have heard about the Japanese people and the funny dresses which they wear. Their houses are built only one story high. The walls are straight like ours, and they nuike several rooms by placing screens about, to divide one from the other. In their windows they place oiled silk instead of glass. NATURAL BRIDGES.— Fifth Week. We have been talking about bridges this week, and I wonder if my little people could guess where men first learned how to make bridges? I think they must have been taught by Old Mother Nature, who teaches us so many things, and I will tell you how I think they learned the lesson. There are so many little vines which love to creep from place to place, and iu warm countries these vines grow to be large and strong, so that sometimes they creep from one tree to another. When a number of these grow iu this manner one might easily walk across as they do upon bridges. In the picture you will see one of the leaves of the plant reaching almost across the brook, aud the little child reaches out her hand to touch it. That is one way that Mother Nature makes bridges. Then there is another beautiful way which I believe you will like to hear about. Sometimes a little stream begins away up in a mountain side aud flows on and on and on, growing larger and larger until it becomes a mighty river. At last it conies to a great rock, which 3'ou would surely think would keep it from going any farther, but indeed it does not, for everj' tiny drop of water in that stream begins to push aud rub against the hard rock until a small hole is cut into it. Then they rub and push until the great river flows right through the rock, aud there above it is the most beautiful bridge you ever saw. Here is a picture of a bridge which a river made in the place called Vir- ginia, where George Washington lived. They say that the two letters, G. W., are carved in the rock, George Washington having climbed up there wheu he was a boy and cut his name into the rock. (Show picture in Milner's "Gallery of Nature;" also picture of the Natural Bridge of "Ain el Leban," iu same book.) There is another way which Mother Nature has of making bridges. She makes them of ice sometimes, piling it up until it makes a strong bridge across a mighty river. (Show a picture of the ice bridge at Niagara.) We said that bridges touched two opposite sides aud so joined them together, so you will not think it strange, that the small water drops make bridges by touching each other, when Jack Frost comes aud makes them so cold that they begin to push out iuto beautiful ice stars, which fit their points into each other so closely that a bridge is soon made above the water. THE MANY WHO ASSIST IN BUILDING A HOUSE.— Sixth Week. We shall talk to-day of the mauj' men who work in building a house. If the house be a biick house, some work must be done by the stone and brick mason before the carpenter begins his work. Great stones must be taken out of the ground by the quarry-men and cut into pieces the proper size for the foundation. These are put together with plaster prepared by the mason, by mixing lime, sand, water, horse-hair, etc. Bricks are made in the brick-yards where men mix clay and water, etc., after which the brick mason plas- ters them together just as he did the stones. Now the carpenter begins his work. The trees are cut from the forest, where they have been growing for years, by woodsmen. Then they are taken in wagous to a saw mill where tlie wheels are flying around, and they are cut into boards. From there they are taken to a planing mill, from which the carpenter receives them as long smooth boards, pieces for window frames and door frames all just ready to be put together. Very many men worked upon these pieces before they were sent to the carijenter. Where do the nails come from? The iron must be taken from the ground by miners, so called, because they go into the dark earth aud dig out the metals for man to use. Do you 174 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS know anything else which we get out of the mines? Coal, tin, diamonds, copper, iron, gold and silver. When the iron is obtained, by the work of many miners, it is taken to the nail mill and screw factories, where it is melted and mixed with other metals, and then pounded and twisted into nails, screws and hinges. Many men must work before the carpenter may have nails and screws. When the window frames are in, the glazier conies to put in the glass, upon which many men have been working in the glass houses. The plumber has been laying the pipes through which the water is carried, while the walls were being built, and now the painter conies and gives all the wood work a coat of paint and polish, which keeps it from wearing out as quickly as it would were it not painted. Then when the house is all read}', the joiner supplies the furniture. We must go to many stores before we have everything which we need to make our houses comfortable. Many people work every day that we may have pleasant and comfortable homes, so we are not like the people who did everything for themselves, but everybody helps everybody else, and all the people may live better because of it. ANTS.— Seventh Week. How many have ever seen a tiny brown ant crawling about the ground? Do they live alone? No. Many live in nests, and as the}' work very much like the farmer who raises grain for us, we will talk about them and their homes to-day. (If possible, let the children observe one through a microscope so as to distinguish parts of the bod}'.) When little birds are hatched from eggs, they are quite small and must grow larger, bat this is not the case with ants. There arc three changes which the eggs must undergo before they become ants, just as plants go through many different changes. The eggs are yellowish or white, and after about fifteen days they hatch into small white worms, called grub, which have no legs. While they are in this state, they are carefully fed by the ants, and carried about from place to place, and it is during this time that they do their growing. After six or seven weeks, the little white worms change again, some of them spin- ning a little cocoon, or nest, while others remain naked. In this state they are called pupae, and the differ- ent parts of the body may be seen, but they do not eat or grow. While they are in this state, the legs, head, antennre and wings are all doubled together. The young ants can not get out unless assisted by the older ants who straighten their legs and wings for them, after which they are perfect little insects, but never grow any larger. Ants have a head upon which are two long antennte, which you would probably call horns. They have two large eyes, one on each side of the head, besides three small eyes, six legs, three on each side of the body. Some have wings, but they take them off after a certain time. They live many together in a nest, having one queen in each nest. They are busy little creatures. Some of them are called harvesting or farmer ants, because they collect enough grain and grass seeds to last a long time, packing them carefully away in their nests. Then others are called hunter ants and go out in search of their food, just as men hunters go in search of animals, to provide for their wants. Queerest of all, are the ants who keep cows; not cows such as we keep, but they serve the same purpose for the ants, whom, you must know, ai'e very fond of sweet things, honey for instance, and you remember that I told you the flowers shut the doors of their honey store-houses so that the ants can not obtain the honey, and thus save it for the bees, but the ants have their way of getting honey from a little insect called the aphis, which lives on stems and leaves and roots and in the bark of trees, sipping the sweets from the plants. The ants secure a number of these insects and take them into their nests, then bring to them leaves and other food which they like, and obtain from them the sweet honey-like fluid at any time, by caressing them with their long antenna?. So these aphides are really of the same use to the ants that cows are to us, and they take quite as much care of them as we do of our cows, sometimes building little sheds of earth over them. These we might call farmer ants. Ants also build roads over which to travel, sometimes covering them over to resemble a tunnel. They have a way of talking to each other, which we, of course, could not under- stand, Ijut we know that they do, because when one ant finds honey, he often brings the others to the same place. TIME PIECES.— Eighth Week. How many things can you think of that tell us the time? Watches, clocks. I will tell you of some other things. There is the sun dial, and the hour-slass. How does the clock tell time? The hands ai'e FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 175 moved about by the wheels inside, and the hands upon a watch are moved in the same way. Something must be moving always, in order to tell time. (Show wheels in a watch.) A watch may be carried about with us so that we may alwa^'s know the time. Now thei-e is another way to tell time. It is by a small instrument called an hour-glass. In it is placed a quantity of sand, and if you look closely you will see a very small opening through which the sand may run into the other part. It takes just one hour for it to run out of one part into the other, and then we turn it with the lower face up, and the sand begins to move again and tell another hour; so you see it tells its time story, by hours, while the watch and clock tell it by seconds, minutes and hours. The sun-dial does not have any wheels or indeed any part of itself which moves. It just keeps still and lets something else mark the time upon it; that is the nice way to do sometimes. I do not believe you could ever guess what it is that marks the time upon a sun-dial unless some little child has had his ears open very wide and can tell from the name. I mean to say the name several times and see if you can tell. >S'M?z-dial, s»/t-dial, S!. This is just what makes Kris Kingle the happiest man, because he does, and he gives just all that he can. You remember that I told you the first Thanksgiving was held by the Pilgrims who came to this countrv, but the first Christmas day came many, many years before that time, and it was the day when God gave a wonderful present to the people of this world. A present that had been promised many long years before, and the people had waited long for it. God had promised them a king who should lead them to heaven, for many of the people had lost the way. They expected a great king like the kings of the earth, but God did not give them such a king, but instead he sent them a bab^'-kiug, the Christ-child, who came to earth just as the other little babies came. He grew to be a most wonderful king, and taught the people all about heaven and did man}' good things for them, and all who wish to go to heaven now, must go just the way that Christ taught. I shall tell you some other time who found the little Child- King first, but the morning upon which He came to earth was the first Christmas Aw.y. The whole world was glad because of God's great gift to the world, for Christ was the only Son of God, so that He was the very best which God could give. That is why we keep Christmas day, and I have heard that the people who give away the best thing they have on that day, are the happiest people in all the world. The Avord Kris Kingle means, Christ-child, and is the name given to any one who gives away to make others happy. Are you all glad that we shall work for our papas and mammas and make them happy upon the glad Christmas day? We can give away work which we do, songs which we know, smiles, and our mammas will be happy because these shall say to them how much their little children love them. LOCATION.— Fourteenth Week. We have been singing " Good Morning" to the sunshine since we came to the Kindergarten, aud you may all show me the window to which we turn every morning. Why do we always turn to that window? FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 179 Because the sunbeams always come into our Kiudergurteu, in the morning, through it. In the evening through M'hich window do they come? Give names East and West. The place where we first see the sun in the morning is called East. The place where we last see it in the evening is called West. What are they to each other? Opposite. We will all stand and face the East. Let us say "Good morning, Sunbeams." Now face West, and say "Goodnight, Sunbeams." You may all go to the east wall of the room and stand with your backs against it. Which way are 3'ou facing? West. Now you may goto the west wall and stand in the same manner. Which way are you facing? East. Can you see everything upon the east wall? Name everything 3'ou see upon it. Now, we will say "All the things which we have named are upon the east wall." Go to the east wall, and stand facing the west wall. Name all things, and say "All the things we have named are upon the west wall." Now you may sit down and I shall name an object, and ask some child to tell me, to which wall it is nearest. (Name object, not upon the wall, but upon the floor in close proximity to either wall.) Send five children with a teacher into the yard to see what is upon the outside of the east wall, also five to find out what is upon the outside of the west wall. What is the nearest thing to the west wall outside, and what is the nearest thing to the east wall outside? When we go to our homes, the little children walking east come to which street first? Name as many streets east of the Kindergarten as the children can. Repeat with the west. Tell names of men who keep grocery stores, meat shops and shoe stores. Name other merchants east of Kindergarten and west of Kindergarten. Tell that Christ was born in the faraway Eastern country. (Foundation for geography in the future. Establishing of the Kindergai-ten as an organic part of a community.) ROOM DECORATIONS.— Fifteenth Week. When we came to our Kindergarten what did we find in this room? Walls, floor, ceiling, doors, windows, desks, chairs, tables, piano. Now, let us see what we have put into it since we came. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet charts. Charts of perching birds, scratching birds, swimmers and waders. Thanksgiving chart. Family chart. Time chart begun. A picture for every story we have heard. A piece of every kind of work which has been placed in our books. Carpenter chart. Baker chart. Sphere collection or chart. Cube collection or chart. Cylinder collection or chart. Classify, telling why certain charts are put together; for instance. Form charts, Color charts, Bird charts, Trades charts, Story charts. LOCATION.— Fifteenth Week. ' You remember that we talked about the east and west walls of our room one day. Would you like to talk about the other walls to-day? How many others are there? Two. (If your room happens to be an octagon, so much the better, for you will have an opportunity to combine the four points of the compass.) You m*ay all stand, and extend your right hand to the East and your left hand to the West. Walk to the wall which you are facing and place j'our hand upon it. This we call the north wall because it is facing the north from which Jack Frost comes and brings us cold weather. When the little birds feel Jack Frost coming, do they fly in the direction from which he comes? No, the}' flj' in an opposite direction so as to get away from him. You may all spread your wings and play that 3'ou are little blue birds, and I shall get behind 3'ou and play that I am Jack Frost. When I begin to creep, you must fly in the opposite direction until j'ou reach a wall. I can not come to that part if I am Jack Frost, because that is the warm part of our world, and we call it the South, so which wall are you touching now? The south wall. If we should start North and travel a long time what kind of a country should we reach? Cold country. If we traveled South? Warm country. Face the north wall, find all things upon it, name objects near it, letting children formulate " The chair is near the north wall," etc. Repeat with south wall. Then find things upon the outside of each wall, things near each wall, name streets north and streets south. Name merchants north and merchants south, also any building of special importance. Tell some people who live in the f ar-a-way North ? Esquinuuix. What shapes are their houses ? Round like a bee-hive, and they crawl into them through a small door near the ground. What animals live in the North? Polar bear, seal, reindeer, whale. No trees grow there, only mosses. Tell some people who live in the extreme South. Negroes, Indians, some white people. The animals are very large and numerous. Tiger, jaguar, llama, and the huge alligator have their homes in the South. Large trees, many vines, grasses and flowers grow in the South. 180 • PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS GIFTS RECEIVED.— Seventeenth Week. Each child may tell what he received for Christmas. Classify into useful and ornamental. Most of the little girls received dolls. Many of our dolls are made across the Ocean in Germany, . where Froebel lived, as well as building blocks, tool boxes and other toys. Talk about the material of which the toys are made. The gifts are best which have some of ourselves in them, and which we may use to help us, and make other people happy. Review the talk about Christ, the Divine Gift. Do you know that God has placed the things which man needs for his food, clothing and shelter, in different parts of the woi'ld so that people must keep giving to each other all the time ? To-day we will talk about the people who live in different parts of the world, and the things which we get from their countries. Who are our neighbors in the North? The Esquimaux, who build houses of snow. Let us point to the direction in which they live. Can you think of anything which we have that we obtain from their cold country? Furs, sealskin caps, cloaks, muffs, ear muifs and gloves and many things to keep us warm. It seems right that material for warm clothing should come from a cold country where they need it so much, does it not? Our neighbors in the South will give us something different, because their country is always warm. Beautiful flowers, the wood from large trees, cotton, rice, sugar, sweet potatoes, oranges. Sap from a certain tree, which can be made into rubber for cloaks, boots, overshoes, etc. The bark of a tree from which we make quinine. There are many large animals in the South, and the hides are sent to other people to lie made into leather. What do the people who live in the East give to us? Camel's hair for cloth and brushes, rugs and carpets, silks, fans, rice, coffee, spices. In our own country the people in the east have many mills with large machines for weaving cloth, making tools, paper, buttons, shoes, clocks and combs, which they send to other people. Our neighbors on the West send us wheat, corn, oats, barley, many vegetables and fruits, gold, silver, copper, coal and other articles which they obtain from the mines. There are many high mountains in the West. The people raise large numbers of cattle and sheep, which they send to other parts of the world. WINTER.— Eighteenth Week. What season do we call this? Winter. What was the season just before winter called? Autumn. You remember how Mother Nature put her babies all to sleep in the Autumn and covered them with leaves from the trees, keeping every one away from the cold touch of Jack Frost. She has other children who do not go to sleep in the winter, so she provides warmer coats for them to wear. The fur or hair or wool, on all animals, grows very much heavier in the winter time. Our horses have heavier coats, our dogs have heavier coats, our cows, sheep, etc. The birds which remain with us during the winter, have manj^ more feathers than they have in the summer season. Name some. Sparrows, snow birds, chickens, turkeys, geese. Everything is provided for, as Mother Nature knows that the winter always comes. Let us name the seasons as they change, one into the other. Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. What does winter bring? Cold weather, snow, ice, fierce winds, and rest and strength to many living things which have worked hard dur- ing the suuuuer. The sap which keeps all trees and plants alive in the summer, runs down into the roots and remains there all winter. The roots keep the plants alive, and the snow which Jack Frost brings with him, is like a nice warm blanket for the plants, keejjing them from freezing. Winter is the night time for the plants, and they only sleep and rest once a year while we sleep and rest every night. Some animals sleep all winter just as the plants do. The bear finds some snug cozy place in which he goes to sleep, waking in the spring time to find himself very much thinner in body than he Avas when he went to sleep, because his body had been living upon the fat which was stored away during the summer. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 181 CLOTHING.— Nineteenth Week. Last week we talked about the care which Mother Nature took of her children. She always takes care of those who cauuot take care of themselves, but all her childreu who cau keep themselves, must do so. She has one big family of children, called the human family, we called them people families, when we put them upon the chart, who must take care of themselves in winter. They all know that winter comes after autumn and bi'ings cold weather, snow and ice, while nothing grows which man can use for food, so man thinks about winter, while it is summer and autumn, and he gathers in the grams, putting them in barns and storehouses, also potatoes, apples and other kinds of food which he needs. Then when cold weather comes, he thinks about his body and he puts on heavier clothing, just as the animals do, but he must pre- pare his own clothing. Let us see where he obtains the material for it. "What kind will he wear most, in winter? Woolen clothing. "Why? Because it keeps him warmer than any other. What kind does he wear in summer? Cotton. Which animal will he go to for his wool ? The sheep. Is it right to take the sheep's wool in the winter? No, for the animal would freeze. iSIen shear the wool from the sheep in the spring time, so that it will have time to grow heavy before cold weather. It is made into woolen cloths of all kinds. Let me see how many children I can find who have a woolen garment to-day. Man puts on very heavy shoes, and wears warm over-shoes. For their heads, they use fur caps, ear muffs, etc. The ladies wear veils over their faces. People shut up their houses and make good fires, to frighten Jack Frost awa}^ and when they go out they walk very fast, so that the blood in their veins and arteries will move rapidly, and keejj them warm. Where do men obtain fuel for fire? Wood from trees, and coal from the mines. In some places they dry a kind of moss, which grows very close together, for fuel. It is called peat. Mother Nature gives us the things we need, but we must work to make them fit for use. (Show how man adapts his clothing to various parts of his body, so that his activity may not be interfered with.) Man not only provides for himself, but for the animals which he keeps to help him in his work. Barns, for cows and horses, chicken houses, for chickens, ducks, geese, etc., dog-houses for dogs. LEATHER.— Nineteenth Week. We found that people used heavier shoes in winter than in summer. Where do we obtain the materi- al to make shoes? They are made of leather. What is leather made from? The skins of animals. What animals give us their skins for our shoes and gloves? The sheep, goat, cow, kangaroo, dog, rat; indeed, the skin of almost any animal may be made into leather. The hair, wool, or fur is taken from the skin, after which it is placed in a mixture, made of the barks of trees, which draws it together, making it tough and brown. This is tanning the hides, and it has about the same effect upon the animal skins as the sun and wind have upon your skins when you play out of doors, and mamma tells you that you are tanned. The skin of kids makes the best gloves, and they are called kid-gloves. Then there are gloves made of sheep-skin and dog-skin. Goat-skin makes good shoes as does also kangaroo skins. Little children's shoes are usually made of the skins of kids, because they are light and soft, while men who work out of doors and must walk a great deal, have boots made of heavy cow-hide. RUBBER.— Nineteenth Week. How many of these little children have a rubber coat, and rubber over-shoes to protect them in rainy weather? What is rubber? Away in the country called South America, grow some trees vvhich have beautiful dark green glossy leaves and very high trunks, before the branches can be reached. They con- tain a milky juice or sap which is secured by boring holes in the trunks, out of which the liquid flows, be- coming thick and hard in a veiy short time. This is cut into some small pieces and washed, by powerful machinery under water, which cleanses it of all impurities. It is then placed upon iron trays and dried in a room heated by steam, after which it is kneaded (as Mamma kneads bread) under heavy rollers which cause all the small particles to cling together, so that it may be cut into sheets of rubber. After this it is mixed with other substances and applied to cloth by pressing it upon the surface with hot iron rollers, or it is made into combs, knife handles, buttons, rubbers, overshoes, boots, erasers, rubber bands, etc. If you find anything M'hich you think is made of rubber, bring it to me. 182 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS CHANGE.— Twentieth Week. How many Seasons have we found belonging to the year? Four. How does Spring become Summer? It changes into Summer. Tell me what each season changes into? Spring changes into Summer. Summer changes into Autumn. Autumn changes into Winter. Winter changes into Spring, etc. As the seasons change, what changes with them? The weather. Warm weather changes into hot weather, hot weather changes into cool weather. Cool weather changes into cold weather. Cold weather chanffes into o o o warm weather. I shall name the Seasons, and you may tell me the weather which belongs to each one. Spring. (Warm weather.) Summer. (Hot weather.) Autumn. (Cool weather.) Winter. (Cold weather.) Now, we will find what things change in each season, and how. In Spring, ice and snow change into water; seeds and bulbs change to plants. Trees change brown dresses for green ones. Mother Nature changes white dress for green one. Eggs change to birds. Sleeping things, change to waking. In Summer, buds change into flowers, blossoms into fruits. Mother Nature changes green dress for gay flowered one. Many fruits and vegetables change from green to ripe. In Autunm, unripe fruit changes into ripe fruit. Flowers change into seeds. Mother Nature changes dress for one of red, brown and gold. In Winter, water changes into snow and ice, trees change green dress for brown and white. Mother Nature changes her dress for a white one. Waking things change to sleeping. What else changes in each season? The winds. North wind, east M'iud, south wind, west wind. The north wind changes into the east wind. The east wind changes into the south wind. The south wind into the west wind. The west wind into the north wind. I will name the Seasons and you may say which wind you think belongs to it. Spring. (East wind, brings rain.) Summer. (South wind.) Autumn. (West wind.) Winter. (North wind, brings snow.) Let us see how many months it takes for one season to change into another. Count the number of months on chart. Twelve. How many seasons? Four. How many months can each season have? Let children discover, by drawing twelve lines on the board, and separating them into four groups, finding three in each group. So every season shall have three months in which all things may change. December, although the last month of the year, is the first month of the Winter season, so we will begin with it and find which three months belong to Winter. December, January, February. Now, the next three will belong to Spring. March, April, May. And the next to Summer. June, July, August. The next to Autumn. September, October, November. Do people change any with the season ? Yes. In the Spring they are busy and active. In the Summer they like to rest and be quiet. In the Autumn they are again busy and active, and in the Winter they are very active, moving about rapidly. MOTION.— Twenty-second Week. Tell me everj'thing you can think of, which moves : FIRST SET. SECOND SET. THIRD SET. (Inanimate things.) (Plant motion.) (Animal motion.) Windows. Leaves. Dogs. Doors. Roots. Snakes. Piano. ' Seeds. Worms. Dust. Fruits. Ants. Clouds. Grains. Frogs. Wagons. Vines. Fishes. Elevators. Birds. Well-bucket. Butterflies. Bees. Find out how each class moves, beginning with the inanimate class, bringing out at the same time that heavy bodies move slowly and lighter bodies more rapidly. Pick out all the things we named, which onl}' move when something else pushes or people put their hands upon them. In this manner you may impress the difference between the inorganic and the organic kingdoms. Select all the things which move themselves, but can not go away from one place to another. This FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 183 will bring out the diffeieuce between plant life and animal life. Roots move downwaixl to seek food and strength. Leaves, stems and flowers move up to seek light, air and beauty. The only manner in which plants may change their places is when the flower, fruit or seed is ripened, the completed result may fall to the ground in obedience to the law of gravitation, and the seed may be blown afar by the wind. Select those which may move themselves and keep from moving if they so wish. Show how this class has the power to move things in the other two classes as well as themselves. Begin with those possessing power of locomotion in a less degree, and move to those possessing it in a greater degree, placing man highest. You will now have brought your talk to a point of foreshadowing the thought for next week; (Washington week,) i. e., "The thought of man moves other men to action." MOTIVE POWER OF THOUGHT.— Twenty-second Week. To-day we will pick out everything which is moved by wheels. Piano, elevator, street-car, clock, bicycle, cart, wheel-barrow, bab3'-carriage. When children have named all the things which they know, move from general thought to particular, as follows : Name all the things moved by four wheels, then by three, then two, and lastly, one. Now hold up a wheel. Why does this wheel move so easily? Look at the outside. Develop, that it is smooth, curved and has no corners to stick into the ground when it rolls. Why does the outside not bend when it is rolling? Because these strong, straight spokes hold it out. What keeps the spokes in place? The hub in the center. What holds all together and makes them one thing? The iron tire which is made red-hot and placed about the wooden ring, then plunged into cold water, causing it to become smaller and press the parts together closely. Now, an axle must be placed through the hub, and our wheel may be turned round and round easily. Were wheels always just as nice as this one? No. There was a time when there were no wheels, and men had to push things with their hands, no matter how heavy they were. You may be sure they did not take heavy things very far from the places where they found them. One day a man saw a part of a tree roll down a hill, and keep on rolling very fast even when it reached the level ground; and do you know, little folks, it rolled so fast, and the man watched it so closely, that the wheels in his thinking-cap which God had given him, began to go around very fast too, and he said: "I mean to use a part of a tree to help me move heavy things." He cut away the leaves and roots and left only the trunk, which is like our cylinder, and he found that he could roll two trunks of trees under heavy bodies. Wheels do not like to stop when they begin to move, so these wheels in the man's thinking-cap kept on moving, and the next thing he said was: "I do not need so much of the trunk; I will just cut two pieces fi'om it and put a stick through holes in the middle." This plan was very much better. Other men began to think too, and they kept taking away from the niiddle of the wheels, until now they know how to make wheels out of pieces of trees, and make them last, by putthig iron bauds about them. In our modeling, to-day, we are going away back to the time when people had no wheels, and make all the kinds imtil we get to this last one. Impress in this talk, the influence of one man's thought upon another, and so lead the children to feel the moving power of thought. GEORGE WASHINGTON.— Twenty-third Week. What is a soldier? Let children give their own conception. Then draw out the following facts : He is straight and strong, and alwaj's at his post. He is brave, cheerful and kind. He may not always stay at home, but must go where he is needed. He must be able to march long distances, endure cold or heat, and hunger and weariness. He must always do just what he is told to do without asking any questions. Soldiers who are best are those who were brave when they were boys. Our song of the knights tells us about tive brave soldiers who rode on large horses and were so powerful that tiiey could hold the horses with only one hand. They went to see a good little chikl of whom they had heard, and I am sure they thought he would make a good soldier when he grew to be a man. Now, I think these same knights must have gone to see George Washington when he was a boy, and he remembered their visit ; and when he grew to be a man he became a soldier like the knights, because his country needed him. He was always thinking of just one thing, and that was how to help his country in the way which God wanted him to help it, so that all the people were glad to follow him and do as he told them, for they were sure that whatever 184 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS he bade them do was for the good of the country. Many times General Washington's soldiers were cold, hungry and tired and had no shoes to wear, although the weather was very cold, but they were brave like their leader, and it was the bravery of the American soldiers which saved our country. One M'inter they spent at a place called Valley Forge, which the people always remembered for the soldiers suffered greatly because they had so little clothing to keep them warm. Many of them tied cloths about their feet because their shoes were worn out, and they could get no others. They lived in rude huts, sleeping upon the bare earth without even a bed of straw, j'ct amid all their sufferings the}' loved their country and would not give up their flag. George Washington was with them and helped them to be brave, for they all loved him and knew that he would try to lead them right. One day a soldier was passing along a small creek of water, and hearing the sound of a voice, he stopped to listen, and found that General Washington was kneeling upon the ground, while the tears wei'e running down his cheeks, and praying earnestly to the Father in Heaven to help him and his soldiers Min their countr3^ I think God did help General Washington, because he was a good man and tried to do right. FLAGS.— Twenty-third Week. Have a picture of the flags of different nations. Draw and cut a piece of cardboard the shape of the country and paste the flag in the middle. The child will be impressed with the outline by daily seeing it, and in the future the impression will enable him to readily recognize countries upon maps. Take one flag each day, telling of the country and its characteristics. The flag of Spain is already familiar to the children. Who came from Spain to our country ? Columbus. What was the name of the ship in which he crossed the ocean? Santa Maria. What was the name of the ocean? Atlantic. Which direction did he sail? West. What color was the flag which he carried? Red and Orange. Here is the flag of Spain, and the picture of Columbus. Here is a piece of cardboard just the shape of Columbus' country. We will paste the flag and picture upon the cardboard. When our ships sail to Spain in which direction do they sail? East. On what ocean? Atlantic. What colors in the flag they carry? Red, white and blue. What things do they take to Spain ? What things do they bring back to us ? Wool, oranges, silks, olives, raisins, grapes. Here is a piece of cardboard shaped like Egypt, the country where Moses was born. Their flag is red with a white crescent in the middle. Let us paste the flag and a picture of Moses in the basket upon this piece of cardboard. Our ships must sail east on the Atlantic ocean to reach Egypt, and they bring back dates, coffee, ivory, palm oil. The camel, elephant, ostrich and crocodile live in Egypt. For Germany. Paste a flag, red, white and black, and a pictui-e of Froebel upon the card. Our ships sail east on the Atlantic ocean, and bring back 3'arn. Switzerland. Paste flag, red with white cross, a picture of William Tell with bow and arrow, also a picture of the Alpine flower, Eidehvciss. Our ships sail east on the Atlantic ocean, bringing back watches, clocks and jewelry. The chamois lives among the mountains of Switzerland. Turkey. Paste red flag M'ith white star in corner, and the picture of "The Adoration of the Shep- herds," upon the card. Our ships sail east on the Atlantic ocean, bringing back figs, dates, rugs, carpets, spices. Japan. Paste flag, white with red circle in center, and a picture of a Japanese junk. Our ships sail east on the Atlantic ocean, bringing back rice, tea, camphor. Holland. Paste flag, red, white and blue with two lions in middle, and picture of Pilgrims in the Mayflower. Our ships sail east on the Atlantic ocean, bringing back laces and flax. Play ship as follows : To what country would you like to go? To Spain. Carry an American flag and start from the west side of circle and move toward the east where one child is holding a snuill Spanish flag. When the ship returns, ask : What did you bring us from Spain? Let some child hold the flag of the countr}' chosen each time, and sail in the general direction in which it lies from our country. PAPER.— Twenty-fourth Week. All scraps of rags and paper are sorted, each kiud being placed together. They are then placed into dusting machines which toss and turn all the pieces very rapidly, taking out all the dust, then they are FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 185 given a shower bath iu a great tub, where they are stirred around and around, and a liquid containing bleaoliing powder is poured over them, making them brown and wet. After a bath in clear water, all the ink and yellow fluid is washed out, and it looks like lumps of soft dough, and is called paper pulp. This pulp is taken to a room where great machines stand, having rollers shaped like our cjdinders. The pulp is placed upon a wire cloth and is shaken back and forth, which takes all the water out of it and mixes it thoroughly, then it is placed between two heavy iron rollers, covered with felt, which does not tear the paper 23ulp and it is rolled and rolled, which presses it flat. Then it is passed into another machine, the rollers of which are filled with hot water, then to another filled with cold water, and after passing through many rolling machines, the paper is placed in a bath of glue, which makes it stiff and gives it a glossy appear- ance. Then it is cut into long rolls of paper, then into sheets which are sold for people to write upon. MODES OF COMMUNICATION.— Twenty-sixth Week. How many of these little children have a grandmother, or an uncle living far away from this city? Ask those who have, to tell where they live. Do 30U ever go to visit them? How do you get there? We shall talk about the ways which men have of going from one place to another. They may walk to some places, ride horse-back as the knights did, or upon camels as the wise men did, ride in a street-car or on a railroad car, or on a boat or ship. How can we send a message to people who live far away? AVe may write a letter, send a telephone message, or one by telegraph. A long time ago, people did not have railroads, and the telegraph as we have now. They were often many weeks in making a journey, for they had to travel in wagons drawn by oxen or horses, stopping of ten to feed them and let them rest. People did not visit so often then as they do now, nor did the3' know what people were doing in the other parts of the world. How did the Pilgrims come from Holland to this countr}'? In a ship. How did Columbus come from Spain to this country? In a ship. When we get upon a train, how is it taken from one place to another? Drawn by a steam engine. Tell me some other things which are moved or worked by steam engines. The large steam engines at the water woi-ks, force the water into pipes which convey it into our houses. Steam threshing machines are worked by the power of steam engines. Ships and steam boats are propelled by the power of steam engines. Who first made the best steam engine? Many men tried to make engines, each one trying to make a better one than those which he saw, but the best one was made by a man named James Watt, who lived iu Scotland. (Show his picture, also attract attention to the picture of the flag upon the cardboard, outlined like Scot- land.) When he was a little boy, he sat one day before the stove, upon which a kettle of water was boil- ing, and he noticed that when the water became very hot, and the steam came out from the spout of the kettle, the lid began to move up and down. This made him think very hard, and he began to wonder if the little particles of vapor which pushed so hard against the lid of the kettle, could not be made to lift heavy things for men. He tried to make all sorts of machines, and when he grew to be a man, he thought so much about the steam which pushed so hard, that at last he was able to make a steam engine, having a place in which to hold the steam, and make it push in the very direction M-here it could do the most good. His engine helped many people in their work and was used in many places, but he did not think of placing it upon wheels, causing it to do the work of horses. After a long time, however, another little boy began to think about engines, and when he grew to be a man, he tried to find out a way in which the engine made by James Watt, could be placed upon wheels, and made to pull other things just as horses did. This man's name was George Stephenson, and he lived in England, which is near Scotland where James Watt lived. (Show his picture.) After much thinking and working he made the locomotive, and all that have been luade since are made in nearly the same way. People then could ride from place to place iu much less time than they could in wagons, so George Stephenson helped people with the work of his hands, and the thinking which he did. We use locomotives to take trains, in M'liich people travel all over the country, but they can not run across bodies of water unless bridges are built over them. Can you tell me any body of water too large to have a bridge built over it? Ocean. What ocean did Columbus sail across? Atlantic ocean. In what do we travel across the ocean? Ships moved by steam engines. The ships which Columbus and the Pilgrims used, did not have steam engines upon tliem, but were provided with sails, against which the wind blew and so moved the ships. There was another way which was used by some people. A great many men sat in rows upon each side of the boat and used oars, just as you 186 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS have seen a niaa row a small skiff with two oars. Large ships are called steam-ships because they are moved by the power of steam eugiues. The first steam-boat was made by a man named Robert Fulton, and because of his invention, we are able to go quickly across the large oceans and take things to other countries, bringing back articles which we need. EASTER.— Twenty-eighth Week. What day are all the little children talking about now? Easter Sunday. Do you ever remember a time when there was no Easter Sunday? No. None of us can remember when we did not hear of Easter, but there was a time, many, many years ago when people did not know of Easter, for like Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, there was a First Easter Day, and I will tell you about it. When Christ, who came to the earth as a little babe, grew to be a man. He began to do the work which His Father had sent Him to do. He began to teach people the way to Heaven, and to help them in their troubles, so that many people began to love Him, and Christ said that every one who loved Him and believed that He was God's Son would find the way to Heaven. There were some people who would not believe Christ's words and they hated Him because other people were loving Him, so they said in their hearts, "We will kill Him, so that the people can not love him any longer," and they put Christ to death by nailing Him to a cross, which was their way of putting very wicked people to death. One of the men who loved Christ, took him from the cross and buried Him in his tomb, which was made by digging a great opening in a rock. After the body was placed into this place, a great stone was rolled against the opening and soldiers placed to watch it. This was on Friday, and upon Sunday morning some women went to the tomb, and behold ! the stone was rolled away and an angel sat upon it, who told the women that Christ was no longer dead, but had risen from the grave, and that they should see Him again before He went to Heaven. So this Sunday morning was the first Easter morning, and every year since that time people have remembered the morning upon which Christ rose from the grave, because they know that every one shall come forth from the grave, just as Christ did, when God calls them, as He did Him. NATURAL EXPRESSION.— Twenty-ninth Week. Did you ever think, that everything in the world has a story to tell as well as a work to do? We found that the minerals feed the plants, and the plants feed the animals, and that everything is used by man. We might have used the plants and animals even if they were not so beautiful as they are, but then we should not have had the beautiful story their loveliness tells. The birds sing their story, the flowers tell it by their beauty and fragrance, and the minerals tell it by the wonderful crystals of which they are made. The suowflakes whisper it, as they flutter from the clouds above, like so many white feathers, and the raindrops sing it M'hen they pitter patter on the pane. The little brook tells it, every moment, as it hurries toward the ocean, and the sunbeams write it in golden letters all over the world, even in the very darkest corners of the earth. Jack Frost, too, draws the story in his wonderful frost pictures, which he makes upon our window panes in the winter, but with all this story-telling some people do not hear, because they are so busy using the things which tell it, instead of reading the story first, and then using the things. It is a story which God told all things in the world, when he made them, and I wonder if any child can tell me what the story is? (Perhaps you can draw the thought from the children.) " God is love, God is love, All things tell us God is love." And it is the same story which the angels sang to the shepherds when Christ was born. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.— Twenty-ninth Week. What do we do after we have our prayer, each morning? We sing our songs. Where does the sound come from? Our throats. What helps to make the sound? Teeth, tongue, roof of mouth, throat. So every little child has a music box which he may carry with him. What kind of music is the best? Sweet music. Tell me something else which has a music box. Birds and bees, and nearly all animals may make some sound, anel though we do not always think it music, it may be their way of making music. You FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 187 knoiv the kittj makes a .soft, purriug sound when slic is couteutcd and happy. Do you think the plants have any way of making music ? When the wind blows among the leaves and branches they sing their little rustling songs which we all like to hear. There is something else which we must name, that sings such a pretty song ; the little brook, where the water drops sing all day. Mother Nature has a world of nmsic for her child- ren and people listened to this music and began, a long time ago, to make music boxes, so that we have many kinds of instruments which may be used now. Among the first things which they made were whistles and drums. You know a whistle makes a sound when you blow into it, just as the trees make a sound when the wind blows through them. You have heard the wind whistle sometimes in the winter, have you not? The people made their whistles of the bones of animals and of wood; then they made drums upon which they beat with their hands at first. How many have ever seen a harp ? It is played with the fingers upon strings which are stretched tightly from one end to the other. Somebody who used a bow and arrow with which to shoot, found out one day that the string upon the bow would make a pretty sound if tightly stretched together, and some one else thought of stretching several strings upon a bent piece of wood, and they kept trying until they made a beautiful instrument, called a harp. Now I shall let you look at our piano. These little white and black pieces are called keys, and are joined to a tiny hammer inside the piano, w^hich flies up and strikes against a string when some one touches the key. Let us name all the kinds of musical instruments we know. Classify after children name, those upon which the sound is produced by using the mouth. Har- monica, flute, fife, horn, whistle, bugle, trumpet, cornet, bag-pipe ; these are all hollow inside. The bag- pipe is the favorite musical instrument of the Scotch people. All instruments having strings which must be played with the fingers or a bow. Banjo, guitar, violin, fiddle, mandolin. The harp is the favorite instrument of the English people. Those in which the sound is produced by two things striking together: Drum, castanets, cymbals, tambourine, piano. The tambourine is a favorite instrument with Italian girls. The piano is the favorite instrument of the German people. Which musical instruments are used by the soldiers? Drum, fife, trumpet. A simple little harp may be made and placed in the window that the children may listen to the sound produced by the wind. The organ which you see in the church has keys, strings and hammers, so it makes very sweet music because it combines all the ways in one instrument. MEN WHO HAVE GIVEN US GREAT GIFTS.— Thirty-second Week. Let us name the men of whom we have heard, who did something for many people. Columbus, who worked and thought a long time about the new country. Ferdinand, the king, and Isabella, the good queen, who persuaded the king to give Columbus ships in which to cross the ocean. We shall always re- member Columbus, because he endured many hardships in trying to find our country. Next we wish to remember the Pilgrims, who came from Holland and settled in the new country, building houses, churches, school-houses, and planting grain and fruit trees, so that the new country might be a pleasant place in which to live for those who came after them. We will remember that the Pilgrims had the first Thanksgiving Day also. George Washington, the father of our country, must be remembei-ed also, because he saved our flag when people were tr3dng to take it from us, helping the soldiers to be brave because he w'as brave himself. James Watt and George Stephenson will be remembered every time we see a locomotive drawing a train of cars, because they worked hard to make a good steam engine and a good locomotive. This week we are thinking about Frederic Froebel who did so much for little childi'en, by giving them work with their play, teaching them how to use their hands, eyes and ears, to help make others happy. He taught us to love people who work, to sing about people who work and to work ourselves. He taught us to love the birds, bees,- animals, flowers, snowflakes, raindrops, and more than all to love God, who made everything in the world. CANDLES.— Thirty-fifth Week. In earlier times, people used candles almost entirely, not having oil lamps, gas and electricity, as we have now. I shall tell vou to-dav how they made their candles. Most of them were made of tallow, a lattv 188 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS substance which we obtain from the cow and sheep. Ask your mothers to show you a piece of beef tallow, when she cooks the meat for dinner. Some fine ones were made of wax, which we get from the bees. Our caudles for our Christmas tree were made of wax. There are many things from which we obtain oils and fats to make candles. There is a vegetable in China, the seeds of which yield a kind of tallow ; another kind is found in the head of the whale, and is called spermaceti ; while still another kind is obtained from the palm trees upon which the cocoanut grows. There are three ways of making candles ; dipping, moulding and rolling. The dipping is done by stretching a number of wicks upon a wooden frame, above a trough of melted tallow or wax, into which they are dipped, being allowed to cool after each dipping, so they grow larger each time because more and more wax adheres. Moulding is done by pouring hot tallow or wax into metal tubes shaped like our cylinders, and having a wick stretched through the middle. When cool they are taken out of the tubes. Wax caudles are usually made by rolling, after the melted wax has been poured over the wick. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 189 STORIES. ROBIN RED-BREAST'S VISIT.— First Week. One day in early spring, two robin red-breasts came from the far-away South, where they had been spending the winter among orange trees and magnolia blossoms, to our chilly North, which was just be- ginning to throw off its blanket of snow in order to permit the busy sunbeams to waken the seeds in their brown earthy beds. "This is quite different from the country which we have left," remarked Mr. Eobin, as he fluttered into a large cherry tree and folded his wings for a short rest. " Can it be possible that we commenced our journey too early?" " Oh, no," answered Mrs. Robin, "the blue-birds started some time before we ventured, and I think this cool morning is but the farewell of that roguish little Jack Frost, who always hates to leave when he has been here all winter. See, these buds are almost ready to burst into beautiful cherry blossoms, and already I begin to feel the warmth of the friendly sunbeams as they come down to greet us, so I really think 3'ou had better sing a morning song and then we will start out to find a suitable place to build a home, for we must lose no time." Whereupon Mr. Eobin straightened himself, threw back his tiny head and poui-ed forth a volume of song which made the people in the farm-house stop their work to listen, saying, " How joyously Mr. Eobin sings this morning." Mrs. Eobin sat nodding her head approvingly, until the song was finished, then away both flew, all around the large orchard, stoppino' to examine every tiny bud and leaf. At last they came back to the cherry tree from which thev started. "Now that we have seen every tree," said Mr. Eobin, " I think we are in a position to choose the site for our future home. Which do you like best, Mrs. Eobin?" "I have seen none which I like so well as this one. First, because it is near this fine farm-house, and I have observed that the people who live in it are very pleasant to each other and like music, for I hear some one singing all the time ; and, in the second place, I have noticed that the mother of the family has a low, sweet voice and loves birds. You know how impoi'tant it is that young robins should hear only sweet sounds in their babyhood, as it makes them try to sing sweetly when they are older, so in choosing our home we must be very careful to have everything around it just right, for our little birds have to stay in their nests during the most important time of their lives." "What a very long speech for 3'ou to make, Mrs. Eobin, but I suppose we had better decide upon this tree. I will begin to gather twigs and strings and horse-hair, while you select the branch." Soon they were hard at work and after many days, the little girl who lived in the house saw a nest securely fastened up among the leaves, so cunningly fashioned, as to appear almost a part of the tree itself. She ran into the house crying, "O, mamma, the robins mean to stay in our cherry tree, for they have built their nest up in the branches and are chirping to each other all the time." As the days went by the trees befcame greener and greener, as the leaves grew larger and spread themselves, and Mrs. Eoljin became very quiet, for were there not five tiny eggs in that nest, which must be kept warm by her two small wings and soft little body? And Mr. Eobin was so busy, getting food for her, that he was forced to cut his morning song shorter each day. But one morning, the occupants of the farm-house heard a song more beautiful than any he had ever sang, and the little girl's mother said, " I am sure there are baby robins in Mr. and Mrs. Eobin's nest this morning." The children ran out to the tree, and stood beneath to hear the sound of the little baby voices. When Mr. Eobin had finished singing, Mrs. Eobin hopped upon the edge of the nest, and they seemed to say to the children, " IIow we wish you might have a peep at these dear little baby robins." Presently there was the softest little "pip, pip," in the nest above, and Mr. Eobin flew hastily away, returning shortly with a small bug in his beak, which he gave to the young birds. The children watched ever}' day hoping to catch sight of a tiny head above the nest, and after many days they were rewarded by seeing a young robin perched upon the edge of the nest, and looking as though he intended flaying away. The children were very quiet, fearing to frigliten him, and the mother robin seemed to be telling the young robin how to spread his wings, for he flapped them up and down continually. 190 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS One day this little bird flew out of the nest and sat upon a branch. He looked about and said, "How- very beautiful this world is; I wonder who lives in that white house across the way?" "Whereupon he spread his wings and flew straight across into a large window which was open, finding himself in the queerest place he had ever seen. He was so frightened when he looked about the strange place that he drew himself up into a ball and cowered upon the floor in a dark corner. " Poor little robin," said a sweet voice, "Are you lost?" And a gentle hand covered him just as his mother's wings had done many a time in his little nest home, and as he tucked himself snugly into the warm hand, he wondered if he should ever see his motlier again. The little gii-1 carried hira into another large room, where a ladv sat sewing, and said, "Mamma, just see, one of Mrs. Robin's babies has come to make us a visit. Is he not a dear little fellow?" " So this little girl has a mamma too, just as I have," said the little robin to himself, and he thrust out his head to have a peep at her. ""What a bright little bird," said the little girl's mother, "And how much he looks like his papa. I wonder if he will be so sweet a singer?" At this, young robin said, "Pip, pip," and then hastily drew in his head as though ashamed of his attempt to sing. "That sounds very sweet," said the lady, "but now I think you had better show him to little brother, and then take him back to his home in the cherry tree." Helen then carried him into another large room, where a dear little boy with bright golden curls sat playing with some blocks. "See, brother," said Helen, "here is one of the baby robins who lives in the cherry tree, and he has come to make us a visit this morning." The little boy stroked the robin's back, saying, " How I wish papa could see him." " "Well," thought the little robin, "this home is just like my home, having a papa, a mamma and little brothers and sisters. I wonder if my mamma docs not want to see me?" And he began to cry "Pip, pip, pip" so loudlj' that the mother robin heard him and flew over to the window, calling "Pip, pip, pip, pip." The little girl opened her hand and the baby robin flew away to join his mother, then both flew away to the cherry tree where the others were waiting to hear about their brother's visit. The children spread cruml)s upon the window sill the next da}', and the robins flew over to eat them. In a very few days they bee ;une so well acquainted, that they would eat crumbs from the window sill while the children stood inside and watched them, and I am very sure that the little robin was always glad that he made his first visit into a home where the little brothers and sisters were kind to each other, A LITTLE BOY'S DREAM.— Second Week. AYarreu was out in his garden digging, when grandfather came out of the house and sat upon a garden seat near by. " Well, my little boy, what do you think 3 ou should find if you were able to dig through the earth to the other side ?" "Win,! am sure I do not know," said "\Yarren, "whatshould I find, grandpa?" "People," said grandfather, "people so ditfereut from you that you would scarcely be able .to think that they were human like you." And then grandfather began to tell about all the funny people who live in different parts of the earth, while "W^arren listened with eyes wide open. "O, grandfather," said he, "how I wish I could go on a journey and see all these people and their little children." " "V\^hen you are older and can read books, you may go on a journey around the world, without moving out of j^our little chair if you wish." "How funny," thought "\A"arren, " I wonder what grandpa means?" He slipped down from the seat and climbed into his hammock, and was soon fast asleep. No sooner had he fallen asleep, than he began to go upon a journey in his dreams. Away he went, far, far fi'om home, until he reached a land where there were no trees, and it was very cold. At first he saw nothing but snow and ice, but suddenly he came upon the funniest long, round things made of very hard frozen blocks of snow. " I wonder what these are," thought Warren, and just then something very funny crawled out of a small opening near the ground, and stood up and looked at him. " This must be one of the Esquimaux people," thought Wari-eu, taking off his cajj and making a polite bow. " Is that your house?" asked he. The man replied, "Yes; would you like to go inside?" Warren crawled into it upon his hands and knees, and then stood up and looked around. A window was made in the top by placing in a piece of transparent ice, and by this light he saw the bed, made by piling blocks of snow one upon the other and covered with fur skins of animals, a lamp in the middle of the room, made by placing FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 191 moss into a dish made of snow aud pouriug oil upon it. Tliis was all the furniture, and there was the mother dressed in a fur skin which had a large hood upon the back of it, out of which peeped a dear little baby Esquimaux, with dark skin just like his maiiinia aud papa. "Do 3'ou like to live in this sort of a house?" asked "Warreu. "Yes," they answered; "is there auy other kind of house in the world?" "They are just like I was," thought "Warren, "before grandfather told me there were other people in the world." Then he told them about his home, which surprised them greatly, aud after inviting them to visit him some day, he started again upon his travels. On, on he went, until he came to a very warm country, and saw many strange people moving about. They all had black skins, and short, curly hair, which looked more like black wool than hair. It was so warm that they wore no clothing, and Warren could feel the great drops of perspiration stand out upon his forehead. "Do you like to live in such a warm couutr}-?" said "Warren to a large man M'ho sat sewing some skins together. "O, yes," he replied, " we do not like cold weather, and when it comes, we put on our heavy fur cloaks." "Warren then asked if he might go into one of the houses? He found that it was round just like that of the Esquimaux, but had no window, aud was nuide of sticks placed in the ground aud tied together at the top, after which they were covered with bark which was fastened on with vines as strong as ropes. He saw that the black mothers also carried their babies upon their backs in a pocket, which was made by tying about their waist a broad piece of fur skin, leaving it loose at the back. The baby seemed very happy, and quite like the babies "Warren had seen in his own countr}*, except for its dark skin. Warren bade them good-bj-e aud was soon on his way again, finding himself at last in the land of China. "These people are the funniest I have seen," thought he, and he laughed heartily at the queer pig tails which the Chinamen wore, some of them hanging down their liacks, and some carrying the ends of them under their arms. The women had very small feet, and every one whom Warren met, carried a fan. One of them invited Warren into his house and gave him a bowl of rice and two chop-sticks with which to eat. Poor Warren soon found that he could eat very little rice, as he had always been accustomed to using a spoon. Each Chinaman had a lantern, and he never went out at night without taking it with him. They had uo partition walls in their houses but used screens to divide into rooms. For their windows they used oiled paper instead of glass, aud Warren noticed that every Chinaman was kind and good to his father and mother. " Would j'ou like a fan aud lantern to take with you back to your country?" asked the man who gave hira the rice. "Yes, indeed," said Warren, aud he thanked the strange man very politely, sa3ing he thought he would start home as he was tired with so much traveling. Holding tight to his fan and lantern he suddenly felt himself going down, down, down, and then he heard a sweet voice say, "Wh}-, Warren, are you not almost baked with this hot sun shining down upon 3'ou?" And there stood mamma over him wiping the perspiration from his forehead with her handkerchief, and he found that he had not been out of his hammock, aud that he did not have a fan and lantern, but had dreamed this wonderful journey instead of re ally taking it. " But it was about as good as going," Warren told grandfather. THREE BUTTERFLIES.— Third Week. One bright summer da}', three butterflies were playing together among the green leaves and lovely flowers. They had visited nearly every flower in the large garden, and were just getting ready to fly over into an orchard near by, when the tiny Mhite butterfly said, "Just see how dark it is growing! " aud then the red and the yellow butterflies saw that a great black cloud seemed to be comiug nearer and nearer the earth, and before they could fly away to their homes, down came the raindrops, pitter, patter, and the little butterflies felt their wings getting wet, so they flew hastily over to a jellow tulip near by, and asked if they might stay until the rain ceased. "Certainly," said the tulip; " but I fear that onlj^ the yellow l)utterfly may come in, as I have not room enough to contain all." They tried to get in, but they could not, so the yellow butterfly said, "I will not come in and leave my little friends out in the rain, so I think we will hunt some other flower." "Go across to the tiger lily," said the tulip; "perhaps it will be large enough." Away they flew, and faster came the raindrops, so that the little butterflies were almost drowned before they reached the tiger lily, with its brown spots on a glossy red coat. "May we come into j'our house out of the rain?" asked the red butterfly. " Oh, yes," answered the red lily, and opened as wide as she could; but, alas, there was no room for the white butterfly, so they had to fly away again, which they could scarce!}' do, for their wings were heavy and they could not move them easily, but they tried to 192 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS be brave, and all at once tliey heard a gentle flower-voice say, " I think I can make room for you little butterflies," and there was a stately white Easter lily bending toward them with a large cup opened wide, so they flew in and nestled close to her heart of gold, and there was just room enough for the three to fit suugly. The lily told them beautiful stories which 3'ou and I could not hear with our outside ears, but we mi^ht if we listened with those inside ears which we can not see, because tjiey belong to our hearts. After a time the sunbeams came out again, and the butterflies said good-bye to the lily and flew away, but the lily always remembered how kind they were to each other, and was ever glad to see them when they came into the garden. (Adapted). STORKS.— Third Week. Storks are very large birds with long legs, and they like t(j build tiicir nests up high in chimnej's, steeples and towers. There was once upon a time a mother and father stork who built their nest in the top of a chimney which had not been used for a long time, and there they took care of four baby storks and were very happy and contented, but one day the chimney next to the one upon which this nest was built took lire, and the smoke soon made the storks very uncomfortable. The poor mother did not know what to do, for her babies were too young to push out of the nest, and she could not carry them awaj'. She flew back and forth across the nest, flapping her great wings to make a breeze, and so try to fan away some of the smoke, for she thought the chimney would cease burning after a time, but the whole house was on fire, and there came a great shower of burning soot, which fell all about them. Quickly the mother flew upon the nest, and spreading her large wings over the baby storks, protected them from the burning mass, let- ting it fall upon her own wings and back, because she did not want her babies to be burned. Some men below, saw her, and climbed a ladder to take her down. Then how glad the mother was as she saw her nest and babies taken out of the teri'ible fire and smoke, but she could never fl}' any more, for one poor wing was almost burned away, and she always lived among the people who rescued her, going about the market place and eating all the scraps, so helping to keep the market clean. (Adapted). DAVID AND GOLIATH.— Sixth Week. There was once upon a time, iu a country far away, a man who had eight sons, the youngest of whom was a beautiful lad with bright rosy cheeks, and a face so pleasant to look upon, that every one loved him. This lad the father sent to take care of his sheep, and his name was David. All day long he watched his sheep as they grazed upon the green grass, and if any wandered away and became lost among the thorn bushes, David would take his shepherd's crook and search for the lost sheep until it was found and brought back. There were two things which this shepherd boy liked to do ; one was to play upon his harp, making low, sweet music very pleasing to hear; the other, to shoot pebbles from a sling which he always carried with him. He never crossed a small brook without stopping to pick up some of the smooth pebbles which lay in the water bed, for he knew tiiat he might need them to shoot any wild animals which came near him and his sheep. One time a lion took one of tho lambs, but David went after him and killed him and brought back the lamb to its nu)ther. He was a very brave shepherd boy. No one was ever brave with- out sometime having a chance to help people, so David came to a time iu his life when he did something which helped many people. His older brothers had gone with their king to fight against some wicked people who were trying to do them harm. These people had among them a terrible giant whose name was Goliath, who was larger than any two men in the army. Every day this giant would come out and shout in a terrible voice, "Send a man over to fight me, and if I kill him all the people must be our servants." He was so big and had such a large sword that everybody was afraid. One day David's father sent him with some food to his brothijrs, and he heard about the terrible giant. Quickl}- he ran to the king, saying, "Let me go to fight him." The king said, "You are so small, David, Goliath would kill you instantly;" but David told the king about the lion which he had killed, and begged him to let him go, saying, "God will take care of me and help me." The king gave his consent, and David chose five smooth stones out of the brook, placing them in his shepherd's bag. The giant Goliath saw him coming, and was very angry FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 193 that so snuiU a man should be sent. He begau to quaii-cl and make fun of David, but the shepherd boy was not afraid, for he knew that God would take care of him. When he came near the giant he put his hand in his bag, took a stone and placed it in his sling. Away flew the stone, smiting the wicked giant in the forehead, and he fell with his face upon the earth. When the wicked people saw that the big giant was dead, they ran away. In this picture (Joiner) you will see the giant and the small boy David, whom God chose to kill the giant, and whom he afterwards made king over all the country. WILLIAM TELL.— Fourth Week. Once upon a time there lived a man named William Tell, in the beautiful country of Switzerland. He had lived all his life among the mountains, and could climb fi-om cliff to cliff like the animals, never being the least afraid. He never left his little mountain home without his bow and arrow, with M'hich he had practiced so much that he could shoot any murk at which he aimed. His two sons, Walter and Wilhelm, like the father in this respect, were fond of shooting with a bow and arrow. William Tell and his boys had lived among the mountains so long that they felt as free as the birds which flew about. But one time their little countiy came into the possession of a man called the emperor, which means the same as Iring, whom you know has power to make the people of his country do just as he wishes. This emperor sent a I'uler to Switzerland who was very cruel, and did many harsh things to the Swiss people which I do not think the emperor wished him to do. Among other things he placed a cap upon the end of a tall pole, and set it up in a street through which the people passed, saying that all mIio passed that way must bend the knee, and do homage to the cap, just as though it were the emperor himself. Of course this was a very foolish thing, and the people were very angry about it, because they were respectful to their emperor, and did not need an empty cap upon a pole to make them remember him. This wicked ruler set some soldiers near the pole to watch the people as they passed, telling them to take every one to prison who failed to bow before it. One day William Tell and his son Walter came into the street and walked straight by the cap without bowing. I presume they did not think of it at all, but immediately the soldiers seized them and started to prison with them. On their way they met the wicked ruler, who stopped to talk with them, and find out who they were that had disobeyed him. When he found that William Tell and his son were the prisoners, he said, "You are such a master of the bow and arrow, that I would like to see you shoot. You shall shoot an apple from the head of your boy, and if you succeed you may both be free, but if you fail you shall both die." This was terrible, and made all the people turn pale. William Tell, who was so sui'e of his bow at other times, begged the wicked man not to compel him to shoot the apple from his boy's head. Walter was such a brave boy, and trusted his father so much, that he began to plead with him to try, saying, " I know that you will hit the apple, father, and I shall be so still, I will not move so much as a finger." So they placed him under a tree, at a long distance from his father, with the apple upon his head. William Tell, knowing there was no other way of escape, drew his bow and away sped the arrow, piercing the apple right through the core, and leaving Walter unhurt, who ran to his father and embraced him, saying, " I knew you would hit the apple, father." THREE LITTLE FISHES.— Ninth Week. Once upon a time, there -were three little fishes who lived in a quiet brook, which flowed gently along at the foot of a hill, upon which grew great forest trees. The birds made their homes in these trees, and sang joyously all the day long, while many a little frisky squirrel jumped from branch to branch, often com- ing down to the brook to get a drink of cool clear water, and chat with the fishes which lived there. You know every living thing in this world can talk in some way, and if you can not always hear them, or'un- derstand them, you must not think that a reason for believing that they can not talk. So of course you will not be surprised when I tell you what one of these little fishes said to a gray squirrel one bright sum- mer morning. "Why don't you come and live in the water? " was the question he asked, as the squirrel looked over into the shining brook. "I live in the water? " exclaimed the squirrel, "Why I would not do so for all you could give me ; I like to climb trees and hunt for nuts, to store away for winter. And it is such fine fun to shake them down, and hear them rattle upon the gi'ound, to say nothing of playing 194 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS ' Ta?' with niv brother squirrels. No indeed, 1 should not like to live iu the water." Then he scampered away so fast that he was soon lost to sight. The other little fishes had heard him talking, and now each one began to tell what he should like to do. "1 wish I could live in the trees with the birds and squirrels," said the first fish, "it must be so nice to be up high in the world, so that one may look down upon the thino-s which are beneath." "I should like to go to the great ocean," said the second fish, "fori heard a little boy telling his sister about the wonderful creatures which live in the ocean, and the large vessels which sail upon it. This is such a very small place that I am quite tired of living here." "As for me," said the third little fish, "I have often thought I should like to take a journey to the sun, which is always shining so brightly, for I am quite sure there are wonderful things to be seen in the sun world." "I see no reason why we should stay here, since we all wish to live in other places," said the first fish, "so let us say good-bve to each other and start upon our journeys." At this all the little water drops in the bi'ook liegan to cry out, " A brook is tlie place for small fish like you," but the little fishes were sure they knew better, so they paid no attention to the song of the water drops. The fish who wished to go to sea, beeau to swim very rapidly down stream and at last came to a place where the brook met another brook, and the two coming together made quite a large stream. Into this the little fish swam very boldlv, and was quite delighted to see a large white object, which he mistook for a vessel, but it was only a small skiff, which a little boy and girl were rowing. "This must be the ocean," thought the little fish, as he swam gaily al)out, "I am very glad I came." Just then a fish, which seemed enormous in size, to our little friend, came swimming along, opening and closing his large mouth. " What a nice little fish for my breakfast," he said, and made directly for our little friend. " How I wish I was back in \\\y own small brook-home," said the little fish, " I did not know there were such monsters in the ocean," and he o-ave a great bound straight up out of the water, coming down upon something soft, so frightened that he could do nothing but twist his little body in a helpless manner. He soon found that he had fallen into the lap of the little girl in the boat, whom he now heard saying, "How do yow suppose this tiny little fellow manao'ed to take such a leap as that? Let us put him into a bucket of water and take him home with us, and then put him into our little brook, for this is too large u place for so snuill a fi.sh." So they filled a bucket with water and placed the little fish into it, and our poor little friend was so glad to be away from the dreadful monster who wished to eat him, that he forgot all about his desire to reach the ocean, and wished heartily that he was back with his little brothers. Now let us see what became of the little fish who wanted to live in the trees with the squirrels and birds. Swimming close to the shore, he tried to climb up the bank, but fishes were not made for climbing you know, and he found that he would never get up iu that manner, so he thought he would try darting. This he did several times and at last succeeded iu throwing himself out upon the grass, where he lay very still, for be was aliuost exhausted. When he became rested, he said, "Now I shall swim straight to the top of this great tree close by." Poor little fish, he did not know that fishes can only swim in the water, so he bravel}' moved his fins and tail, believing that he could swim up a tree as easily as the s(juirrel climbed it, but alas! he could not move one bit. So he began to wriggle very hard, and found that all he could do was to turn over, after a great amount of hard work. Just then a snail came crawling along, and seeing the little fish twisting and turning,' he asked, "What are you doing out of the water, my friend? " " I am trving to climb a tree," said the fish, " but I find it such hard work, that I wish I was back in my water home." "You will never be able to climb a tree," said the snail, " for only things which are made to climb ever succeed, and you were nuide to swim, just as I am nuide to crawl, so if you wish I will try to help you back into tlie brook." "Yes, please do," said our friend, "I will surely stay in mv own place if I ever get back again." Then the snail began to push the little fish very slowly (for he could not crawl rapidly), and the poor little fellow was suffering for water, for he had been out a long time, and fishes can not o^et along without water. After much hai'd work, the snail succeeded in pushing him into the water, and the little fish was very happy once more, but he could see nothing of his two little brothers, for 3'ou know one was in the bucket of water, and the other we shall now hear about. He, you remember, wanted to take a trip to the sun, so when he left his brothers he kept darting up out of tlie water, wou- derinf how he should get started, when suddenly a dark shadow was cast upon the water, and he felt himself lifted out, and carried up, up. "Now I am going to the sun," said the little fish, "in tiie mouth of this beautiful bird," and he looked down and beheld the brook, trees and flowers below, and they seemed FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 195 to grow smaller aud smaller, but his little body was growing ver}' warm and uncomfortable, and the bird held him very tightly, so that he felt it was not as pleasant as it might be. Just then another bird flew near and said, "AVhere did you get that nice lish for your dinner?" "Will the bird eat me?" thought the little fish in terror. "I wish I had not tried to go to the sun." The other bird kept flying about, and all at once he said, " I have some babies to feed, so I shall take your fish from 3'ou and you may get another." Birds that get their living in that way do not know any better than to take each other's food. The first bird did not wish to give up the fish, so the other bird flew round and round him, and in the race the bird opened his mouth, aud our little friend quickly darted out, and fell down, down, down, so far that he thought he should never reach the world ; Init, to his great surprise, he found himself back in the very same brook, and there was his brother who wanted to climb trees. Two happier little fish you could not find anywhere, and they told each other all that had happened, and felt very sorry that their little brother had not been fortunate enough to get home. " Perhaps he did not have so hard a time as we," they said. "But we are glad we are back home." As they ceased talking they heard a voice say, "There, you little fish, you may live in our brook," and in came their little brother, whom the little girl had brought in the bucket of water. Such a happy time now, and you could hear the splash of the water drops in the brook, as they sang, "The brook is the place for small fish like you," and the fishes said they would always listen to that song, aud remember it if they ever thought of traveling again. CHRISTMAS STORY— WHAT THE SHEPHERDS FOUND.— Fifteenth Week. In the far-a-wav Eastern country the shepherds were wont to lead their flocks out tu the grassy plains, and let them graze during the day, returning at night to the sheep-fold where they were taken care of and tenderly watched lest any harm should come to them. One night some shepherds had placed their sheep in the fold and while one of them watched, the others wrapped their shepherd's cloaks about them and laid down upon the ground to sleep. The shepherd who watched, was looking up at the beautiful stars, when suddenly, a great light shone out of the heavens, making all around as bright as noon day. The frightened shepherd woke his companions and they all fell upon their faces on the ground, not daring to look at the brilliant light, but a low, sweet voice said, "Fear not, for behold I bring you glad tidiugs of great joy." Then the shepherds lifted their heads and saw an angel, robed in white, aud they listened breathlessly while he told them that a Baby-King was born in the City of Bethlehem, aud they must go imme- diately to worship Him. "Aud this shall be a sign to you," said the angel. "Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." When he had ceased speaking, suddenly there fell upon the still night air the sound of singing, a great number of angels blending their voices and singing the same sweet song, "Glory to God, and on earth peace, good will to men." It was the most beautiful song the shepherds had ever heard, aud the melody of the angels' song has been ringing in the hearts of men ever since that glad tinae. Then the angel voices died away in the distance, and the shepherds looked at each other, .saying, "What shall we do? Can we leave our sheep unwatched?" "God will take care of the sheep," said one. " And we will hasten to worship the new-born king." So, leaving their sheep, they went straightway to Bethlehem, and coming to the door of the inn they inquired for the babe. There was no room in the inn, so Mary, the mother of the Christ-child, had wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in the manger, upon the sweet, clean hay. There the shepherds found Him, looking just like the dear little ])abies which uuiny of 3'ou have iu your homes. The shepherds knew that He was God's own Sou, and lIJs great gift to the world, so they knelt and worshipped Him. They told His mother about the wondrous light, and the angel who spake unto them, and bade them seek the babe, and then of the beautiful song which they had heard sung by the angels, that men might know of the joy in heaven, over the birth of the glorious king. The mother was glad to hear the shepherds' story, and she remem- bered all that they told her, and thouglit how good the Father aliove is to His earthly children. The shepherds now began their journey back to their fold, and they lifted up their voices to praise God, as they went, telling the story of the Baby-King to everyone whom they met, uutil soon all the people were wondering about the little child. They liegan to come from far and near to see Him. There were over in the far Eastern country some wise old men who had been thinking about the King, whom God had promised, and they had prayed to God so often about Him, that God remembered them now, and he sent a beautiful shining star to lead them to the place where the babe lay. They came across the sandy desert iy6 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS which we talked about, upon the backs of camels, aud the star moved ever before them, until at last it stopped over the place where the Christ-child lay. The wise men went in and worshipped Him, presenting gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, after which they departed to their homes. We have all tried to remember what a great gift God gave to us, and just as He gave the very best which He had, to show how much He loved us, so we will give the best which we have, to show how much we love each other. "THE BUILDING OF THE SHIP."— Twenty-third Week. (Adapted from Longfellow's Poem). To-day I mean to tell you a beautiful story which I read in a book, and when you are older you may read it yourselves just as it was written. It is about a ship builder, a man who had built ships all his life and loved his work so well that every ship was just like a child to him. Indeed, they were his ship- children, and he loved every one of them. His ship-yard was by the side of a great ocean, and all the workmen could hear the deep, deep song it sang, as though it tried to say, "Hurry and get the ship ready to come to me." One day a merchant who had heard of the wonderful ships which the master built, came and said : " Build me straight, O worthy master; Stanch and strong, a goodly vessel That shall laugh at all disaster And with wave and whirlwind wrestle." He wanted a ship so strong that the waves aud winds could not break any part of it. The master was glad when he heard the merchant, for he loved to build ships, and was glad to hear people praise them, just as your mothers are glad to hear people say that you are good children. A quiet smile played around his lips, and with a voice that was full of glee he answered : " Ere long we will launch A vessel as goodly and strong and stanch As ever weathered a wintry sea." Then the merchant went away, and the good master sat down to think how he should build this won- derful ship. "I know," said he. "I will build first, a baby-ship, which shall be just like the large one in every part, then the large one will be the papa-ship." He began his work, thinking of all the ships he had ever made, so that he might put the best in them, into this ship, which was to be the best of all. When he had finished the baby-ship he walked out iuto the ship-yard, holding it in his hands, and there "Lay the timber piled around." Every kind of wood, some of which had been brought from countries far away, for " There's not a ship that sails the ocean But every climate, every soil Must bring its tribute, great or small, And help to build the wooden wall." As the master stood looking about him, a young man came and stood by his side listening earnestly to all the master said about the building of this ship, and down in his heart he thought, "How I wish the good master would let me try to build this ship." Just then the master turned, and looking straight in the young man's eyes, said: " Thus will we build this ship: Lay square the blocks upon the slip, And follow well this plan of mine. Choose the timbers with greatest care ; Of all that is unsound beware ; A goodly frame, and a goodly fame, And the Union shall be her name ! For the day that gives her to the sea Shall give my daughter unto thee! " So you see the master, who had learned how happy it makes people to work, was willing to share his joy with this young man and to give him, when he had finished his work, his own dear daughter, who was kind and good and made every one around her happy. FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 197 Early in the morning, when the sun began to send the first sunbeams to the earth, the young builder began his work, and you should have heard the merry sound of hammers, axes and mallets as the work- men's strong arms cut and put together the heavy timbers, and " Amid the clamors Of clattering hammers He who listened heard now and then The song of the master and his men :^ ' Build me straight, O worthy master, Stanch and strong, a goodly vessel That shall laugh at all disaster. And with wave and whirlwind wrestle.' " After many weeks of patient labor the great ship was finished, and the master and workmen looked like tiny specks as they stood beside the immense vessel, strong and beautiful in all its parts. At the bow an artist had carved in wood a fiorure of the master's daughter. "And at the mast-head, ■JVhite, blue and red, A flag unrolls the stripes and stars." The day has come when the great ship is to be launched, that is, put out into the mighty ocean. " The great sun rises to behold the sight, The ocean old, Paces restless to and fro, Up and down the sands of gold." And the great crowd of people, who have come to see the launching, are almost as restless as the old ocean. Upon the deck stand the master, his daughter and the brave young ship-builder, whose eyes are shining with the joy he feels, because the master has said to him, " Well done." " Then the master. With a gesture of command. Waved his hand ; And at the word Loud and sudden, there was heard, A 11 around them and below, The sound of hammers, blow on blow. Knocking away the shores and spurs. And see! She stirs. She starts — she moves. And with one joyous bound. She leaps into the ocean's arms." And then on she sails, while the waves play all around her, seeming glad to have this "goodly vessel, that shall laugh at all disaster, and with wind and whirlwind wrestle." STORY OF THE FLAX.— Twenty-fourth Week. (Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen.) There was once a little flax plant which stood in the field with many others. It had grown from a small brown seed, and its roots extended as far into the earth below as its green stalk did into the air above. One morning the fiax plant and all its brothers and sisters were covered with tiny blue flowers, and the sun shone and the dew sparkled upon them, making the field fair and beautiful to look upon. "How happy I am," said our little flax plant. "It is such a good thing to grow always and to change into something better each time. Who would have believed that I should bear beautiful blue flowers when I was only a small seed? " And then it began to sing a song, always closing with the words, "The song is not ended, the song is not ended." The little plant was so happy that it soon made the whole field happy, and presently all the plants were nodding in the breeze and saying, "The song is not ended, the song is not ended." One day the plant lost all its flowers, and little hard seeds came in their places, looking like the seed from which the plant grew, except their color, which was green. After a time the color changed and the leaves began to fall, while the stalks turned yellow. "I am changing into something else," said the flax. 198 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS "So the song is oot ended." One day some men came and pulled all the plants up by their roots, which was not pleasant, but the flax sang still the same, same song, although it was steeped in water and seemed going all to pieces, after which it was dried in the sun, then combed and put upon a wheel, which moved round and round so rapidly that the flax was stretched and twisted and pulled, so that it could hardly sing its song. After many things had been done to it, at last it became a beautiful piece of linen, which was placed upon the grass and sprinkled with water each evening and turned over each morning until it became white as snow. "I am more l)cautiful than ever," said the flax, "and some garments are to be made of me, for I heard the mistress of the house say so," and still it sang, "The song is not ended." The linen was cut and made into twelve shirts, and so it became of use to the people who had taken so much care of it ; but after many years the little pieces began to fall apart and the garments were no longer fit to be worn. "What will become of me now," thought the flax, still singing its song, "I shall surely be changed into something else, for it has always been so." It was so, for the linen rags were sent to a mill, where they were again steeped in water, and made into pulp, then rolled with large machines until smooth, clean white paper was made of them. "This is indeed a surprise," said the flax. "Now I shall have beautiful stories written upon me, which all the people shall read iind become good and happy." Day after day the flax waited, still singing, "The song is not ended," until one morning a lady sat down and taking up the paper, began to write upon it a story for little children, about the "Christ Child," who was born in Bethlehem, and the shepherds who found him first; a story which all little children love to hear. The lady wrote so beautifully that all who read her story loved the Christ of whom she wrote. "All the world will be better because of the story which is written upon me," said the flax, "and I shall travel all over the world." But the paper did not go upon its travels, for it was sent to a printer, who printed the story into many books, and sent the paper l)ack to the lady who wrote it. "This is better," said the flax, "for I could not have lasted very long, and the books are better and will reach more people than I, but "The song is not ended." The paper was laid away in an old box, and there it remained for a long time, during which nothing was done to it. One day the children were told to burn all the papers in the box, which they did, standing before the open fireplace to see the sparks fly out the chimney, calling them children coming from school. "The last spark shall be the schoolmaster," said they. Each time one went up alone they would cry, "There goes the schoolmaster," but another would come and still another. At last the very last one did come, and as it mounted up the chimney it sang, "The song is not ended. The most beautiful is yet to come." But the little children did not understand, nor did they know where the little spark went, nor what it changed into. WHY THE VALLEY LILIES HANG THEIR HEADS.— Twenty-eighth Week. It was the night before Easter. All the beautiful lilies had donned their pure white dresses, ready for the morrow, to gladden the hearts of weary men and women, who would pause a moment to look at the lovely robes of the lilies and think of Him who said, "Consider the lilies, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin ; and yet, I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Everyone was ready, even the tiny lilies of the valley, and were only waiting for the stars to come out and bring thein a little golden touch which should give to each lily a heart of gold. Without this, no lily could be perfect on the morrow, though its robe were ever so spotless, for the children, when they came to pluck them, opened wide their bright eyes saying, Lily, lily, I am told, That you have a heart of gold ; And if one I do not find, I shall think you were not kind. So the dear old moon above, Could not send a star of love. To place within yoar white dress fold. The precious little heart of gold. You may be sure that every lily was trembling with excitement on this Easter eve, and watching anxiously for the first star to appear in the sky above ; for the lily which received the first golden heart was the queen of all the lilies, chosen because she had been the most patieut in waiting for her white robe and golden heart. FOR K'INDERGARTXERS. 199 Up ill the far-away sky, the dear old inoou is very busy couutiiig out the golden hearts and is careful and watchful lest she miss one of her lily children in the earth below. Now, at last, every one is counted, and calling all lier star messengers together, she bids them light their lanterns while she tucks the golden hearts safely in their pockets and whispers a message of love into each listening ear. Happy little stars. So glad are they to be the messengers of joy, that the heavens are made to shine with the brightness of their smiles, while the lilies looking up from below, see them coming one by one, until at last the sky is glowing with tiny golden lanterns, and the lilies are made happ}' as each one receives in turn, the golden heart from the shining star messenger, which shall tell to all the world the story of a flower that lived its life, just as God made it to live, and to which He had given a robe of beauty and a heart of worth. Hear the rustling song of gratitude as the lilies gently nod their happy heads. But alas ! In the midst of all the happiness, is heard the sound of weeping. The beautiful lilies turn their heads to see why one is sad, and behold a dear little valley lily which has no golden heart. "Did your star of love not come to-night?" ask the sympathetic lilies, and the weeping one answers, "No, and to-morrow the little children will sing the song and search for the golden hearts, and I alone, of all my sisters, shall be thrown awaj^ for nobody will have a lily without the golden heart of kindness." All the lily heads are bowed in sorrow now, and the kind mother moon looking down sees her happy \\\y children weeping bitterly. " Why do my lilies weep," she asks, and one little baby lily tells the sad story : "Our sister has no golden heart, and we are sad because of her grief." "Why," said the moon, "where is her star?" "It did not come to-night, and we think it nmst be lost." Every star becomes at once a messenger to search for the lost star, and they hasten to all parts of the heavens, and the mother moon is anxious because of the tiny heart which is lost. When all have searched carefully, one star runs rapidly aci'oss the heavens to peep behind a very black rain-cloud, although they ail agree it is the last place to expect to find a bright messenger star. There he is, cuddled up in a dark corner, the light in his lantern very low. The mother moon sends all the stars away, while she bends over this one, shedding a soft kindly light about him, and asks lovingly, "Why, my little messenger, why are j'ou here?" "Oh," cries he, mournfully, "I feel so little among my larger brothers, that I shall not go to the earth to-night, for I can do no good with such a tiny light, and even that is going out. I mean to stay in this black cloud forever for I am worth nothing." Then the mother moon, who knew her star- children so well, sent some messengers back to the lilies to comfort them, while she drew the sad little star close to her side and told him the stor}' of the lilies. How, even then, the valley lilies were weeping, and their pretty heads were bowed in distress because one sister had no golden heart, a little messenger star having failed to go to the earth that night with a precious bundle which no other star could deliver, and the people would call it a worthless flower upon the morrow. Up rose the star, crying, " I will hasten to the earth," and gathering up his lantern he raced down the shining heavens until he reached the side of the lily whose heart he had kept. As he placed it within the fold of her dress, he found it had grown so large and bright that the lily's dress shone with the glory of it. The children said, when they gathered the lilies upon the glad Easter morn, " Surely this was the kindest of all, because she has the largest heart," but 3'ou will ever find the valley lilies with drooping heads. STORY— A LITTLE GERMAN BOY.— Thirty-second Week. INIany jears ago, in a German home across the sea, a dear little baby boy was born. It was in the month of April, when the raindrops were waking the flowers, and the earth had donned her lovely Spring- time dress. The birds sang gaily in the trees, and amidst all the brightness and beauty, little Frederick Froebel was born. His mother and father loved him dearlv, but when he was just one year old his mother died. He was left to the care of an old lady who kept house for his father, who was a minister and told people about Jesus whom the shepherds found. They were very poor people and lived in a small house, but everything in it was as clean as it could possibly be. The bedstead had very high posts, and there were three feather-beds upon it, which made it so high that a little child would have to climb upon a step- ladder in order to get into the bed. There was a cedar chest for clothes, a table upon which books were placed, and two wooden chairs with high backs near the table, ancj a large press with five drawers in which 200 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS were kept sheets, pillow-cases, table-cloths and towels. In the kitchen there was a stove, so well polished that you could see your face iu it, a table, some wooden chairs, a bench with a cedar bucket upon it and bright tins hanging by the side of the stove. When Froebel was a little, M'ee baby boy, he had a rag doll with which he loved to play, and as he grew older and was allowed to run about, he began to love the birds and flowers. Across the street from his little home, some men were building a church and little Froebel soon became interested in their work and watched all they did. After a time he began to pick up the snuill pieces of wood which they threw away, and soon became a small builder himself, using his rough blocks to make houses, churches, schools, bridges, boats, chairs, tables and all other things of which he could think. Wlien he was seven years old he went to live witli an uncle who kept a school for boys. He was very happy, for he had other children with whom to play, and was not lonely as he had been in his own home. They often had picnics iu the woods, where they built houses of branches, twigs and leaves. At other times they put on caps, and with drums and swords they would march like soldiers. When Froebel grew to be a man bethought he would be a farmer because beloved to see things grow, but something iu his heart made him want to do something which would help little children, for he remem- bered how lonely he M'as when a little boy, because no one thought of giving him au}' work to do. He left his farm and went about visiting the mothers wlio had little children, seeing all that they did to make their children happy. After thinking along time, he said, " Instead of having a garden where flowers grow, I mean to have a garden where children shall grow." So he made the Kindergarten, which means, a child- garden, and just as the flowers in our world grow beautiful by pushing out from the inside all the beauty which God placed there, so Froebel took care of his little child-plants and made them beautiful, by helping them push out iuto the world the beauty which God had put into their hearts. Soon j^eople began to see what a wonderful work Froebel was doing, and a few good people began to help him iu his work. He taught other people how to teach the little children, and made all the things which we use iu our Kinder- garten, as well as the songs, games and the pictures which I show you M'hen we learn a new song. Little children all over the world who know about Froebel, love him because his work makes them so happ}'. THE LITTLE MATCH-SELLER.— Thirty-fifth Week. There was once a poor little girl who had no mother to take care of her, for God had taken her mother to a home in heaven. This little girl walked about the streets of a great city trying to sell matches, so that she might buy something to eat. One cold M-Jnter day when the snow lay upon the ground, she had not sold a single box of matches, and was very cold and hungry, for her shoes were full of holes and her dress was ragged. Towards evening she crawled into an entrance between two houses, thinking she would be sheltered from the cold. Drawing her feet under her, she sat still and began to think of the beautiful heaven-home which her poor sick mother had told her about, where there was light all the time, and no one was cold and hungry. "I will light a match," said she. " Perhaps it will make me warm." She scratched it against the wall, and behold ! the dark entrance was filled with a wonderful light, like unto that which the shepherds of old beheld. The little girl thought she was sitting by a warm fire in a cosy home, but suddenly the match burned out and there was only the cold brick wall. She made haste to light another. This time she seemed to be in a large room in the center of M'hich stood a table containing a nicely cooked supper. The little girl was about to eat of the food, when the match again burned away and she was left in darkness. Again she struck a match, and this time she beheld a wonderful Christmas tree full of lighted candles, each one of which rose higher and higher until they seemed like bright stars in the sky, among which appeared the face of her mother, glad and happy. She extended her arms toward her little girl, who made haste to light all the matches which she had left, lest the beautiful picture should fade into darkness again. "Take me with you, mother," she cried, and the mother took the child in her arms and carried her up, up, into the heavenlj' brightness far above the cold earth, where there was no pain, nor cold, nor hunger, for they were with God. In the morniug the people found the little girl's body in the entrance, and they said, "Poor little thing, she is frozeu," but they did not know of the beautiful pictures which she saw, nor whither she had gone with her mother. (Adapted.) FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 201 THE LAST DREAM OF THE OLD OAK.— Thirty-seventh Week. (Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen.) In the edge of a beautiful old forest, not far from the sea-shore, grew a tall oak tree. Its branches were wide-spreading and strong, and had served as building foundations for numy a nest of happy birds, who had often been sung to sleep by the murmur of the rolling waves below. The oak tree was very old, having lived three hundred and sixty-five years, but that M^as to the tree only as the same number of days to us, for it only had one night a year in which to sleep, onh^ sleeping in the winter season, which is its time for resting. Many little flies flitted about the old oak tree in the warm summer time, and some of these flies only lived for one day. The tree often pitied the little insects, and would say, "Poor little flies, your lives are so short." "What do you mean?" a fly would ask. "Do I not have as much sunshine and beauty as any other creature? Everything around me is so bright and warm and beautiful, that it makes me joyous and glad." "But for only one day, and then it is all over, while my day is whole seasons long, and I have many of them," said the oak. "Does all the beauty go out of the world when you die?" asked the little fly. " No," replied the tree, "It will last longer than I can even think of." "Well, then," said the little fly, "my life is as happy as yours, for I have just as much of the beauty of the world as you have, and after all the bright sunbeams live but for a day." And the little creature danced joyously about in the air, flitting over clover blossoms, wild roses and honey-suckles, until as the sun began to disappear in the west its tiny wings could no longer hold it up, so it glided slowly down upon the grass, and slept its long, long sleep. The oak tree remained awake through the morning of Spring, the noon of Summer and the evening of Autumn, and as the Winter drew near its sleepy time came also, and the wind sung about its branches, coaxing the old tree to take its rest. One by one the leaves were shaken to the ground by the nodding head of the old oak, and at last it stood with branches bare, left to rest during the long night of Winter. Once it had been a tiny oak e^^, cradled in an acorn, but now it is the largest tree in the forest, and towers so high above the other trees that the sailors in the ships, far out at sea, can see the top of it and find their way to shore. So the tree slept on, and just about Christmas time it had a wonderful dream. It dreamed that its branches were crowned with lovely green foliage, among which the sunbeams danced and played together with the summer flies and butterflies, while the air was filled with the odor of sweet wild violets. Everything that had ever happened to the old oak tree, since it first pushed its tiny leaves and rootlets out from the acorn cradle which held it, it now saw in its dream. All the people who had ever stopped to rest beneath its shade ; the birds which had made their homes in the branches, and the voices of the wood-pigeons and the cuckoo were heard. The oak tree began to feel as if new life were hastening through every root, stem and leaf, and it began to stretch and spread higher and higher, filled with a longing to reach even to the bright sun itself. The top-most branches pierced the clouds and lifted themselves among the stars, which seemed like so many beautiful eyes of little children, and the tree was very happy as they shed their light upon it. In the midst of its happiness, it remembered the small trees and shrubs which had grown beneath its branches, close beside its roots, and a great desire possessed it that they might all rise upward with it. The feeling became so strong that it could not be happy without them, and the great branches at the top waved to and fro, bending downward to look for the humble companions of its forest life. Up through the clouds beneath it they began to come, bush, herb and grass, together with all the insects and birds. The beetles hummed, the birds sang, and the air was filled with sonars of gladness. " Where is the little blue flower that grows by the water, and the purple bell flower and the daisj'?" asked the oak. "Here we are, here we are," sounded through the air. " But the lihes of the valley and the wild apple tree, Avhere are they?" "We too are here," sounded voices higher in the air. "This is too beautiful," said the oak in a joyful tone, "I have all my companions here, great and small, and not one has been forgotten. And then it began to feel as if its roots were loosening 202 PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS theuit^elves from the earth, so that it might rise to the very highest phice. Ami upon the glad Christmas morning the sailors looked in from the sea, and exclaimed, "The tree is down! The old oak, our land- mark on the coast, fell in the storm last night!" From the churches rang the glad tidings of "Peace on earth, good will to men," and the people bowed in gratitude to the merciful God who had watched over and shielded them duriuo; the terrilile storm of the night before, while from the ship sounded the notes of a song of Christmas joy, floating over the grand old oak as it lay stretched upon the shore of the mighty sea : " Sing aloud on the happy morn. All is fulfilled, for Christ is born ; With songs of joy let us loudly sing Hallelujahs to Christ our King. And the hearts of the sailors were lifted up, even as the tree had felt lifted up in its last beautiful dream on that Christmas night. FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE. Little Florence Nightingale was born across the ocean in the beautiful country of Switzerland. She was named after the City of Florence in which she was boru, and people early began to love her for the many gentle acts of kindness which the little girl was constantlj^ doing. The animals and birds were never afraid of her, even the shy squirrels coming quite close to her in order to pick up the nuts which she flung down for them to eat. Her father had a gray horse which had grown so old as to be unable to work, so she lived in a nice green meadow, and was well taken care of. Whenever Florence came near the gate, the old horse would come up to put her nose into the pocket of the little girl's dress, to find the apple or dainty bit of food which Florence always placed there for her. Little Florence especially liked to take care of sick people, and would often go to the homes where there was illness and carry something nice for the sick folks to eat, or sit beside their beds to wait upon them. A very beautiful story is told of her kindness to a poor dog. In a cottage out in the woods there lived an old shepherd, who took care of her father's sheep, living all alone except for a good old dog, named Cap, who lived with him and helped take care of the sheep. One day a boy thi'ew a stone and hurt poor Cap's leg so badly that the shepherd thought he would never get well, so he decided to kill him rather than let the poor dog suffer so much pain. Little Florence was out for a ride with a friend of her father's, and as they passed the cottage the shepherd told them of his trouble. Florence and her friend went into the cottage, and upon looking carefully at the hui-t leg they found that it was not broken, but badly bruised, so Florence bathed it with warm water, after which she carefully bound up the injured limb to the great relief of the poor dog, who feebly wagged his tail to express his thanks. The next day Floi'ence went again to see him, and again bandaged and bound his leg, and it very soon began to show signs of healing. The shepherd was very grateful to the little girl, and the dog always remembered her as one of his best friends. She always loved to work, and was constantly searching for something to do which would help people who were in distress. When she grew to be a woman, she made up her nlind that taking care of sick people was one of the best kinds of work which she could find, so she tried to learn all the ways of nursing sick people, and soon became such a good nurse that all sick people wei'e glad when she came to take care of them. After a time a great war broke out, and the poor soldiers were sick and wounded, and there was no one to take care of them, because no one seemed to know how to do it, so the people asked Miss Nightingale to go herself to the hospital where the poor soldiers were suffering and see if she could find some way to relieve them. Although she was just recovering from illness. Miss Nightingale consented to go, and taking with her thirty-four nurses, she started for the place of war. The people all over England loved her for her bravery and sweet forgetfulness of self, and everywhere she was greeted with kindness and love. When they reached the hospital they found the poor soldiers suffering intensely, and without any care except that which they were able to give to each other. These good women at once set about making them comfortable and clean, and providing good, strengthening food for them. At night, when all the doctors and nurses had gone to rest, Florence Nightingale could be seen going about through the rows of sick soldiers, with a little lamp in her hand, stopping now and then to lay her cool hand upon the fevered brow FOR KINDERGARTNERS. 203 of some poor suffei'er, and to speak a word of kiudly eucouragement to some one whose burden of pain seemed greater than he could bear. And the sound of her low, sweet voice was like the sound of lovely music in the ears of the sick, making them think of the loving mothers and sisters waiting anxiously in their homes for the soldiers to return. The sick soldiers loved her dearly, and as she passed among them with her little lamp in her hand, they would kiss her shadow as it fell across their beds, and lay their heads on their pillows again, in contentment. When the war was over the English people gave a lai-ge amount of money wiih which to build a hospital for sick people, and it was named " The Nightingale Home," in order that people may always remember how much good this lovely woman did in the w^orld. In the dining-room of this home stands a small figure of Florence Nightingale just as she looked when she went about doing good. In one hand she holds a lamp, while the (jther is held before it as she did when she wished to shade the faces of the sick from the light. Everything about the house is clean, neat and beautiful, and the nurses are all good women, who love to do good to others and who try to follow the example of Florence Nightingale. APPENDIX. APPENDIX. ROOM DECORATIONS. The cliild will be impressed by his surroundings, therefore they should be pleasing and elevating. If possible, there should be good pictures of subjects connected with the experience of the child. Every Kindergarten should have a good picture of the "Madonna and Child." A picture or bust of Columbus, Washington and Froebel, an American flag, and some pictures of birds, animals, fi'uits and flowers. If decorations consist of charts made of materials brought by the children, they should be true in design, correct in proportion, and harmonious in coloring. COLOR CHARTS. Have two of each color. A Life-Form Chart and a Form of Beauty, the latter to be made by the children. Select a normal red from the collection brought by the children, and use it in making a design illustrating the color found in some natural object, as a basket of strawberries, a bunch of cherries, a spray of scarlet geraniums, or a bunch of scarlet poppies. Cut the mathematical forms for the chikh'en's chart, letting each cue of a group paste one piece. The red chart (Form of Beauty) should be confined to the circle, ellipse and oval, using circle for center, arranging the others in relation to it, for the reason that the curved outline and curved surface are emphasized in the first weeks. Forms of Beauty should be made of normal, light and lighter. As the color is taught from the ball, it is M-ell to associate color with form, by making all the color charts upon a ciiTular piece of card-board. SUGGESTIONS FOR LIFE FORM COLOR CHARTS. ORANGE CHART. A basket of oranges, a bunch of marigolds, an oriole perching or flying. YELLOW CHART. A bunch of chrysanthemums, a basket of lemons, a group of yellow chicks. GREEN C^HART. A basket of apples, a parrot, or frogs. BLUE CHART. • . A bunch of corn flowers, forget-me-nots, or a group of blue-birds. VIOLET CHART. A bunch of pansies, morning-glories, clematis, or grapes. As the children usually bring more material than can be utilized for the charts, it is well to have a color-book made of large manila leaves, in which they shall be allowed to paste foi-ms of beauty made 208 APPENDIX. from the shades which do not harmonize with tlie normal tone, arranging the tones which do harmonize upon tlie same page. STORY CHARTS. Each week, as tlie story is told, let some child sew a picture which represents it, upon a small square card. Place in a row, adding one for each story told. This idea may be carried out in regard to the practical work. The child who finishes his work first, malve a copy, to be pasted upon a leaf and put up, in the order in which it is pasted in the book. This will enable the children in the regular review talk on Monday (Group Work), to tell the work accomplished each week. THE TIME CHART. Cards with designs for days and months may be procured of Ph. A. Meinberg, No. 1405 South Broadway, St. Louis, Mo. The seasons may be made of pictures brought by the children, arranging and shading a proper back- ground : Winter: Coasting. Spring: Blue birds, flying. Summer: Picnic, under the trees. Autumn: Gathering nuts. FAMILY CHART. In the center, upon a circular piece of card-board, place a picture of the "Madonna and Child," the best which may be obtained ; draw a larger circle outside of this, divide into six sections, and place groups of families of different nationalities: White, Black, Indian, Esqunnaiux, Arab, Chinese. If the children bring pictures of any of these, groups may be arranged, and those supplied which are not brought. By shading the background in suitable colored chalk, a very good effect may be obtained; for instance, shade to represent the sand of the desert, for Arab family ; snow and ice for Esquimaux, etc. Adjoining these arrange twelve families of animals, and in the outside spaces, bird families. Then divide the outer space into four sections and illustrate four plant families. FORM COLLECTIONS. These may be arranged upon charts; but a better way, is to arrange them in a shallow tray having long divisions for the purpose. In the sphere tray, place all the glass marbles in one division, all the china ones in another, all wooden balls in another, so there will be a classification in material. Do likewise with cube and cylinder trays. BIRD CHARTS. At least three bird charts should be made, representing the three most distinctive classes of birds : Perchers, swimmers and waders, scratchers. The chart for perchers, should be so arranged as to show the birds in the perching position, to emphasize their salient characteristic. The ewimmers and waders, and scratchers, likewise. FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CHARTS. The pictures of fruits and vegetables may be made into two separate charts. A basket for the vegetables, and a fruit-dish for the fruit. The Trades charts should have the tools of each tradesman placed under the picture of the men at work. In placing the charts in the room, classify them by putting the Color charts together, the Form collections together, the Trades charts together, etc., that the children may feel the unity which underlies the various groups, through the association. APPENDIX. 209 EXTRA CHARTS. A chart of autiimu leaves may be made in October, the chihh-eu bringing and classifyino- the leaves; nuts may also be included in this collection. A thanksgiving chart may he made, based upon the song, "Over the river and through the woods." A flower chart may be made in the Spring from the pictures of flowers brought by the children. SEWING. In the sewing all purely elementary work has been eliminated, and an effort nuule to induce the child to use elements in relation to a complete whole. A knowledge of the elements of form is necessary, and this knowledge is obtained by direct analysis from the gifts, aud is transitory, as it should be. Permanent construction, however, should not be a mere reproduction of elements (lines, angles, forms), unrelated and separate, but a use of abstracted elements in the creation of a new whole, leadino- the child to value them for the possibilities of construction which they afford. As the child abstracts and becomes acquainted with elements and new forms, he should be encouraged to use them in the expression of some idea, and consequently the sewing cards of the second set should be obtained from the children by suggestion, only dictating to a child who positively can not express the idea originally. The children thus mold the elements into an expression of their own thought and develop the creative power by constant exercise of it. For instance, let us consider the method of securing lesson number one, second set. Children have been made familiar with the form, hexagon. Give a sample card and say, "I should like to see how many can put four hexagons together so that they will form a cross. When you have made one, I shall give you a card upon which to copy for your books." The child who discovers a large cross should be allowed to copy the large one in the middle of his card, arranging so as to leave a regular maro-in about it. The child who makes a small one and wishes to make a border, by placing in a row throuf^h the middle of the page, should be allowed to do so, etc., the teacher only offering suggestions in refrard to the regularity of arrangement. Give the children who find it hard, some sticks, with which to lay it upon the table, and endeavor to strengthen those who exhibit least inventive power, by an appreciation of the feeblest effort. MATS. Mats emphasize number and form, but the child grasps number relations more readily than the relations of form. Good inventions in mats depend upon the ability of the child to arrange the forms produced by weaving, in relations which shall secure harmonious figures. To obtain this result the attention must be attracted to the forms shown in his mat, and the relation they sustain to each other, while the power of repetition of patterns, must be developed by constant reference to strips in which the forms are alike. Therefore, the dictation by form rather than by number is preferable, since the form gives character to the mat. Make the number subordinate to the form. Ask how many strips did you cover with this oblong? How many strips left uncovered, between the two oblongs? If we wish to put in a strip like the first one, how many oblongs Mill it show? etc. Associate form and number always, but lead the child to feel that the form is more important than the number of strips covered. Correct errors, always, by calling attention to the incorrect relation of form. Say, "This oblong is too close to the other oblong," rather than, "You should have taken three strips up instead of two strips up." DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL. The material used in working out the thought in the program is that used in the Public School Kindergartens of St. Louis, and has been improved recently, with a view to making it correct in regard to color, as well as minor details. All material mentioned may be secured from Ph. A. Meixburg, No. 1405 South Bro.-idway, St. Louis, Mo., by simply ordering it as described. If the new, unglazed paper be desired, it must be so specified. 210 APPENDIX. MATS. The regular size of the new mats cut from the unglazed paper is six h}' six inches, and may be obtained in the six colors: Red, orange, 3'ellow, green, blue and violet. Mats usually come in the light tone of the color, with strips in the normal tones of the same color, but, if stipulated, they may be obtained in the light and lighter tones instead, or gray mats with strips in the six colors, normal, light or lighter tone as desired. Packages may be ordered containing twelve mats of the same color, or twelve mats in assorted colors. No. 11 mats are square, six by six inches, strips cut one-half inch wide. No. 12 mats, same size, strips cut one-third inch wide. No. 13 mats, same size, strips cut one-fourth inch wide. Mats may also be obtained having one wide strip and one narrow strip. If the new unglazed paper is desired, it nmst be so specified in the order. SQUARE SEWING CARDS. Perforated cards may be obtained in two sizes, tive by live inches, and six by six inches, perforations one-fourth inch apart. These come in packages of assorted tints, six colors, and in packages of all white. Gray cards may be obtained if specially ordered. If narrow cards for border work are desired, they must be obtained by special order. DESIGNS. Outline pictures may be obtained in assorted packages, or a package of any one design. Packages of assorted animals, assorted birds, assorted flowers and fruits in two sizes, five by five inches, and seven by seven inches. The pictures of Washington and Froebel have the faces shaded so as not to require sewing. Size must be specified. FOLDING PAPER. Folding paper may be obtained in large squares, four b\ four, thiee by three, and two l)y two inches, in two tones of the six colors, normal and light. Larger squares, six by six inches, can l)e cut if specially ordered, and are useful for children who work slowly, as one fold of this size can be placed in the book, while the children who work rapidly, make four folds of the four by four inch paper. INTERTWINING. Strips for intertwining may be obtained, twenty inches long, one inch, and also one-half inch wide, in any one color or in the six assorted colors; they must be folded into thirds for use. DRAWING PAPER. Square sheets, seven by seven inches, marked with dots one-half inch apart, may be obtained for the school of drawing illustrated in the Appendix. CUTTING PAPER. Circles for circular pasting come in three sizes, large, medium and small. They will be furnished cut from unglazed paper if so specified, in the six assorted colors or in any one color. The square paper, regular size, is four by four inches, but the five by tive, six by six, and three by three will be furnished if ordered. DICTATION FOR FOLDING PAPER, FOR CUTTING BASIS. Place paper upon the table, the colored side up, one right angle in front. Fold the right angle in front to the right angle at the back. Turn the triangle thus produced, so that one acute angle will be in front and one at back, then fold the two acute angles together, making a smaller triangle. Open this last fold, placing the paper upon the table, so that one acute angle will l)e on the right side, one upon the left side and the rio-ht angle will be at the back. Fold the two acute angles back to the right angle, making a o APPENDIX. 2H square. Place a fiuger upon the right angle on the right side and upon the left side. Push them to^^ether underneath. This will give the basis from which the cuts are obtained. Have the children keep the open side on the right and the closed side on the left. Use a compass for marking curves. The same cuts which are illustrated in the Appendix, may be cut from four by four inch paper and pasted directly upon the page in the book, if desired, without mounting. DICTATION FOR FOLDING GROUND FORMS. There are two basis forms in folding, from which all forms are obtained by modification. First, the Salt Cellar gi'ouud form; second, the Tablecloth ground form. The Salt Cellar ground form is obtained as follows: Place a square of paper on the table, with one side in front, upon a line extending from left to right. Fold the side in front to the side at the back, producing an oblong; open out, and turn the paper so that the crease made by the first fold will extend from front to back. Again fold the side in front to the side at the back and open out; there will be two lines upon the paper crossing each other in the middle. Turn the paper so as to have one rio-ht ant^le directly in front ; fold this right angle to the right angle at the buck, which will mark a diagonal line. Turn the paper around so that the last crease will extend front to back, and fold the right ano;le in front to the right angle at the back; there will now be four lines upon the paper. Fold one ri^ht ano-Je to the exact middle of the paper where all the lines meet. Fold the opposite right angle into the middle to touch the first one; fold the remaining two right angles into the middle. Lift paper and turn it over, then proceed to fold in four more right angles. This will produce the Salt Cellar ground form, which may be modified by folding the right angles in and out in various ways. The side which shows four squares is the right side, and the side showing four triangles is the under side. The Tablecloth ground form is obtained from the Salt Cellar ground form as follows : Loosen the triangles upon the under side, so that the paper will stand upon the four right angles and look like a table. Take hold of one right angle, which is in the middle upon the right or top side, with the thumb and fore- finger of the left hand. Place the long finger upon the right angle of the small square, which is opposite the one you hold and turn the square over and out, at the same time pushing the angle which the lono- finger touches, in. Turn the remaining three squares in like manner and the result will be a tablecloth. Turn the tablecloth upside down so that it will rest upon the square which is defined, then push to the middle the four right angles in the center of the sides of the paper. Push the four right angles which stand up outside, down and in, to the middle, forming four squares upon the top side of the paper, which l)roduces the Tablecloth ground form, the basis from which all cross and star forms are produced. There are a number of simple life forms which may be obtained from this basis. (See engravings.) The waist, trousers, cap and boot for boy are obtained from the double Salt Cellar ground form, which is made by folding the right angles in a third time. The dotted lines in the engravings simply show the creases upon the paper made by folding ground form, while the decided lines show where there is a fold of one part of the paper upon another part. SUGGESTIONS FOR MAY BASKETS. Cut an equilateral triangle from card-board, the length of each side measuring nine inches. Cut a larger triangle of some pretty, delicate tint of tissue paper, sides measuring eleven inches. Let the children crush the tissue paper into a small ball, then open out and crush again, repeating this some fiye or six times; then lay it upon the table and place the card-board triangle upon it, pasting the tissue paper over the sides of the card-board. Cut a smaller triangle (sides eight inches), of lining paper and paste upon the inside, covering the edges of the tissue paper. Now fold each acute angle to the middle of the opposite side, so that the lining paper will be inside and the tissue paper outside. Fold the acute angles out again to the middle of the crease made by the first fold. Punch a hole in each side, just below the crease made by the second fold and tie the sides together with ribbon or zephyr of the same tint as the tissue paper. Fold rosettes of folding paper to match the tissue paper, cut out and paste upon the acute angles which are turned back. Attach cord and tassels or ribbon, by which to suspend it. APPENDIX. NUMBER TWO. Fold four forms like the vase from some pretty tint of folding paper. Take a fifth paper and fold in the four right angles to the middle, then open out and paste the lower- part of each vase form upon the triangles tlius marked. F(dd and cut a paper iuto sixteen small squares, giving four to each child to fold into small ii;ha\vls. Bend each vase so that it will standi upright, and paste each two together with a small square. Attach paper handle. 213 ei 214 n a CO a: < u DC u 215 216 APPENDIX. in o 2 GO APPENDIX. DRAWING. 217 V. X