LB 1541 H8 Copy 1 Nl 6 SUGGESTIONS vf^ x»# FOR \U %f^ hand work, in. school aNd home Jane L.Hoxie '4. ^1 6 Class LJ^kT^ Book - HS Copyright 1^^ COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. Suggestions for Hand Work in School and Home Suggestions for Hand Work in School and Home By JANE L. HOXIE Author of ''Hand Work for Kindergartens and Primary Schools " and "A Kindergarten Story Book " ^ 1911 MILTON BRADLEY COMPANY Springfield, Massachusetts Boston New York Philadelphia Atlanta San Francisco Copyright, 191 1 , By Milton Bradley Co. CI.A29:n26 Introduction TO train the musical taste of the young- child has long been regarded as one of the legitimate functions of the kinder- garten. It is now the earnest effort of all true kindergartners to lead the child as rapidly as may be from that phase of his development where uncouth rhythms and discordant sounds appeal to his nature to an appreciation, how- ever crude, of harmony and melody. To tliis end much of the so-called popular music has been banished from the kindergarten, rag-time has been almost wholly eliminated, and an en- deavor is now made to secure the best-toned and best-tuned instruments to make melodious sounds for the little ones. So much for music in the kindergarten ; but what must be said of growth along some other lines of artistic development? Are we not leav- ing too much to chance and to the caprice of the young child? Are we not allowing him to revel in the harsh and the unbeautiful ? Are we not, in fact, helping to retard his growth alto- vi Introduction gether when we place before him daily, at the most plastic and impressionable period of his life, many of the crude forms and crude colors now used in the kindergarten occupations? Is it not the true function of the teacher to lead the child to a higher appreciation of c/// forms of art, to develop a feeling for the best in form and color as well as in rhythm and harmony ? If the child is given freedom of choice only from a well-selected and carefully prepared col- lection of songs and musical compositions, why should the kindergartner not place before him also only beautiful forms and artistic colors from which he may make selections for the car- rying out of his hand work? Why give greater thought and attention to the training of the ear than to the training of the eye? Why allow the culture epoch theory to influence us more in training the sense of hearing than in training the sense of sight? Why make the kinder- gartner of value in helping to hasten the growth of the child along one line of development and yet allow her to remain almost valueless along another ? With the feeling that there is at present great need for careful, earnest, thoughtful reconstruc- tion of much of kindergarten hand work, not only from the hygienic but also from the artistic Introduction vii standpoint, we submit the suggestions contained in this book, hoping that they may be found valuable to workers in the kindergarten field. J. L. H. Contents I. Decorative Border Designs II. Blot Work III. Spot, Dot and Line Work IV. Winding and Sewing V. Weaving with Raphia VI. Free Hand Tearing VII. The Use of Sand VIII. Clay Modeling IX. Stringing and Chain Making X. Some Uses for Nuts and Gourds XI. Rolled Cylinder Work . XII. The Street Parade . XIII. Preparation for Christmas XIV. A Few Valentines . XV. Preparations for May-day I 24 38 54 64 71 88 102 115 129 141 150 163 182 205 IX Suggestions for Hand Work in School and Home Decorative Border Designs WITH some of our well-known artists and educators we believe that art training should begin as early as does education along other lines, and that therefore it is not too soon to commence the development of the artistic sense of the child in the kinder- garten. Those who cling to the thought of the parallelism between race development and the development of the child find a plea for thus early beginning art training in the fact that *' primitive peoples show a strong desire for symmetry ; the earliest known artistic expres- sion was exhibited in the crude musical and rhythmic attempts of savages, and in the ar- rangement of lines and forms in their rude drawings." In all departments^ and exercises of the kin- 1 2 Suggestions for Hand Work dergarten the first purpose of the teacher should be to give opportunity for tlie self-expression of the child, for the expansion of his creative and imaginative powers, but this fundamental aim is not inconsistent with the growth of his ar- tistic nature, with the development of his appre- ciation and desire for all that is true and beau- tiful. While it is not the business of the kindergart- ner to make artists, we believe that it is her business to look toward art, to endeavor to lead the child to work in an artistic manner as far as lies within her power, to work in such a man- ner herself in the presence of the child, not to allow him to put unartistic designs into perma- nent form, and to shield him from contact with crude and unbeautiful objects and experiences. We are making small beginnings in artistic training when we teach the child to be exact and prompt, when we show him how to make rhythmic movements and how to march in regular time to music, and when we give him the opportunity to arrange objects in an orderly manner, but we believe that he is capable of something more than these small beginnings. Exercises in the placing, spacing, and arranging of forms, in the choice of appropriate colors, and in the harmonious combinations of these colors, in School and Home 3 are not too difficult for the child of kindergarten age. The occupation materials that lend them- selves most readily to these exercises are the parquetry papers, the paper circles, squares, ob- longs and triangles. These forms are first and foremost mathematical. As forms they make little appeal to the child, because his brain at this age is so rudimentary mathematically. Almost their sole interest for him lies in their color, — alas, too often crude and ugly almost beyond belief. These papers are capable of arrangement into the most hideous and unartistic designs, violating every principle of good art. They are frequently so arranged and pasted by the child and he is allowed to preserve these designs in permanent form and to recur to them over and over again. In the hands of an artist the parquetry papers could surely be made to serve an artistic purpose, but the average kindergartner is not an artist and she should limit her use of these papers to a few very simple arrangements, of the artistic value of which she is absolutely certain. What I wish here specifically to suggest is the use of forms that will supplement the parquetry papers, forms that hold more interest for the child, that are more intrinsically artistic and that have greater possibilities for good arrange- ment, placing and spacing. The models for 4 Suggestions for Hand Work these forms have been chosen from the plant and animal world and consist of those natural objects which hold such vital interest for the child. In each case a typical plant or animal has been taken and reduced to a few lines, the simplest lines possible, lines that are more or less conventional and that render the form decorative. The effect should of course be flat like a silhouette, as all appearance of perspective is out of place in this kind of design and should be avoided. The size of each unit is such as to be easily handled without nervous strain. After the form for the decorative design has been selected, the field must be considered. This should be neither too large nor too small for the units. Our problem is to break up a certain space so that it shall be more agreeable to the eye than it was when unbroken. In other words we wish to give interest and variety to this space. Perhaps, in the beginning, it would be well to use one figure only and to confine ourselves to a simple repetition of this single unit without variation of size or color. For this purpose let us select a rabbit form. The children are interested in this unit because of the kindergarten bunny perhaps, or because of their own pet rabbit at home. Our form in School and Home reduced to simple decorative lines is shown in Figure I. Select a soft dark gray coated paper. Cut out several units like Figure I and repeat them along a line. These units should be placed so that they occupy about two-thirds of the field within the inclosing border lines leaving one-third of the surface uncovered Figure I. Choose a medium gray coated cutting paper for the background. This may be mounted on a heavy board if desired. For the inclosing lines use strips of the same tone of gray as that used for the units. For a design made with the units of the size here presented (about two by three inches), strips one-third of an inch in width are required. Do not bring the inclosing 6 Suggestions for Hand Work lines so close to the units that the forms look crowded. On the other hand too much space should not be allowed between these lines and the forms which they inclose. The design when completed may be utilized as the border for a room in the doll's house or for the decoration of a scrap-book cover, or it may simply be taken home as a bit of attractive work which need not of necessity be put to any particular use. This single unit will serve in the production Figure II. of a variety of designs. Rabbits of soft dark gray and of white, of the size of Figure I, may be alternated, with the pleasing effect to be seen in Figure II. Still further variety may be gained by using soft and not impossible colors other than gray. Perhaps browns and yellows would be most satisfactory in this particular case. A common black silhouette paper, called tailor's pattern paper, used for the units and mounted upon gray bogus paper produces still another variation but the effect is not as artistic in School and Home 7 as that gained by the use of less contrasting tones. Let us next select a fruit form for experiment. An apple, being a familiar and attractive object to the child, may be our choice. The apple is shown in Figure III reduced to simple decora- tive lines. Figure III. For purposes of variety and to give an added interest in this design let us combine a leaf with the apple. The pleasing result of this combina- tion is shown in Figure V. Birds are a source of endless interest to the child. In Figure VI is shown a bird unit that is decorative. 8 Suggestions for Hand Work The repetition of this form along a line in two tones of a color produces the result seen in Figure VII. Figure IV, Figures VITI, IX, X and XI offer an oppor- tunity for a variety of designs in which bird forms may act as decorative units. # IPS i wamm m Via I UK V The forms of domestic and pet birds may also be utilized, with happy effect for decorative pur- in School and Home 9 poses, as Figures XII, XIII, XIV and XV aptly testify. Flower forms used in this kind of design are Figure VI. most pleasing. The unit here presented is a conventionalized crocus with leaves. Because of its decorative possibilities and its W: V w Figure VII. attraction for the child a butterfly has been chosen for the unit of the next design. Further experiment produces a form that in lo Suggestions tor Hand Work some respects holds greater interest for the child than any of the preceding ones. Figure XXI shows the result of the repetition of this unit in a border design. Figure VIII. fe" ■jiji Figure IX. in School and Home 1 1 All units here presented have been subjected to the criticisms of competent artists and have been pronounced simple, strong and good in Figure X, Fig uim: XI. form, and well adapted to this kind of decora- tive designing. They have also been used in a kindergarten with children five and six years 12 Suggestions for Hand Work Figure XII. Figure XIII. old, to the great delight of the little ones and to the satisfaction of the kindergartner. in School and Home 13 In the forms which follow, and which have proved most effective in this kind of designing, are shown the children's favorite of the zoo, the Figure XIV. t^ i s tt ms^smmmmm im Figure XV. faithful guardian of the sheepfold which they love to visit, their aquarium pet, their favorite 14 Suggestions for Hand Work Figure XVI. Figure XVII. household pet and her greatest desire, the most appealing dumb friend of their outdoor excur- sions, and man's most faithful servant. in School and Home IS All unnecessary lines and details have been omitted in these units of design, which have been prepared with a view to their simplicity and decorative possibilities, and the models Figure XVIII. Figure XIX. chosen for representation are such as have a vital interest for little children. A regular series of exercises is possible in the use of these units, by means of which the child advances l6 Suggestions for Hand Work Figure XX. Fig FEE XXr. from the most simple to more elaborate de- signing. in School and Home 17 First, units of a single form, size, and color may be placed at regular intervals along a line. Next, units of two tones of color may be alter- FlGUEE XXII. Figure XXIII. nated along a line, while still preserving the same size and form. Then units of a single size, form, and color may be placed in groups of twos. i8 Suggestions for Hand Work threes, fours, etc., thus giving special exercises in spacing and arranging. A still further ad- vance may be made by the introduction of two or more tones of color into these groups. By the use of units of different sizes in one design, FiGUEE XXIV. 'ir^^^SUi Figure XXV. while still preserving the same form, another variation is produced, which requires the exer- cise of greater judgment and taste on the part of the child than would probably have been called forth in the preceding lessons. Finally, the use in School and Home 19 in one and the same design, of units differing in form, with a variation also in tones of color, brings us to the most advanced stage of work possible with these simple decorative borders. Figure XXYI. —■^"^fS^T^ -•>-,. ^^*jx I'P'ls FiGUEE XXVII. In the working out of these designs it is not well to add details with brush or pencil to the 20 Suggestions for Hand Work units cut out of paper. Such additions are meaningless and anything but artistic. It is best not to let the children do too much cutting to a line in the preparation of these units, as such work is too great a strain upon eyes, nerves, and fingers. If the forms are en- FlGURE XXVIII. Figure XXIX. tirely prepared by the teacher there still remains for the child all the valuable exercises in placing, spacing, and arranging, in which exercises he is constantly required to use his judgment, as he relates one unit to anotlier and all the units to the field upon which they are placed. This in School and Home 21 training of the judgment is fundamental in the development of the artistic life of the child. The variety of objects that readily lend them- selves to the production of suitable units to be FfGlIRE XXX. Figure XXXI. used in this kind of designing is unlimited. The work is fascinating and a continuous source of enjoyment and development in the right direction. 22 Suggestions for Hand Work FlGUEE XXXII. Figure XXXIIL Figure XXXIV. in School and Home 23 1ft U Figure XXXV. Figure XXXVI. Figure XXXVII. II Blot Work THE wielding of a paint brush is one of the most fascinating of all activities to a little child. Each one of us can recollect the keen delight experienced in child- hood while coloring the impossible woodcuts of treasured picture books, with the crude pigments and inadequate brushes that constituted the most precious of possessions. We all remember, too, that beyond the laying on of these simple washes it was impossible for us to advance for a long, long time. This was due to insufficient muscular coordination, which prevented our tiny hands fi-om conveying the impressions of our busy brains to paper, in a form that even remotely resembled that which we longed to express. If, at this particular period of development, we had only received some slight guidance in the right direction, instead of the meaningless blots and scratches which, with the before-men- tioned washes, constituted our sole output at 24 Suggestions for Hand Work. 25 that time, we might have been making original designs, to oar own great delight, to the devel- opment of our creative faculty, and to the ad- vancement of our muscular control. Ella Good- win Lunt, in her Brush Work for Kindergarten and Primary Schools, points the way to this paradise of early childhood, and, with due ac- knowledgments to her as a pioneer and origi- nator, I shall proceed to suggest a series of at- tractive, artistic, and valuable designs, which may be executed by very little boys and girls, even before they are able to draw. The decorative unit in this work is what might be called a picture of the brush, and it is made by simply pressing the filled paint brush flat upon the paper and then removing it. The repetition of this brush mark, with the addition of a few simple, straight lines, made with the point instead of the flat of the brush, constitutes the motif of all the following de- signs. Any good water-color paints, liquid colors, or even ink or diamond dyes may be successfully used in this pattern making. The best brush for the purpose is the Japanese school brush, which may be purchased at an art store, or at any shop carrying kindergarten supplies. Any paper not too porous answers for a background, 26 Suggestions for Hand Work both manila and bogus being highly satisfactory, because of their trifling cost. The first design is a simple repetition of the unit, in a vertical position, along a line. This collection of units is transformed into a decora- tive border pattern by means of inclosing lines. (See Figure I.) In the beginning these lines may be executed by the teacher if the child lacks the muscular coordination necessary to produce them. It is important to exercise care lest the child become discouraged at the outset, but, if he sees his crude effort transformed, by the addition of two simple lines, even though he be unequal to the task of producing this effect himself at the time, he will be stimulated to fresh exertions, and will experience new de- lights in his work, although much time may elapse before he is able to exercise this trans- forming power in a wholly independent man- ner himself. If the brush mark be reversed, so that the point is at the bottom rather than the in School and Home 27 top of the paper, a variation in this first simple border design is secured. The unit repeated in a horizontal position gives the next step in this series. (See Fig- ure II.) Variety may be given to this simple design by changing the direction in which the 28 Suggestions for Hand Work brush marks point, and by alternating or group- ing blots pointing to the right with those point- ing to the left. Figure III shows a design made by the alter- nation of units occupying vertical and horizontal positions. In Figure IV the blot assumes a 1 a i %/ %^ ^/ %# \/ slanting i)Osition. This design may be varied as shown in Figure V. We will next consider the grouping of units, first by twos, as sliown in Figures VI, VII, and VIII, and then by threes, as indicated in Fig- ures IX, X, and XL These designs by no in School and Home 29 means represent all the possibilities of grouping by twos and threes, but they will be sufficient for the purpose of this article, which aims merely to be suggestive and not to exhaust the resources at command. In Figure XII is shown a unit of design -♦--«•-« \f/ vf/ W \f/ made, by the combination of four blots, into a quatrefoil. Rosettes composed of five, six, seven and eight or more blots make charming motives, not only for borders (see Figures XIII and XIV), but for surface coverings as well. Fig- 30 Suggestions for Hand Work ure XV shows an " all-over " design made by the repetition, at regular intervals upon a sur- face, of a radial composed of six blots. A simi- lar application may be made of all the border units previously suggested. It is quite wonderful to observe the readiness w ^^ ^ ^n^ with whicli this simple blot work lends itself to the production of flower forms. The leaves and blossoms made in this manner are more or less conventionalized, to be sure, but, for that reason, all the better adapted to our purpose of decora- tion. The five designs. Figures XVI, XVII, in School and Home 31 XVIII, XIX, and XX, show a few of the many Figure XV. delightful possibilities along tliis line. These 32 Suggestions for Hand Work plant-like forms may be used in the covering of ^^^f* ♦?• •r* >J^\ll0^% f. f f f Jf- ^ €t MUUtt surfaces as well as in the making of borders in School and Home 33 The manner in which all this work may be applied in the decoration of objects made by children in the kindergarten is quite obvious to any wide-awake teacher. The walls and floor ScRAPBooK Cover. of the doll house or the playhouse furnish an ever ready fleld for the working out of such problems as occur in this kind of decorative de- sign, as do also some of the articles of paper or 34 Suggestions for Hand Work Calendar. pasteboard furniture, with which such habita- tions are usually supplied. As Christmas draws in School and Home 35 near, kindergartners begin casting about in their minds for some occupation that shall enable each child to present his parents with a speci- men of his own work, which shall not, in the construction, be too great a strain on his powers, and which shall still possess some artistic merit. Blotter. Envelope Sachet. The child's ability to do blot work readily may prove a most valuable attainment at this junc- ture for scrap-book covers, calendars, note-books, sachets, blotters, picture frames, window trans- parencies, shaving pads, magazine covers, candy 36 Suggestions for Hand Work baskets and boxes, handkerchief cases, and a variety of other objects made from paper, lend themselves to this kind of decoration. The de- signs hei'e shown are suggestive of a few of these Christmas possibilities. These and similar forms may be done in the Christmas cok)i"s, or in Notebook. black and white, and embellished with holly ribbons, or the decorations may be made in a variety of artistic tones on white or colored backgrounds, as the taste of the child guided by the kindergartner may dictate. in School and Home 37 The creative as well as the artistic possibilities of this occupation are great, and if the blot work is used to any extent, the child constantly gains in control. So we might truly say that, aside from the actual sequence on paper, there is the development of a sequence far more valuable in the child's control of mind and muscle. Ill Spot, Dot, and Line Work COLORED crayons, crayola, or colored pencils are used in nearly all kinder- gartens, at the present time, for making outline pictures in free illustrative work, and for filling in outlines already prepared for the children. Delightful and valuable as much of this work is, it rarely results in anything that can truly be said to lay the foundation for ar- tistic appreciation or for creative expression in the pupils of the kindergarten. The possibili- ties, however, for genuine training in art educa- tion, which lie in these simple tools, are very great, and the kindergartner who fails to grasp the opportunity which these materials present misses much that otherwise would contribute to a developed taste and a trained judgment on the part of the children to whom she ministers. In using the colored crayons for the produc- tion of decorative design, in which the children are given exercises in the placing, spacing, and arranging of forms, let us take three very simple units for our motifs, namely, a dot, a spot, and 38 Suggestions for Hand Work 39 a short line, either straight or curved. The dot and the line are wholly lackiug in complexity and their manner of construction is so self-evi- dent that we need but to mention them in pass-. ing. The spot, however, is somewhat less ob- vious and is capable of a greater variety. It may be either oval, elliptical, square, oblong, or triangular in form. The simplest spot, and therefore the one best adapted for kindergarten work, is in the shape of an ellipse. This ellip- tical spot should always be made by working out from a central point, with a rotary movement of the pencil or crayon. The designing should proceed by slow stages, each form being experimented with separately, before a combination of the three elements is finally essayed. Before expecting intelligent work from the pupils, much opportunity should have been given for the grouping of concrete objects, such as blocks, sticks, tablets, stones, shells, seeds, etc. The children should feel the need for decorative effects and should express the desire for something to beautify the small objects they are able to produce before taking up this kind of hand work. Decorative designing will then hold a vital meaning for them, hav- ing come into their lives in an entirely natural and unforced manner. In the beginning it 40 Suggestions for Hand Work would be best to limit the children to the use of one color, but, as they advance in skill and ap- preciation, all the colors may be placed before them and they may be allowed to choose and to combine freely according to their own taste and judgment. Let us suppose that the children are experi- FlGUUE I. menting with the short straight line. The simplest beginnings in decorative effects will be produced by a repetition of this unit, in different in School and Home 41 positions, in such a manner that borders are formed, composed of vertical, horizontal, and slanting lines (Figure I). A step in advance of these first beginnings will result in borders made by the alternation of 1-1- /_/_/ / t tiHU-WmWi l L I Wim." ' " » ' » ■■ i m t f m rt ,' njTXU Figure II. the short line in different positions, as shown in Figure II. Then will come patterns made by the repeti- tion and alternation of groups of short lines (Figure III). Repeating the short line in different positions 42 Suggestions for Hand Work around a centre will give entirely new units of design. A few illustrations resulting from this manner of procedure are shown in Figure IV. The next step, if this work is developed log- ically, will result in designs composed of lines of varying length, as illustrated in Figure V. After the pupils have had a little practice in Figure III. the making of units composed of short straight lines, they may be encouraged to apply such units to the production of all-over decorative ef- fects, as well as to the making of simple border in School and Home 43 patterns. The children will soon discover that surfaces may be beautified in various ways ; that they may be treated with a central radial and a corner design, or with a border entirely sur- rounding a central medallion, or with an all- ^'V ^^ "^^ ^\ ^1^ t -»^4~ -^i^- -v>- T t T FiGUEE IV. over effect, produced by repeating the unit at regular intervals over the entire field. The elliptical spot may be treated in exactly the same manner as the short line. First, de- signs may be formed b}^ repeating the spot in 44 Suggestions for Hand Work different positions along a line, then by group- ing the spot, and finally b}^ repeating it around a centre. The new units formed by the repeti- tion around a central point may in turn be re- peated along a line and over a surface in the same way as that suggested in connection with \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ . 'Ijl' . 'l|l' i '1(1' . 'I' Figure V. the use of the line. Large and small spots may also be used together in the same design, thus giving added variet}' to the decorative effects possible. ■ «-^||^— — ^ffi ■ — Ij^-' • -4 !►- / yir / 7 «» / Ai/ .j|/_..\| »Z ._v /. 1 » 1 1 \ i iT 1 1 1 1 t M t^i 1^' t^l t^l «gB> «» 41* «» 1 FiGUKE VI. 46 Suggestions for Hand Work Before encouraging the children to attempt the use of the three forms — the spot, dot, and s • ! J^ 1 /f\ 1 • 1 ./, V Figure VIL line — in one and the same pattern, it might be desirable to allow them to experiment with com- •/^ -nI/ ^•/- -^.l^ -^ Figure VIII. binations of the line and the spot. A few illus- in School and Home 47 trations of possible results of such experimenta- tion follow. Taking for granted that the children of the kindergarten have now had some practice in the combination of colors and in the formation of decorative units by the conjunction of the spot Figure IX. and line, let us see what the possibilities are for the adornment of some specific articles which they may make, using, for this purpose, the three forms, the spot, dot, and line. A portfolio for holding flat work is easily made and readily lends itself to this kind of de- sign. Figure VII suggests a possible treatment for such an article. Figure VIII shows how the spot, dot, and line 48 Suggestions for Hand Work Figure X. decoration might be applied to a small folding screen made by the children. ('andy boxes, folded from squares and tri- angles, may be decorated as shown in Figure IX. Figure X is suggestive for the beautifying of a dainty book-mai-k. Figure XI. Figure XI shows how a match strike might be treated. in School and Home 49 Figure XII suggests a possible design for a scrap basket. V Figure XII. A pretty decorated pin-case cover and a good suggestion for a pen-wiper top are shown in Fig- ure XIIL /i'Wi!*\ Figure XIIL 50 Suggestions for Hand Work A magazine cover might be treated effectively as shown in Figure XIV. a Figure XIV. Figure XV shows what might be done with a blotter top. r cr Figure XV. In Figure XVI are shown possibilities for effectively decorating picture frames. in School and Home 51 A few units that might be applied to wall coverings, for the beautifying of doll houses or playhouses, are to be seen in Figure XVII. The materials necessary for this fascinating work are few and inexpensive. The articles to 1 - 2^^ _i^l i* 1 7V ^i< 1 Figure XVI. be decorated may be constructed from cover paper, which comes in neai"ly all tones of all colors, or they may be folded or cut from com- mon manila drawing paper, or from white or 52 Suggestions for Hand Work tinted water-color paper. Any good wax crayons or crayola will be found fairly satisfac- tory for the making of the decorations. The writer prefers the Munsell crayons, because by far the most artistic effects can be produced with vr^ M^ \y V> J^ ^!'^ ^ "^ V'i' ••« '^-^ ^^"^ ^^ Figure XVII. them, as the}^ consist of measured and balanced colors, which may all be used in one and the same design without discordant results. Crayola A, No. 8, manufactured by Binny and Smith Co., is cheap and desirable if the Munsell crayon is not to be had. An art rubber is almost indis- pensable, although the children should be en- couraged to make their designs so carefully that an eraser comes to be regarded by them as an article only for emergencies. The value of this kind of work for the little child can scarcely be overestiuiated. First and in School and Home 53 foremost, he is supremely happy while doing it. This fact alone, aside from any other considera- tion, makes it well worth while. But besides adding to his happiness, it is contributing to his development in many other ways. While occupied in making decorations composed of the spot, dot, and line, he is gaining some manual dexterity and acquiring an appreciation for order and regularity and neat and careful workmanship. His sense of rhythm is develop- ing and his creative impulse is being fostered. In the selecting, spacing, and placing of his units of design, in the relation of one unit to another and of all the units to the field which they are to occupy, and in the choice and com- bination of colors, the judgment of the child is constantly called into play, and this exercise of individual judgment is regarded, by the highest authorities, as the groundwork of all true artistic expression. IV Winding and Sewing IT has always seemed something of a travest}', both in name and nature, to apply the term sewing to the second occupation of the kin- dergarten. To be sure, a needle and thread or worsted are used in this special kind of hand work, but otherwise it bears little resemblance, in any particular, to what is known in the in- dustrial world by the term sewing, nor does it carry out the original meaning of this term — fastening together. This occupation, as formerly almost univer- sally applied, is of doubtful value to the child in the kindergarten. The materials employed have usually been so small and fine that the threading of the needle and the constant taking aim with it, in order to secure the passage of the worsted through the small perforations in the cardboard, have been a great strain on both the nervous and muscular systems. This strain is due to the fact that the nerve centres control- ling the fine coordinations of the finger muscles are yet in an imperfect state of development in 54 Suggestions for Hand Work ^^ the little child, and that the normal condition of his eyes is that of far-sightedness. When the pupil enters the primary school, the kindergarten sewing, as generally practiced, proves rather a hindrance than otherwise. The child gets the idea of pushing the needle through a hole from one side of a card, and then push- ing it back from the opposite side, through an- other hole so firmly fixed in mind that it is diffi- cult to teach him to take a real sewing stitch of any kind. He must first unlearn this method of using the thread and needle before lie can be- gin the sewing proper. Many and grievous are the complaints that come from teachers of the first primary grade of the awkwardness and in- ability of the kindergarten-trained child to take the first real sewing stitches. From the artistic side, the regulation kinder- garten sewing is usually a failure, but not of necessity. Some of the symmetrical designs, if properly worked out in the right coloring, may be very attractive and even beautiful ; not so, however, with the " life forms," which are so popular in most kindergartens. If these outline designs of animals, flowers, fruit, furniture, houses, etc., are to be produced at all, they would much better be made with brush or pen- cil, as they are executed more rapidly and with 56 Suggestions for Hand Work greater breadth and freedom, if the natural medium for such expression is employed. Do not understand me to condemn wholesale the use of thread, worsted, needles, and sewing cards in the kindergarten. I believe that they have a very vital place in the occupations, but I would suggest a decided modification of the " schools of sewing " as formerly used, and as I I I Figure I. employed extensively in many of our kinder- gartens to-day. As an introduction to sewing with the young child, I would suggest the winding of boards and cards with string and worsted. Have boards, one-eighth of an inch in thickness, made from wood which is not too soft. A desirable size to handle with ease is a board six inches long and two inches wide. This board should contain six half-inch slits in each of its longer sides. These slits should be one inch apart and in School and Home ^y the first ones and the last ones should be placed half an inch from the shorter ends of the board. (See Figure I.) Give each child one of these wooden boards and a piece of hard-twisted heavy twine. Tie a knot in one end of each piece of twine and let the children experiment. The four-year-old is perfectly capable of doing this work. The twine can be purchased in a variety of pretty colors and it does not break or wear out readily. A great number of simple, symmetrical designs may be produced with this device, and the advantage of the board and twine over other materials is their durability. They cannot be broken or spoiled and they may be used over and over again al- most indefinitely, if the proper care is taken to keep them clean and disinfected. As soon as the child has gained some profi- ciency he may pass on to the use of worsted and pasteboard in place of the twine and wooden board. In these new mediums his designs may take permanent form. The ideal size, in the early stages of this work, is the same as that of the wooden board, the dimensions of which have already been given. After the child has gained a certain dexterity, the size of card and the number and place of slits may be varied accord- ing to the needs of individual kindergartens. S8 Suggestions for Hand Work A simple series of designs to be executed in the beginning with the oblong cards and the fourfold zephyr follows. The heavy lines indi- cate the strands of worsted. ■ in School and Home 59 S S S / / 6o Suggestions for Hand Work /o The patterns may be duplicated on the backs if desired, though a saving of time and material is gained, in most cases, by not attempting to do this. It should be sufficient if the wrong sides of the cards present a neat appearance. A series of circular cards, prepared with slits for winding, presents many attractive possibilities and, when completed, both the oblong and cir- cular cards may, by the addition of some other material, be converted into useful or ornamental objects ; or a whole series of these cards may be fastened together in the form of a hand-work book and taken home to be preserved by the mother as a bit of the child's occupation work. After moderate proficiency in the winding is gained, the child may pass, with good effect, to in School and Home 6i work in overhanding. For tiiis purpose give him a number eighteen embroidery needle hav- ing a curved eye and a bhmt point and some fourfold zephyr or some raphia. With these materials he may fasten together the leaves of scrap-books, note-books, blotters, pen-wipers, and needle-cases. He may overhand the edges of bark, leather, and pasteboard picture frames, the hems of cheese-cloth dusters, bedding for the doll's cradle, rugs for the doll's house, doll's clothing, and the edges of cloth, leather, and chamois skin used in the construction of various articles too numerous to mention. Wherever possible, it is expedient that the necessary perforating of the materials used in this kind of work be done for the child. A conductor's punch is best for the making of the holes. Where it is found impossible to use this kind of a punch, the Or wig Perforator, sold by Milton Bradley Company, will prove highly sat- isfactory. After the child has had some practice in overhanding on cloth, he may be given a finer worsted or thread and a smaller or a sharp- pointed needle. Thus the necessity for further perforating will be obviated. The practice of letting the kindergarten child do his own perforating, when it is to be executed with a needle on cardboard or paper, is more or 62 Suggestions for Hand Work less pernicious because of the strain thus put upon liis eyes and nerves. The pi-icking and sewing of cards by the cliild during one and the same lesson period is sometimes carried on. A thin unlined paper and a large sewing needle, already threaded, are used for this work. The worsted is pulled through each hole as fast as the per- foration is made by the child. This exercise comes under the head of free work or invention in sewing, but the results, so far as I have ob- served them, are untidy and apparently lacking in purpose on the child's part, and rarely show anything that looks like an object or a symmet- rical design. If the " in and out" sewing is to be used, let it, if possible, be introduced by means of the " shoe-lace sewing cards " sold by the Bradley Company. If we are wholly alive to the ar- tistic side of our work, this '* in and out " sewing will, I believe, be limited to the construction of S3^m metrical designs. From the overhanding it is but a simple step to the sewing by means of a running stitch. Tliis stitch may be used upon any cloth article we may wish to make and also upon clothing for dolls, made from paper. According to the theorist, there might lurk a danger in what is called " ambidextrous sewing." in School and Home 63 If carried on to any great extent, this sewing might result in the dissipation of the child's energies, and, as a consequence, the possible cur- tailment of his efficiency in a later stage of de- velopment. In the practical application of winding and sewing plans it is desirable that the child rectify his own mistakes wherever possible, unless such self-correction becomes a source of discourage- ment to him. As a means for the cultivation of neatness, accuracy, dexterity, and artistic taste, the wind- ing and sewing present almost unlimited possi- bilities and there is nothing else in the whole gamut of kindergarten hand work which uni- formly calls forth a greater amount of enthu- siastic activity on the part of the child. Weaving with Raphia DURING the past few years kindergarten hand work has undergone more or less radical modifications both as to method and material. The sixth occupation or weaving has received its due share of attention. For- merly large mats and fringes of frail paper cut into fine strips were the accepted thing. The children wove many of these mats each term, covering a long series of evolutionary steps in form and number. Now all this is changed. Large, coarse and durable materials are being introduced. Number combinations are receiving less attention and less emphasis is being placed upon the so-called " school of weaving." The introduction of book linen as a suitable material for this work has proved very satis- factory. These linen mats are easy to weave, pleasing in effect, do not readily crumple or tear, and they are found to be most appropriate for the construction of those various articles of use and beauty, formerly made from the paper mats. These are, however, more expensive than the 64 Suggestions for Hand Work 65 regulation paper mats and tliis fact constitutes a barrier, in some cases, to their free use. This matter of cost may be obviated somewhat, if the kindergartner is willing to give a little time and thought to the purcliase of book linen by the quantity, and to the preparation of these mats herself. If she cannot do this but still v^rishes to substitute something for the coated cutting paper mats, she will find that those made of bogus paper are very satisfactory. They are artistic in color and texture, do not tear readily and are easily woven. The writer recently saw a clever series of mats made from paper which is ordinarily used for wall covering. This material had been carefully selected with an eye to good color and pleasing decoration. Ordinary manila paper cut into strips served as fringes. The whole effect was charming. Of course all are familiar with rag mats made from strips of cloth, tape, felt or candle wick- ing, but it is mats woven from raphia that we wish especially to mention. These are easily and quickly made by the children. They are durable, pretty and eminently appropriate for use in the doll house. The warp, which may be of either colored or uncolored raphia or a mixture of both, is stretched upon a simple 66 Suggestions for Hand Work wooden frame seven by ten inches. Thirteen small wire nails, for holding the warp in place, are driven at regular intervals half an inch apart, into the two opposite ends of this frame. For convenience in weaving one end of this loom is made slightly higher than the other, and for purposes of strength a little wooden brace is fastened to the inside of the frame at each of the four corners. These looms are easily' constructed by children of an upper grade who wish to co- operate with the kindergarten, or a carpenter will make them at little expense. If it is not convenient to procure these looms, the kindergartner herself may construct sub- stitutes by sawing a one-inch pine board into sections of the desired length. The addition of a row of nails driven into the wood parallel with the ends of each section will complete this make- shift. If this device is not practicable, resort may be had to stiff pieces of pasteboard. These may be punched with a row *of holes at two opposite edges, and the raphia composing the warp may be passed through these holes and secured in place by knotting. Figure I shows the right side of one of these pasteboard looms strung with the warp all ready for weaving. Figure II shows the wrong side of the same loom. The in School and Home 67 holes in the pasteboard are easily made with a shoemaker's or a carpenter's awl, or with a con- ductor's punch. Lacking such tools, a hammer and a wire nail may act as substitutes. Figure I. The best needle to use for the raphia Aveaving is a flat wooden one known as the Faribault loom needle. This may be purchased from the Milton Bradley Company. It is long and wide 68 Suggestions for Hand Work and has a pointed end and a blunt one. Near the blunt end is a large and a small hole. When the raphia is passed through both of these holes it is secure without other fastening and will not slip out of place during the weaving process. Figure IT. Avoid knotting the raphia whenever possible. If knots must be placed in the warp let them come close to the nails or holes in the loom.- in School and Home 69 They may then be disposed of by cutting them out when the fringe is made. The ends of the raphia may be left unfastened in the woof if pre- ferred, and drawn into the body of the mat with a sewing needle, and secured after the mat has been cut from the weaving frame or loom. A portion of the warp at both ends of the mat should be left uncovered by the woof. This portion will act as fringe after the warp has been loosened from its fastenings. In finishing the mat this fringe may be knotted, or the edge of the woof may be buttonholed or overhanded and the fringe left to hang straight without knotting. If no fringe is desired the ends of the warp may be threaded through a needle and drawn back into the body of the mat. If a fringe is desired all around the mat, on both the ends and the sides, this may be added separately, using a sewing needle for the purpose after the weaving and the fastening of ends are completed. Much diversity of form is not practicable in this kind of weaving and the number of combina- tions possible are few. Both colored and un- colored raphia may be used in the woof and with a little practice delightful effects of stripes and plaids may be compassed. A recent development in weaving with raphia is found in connection with the Schute weaving 70 Suggestions for Hand Work card, which consists of a circuhir card having a hirge liole in the centre and a I'ow of small ones a short distance from the circumference. The mat is woven double, a side at a time. The cardboai'd loom may or may not be removed after the weaving is finished. A large darning- needle or a small bodkin acts as a shuttle. The mat may be woven in sections and a great variety of delightful patterns thus are made possible. The finished product may be used as a teapot stand or a table mat. With the addi- tion of a handle it may be converted into a pretty fan or a dainty screen. If woven with harmonious and artistic colors it makes a desir- able wall decoration. The chief value of weaving with raphia lies in the development of the child's manual skill, his patience and his artistic taste. The finished product is durable, usable, and ornamental and it is a great source of delight to the little manu- facturer. When raphia mats are used as floor covering in a doll house, filled with raphia- wound or raphia-woven furniture, the effect is quite charming even to grown-up vision. VI Free Hand Tearing DOUBTLESS one and all are familiar with the little child's desire to tear and crumple paper. This is a legitimate ambition on his part, for the small brain that guides the tiny fingers is endeavoring, by this means, to gain knowledge and experience. Why does the young child appear to take such delight in that which, to the uninitiated, seems to spring solely from the impulse to be mischievous? In the first place, he likes the activity. The mere doing of the thing is a joy to him. He is opposing his strength to something that resists his effort. He is overcoming this resistance and is thus tasting the satisfaction of victory. Secondly, he likes the noise. The crackling and ripping sound, which the crump- ling and tearing produce, gives him unalloyed pleasure. If the little one is allowed to continue such activity, in the aimless fashion in which it was begun, nine times out of ten it will result only in the ruin of cherished books and pictures and 71 72 Suggestions for Hand Work in the tears and discomfort of young childhood. This should not be. Mother and kindergartner should come to the rescue. They should exer- cise their legitimate function of guiding the child in the expression of this natural impulse until it results in activity which is replete with meaning and rich with possibilities. How can this be done ? Let us see. The piece of crumpled paper which, after much squeezing, baby is endeavoring to put in School and Home 73 into his mouth may become, by a short flight of the imagination, that universal toy, a ball. Then what fun results, as this paper ball is tossed into the air, to be caught again by eager fingers or to fall to the floor with a soft thud, where it may be rolled back and forth, to the endless delight of the little one. Batted against wall or furniture it causes no harm and, if made from a piece of newspaper, it is pliable enough to satisfy the baby's desire for squeezing and 74 Suggestions for Hand Work pounding, while at the same time it gives out a subdued rustling sound which is delightful to the small performer and not excruciating to tlie auditory nerves of the adult. '* This is all very well for the nursery," I hear some one say, " but what can be done with a in School and Home j^ piece of crumpled paper in the kindergarten ? " We answer, — here it can be pressed and molded until it more nearly assumes the form of a per- fect sphere. Then the games of tossing, throw- ing, and rolling possible with this paper ball are almost unlimited. In all such plays the paper ball, because of its very lightness, has some slight advantage over the ball of rubber or worsted. However, the possibilities of a piece of crumpled paper do not end with the ball. It can become a musical instrument. We will call it an accordion, if you please. Thus fortified with the means for artistic expression, we will play out all the rhythms of the simple songs and marches with which we are familiar. This is a game of which we never tire and it even lends itself to use with older children, who enjoy guessing what tunes belong to the various rhythms executed by their companions on this improvised accordion. The aimless tearing of paper into small bits, wdiich absorbs baby's attention for a brief in- terval, may become the means of a prolonged frolic during which the imagination is stimu- lated, the imitative faculty exercised, the mus- cular system developed, and the whole being- expanded with joyful emotion. To this end 76 Suggestions for Hand Work spread a large piece of cloth on the floor. Place baby in the middle of it and give him a news- paper or some tea paper or a sheet of druggist's paper and let him tear this into small frag- ments. Then play that there is a snow-storm and let these bits of torn paper represent snow- flakes. The little one will crow with delight, as he tosses them into the air and watches them in School and Home 77 descend again. This simple play will occupy his attention for a long time and at last, when he is tired of it, let him imagine that he is the street cleaner who has come to clear away the snow and, with his toy broom and shovel, he will delight to sweep the bits of paper into a pile, shovel them into a toy wagon or other re- 78 Suggestions for Hand Work ceptacle, and cart them away to the dumping ground, — the waste basket or firephice. The kindergartner will find that even the oldest of her children are not averse to this simple little play of a paper snow-storm. If the tearing of definite forms seems a diffi- cult task for the young child, he may be encour- aged to renewed efforts by allowing him to fold his paper and then to tear it along the line of the folds. This is not especially desirable work, however. It is certainly not free hand tearing and it should be used only as a means for incit- ing the more timid and less self-reliant children to fresh activity. in School and Home 79 One of the simplest exercises in free hand tearing is the making of fringes. Small nap- kins, doilies, and table-cloths are thus provided with an ornamental finish by the children, who take great delight in furnishing the doll's tea table with these articles. Fringes with which to decorate the dresses, aprons, and sashes of paper dolls are also easily made. When the children have grown somewhat ex- pert in the tearing of these simple fringes, give them large pieces of paper and let them tear a number of long straight strips. While this work in School and Home 8i is in progress the imagination may be brought into play. The strips taken singly may repre- sent paths, poles, tracks, ribbons, ties, crowns, flags, streamers, and banners. Several of them tied together and fastened to the end of a stick make an excellent duster or fl}^ flapper. If not put to some such use at the close of the lesson CLOSED EDGE CV03f/>^ Figure I. the strips torn by the entire class may all be gathered into one large bundle, loosely tied and carried to the kitchen or basement, where they will serve in the capacity of fagots when the maid or the janitor wishes to rekindle the fire. 82 Suggestions for Hand Work After some practice in tearing bits, fringes, and strips of paper, the child may attempt something a little more difficult. An attractive paper chain may be made simply with the fingers, without the aid of paste or scissors. Let each child fold paper in the form of oblongs about five by seven inches, and tear the paper along the folds made until each one is provided Figure II. with several pieces of the desired form and size. Fold one of these paper oblongs on its longer diameter and leave it folded. Fold again on its shorter diameter. The oblong thus formed will be of the same relative proportion though only half the size of the original. Hold this folded oblong in the left hand with in School and Home 83 the closed corner pointing toward the upper right hand side. Begin to tear along a line similar to the broken line indicated in Figure I. Figure II shows the desired form torn from Figure III. the oblong. Figure III represents this form as it appears when unfolded. Figure IV shows it as 8a. Suggestions for Hand Work properly folded to form a link in the paper chain. Fold another oblong and tear another form like Figure II. Open this second form and then fold it again as indicated in Figure V. Slip one end of the form as folded in Figure V through the first link as shown in Figure IV. Bring the ends of this second piece of paper together and the Figure IV. result will resemble Figure VI. Continue this process until a chain of the desired length is formed. The next step in the free hand tearing will be the outlining of forms of life and of knowledge. As the mathematical forms hold little interest for the child, except as his imagination is allowed in School and Home 85 to play over them, I will give them no consid- eration here. The possibilities for the represen- tation of fruit, flowers, leaves, animals, and Figure V. manufactured articles are practically unlimited. In the execution of each form it is desirable that 86 Suggestions for Hand Work the frame or matrix be as perfect as the repre- sentation of the object itself. No marking with crayon or pencil as a guide for the tearing should be allowed and no clipping or trimming of the Figure VI. object after it has been torn from the matrix should be tolerated. This work should be broad in School and Home 87 and free, and the forms produced should stand as they were first torn from their frames, without further manipulation. Free hand tearing possesses certain elements in common with drawing. The results of this work are more artistic than those obtained by means of free hand cutting and, if patience is exercised, the pupil soon grows proficient in this most fascinating of kindergarten occupations. Pictures formed by means of free hand tearing often make charming illustrations for stories, songs, and poems. Any paper may be em- ployed in this work. Coated cutting paper in black, in soft tones of gray, or in subdued colors is satisfactory. Tailor's pattern paper in black and dark blue has proved most desirable and if the absence of color is no drawback to the work in hand, white tea paper or druggist's paper may be used with good effect. The specimens of tearing here represented ^ were all done in an absolutely free manner, without the aid of marking or trimming. They are the work of " children of a larger growth " but nevertheless show some of the possibilities of this occupation. ^ These cuts are very much reduced in size. VII The Use of Sand IN the whole range of a little child's expe- rience he discovers no plaything more to his liking than a pile of sand. This material is so plastic, so easily moulded ; yields so readily to the touch ; gives such a feeling of mastery over the world of matter, such a realization of power to transfer and to transform that, from the tiny baby to the mature six-year-old, it has a fasci- nation unequaled by anything else in the whole gamut of children's toys and in the whole equip- ment of the kindergarten. If it be true that the child develops and expands most readily and most completely when he is most joyfully occu- pied, then the value of sand both in the home and in the kindergarten cannot be overestimated. As it is the most natural of playthings it is also the most educative. " But," cries some anxious mother, housed in a modern flat, several stories above the ground, '* how can I give my child access to a sand pile? " A similar plaint is uttered by the kindergartner, 88 Suggestions for Hand Work 89 whose crowded rooms overflow with eager little ones. To eacli and all we would say, " You can do it if you will." It is merely a question of values. Do you, mother, care more for your beautifully ordered, spotlessly neat rooms than for the welfare of your child? Do you, teacher, care more for your own convenience and the order of your schoolroom than for the growth of the tender plants you are supposed to nurture in your child garden ? Ideal conditions would of course mean an ample pile of sand, out-of-doors in the free air and the sunshine. Lacking such conditions, the mother should provide her child with a well made sand box or sand table of large proportions. This she may obtain at a kindergarten supply store or at a toy shop. If the necessary space or the means are denied her she must try to be sat- isfied with a makeshift. She can get a large galvanized iron or agateware baking pan, which may be purchased at a tinsmith's and placed upon a low table, or even upon the floor. If it is impossible to obtain the large pan a small one may act as a substitute. This may even be of tin if properly protected from rust on the inside by means of a coat of paint. Failing to secure any of these receptacles, the mother may pur- chase a square of enameled cloth which will pro- 90 Suggestions for Hand Work tect the floor or table from scratches and from dampness, and will serve as a means for holding the sand. The kindergartner whose room is too cramped and overcrowded for a sand table or a sand box, and whose facilities do not include a sand pile in the open, may utilize individual tin trays or baking pans. These may be painted at little expense and may easily be piled away into small compass when not in use. Care must be exercised in storing that the outside of the pans does not come in contact with the damp sand. There should therefore be a sufficient amount of air space between the trays so that the sand may dry readily without further care from the kin- dergartner. If such pans are not available, a strip of enameled cloth may be provided as a covering for each table. This will serve as a protection against scratching and otherwise marring these articles of furniture. A small pile of sand may then be placed on the table in front of each little chair, and each child will be as happy with this makeshift as though he were provided with the most ideal of arrangements. Group work, which is greatly to be desired in connection with the sand, is not quite as practicable when individual trays or piles are used as when all in School and Home 91 the children work at one large sand table, but it can be managed even under such diffi- culties. Sand itself is very inexpensive and easily ob- tained. It may be purchased by the barrel for a small sum from a builder and contractor or from a kindergarten supply store. Sometimes it may even be procured from the dealer in sea food or from the groceryman. The very young child seems never to tire of simply feeling of the dry sand. He will sift it through his fingers, bury his hands and feet and even his whole body in it if possible, slowly and joyfully withdrawing himself after each fresh interment. He will shovel it into a pail or other receptacle, pour it from one dish into another, dip it into a bottle by means of a spoon, rub it and pat it and smooth it for long, happy, absorbing hours together. As the child grows older, digging holes in the sand and heaping it into piles seems to be his chief delight for a longer or shorter period of time. Then at last comes a day when dry sand seems no longer to wholly satisfy, and when the sympathy and suggestion of the mother or the kindergartner is eagerly sought. When this period approaches, give the child water and show him how to moisten the sand. Then a 92 Suggestions for Hand Work whole world of new possibilities immediately presents itself. He can now make balls of sand, big and little balls, snowballs, cannon-balls, marbles. En- courage him to make a snowball that is strong enough to toss gently and catch again without falling apart. Ask him to make marbles that will really roll. Get him to make a big, big cannon-ball that he can only just reach around with his small fingers. Then let him hold it at arm's length on the palm of his hand and test its weight and observe its inaccuracies of sur- face and its deviation from a real sphere. En- courage him to improve on this ball until he has constructed a sphere as nearly perfect as it is possible for him to make. Improvise little plays of spacing, grouping, and arranging with these sand balls of different sizes. Take one ball of each of the three sizes made. Place the snowball upon the cannon- ball and the marble upon the snowball. If the child can do this successfully a snow man, made all of sand, will result. Details of features may be scratched on one side of the marble, which serves as a head, by means of a pea stick, a toothpick, or a pencil point. A bit of sand may be added for a hat. Arms of sand or of tooth- picks may be supplied, and the result will more in School and Home 93 than repa}^ for the care and woi-k exercised in its construction. After this strange snow man lias been sufficiently admired, if he still remains stable, he may serve as a target for sand snow- balls. Hollow tin forms, half spheres, cylinders, cones, and cubes may be purchased of a dealer in kindergarten supplies. These furnish means for the employment of many happy hours, as well as for the real education of the child. He is not only becoming familiar with the type forms through his play with them, but he is also using his creative faculty, exercising his powers of invention. For a long time he will be con- tent to simply make the sand cubes, spheres, and cylinders by pressing the damp sand into these hollow forms and expelling it again. It will be some time before this feat can be ac- complished with success. Soon, however, the child will wish to give names to the forms thus produced. Then comes in the play of his imagination. By its trans- forming touch the sand balls, cubes, cones, and cylinders become cakes of toilet soap, loaves of Boston brown bread, rolls of jelly cake, moulds of ice cream, and prints of butter. Thus all kinds of make-believe housekeeping and gro- ceryman plays may be instituted. By exercis- 94 Suggestions for Hand Work ing care in tlie handling of this sand bread and cake, it may be baked in an improvised sand oven, garnislied witli flowers and served on the doll's table, or it may be bought at the market and sold to a rival baker or confectioner. If the damp sand is of just the right consist- ency, the cubes, cylinders, and cones formed from it may be used for purposes of construction. Placed side by side or one above another, they become walls, towers, gateways, arches, castles, monuments, and lighthouses. Encourage the child to press the tin forms deep into the sand, then carefully to withdraw them, leaving perfect impressions of half spheres, cubes, cylinders, and cones. The hollow forms thus produced in the sand serve as wells, cis- terns, cellars, gymnasiums, and fountains. The child unconsciously receives a more vivid im- pression of pure form in this play than it is pos- sible for him to get from almost any other exer- cise of the kindergarten. As he grows older and his skill increases, the child will enjoy making pictures and designs. This may be accomplished by smoothing and lightly pressing the damp sand until it presents an even surface, compact enough to receive im- pressions. Let the child draw upon it the pic- ture or design desired, using for this purpose in School and Home 95 the end of the finger, a stick or toothpick, the point of a pencil or the edge or corner of the hollow tin cube. Pictures and designs may also be produced in the sand by a succession of dots made with the end of the finger, the point of a stick or the tip of the tin cone. These surface forms are less attractive to the child of kinder- garten age, however, than are the sand solids constructed by modeling with the fingers or by employing the hollow tin forms. As illustrative material the sand is unrivaled, and it may almost be called a necessary part of the equipment of kindergartens and primary schools. With a little care, forms of fruits, vegetables, and animals may be produced. These are most successful when they are modeled up from the pan or table of sand, which serves as a plaque or background, upon which each form may rest. If the child is es- pecially deft, these forms may be made by hold- ing the sand freely in the hands regardless of other support. Of course the forms thus pro- duced are very frail and not possible of con- struction unless the sand has received just the proper amount of moisture. A robin's nest modeled up from the tray, in which five eggs made of sand are placed, makes an easy and at- tractive lesson in the beginning. 96 Suggestions for Hand Work If we sojourn in the country, the little house in which we live, with its yard and outbuild- ings, may be modeled, or the village church, or school, or store, or our flower garden with its beds and walks. If we are city bred, the streets along wliich we pass, the flat building in which we live, or bits of the park, with its numerous attractions, may be attempted. To be sure a vivid imagination is often required to recognize the similarity between the actual scenes and their representations in the sand, but this is rather an advantage than a drawback. Sand readily lends itself to the production of homes of animals, burrows of rabbits, woodchucks, prairie dogs, and ground squirrels, as well as to the construction of mines, caves, and other sub- terranean passages. The beginning of geography and of history may best be taught by means of the sand tray. The little child delights in the reproduction of lakes, mountains, rivers, islands, and volcanoes, and in the attempt to represent the homes of children of other lands, such as the Eskimo and the Indian. For story illustration the sand is unrivaled. Even the smallest child may produce something that resembles the bowls of the three bears, the haycock under which the faithless Boy Blue in School and Home 97 slept, or the pie which, with its four and twenty blackbirds, was set before the king. When other material is combined with the sand, the possibilities for construction and for illustration become positively unlimited, for there is scarcely anything in the earth, water, or air, whether industry, sport, or phase of nature, that may not be represented by this means. Take your children for a day in the country and let them gather twigs. If this is not pos- sible, go with them to the city park at a time when the trees and shrubs are undergoing a process of pruning, and collect this material there. If you cannot do this, interest some lad in an upper grade, and induce him to collect these branches for you. With the twigs bearing leaves you may represent in the sand tray the woods in summer, or a shady nook in the park, or the village street in June or October. With those having only buds you may repro- duce the aspect of the forest in winter, early spring, or fall. By covering the sand beneath the twigs with a thin layer of cotton-wool, a realistic winter scene in park or country is produced. Place some red, yellow, or green first gift beads upon the ends of the twigs that are stuck 98 Suggestions for Hand Work into the sand at regular intervals and the effect of an apple orchard, with fruit all ready to be gathered, is gained. Replace these beads by others of appropriate color, and an orange grove appears as if by magic. In like manner this may be superseded by an orchard of peaches, plums, or pears. To the twigs stripped of the fruit and leaves may be added wisps of worsted and string, bits of cotton wool, or scraps of waste twisted into appropriate forms, and the appear- ance of the trees in autumn is shown with the nests left empt}^ by the migrating birds. If you have been fortunate enough to secure branches of spruce or hemlock, you may repro- duce the Christmas tree with its brightness and color. The industries of logging and lumber- ing may be aptly illustrated by means of the twigs and sand. Log houses and huts may be built. Our summer camp in the woods with many of its delightful features may be repro- duced. Telegraphs and trolley lines may be compassed. Flagstaffs and clothes-poles may be set, fences may be built, and railroads and bridges may be constructed. If twigs are not attainable, the kindergarten sticks may be used in their stead, but these leave much to be desired. The addition of the kindergarten gift blocks to the sand makes all kinds of realistic building in School and Home 99 possible. Cities and villages may be laid out with their numerous streets and walks. Country houses, surrounded by their grounds, the park with its zoo, schools, churches, and other public structures erected. Here you may rear the castle of the knight or the hovel of the charcoal burner. The lighthouse, with its stretch of sandy beach, the recreation pier, the breakwater, the draw- bridge, and other structures too numerous to mention may be produced in endless variation. The use of toy animals in connection with the sticks, blocks, and sand may result in a farm- yard with its fences, its buildings, and its coterie of live stock. These animals, however, should be carefully selected, special regard being paid to their relative proportion. To those children who are familiar with country life, the laying out of a cornfield in the autumn is a piece of work which results in su- preme happiness. The shocks of corn are made from strips of raphia, cut the desired length and placed together in the form of sheaves. These are tied about the middle and set in the sand at regular intervals. The ripened pumpkins, rep- resented by large and small orange beads, lie in the furrows ready to be garnered in. The whole field, surrounded by a rail fence constructed of twigs, with the farmer's barns looming in the loo Suggestions for Hand Work distance, presents a realistic picture that is in- deed fascinating even to the mature observer. Vegetable gardens with neatly arranged beds, walks constructed of tiles or tablets, and vegeta- bles made of shells, nuts, and beads are also most alluring. The addition of a little colored tissue-paper to represent the tops of beets, rad- ishes, and other vegetables, is often desirable in this connection, though in the main its use in the sand tray is to be deplored, as it produces a tawdry and unartistic effect. A flower garden in the sand may be made to glow and blossom in the most realistic fashion by the use of cut flowers, gathered in the fields during a country walk. I am loath to leave this fascinating subject without mentioning the delightful possibilities of pattern making and design laying in the sand with the beautifully formed and delicately colored shells, sea beans, nuts, and seeds, which should be among the most cherished possessions of every kindergartner. These materials may be used simply for the making of impressions, but the most successful results are gained when they are laid in the sand, and there left to give both form and color to the designs thus pro- duced. In all this I have but touched lightly upon in School and Home loi a few of the many possibilities of sand considered as an educative material, in the home and in the kindergarten, hoping by this means to have quickened an interest in its use. To those wishing further suggestions or enlightenment I would most earnestly recommend the reading of that interesting little book by G. Stanley Hall, entitled The Story of a Sand Pile. VIII clay Modeling IT is clay day in the kindergarten, and the first eflbrt at clay modeling is about to be made. Glorified visions of the mud-pie ac- complishments of her own infancy float vaguely through the brain of the young kindergartner while ecstatic Oh's and Ah's burst from the lips of the children. The tables are spread with enamel cloth, tiny aprons are donned, small sleeves are tucked up, the clay is given out, — all is ready to begin. There is a breathless pause. The kindergartner, fearing lest her own rosy memories and the expectant smiles of her eager audience may impel her to impulsive action, clutches desperately at certain " wise saws and modern instances " of her recently acquired wis- dom. " Make the internal external and the ex- ternal internal." *' No impression without ex- pression ; no expression without impression." "The universal mind is always within us." "The child's universal nature is his human nature." "The self-active being is always free." At last, " Follow the lead of the child " flashes 102 Suggestions for Hand Work 103 into her mind and, greeting this happy inspira- tion with a sigh of" relief, she turns, with a smile of encouragement, to her little pupils and says, " Children, you may make just anything you wish to make this morning with the clay." The little ones need no second bidding and the stroking, the rolling, the patting, the rub- bing, the thumping, and the squeezing all vigor- ously begin. The thumpers and the squeezers are soon brought to their senses by the advice of the kindergartner, supplemented by an object- ive demonstration, for their clay soon lies be- fore them in a dried and crackled mass or in a crumbled heap no longer responsive to their touch. Not so with the material of the other children. Under their patting and stroking and rolling, the clay takes magical shape and soon before these workers lie hosts of the things that all little children love to make, the things they instinctively do make with mud or clay, when left to follow exclusively their own promptings, — little round things like marbles, little long things like pencils, little flat things like pan- cakes. Let us see what value lies in these objects that are the spontaneous expression of the child's own hand and brain. What can be done with them? He has already derived much benefit 104 Suggestions for Hand Work during their construction, — he has been happy ; he lias followed the legitimate promptings of his own mind ; he has gained a certain manual dexterity. But the end is not yet. The kinder- gartner now exercises her function and the child is led into " green fields and pastures new." By means of her prompting, the imag- ination of each member of her flock springs into action. The little round things become grapes, cherries, candies, oranges, nuts, eggs, snowballs, and bullets. They serve as marbles to be rolled, in which capacity they are sometimes baked to hardness in the oven of the school kitchen or the fire of the school kiln, or even in the sun that shines in at the window. Often they are decorated with engaging spots, stripes, and splashes of water-color paint. Marble bags are sometimes constructed for their reception and each little one then becomes the proud possessor of a collection of these treasures and of a proper receptacle for their accommodation. Highly satisfactory strings of beads are often made from these round objects. While the}^ are still soft, each little ball is punctured with a pea stick or a toothpick so that they may be put all together on a string after being dried, fired, or baked. These beads may be colored and vari- ously decorated, and sometimes a glaze of shellac in School and Home 105 is added. In tliis case their attractiveness be- comes positively irresistible. These round ob- jects may be grouped for number work or laid in the form of units for decorative designing. With a little manipulation, pressing with the " tall man " or squeezing between the thumb and " pointer," quite a variety of shapes for the construction of these units of design becomes possible. By a more or less vigorous exercise of the im- agination, varying in intensity with the indi- vidual child, the little long objects become canes, cakes, noodles, bread sticks, seed pods, pencils, and poles. With slight manipulation each little cylinder may be turned into a snake, a snail, a bracelet, a horseshoe, or a ring. Through the combination in various ways of several of these long, slender units, chains, baskets, birds' nests, vases, plates, and tools re- sult. Like the tiny spheres the cylindrical ob- jects may also be grouped for number work or utilized as units of design. Scarcely a spark of imagination is required to transform the little flat objects immediately into pies, cookies, cakes, flapjacks, wheels, platters, plates, and plaques. Acting in the capacity of cakes and pies, they may be baked on the time- honored shingle of our own callow days, gar- io6 Suggestions for Hand Work nishecl with blossoms from the children's own garden bed, and pricked and marked and crossed with T in true orthodox fashion. They ma}^ be laid in rows, piled one upon another, and vari- ously grouped to the infinite satisfaction of their small manipulators. Going a step further, let us see what results may be produced by the combination of differ- ent forms. From the spheres and the cylinders, dolls, dumb-bells, bunches of grapes, clusters of cherries, loving cups, lamp-posts, hammers, cro- quet mallets, and golf sticks may be constructed. The combination of cylinders and cakes results in toadstools, umbrellas, hand mirrors, and fry- ing-pans. By putting together the spheres and the cakes, strawberry pies, tam-o'-shanters, Christmas puddings and dishes of fruit, nuts and candies become possible. By the union of all three forms most delightful pitchers, goblets, teapots, cups and saucers, and other dainty table appliances are made. But more attractive than all else are the pretty bas-reliefs of pussy- willow twigs, daisy blossoms, clover leaves, and other flower forms that result from this latter union. In this last-mentioned combination the flat things serve as plaques for the reception of the long things which act as stems, buds, and petals in School and Home 107 and the round things which act as leaves, seed pods, buds, and centres of blossoms. If realistic results are desired after these forms are put in position on the plaque the cylinders and spheres should go through a flattening process accom- plished by pressing them lightly with the fin- gers. After they are completed and dried these sprays of buds, these leaves and blossoms, may be treated with a wash of water-color paint to imitate the natural colors of the flowers they represent. The plaque also may receive, if de- sired, a like treatment with appropriate color. All the forms made spontaneously by the children may be thus turned to account with equal satisfaction to teacher and pupil, and the accomph'shment of such numerous and astonish- ing results without labored effort on the part of the children is most desirable. By this process the little ones rapidly gain confidence in their own powers and lose sight of discouragements as they would not do if less spontaneous meth- ods were employed. They also become willing and eager to attempt more ambitious work. The mature kindergartner who harks back to her own early training, when clay was given al- most solely for the purpose of teaching geomet- ric form, may feel some twinges of conscience at this free and easy method, or perhaps she may io8 Suggestions for Hand Work be in a position where she still feels that the more formal work is the more legitimate. If such be the case and if she must teach geometric form in the clay modeling, let her, by all odds, put into this instruction some life and some meaning. She may do this by encouraging her children to observe the embellishments of archi- tectural structures and then by letting them ap- ply the spheres, cubes, and cylinders they model in the construction of beaded and toothed frets and bits of similar historic ornamentation. After some dexterity has been gained in the handling of the clay the children may attempt to work from models. Objects that naturally arise in connection with other exercises of the kindergarten should be chosen for this purpose. The pets of the home and school, the animals of the zoo, and the birds and squirrels of the park make admirable models. The Christmas season is fruitful in toys that may be thus turned to account and the study of nature, especially in the fall and spring, furnishes many desirable objects for this purpose. In all of these exer- cises the kindergartner should be very sure that the children are perfectly familiar with the things she asks them to make. Sometimes it is desirable that each child should be furnished with a separate model, which he ma}' observe, in School and Home 109 handle, and play with before he attempts to re- produce it in clay. But the kindergartner should not be disturbed if during the fervor of creation the child fails to look at his model. Above all things the teacher should not be too ambitious for results, and she should certainly not ask or expect her children to do what she cannot successfully compass herself. Memory work in this connection is very de- sirable. Take, for instance, the pet rabbit which has inhabited our rooms all winter. Surely the children have a vivid mental picture of him. Put the little animal where he cannot be seen and then ask the children to model him in clay. After each has done his best produce Bunn}' and let the children compare their clay rabbits with the real one. After this, let Bunny disappear again and give the children a second trial, bringing the little creature into view once more for further correction of the work. Other familiar objects may be treated similarly with happy re- sults. It is a good exercise for the children to attempt to model a familiar object with the eyes closed, depending for the result solely upon the sense of touch. Occasionally let the kinder- gartner break a rough lump from the mass of clay before her and ask the class to tell her what this irregular piece of clay most resembles. iio Suggestions for Hand Work Then let her, in the presence of the children, cause the clay, with a few deft touches, to as- sume the form of the suggested object. Encour- age the children to practice this exercise also with one another. It is always mirth provok- ing and often fruitful of other good results. If the members of the class are skilled in the clay work they will enjoy attempting to model, in the same lesson, a series of objects which are alike in general contour but which differ per- haps in some striking detail as, for instance, a chicken, a duck, and a swan ; a squirrel, a guinea pig, and a rabbit. This kind of exercise may aid materially in the cultivation of obser- vation and in the ability to see likenesses and diiferences readily. Sometimes surface work in clay may be ren- dered attractive and desirable, though this me- dium is really not the correct one for such ex- pression. Impressions of leaves, seeds, nuts, and sometimes even of flowers made upon clay plaques may be colored if desired and are often a source of great happiness to the children. This work requires a certain amount of delicacy of touch and it helps to fix the forms of objects firmly in the mind of the child. The making of decorative designs on a flat surface of clay by means of the repetition, alter- in School and Home 1 1 1 nation, and arranging of surface impressions of objects is thought desirable by some kindergart- ners. Bits of colored glass, made smooth at edges and corners, or little tiles, may be pressed into a level surface of clay and a mosaic may thus be formed. A flat effect, a kind of draw- ing with clay, is also possible by laying bits of the material on some substantial background with the thumb and forefinger, in much the same manner as a thick paint is applied to a can- vas with a palette knife. This kind of work is rather questionable, however, as it might lead to wrong habits in handling the clay. The cliildren should be taught to wedge their clay, otherwise objects made with much care drop apart when dry, causing much disappointment to little workers. Clay modeling is a process of building up, and it is perfectly legitimate to make an object in separate parts and then to weld these parts into one. The necessary material for clay modeling is easily obtained. Common gray clay may be purchased already mixed at any large art store. Cla}^ in brick form or flour clay may be bought at a kindergarten supply store. In neither form is it expensive, but a cheaper grade, a yellowish powdered clay, may be obtained, if desired, from a manufacturer of drains and sewer pipes. 1 1 2 Suggestions for Hand Work Plasticine is now being substituted, in man}^ in- stances, for clay. Tliis material never hardens but is always plastic and ready for use. It comes in a variety of soft tones of color and is a most attractive addition to kindergarten sup- plies. Clay bricks must be broken, soaked, and thoroughly kneaded before they are ready for use. Clay flour should be put into a cloth be- fore soaking and afterwards it must be thor- oughly mixed until it assumes the desired con- sistency. After the clay is once prepared it is easily kept in good condition by wrapping it in a damp cloth and storing it in an earthen crock kept in a cool place. A wooden knife is a desirable though not a necessary tool for use in the kindergarten. To protect the tables when clay modeling is in process, squares of enameled cloth, wooden boards, or pieces of heavy manila paper may be used. If the clay is not frequently replaced by that which is absolutely fresh it becomes a menace to the health of the children unless disinfected. A good disinfectant is made by dissolving a piece of thymol about the size of a pea in a pail of water. The clay should be thoroughly cleansed with this mixture about twice a month. If the clay is to be used over again, great care should be exercised that the children come to in School and Home 113 their Avork with absolutely clean hands, and no child having scratches, cats, or other sores on his hands should be allowed to work in this medium at any time. In the clay modeling we are working for the cultivation of the child's imagination and for the development of his powers of observation, pa- tience, neatness, sense of proportion, and manual dexterity. We wish the child to get his effects by a few broad, free, rapid touches. We care nothing for fineness of finish or for per- fection of detail. We care only for general mass effect and for expression of life. We must not forget that our point of view is neither that of the artist nor yet wholly that of the teacher. Most of us work not to produce artistic results nor to teach geometric form, but to give oppor- tunity for the self-expression of the child. Let us not, however, lose sight of art, but let us endeavor to work in an artistic manner our- selves in the presence of the child, and let us also encourage him to do likewise. At the same time let us not impose our individuality upon him. His methods are his own. If they lead to satisfactory results and if, in their use, he does not infringe upon the rights of his fellow- workers, he should surely be allowed to employ them. It is the business of the kindergart- 114 Suggestions for Hand Work ner to help the child to get the right feeling for the object he is about to model. If she can do this he will get the right result regardless of method. IX Stringing and Chain Making THE whole series of kindergarten hand work is one gigantic response to the instinctive craving of the little child for certain kinds of creative activity. Among these occupations the stringing of objects or chain making answers one of the most funda- mental of childish desires, as recollections of our own early days bear witness. Who has for- gotten the dear delights of fashioning gorgeous fetters from the dandelion, or of impaling lus- cious raspberries upon long stems of timothy, or of twining charming clover crowns and daisy chains? Though the kindergarten makes provision for the exercise of this legitimate impulse of the child, yet there are certain materials besides those commonly employed for this purpose that might be used to advantage. What these ma- terials are and how they may be turned to ac- count, it is my object to suggest. First, we wn'll away to nature's storehouse and from out its vast expanse extract some humble 115 Ii6 Suggestions for Hand Work treasures for our use, for here is to be found a wealth of form and color which art alone cannot supply. Let us for a moment consider a com- mon weed, the horsetail, varieties of which are to be found in abundance by the wayside and in wood and swamp and field. Gather this rush in the fall after it has attained a rich dark green color. Plants of a large, sturdy growth should be selected and, while they are pliable, these rushes should be cut by means of shears, into sections of the desired length. Several of them may be cut simultaneously if care is ex- ercised. Enough of these reeds may be gathered and prepared in one season to last for several years, as they retain their color and do not be- come too brittle for use. The horsetail is hollow inside and affords easy access to a very large needle. It is grooved upon the outside, giving a pleasing variety to its external appearance, which is still further enhanced in attractiveness by bands of black and white, occurring at regular intervals upon its surface. Sections of the horsetail, from one to one and a half inches in length, give the most pleasing effects and furnish us with the most attractive of cylindrical forms for string- ing, to be found in the whole realm of nature material. in School and Home 117 These sections of reed may be alternated with various nuts, seeds, fruits, and seed vessels, in such a manner that an almost endless variety of form and color is secured. I might multiply suggestions indefinitely but one or two exam- ples will suffice for our purpose. Take, for in- stance, the tropical colored rosehip, so common in some localities where the sweetbrier abounds ; when this is alternated with sections of the horsetail rush the result is a chain of unusual attractiveness. Again, another object, scarcely less happy in its effect when combined with the horsetail, is found in the fruit of the maple tree. The large keys of the Norway maple and the silver maple are especially effective for this purpose. These seeds should be gathered shortly before they are fully ripe and while they are still clinging to the tree. The best results are secured when the entire seed vessel is used. Before the seed be- comes perfectly dry a small hole for the passage of the needle should be made at the base of one of the wings, close beside the enlarged part con- taining the embryo. Let us now turn our attention to the consider- ation of other materials even more abundant and easier to obtain than those I have already mentioned. Such materials are to be found in 1 1 8 Suggestions for Hand Work the prosaic surroundings of the vegetable gar- den and the city seed store. Lima beans, pole beans, bush beans, castor-oil beans, squash, pumpkin and melon seeds, corn, and peas, are all objects which appear to minister only to our less aesthetic nature, but which in reality have potentialities which render them truly artistic in School and Home 119 when placed in certain relations and adapted to certain purposes. Beans are to be had in a great variety of color, — black, red, white, yellow, brown, and mottled black and white, and red and white. When considered with reference to their color, a great variety of chains is possible with this simple form alone. A pleasing variation is gained, without reference to color, when every other bean is strung on its shorter and every other one on its longer diameter. Beans and peas, beans and corn, beans and pumpkin seeds, beans and nuts, beans and various berries and other seed vessels may also be combined in a great variety of ways. The most desirable pea for our use is the small, round, light orange-colored one. This may always be purcluised at a kindergarten supply store, as it is the one used in the regular work with sticks and peas. These peas make a charming string of beads all by themselves, without the addition of other material, but they are very pretty when strung in groups of two or three alternated with corn, beans, pumpkin seeds, or sections of scouring rush. The western varieties of corn prove satisfac- tory in chain making, as the kernels are so large. This corn may be secured in almost as 120 Suggestions for Hand Work many tones of color as are to be found in the bean. A pretty variation in form is produced by placing the hole for stringing near the base or the apex of the kernel, giving a pendant ef- fect to each unit. Further variety is possible by passing the needle through the longer or the shorter diameter of each of the kernels. Corn is effective when used in conjunction with peas, beans, and other seeds as well as with rushes. Melon and pumpkin seeds, or melon and squash seeds, may be used together in one string, giving a pretty effect simply by this vari- ation in the size of the units, or these seeds may all be used separately, as well as in con- nection with rushes and berries of various kinds. Pass the needle through a squash or pumpkin seed on the shorter diameter of the seed, and then through another seed on the longer diam- eter, from base to apex. Alternate this manner of stringing and a very charming effect is se- cured. These seeds make pretty pendants when strung through holes punched in the base or the apex of ea&h one. All these fruits of the garden require some simple preparation ; that is, they should be soaked overnight, before using, to render them soft enough for the passage of the thread and needle, which transforms them from homely in School and Home I 21 objects of use into [esthetic units of decoration. I will suggest in passing that the small red pep- per of the garden has not a rival for brilliancy of color, and, if possible to secure it in sufficient quantities, it is a valuable addition to our material for stringing. Few flower seeds are large enough to be de- 122 Suggestions for Hand Work sirable for our use, but many seed vessels are most satisfactory for this purpose. Such, for instance, as that of the poppy, the tulip, the lily, the rose of Sharon, the milkweed, the radish, the wild cucumber and many others. The berries of the bittersweet, the asparagus, the Virginia creeper, the spice bush, the mountain ash, and the black haw are all adapted to our use, particularly because of their coloring. The bittersweet should be gathered and strung while it still preserves its spherical form and resembles round coral. After stringing, it opens and gives an appearance somewhat similar to the horned coral. It preserves its brilliant red and orange color indefinitely, and is very pleasing when used in connection with the hoi'setail rush. The mountain ash and asparagus berries are perishable and hence not as satisfactory as the bittersweet, except to give pleasure temporarily. The barberry, on account of the impossibility of passing a needle through its seeds, gives an appearance of irregularity or one-sidedness which is not displeasing when this berry is strung. While we are considering these valuable assets for our chain making we must not overlook such treasures as the winged seeds of the elm, the ash, the box alder, the ailanthus, the catalpa, in School and Home 123 the hop, and the tulip tree, all of which are most dainty when used in combination with other seeds. It is possible to make a very pretty chain from the pods of the honey locust by combining them with sections of scouring rush. One of the daintiest of chains is made from snowberries, to be found so abundantly in man}^ old-fashioned gardens, and the heads of alsike clover. Contrary to expectations this chain proves quite lasting both in color and form. Every one is so familiar with the pos- sibilities of daisies, dandelions, and clover in this connection that I need but to mention these flowers in passing and, as for leaf chains, with their fastenings of stems and thorns, who did not indulge in their construction in childhood? Nuts are among the most attractive and desirable nature materials for stringing. The horse-chestnut, the acorn, and the sweet chestnut are among the easiest to obtain and the most effective to use. These should all be perforated when first gathered and before they are allowed to become hard and dry. A shoemaker's or carpenter's awl is best for the making of holes in these nuts, but a slender wire nail, a hairpin, or other large pin may be used if preferred. These nuts alternate effectively with the horse- tail rush, but they are very satisfactory when 124 Suggestions for Hand Work strung in a simple repetitional form without other materials. The acorn cups alone make a dainty decorative festoon. Peanuts form a not unattractive chain but a fine sharp needle is required to string them. The button-balls from the sycamore tree and the prickly seed vessels of the sweet gum are both too hard for the passage of a needle, but they may be used as pendants, and fashioned into chains by means of the slender stem with which each one is furnished, and which always clings to its treasure with great tenacity. If one is in the vicinity of the eucalyptus tree it will furnish a fascinating contribution to our ma- terials for stringing. Oak galls, which may be gathered in quantities where the oak abounds, are most attractive as units for the construction of crowns, chains, and garlands. Small cones from the evergreens are also effective for our purpose. Sea-beans, if they can be obtained, are eminently appropriate for the making of chains with which to decorate the person. They are durable and beautiful in form and color, and they combine very charmingly with small glass and steel beads. These beads must be soaked before using as they are usually very hard. The dainty, transparent, orange and yellow in School and Home 125 sea-shells, to be found on the shore in great abundance in some sections, are preeminently desirable for stringing in the kindergarten, be- cause they are so lasting and so beautiful, and contain so many decorative possibilities. I will suggest but one of these possibilities, — the com- bination of strings, representing the individual work of the children, into one piece of room decoration, — namely a sash curtain to be placed in a window of the kindergarten room. The color effects, when the shell curtain is hung, with the light shining through it, are exquisite. These shells should be punctured by an adult to allow for the passage of a needle through them, and when they are used for a curtain or other drapery, each shell should contain two per- forations. We must not forget to mention the time- honored pop-corn and cranberries, strings of which always grace our Thanksgiving celebra- tion. A pleasant occasional substitute for these orthodox materials may be found in the use of raisins, cloves, citron, cinnamon, and allspice. Let us now turn for a brief space from the consideration of objects furnished by nature to those supplied by art. I need only to mention the regulation wooden beads and other forms con- stantly used in the kindergarten for stringing, as 1 26 Suggestions for Hand Work an elaborate series of patterns has alread}^ been worked out witli these wooden cubes, spheres, and cylinders. The straws and paper squares and circles are not ver}^ satisfactory, as formerly used, on account of their lack of durability. These are being replaced in some kindergartens by cylinders made from papier-mache, and squares and circles made from colored paste- board. Glass beads may now be obtained in large sizes and they always appeal to the children be- cause of their brilliancy and color. Spools and buttons as well as button molds and milk bottle tops are attractive to the child also. These ma}' be combined with sections of macaroni, or with lengths cut from small pasteboard mailing tubes. With the exception of the buttons, all these last mentioned forms may easily be colored by the children, by employing diamond dyes for that purpose. Sections of bamboo combine delight- fnlly with buttons, button molds, and glass and wooden beads. The regulation chains made from paper I'ings, by the smallest children of the kindergarten, may be pleasantly varied by securing wooden shavings from the shop, and cutting and pasting these as the paper strips are cut and pasted. Chains made from worsted, raphia, and tissue in School and Home 127 paper balls are effective Christmas tree decora- tions, and an attractive festoon, for the same pur- pose, is made from spills, constructed from the intertwining strips, and strung in the form of pendants. Some elaborate chain effects in artificial flowers made from tissue paper have been seen at 128 Suggestions for Hand Work recent kindergarten exhibits. In most cases tliese chains seem to be lacking in that simplicity which should characterize the work of children in the kindergarten, and are something of a travesty on the original blossoms which they aim to imitate. Their construction is of doubt- ful value, as they verge on the tawdry, and are perhaps characteristic of the thing we are anxious to eliminate from the environment of the kindergarten child. At least, there is a danger here, and the young kindergartner would do well to pause and consider a while be- fore enthusiastically plunging her children into the making of these paper flower chains. The value of stringing and chain making for the little child should not be underestimated. On the physical side, he receives a certain motor development from this work ; on the in- tellectual and spiritual, an appreciation of number, form, color, harmony, and something more, — a certain satisfaction from the linking of parts into a whole, which possibly foreshadows his later perception of the unity of all life. XI Rolled Cylinder Work AT the International Kindergarten Union exhibit of kindergarten hand work, held in New York City in the spring of 1907, the old maxim, " There is nothing new under the sun," was forcibly demonstrated. In the historical department of this exhibition, forms were displayed showing an application of kin- dergarten material dating back almost to Froe- bel's own time, — an application which the writer had supposed to be entirely modern and, in fact, her own idea. I refer to rolled paper cylinders combined into forms of sym- metry and of use. Such combinations, it seems, were made by the pupils of Madame Froebel and probably by Froebel's own pupils also. The objects constructed from these cylinders are very attractive and they present an appear- ance of reality and stability which is lacking in much of our kindergarten hand work. While some physiological objections may be raised to this occupation, if it is not carefully and thoughtfully managed, there are many delight- 141 142 Suggestions for Hand Work fill possibilities and no harmful results connected with its judicious use. The finer finger muscles are called into play in the making of the paper cylinders, therefore the period during which the cylinders are rolled should be of short duration, and only the older children of the kindergarten Figure I. should be engaged in this part of the work. The making of the cylinders and their combi- nation into forms should be wholly group work except in instances where small objects are at- tempted, which require only a ver}'^ few cylinders for their construction. This occupation is best adapted to uses in the city kindergarten ; in in School and Home 14;^ fact I should never employ it where the natural twigs, which the paper cylinders are supposed to simulate, may be obtained. Engine colored paper in tones of orange or brown has been found most satisfactory for this work. This paper may be cut into twenty-inch strips varying in width from one-half an inch to six inches. As an aid to the rolling of the cylinders, pea sticks or toothpicks may be em- ployed. After a good start is assured the sticks should be withdrawn. Paste is used to fasten the ends of the strips after the cylindrical forms are completed. When a cylinder of large diameter is desired a second strip is pasted to the end of the first and the rolling continued until the required size is reached. Pasteboard foundations are employed for furniture forms and also for the construction of buildings, rafts, piers, bridges, etc. The rolled cylinders are glued to these foundations and, after the forms are completed, they are treated with one or more coats of water-color paint, in grays and browns, to give the desired resemblance to twigs or logs. When cylinders are employed as posts, braces, poles, and the legs of different articles of furni- ture, the forms are rendered stronger if large- headed black pins are used, varying in length 144 Suggestions for Hand Work according to the size of the objects under con- struction. One of these pins passed through the cylinder to be used as a chair leg, with the Figure II. pointed end extending part wa^^ through the cliair seat and the head of the pin acting as the bottom of the chair leg, not only makes this in School and Home 145 piece of furniture stronger but adds also to the ease with which the article is put together, and to its general air of completeness. Hat pins may be used where piazza posts and bridge railings require a very long pin to secure them in place. In some instances, pieces of wire may be substituted for the pins with good results. One of the simplest objects and, to the child, one of the most fascinating to be made with this material is a candle and its holder. Two twent}^- iuch strips are required for this purpose. One of these strips should be half an inch wide and the other should be fully two inches in width. The cjdinder made from the wide strip is glued, at one end, to the centre of a two-inch paste- board circle, previously cut by the child. The short cylinder is glued, by its carved surface, to the surface of the pasteboard circle at a point near the circle's circumference. This simulates a handle. To make the form still more realistic a bit of cord, resembling a wick, may be placed in the little hole in the uncovered end of the long cylinder. The candle and its holder may be gilded, decorated, or painted in such a way as to render the whole object very attractive in- deed. Such a form is shown in Figure I. Pasteboard table tops, chair and sofa seats, cot frames, and, in fact, foundations for almost 146 Suggestions for Hand Work any article of household furniture ma\^ be sup- plied with spokes, legs, posts, or spindles made from these paper cylinders, to the infinite satis- faction and delight of the children at the re- seml^lance to reality thus made possible. 11 Figure III, The foundation for the chair, seen in Figure I, was made from a two-inch pasteboard square. The cylinders for the legs and back were made from twenty-inch strips two inches in width. These cylinders were fastened in place by means of Le Page's glue. To make the chair entirely in School and Home 147 a rustic one, the pasteboard seat was covered with the paper cylinders also, as shown in Figure I. This article of furniture required fifteen cylinders for its completion and was the result of group work. The foundation for the table, seen in the picture, consisted of a four-inch pasteboard square. Seventeen paper strips, four inches in width, were required for the completion of this form. A pasteboard oblong, two by four inches, served as the sofa seat foundation. This form required six four-inch, eighteen two-inch, and six one-inch cylinders for its satisfactory com- pletion. The relative proportions maintained in this little set of doll house furniture were found to be quite satisfactory, though an im- provement, in one instance, might possibly be made by using one-inch cylinders for the chair legs instead of those two inches in length, as seen in the picture. In some cases paper boxes may be used for the foundations of buildings. The log cabin, seen in Figure II, was made upon such a founda- tion. The bridge and tlie summer-house, shown in Figures III and IV, are suggestive of two of the many possibilities of this material. This occupation may be used to advantage in primary school classes where the children are engaged in the study of pioneer life, as the ma- 148 Suggestions for Hand Work Figure IV. terial is admirably adapted to the making of in School and Home 149 objects illustrative of that primitive phase of ex- istence. It will also be found useful in con- nection with other subjects of study in the grades, and the objection which obtains in the kindergarten to the making of the cylinders by the children will not prove valid in the work of these older pupils. While engaged in this work the child is gain- ing some muscular control, he is developing his imagination, broadening his experience, ex- ercising his patience, and acquiring that skill in the use of material which fills him with the happy consciousness of his own power. XII The Street Parade IF we eliminate the soldier with his uniform, his flag, his drum, his firearms and the steady tramp, tramp, tramp of his street parade, there seems to be nothing in the whole panorama of the life about the young child that appeals so strongly to his interest and his imag- ination as do the animals of the zoo, the menag- Courtesy of Ethical Culture School. All rights reserved. Photoyraph by Lewis W. Hine. erie or the circus. He is never tiring in his visits to these places of entertainment, and never ending in his prattle about the denizens that inhabit them. The child delights in reproducing the sounds 150 Suggestions for Hand Work 151 and antics of these creatures, in building their houses and cages with liis blocks, in drawing their pictures with his crayons, in modeling their images with his clay, and in impersonating them in his games and plays. In fact there seems to be no phase of their existence as he sees it which has not for him its definite and forcible appeal. In our own kindergarten, this natural interest of the children culminated last year in the pro- duction of a street parade, which was so wholly delightful to the children themselves and so satisfactory to the teacher, that she ventures to describe it here as a bit of work and play which may perhaps prove suggestive to others. Some of the animals composing this parade were represented riding in cages, others simply stood upon wagons without the protection or confinement of a cage. The wagons were made, for the most part, from pasteboard spool boxes about five inches long, three inches wide, and one deep. The covers as well as the boxes themselves were utilized for this purpose. Each box was turned upside down. Four wheels about two inches in diameter, cut from paste- board, were added. Small dowel sticks five inches long acted as axles, and a string was fastened to the front of the box by which to 152 Suggestions for Hand Work draw the wagon. The wheels were kept in place by means of small rubber bands stretched from the end of one axle to the end of its fellow on the same side of the wagon. When the vehicle was completed, an animal, previously cut out by one of the older children, was pasted to its top by means of cardboard flaps attached to the feet of the animal, and a brace of the same material was added on one side of the form to keep the creature in an upright position. A cage was made by cutting large oblongs from the bottoms of two good-sized boxes or from the tops of two covers. Slats or cardboard strips were then pasted across the two open oblong spaces at regular intervals, to simulate the bars of a cage. The two boxes or two covers were then fastened together by means of bits of paper or cardboard joined to each half at the four corners. Narrow ribbon bolts acted as wheels for these cages. Dowel sticks, rubber bands, and twine were employed in the same manner as in the construction of the wagons. The animals^ were drawn by the teacher and cut out by the children. The pasteboard used for this purpose should be of medium weight. A light brown or dark orange board is quite satisfactory. A white board may be used if ^ Original drawings made by Helen A. Sage. in School and Home 153 preferred, and the animals colored to suit the fancy of the worker. When coloring is done, however, the children should be encouraged to make it as realistic as possible. Fac-similes of some of the animals composing this parade follow. 154 155 156 157 158 159