11 '4 fS> PLATE 1. GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION OF THE Paradise of Childhood. A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO KINDERGARTNERS. By EDWARD WIEBE. Edited by Milton Bradley. Revised by JENNY B. MERRILL, Pd.D., Director op Kindergartens. Boroughs op Manhattan, The Bronx, and Richmond, New York City, s including a LIFE OF FRIEDRICH FROEBEL By henry W. BLAKE, A.M. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. SPRINGFIELD, MASS. MILTON BRADLEY CO. Boston New York Philadelphia Atlanta San Francisco 1910 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the yea^' \Vig6 B\ Milton Bradley Company, la the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washi,^guJ3. All rights reserved. Registered at Stationers* Hall, London, Eng]?nd All rights reserved. K^'^red according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S69. BV Milton Bradley & Comfany, iD the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachir5et»a copyright, 1910, BY iln,TO:i i.KAI>LE7 OO^, eprlnsiieia, Mass. J. F, Taplet Company, N. Y. (gCi.Ai!65680 PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. PART I.— SOME ASPECTS OF THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. By .Jenny B. Merrill, Pd.D. PART II.— THE PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. By Edward Wiebe. PART III.— THE LIFE OF FRIEDRICH FROEBEL. By Henry W. Blake, A.M. Play is the first means of development of the human mind, its first effort to make acquaintance with the outward world, to collect original experiences from things and facts, and to exercise the powers of body and mind. — Froebel. Play is the electric force of modern education. — .\tlantic Monthly. CONTENTS. PART I. Preface to the Golden Jubilee Edition .... Shall there be a Kindergarten Curriculum? .... The Kindergarten Program ...... Less Mathematics in the Use of Kindergarten Materials The Comparati\e \'alue of Forms of Life, Beauty and Knowledge Drawing in the Kindergarten and in the Nursery The Occupation of Paper Cutting ..... Brush Work ......... Choice of Color ........ ix-x 1-.5 6-16 17-18 19-20 21-27 28-29 30-31 32-33 of Plate I, The Kindergarten Out-of-Doors Plate II, Bunny, The Center of Interest Plate III, Play-time .... Plate IV, Tick-tock .... Plate V, The Farm-yard . Plate VI, Our Pets .... Plate VII, Before and after Christmas Plate VIII, Construction Work, Floral Chains, Plate IX, Animal Forms in Paper Cutting Plate X, Stages of Progress in the Drawing Plate XI, Practice and Object Drawings Plate XII, Illustrative Drawings Plate XIII, City Life— Illustrative Drawings Plate XIV, Free Cutting, Tearing, Sewing Plate XV, Brush Work Plate XVI, Paper Cutting and Coloring Plate XVII, The Blacksmith, the Carpenter, Plate XVIII, Constructive Work Plate XIX, Decorative Borders . Plate XX, Clay Modeling . , etc. a Horse the Miner 34-3.5 3.5 35 36 36-37 37 37 38 38 38-39 .39 39 40 40-41 41-42 42 42-43 43-44 44 44 vi CONTENTS PART II PAGE Preface to First Edition 47 48 Preface to Second Edition ........... 49-50 Establishment of a Kindergarten .......... 51 Means and Ways of Occupation .......... 52 The First Gift 53-59 Editor's Notes: General Impression — Color — Form — Motion. The Second Gift 60-67 Editor's Notes. The Sphere — The Cube — The Cylinder. The Third Gift 68-80 The Presentation of the Third Gift — Preparation for Constructing Forms — Forms of Life — Forms of Knowledge — Forms of Beauty. Editi?r's Notes. The Fourth Gift 81-92 Preparation for Constructing Forms — Forms of Life — Forms of Knowledge — Forms of Beauty. Editor's Notes; Furniture Sequence — Baker Sequence — House Building and Furnishing Sequence. The Fifth Gift 93-109 Cube Twice Divided in Each Direction — Forms of Life — Forms of Knowledge — Forms of Beauty. — Editor's Notes: First Sequence — Second Sequence — Third Sequence. The Fifth Gift B 110-112 Forms of Life — Forms of Symmetry. The Sixth Gift 11.3-122 Large Cube, Consisting of Double Divided Oblong Blocks — Forms of Life — Forms of Knowledge — Forms of Beauty. Editor's Notes: A Life Sequence — • A Beauty Sequence. The Seventh Gift 123-142 Square and Triangular Tablets for Laying of Figures — The Quadrangular Laying Tablets (Squares). Right- Angled Triangles — Forms of Life — Forms of Knowl- edge — Forms of Beauty. The Equilateral Triangle — Forms of Knowledge — Forms of Beauty. The Obtuse-Angled Triangle with Two Sides Alike — The Right-.4ngled Triangle with No Equal Sides. Editor's Notes. The Eighth Gift 143-150 Sticks for Laying of Figures. Editor's Notes. The Ninth Gift 151-156 Whole and Half Rings for Laying Figures. Editor's Notes. The Tenth Gift 157-185 Material for Drawing — The Vertical Line — The Horizontal Line — Combination of Vertical and Horizontal Lines — Oblique Lines — The Curved Line. Editor's Notes. The Eleventh and Twelfth Gifts 186-198 Material for Perforating and Embroidering. Editor's Notes: Elementary Color Teaching. The Thirteenth Gift 199-208 Material for Cutting Papers and Mounting Pieces to Produce Figures and Forms — Mounting and Figures. Editor's Notes. CONTENTS Vll The Fourteenth Gift .... Material for Braiding or Weaving. Editor's The Fifteenth Gift .... The Interlacing Slats. The Sixteenth Gift .... The Slat with Many Links. The Seventeenth Gift .... Material for Intertwining. Editor's Notes. The Eighteenth Gift .... Material for Paper Folding. Editor's Xotes. The Nineteenth Gift .... Material for Peas- Work. Editor's Notes. The Twentieth Gift .... Material for Modeling. Editor's Notes. The Kindergarten Games . . . , Teaching Little Children to Sing Notes PAGE 209-21.1 216-220 221-228 229-2.30 231-2.37 238-241 242-248 247 249 PART III. Introduction to the Life of Froebel Map of Central Germany The Life of Froebel In His Father's House With His Guardian The Forester's Ajiprentice A Student of Jena Becomes a Teacher Relations with Pestalozzi Final University Studies A Soldier of the Legion Curator at Berlin . Principal at Keilhau In Switzerland Blankenburg Wanderings about (lermany Marienthal Since Froebel's Death PASS 253-2.55 256 257-308 257-261 261-263 263-265 265-267 267-270 270-272 272 273-275 275-276 277-282 282-283 284-286 286-290 290-299 299-308 PREFACE TO THE GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Jenny B. Merrill, Pd.D. When I first heard the title of this book, " The Paradise of Childhood," applied to the kindergarten, verily, thought I, this name is well deserved and aptly chosen, for the original edition fell into my hands shortly after my first visit to the kindergarten of Madam Maria Kraus Boelte in New York city. The enlarged edition has held its own since 1896, proving a helpful guide to many teachers and mothers remote from training centers as well as an excellent text or reference book in training classes. The life of Froebel, written for the Quarter Century edition, by Henry W. Blake, A.M., has proved in- \aluable and will remain intact in this edition. The purpose of the present edition is to present some of the later results of kindergarten progress in comparison with the past. Certain changes have been introduced gradually under the beneficent criticism of psychologists and physicians, and the influence of general progress in the whole sphere of education. It should not be forgotten that this general progress is due in part to the study of Froebcl's writ- ings, especially "The Education of Man." This book has been and is now being studied by teachers in normal schools, colleges, and universities. It is recognized as one of the great educational classics touching, as its title suggests, education at all points. Kindergartners for many years neglected this book, confining themselves too closely to the details of kindergarten gifts and occupations, but with the general progress of educational thought they too are now studying Froebel's views on broader lines. Differences of opinion have arisen, as they always do when people really think and study instead of blindly following a leader. That for a season kindergartners must recognize a conservative and a progressive element in their ranks is not surprising. These two elements always work together in ever}- line of human thought for the good of each other and of the whole. They simply represent two ten- dencies of the human intellect. ''The kindergarten is so good," said a thoughtful mother to me, "that it is hard to spoil it very much." This response was given in reply to the particular kindergarten her children were attending. More recently, a professor of education in one of the great universities remarked to a friend, " My little boy attends a very conservative kindergarten, the very kind I disapprove, but there is no other near my home and he needs the companionship of children of his owni age. Notwithstanding our differences in opinion, I could not repay the kindergartner for the excellent results in the training of my little son." Dr. .John Dewey says in "The School and Curriculum," " It is easier to see the conditions in their separateness, to insist upon one at the expense of the other, to make antagonists of them, than to dis- cover a reality to which each belongs. The easy thing is to seize upon something in the nature of the child, or upon something in the developed consciousness of the adult, and insist upon that as the key to the whole problem. When this happens a really serious practical problem — that of interaction — is transformed into an unreal and hence insoluble theoretic problem." In " Education of Man " Froebel speaks of the value of comparison. He says, " Only the study of the life of others can furnish such points of comparison with the life one himself has experienced." It is, after all, "the golden mean" which we are .seeking. "Education is an art, the practice of which can become perfect only through many generations," said the great philosopher, Kant. Both conservatives and progressives unite in recognizing the kindergarten as the social center needed by children after the first three or four years of life have been nurtured in the home. The child begins at this age to show symptoms of needing more exjseriences than the home alone can provide. Indeed this age has been denominated "the first runaway age." Many a little one, X PREFACE TO THE GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. following the natural instinct to extend his or her environment, breaks bounds and runs through the garden gate, or " off the block" if a city child. The well-known lost child is the result. If now we foresee this tendency of the child to enlarge his boundaries, and if we accept Froebel's thought that education should necessarily be "passive, following, only guarding and protecting in its first principles," have we not found a key to the age when the child may safely leave his home daily for a few hours? All kindergartiiers, therefore, agree on this point, namely, the need of e.xtending the exi)eriences of the young child and of introducing him into a child society approaching his own age. "The child needs the child" may be called their w'atchword. "Children educate each other under the guidance of adults," says an eminent professor of pedagogy. The strongest and final plea for the value and necessity of kindergartens for children of the rich, of the poor, of the neither-rich-nor-poor, is this very one of the social need of children for each other's society. This is eminently true in a democratic country where children are to be trained to take the initiative and to work in groups with a leader, and gradually learn to be willing to lead or to follow for the good of the whole community. No system of education other than the kindergarten so full)' recognizes the sacredness of the individual while impressing at the same time that no one lives to himself if he lives well. Many of the trying faults of little children in the home disappear, so mothers testify, as if by magic, in the social atmosphere created by a group of children in the kindergarten. The various criticisms of the kindergarten and the varying views of kindergartners are all a sign of healthy growth. Some extreme critics have endeavored to lead parents and school boards, now and again, to cjuestion whether the kindergarten is an essential educational factor. A few writers are seeking to persuade parents to turn back to the doctrines of Rousseau and let the child run wild, for health's sake, during these early years. The decision of tliis important matter in any individual case, namely, whether the child will profit by attendance in a kindergarten, must, indeed, turn upon considerations of health. The average, normal, healthy child of four or five years at the latest, needs the society of the kinder- garten for a year or two before entering the primary school. Parents have reported impro\'ement in the health of nervous, delicate children after entering a small kindergarten, regular habits and exercise in the society of normal children having pro\'ed a benefit. In Dr. Wm. H. Maxwell's Second Annual Report (1899) the attention of the Board of Education of New York city was directed to the importance of the kindergarten in these strong words: "The kindergarten has long since passed the experimental stage. It has demonstrated its usefulness. Argument is no longer needed to show the wisdom of its founder." Dr. Maxwell has since .secured the establishment of nearly a thousand kindergartens in New York city. The only criticisms of the kindergarten that need concern a parent seriously are those urged by physicians. These must be carefully considered. They include sanitary conditions, over-nervous stimulation caused in part by large rooms and hence large numbers, and hand-work requiring the over- use of the smaller muscles. Any intelligent parent may soon discover whether these unfortunate con- ditions exist in a particular locality. If they do exist, let parents use their infiuence in the community to remedy sanitary conditions for the sake of their own and their neighbors' children. After many years of observation of children in hundreds of kindergartens, taught by kinder- gartners representing over forty different training schools in twenty cities, I have formulated the following kindergarten creed: A KINDERGARTEN CREED. 1. I believe that children need each other's society 3. I believe that play is the natural means of for their highest development. developing the child's body and mind, that play 2. I believe that from four to six years of age or may be so conducted as to lead gradually into the possibly seven, it is usually best for boys and girls more restricted life of the school. (I also believe to play together in groups for two or three hours that the social and communal interests of the daily, under adult guidance away from their homes, kindergarten should extend upward into the in kindergartens. school.) PREFACE TO THE GOLDEX JUBILEE EDITION'. XI 4. I believe that the physical care of the child demands especial attention up to the seventh j'ear, and hence that it is a question whether young chil- dren should be called together unless they are pro- vided with light, airy and sunny rooms. 5. I believe that every possible effort should be made to keep children in touch with nature and natural objects. 6. I believe that simple garden work and the care of animals should be especially encouraged. 7. I believe that the best materials for play in the kindergarten are indicated by Froebel, that the most important of these are balls, building blocks, sand, clay, paper, crayon or brush, and scissors. The constructive play with these materials or other plastic materials should follow naturally a few simple industries and such play should develop gradually into work 8. I believe that games and rhythmic exercises should be developed mainly by imitation of human activities and of animal movements which children have observed. I believe that informal acting or playful dramatizing should precede the formal games of the kindergarten. 9. I believe that pictures, stories and songs should be used freely at this age. They have long been recognized as potent in child training. If well selected they will carry the child Ijeyond his en- vironment and help him in forming ideals. 10. I believe that periods for free or undirected play are essential in the kindergarten, not only for the child, but also for the kindergartner to aid her in studj-ing children. Home playthings, as the doll, doll-house, a few simple toys and pictures books are desirable in the kindergarten as incentives to play and to social life. 11. I believe that the child needs the child and that the social life of the kindergarten is its most valuable feature, that the communal life at this age enlarges human relationship at a time when the child needs to find his "social level" and provides a better atmosphere for moral training than the home alone can provide. 12. I believe that during this early period by all means that have been mentioned, the child is gather- ing " experience-knowledge " of his environment and of his fellows which will prove the best possible basis for school life and for all future development. PART I. SOME ASPECTS OF THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY JENNY B. MERRILL. Pd.D. II THE CHILD-GARDEN. In the child-garden buds and blows A blossom lovelier than the rose. If all the flowers of all the earth In one garden broke to birth, Not the fairest of the fair Could with this sweet bloom compare. — Richard Wat.son Gilder. i'LATE II. 72 a PART I. SOME ASPECTS OF THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. SHALL THERE BE A KINDERGARTEN CURRICULUM? While it is most important for kindergartners and indeed for teachers of all grades to avoid over systemization, yet a curriculum has been gradually forming as a guide to kindergartners. For the guidance of superintendents and principals also, a standard has become necessary to aid them in forming judgments of kindergartners serving in public schools. It is difficult to make a condensed and formal statement of kindergarten procedure which will at the same time set forth the spirit of play that controls the method of work. After having ventured to formulate a kindergarten course in outline, correlated with the primary grades, I realized that it might be misinterpreted unless play, play, play, could be written all over and in and out its pages. However, kindergarten children do work as well as play, and they do gather some content of knowledge. It is a purposeful education. With the improvements of the present day in the curriculum of the first year of school, it has seemed to me possible to use similar headings in the kindergarten and thus make apparent to ourselves and to our associate teachers the organic continuity now existing between the kindergarten and the grades. The headings in the first year are: 1. Nature study, 2. Language, 3. Number, 4. Music, 5. Physical training, 6. Drawing and Construction. Hence I offered the following kindergarten course, using these same topics in the Kindergarten Review in June, 1905. A KINDERGARTEN COURSE* (Correlated with the Primary Course of Study). A KINDERGARTEN couTse may be classified under the following heads: Moral Training. 1. Appropriate conversations, pictures, stories and songs. 2. Punctuality and cleanliness enforced; care of room. 3. Acts of politeness and kindness encouraged and frequently suggested. 4. Instrumental music used to arouse and to quiet. 5. Care of animals and plants. 6. Observation of holidays and birthdays, (especially children's and parents' birthdays). 7. Interest in the school, the flag on the school and in the kindergarten room, the streets, parks and monuments of the city, leading to simple thoughts and songs of our country. 8. Sympathy — pleasant tones of voice. 9. Consultation with parents. Physical Training. 1. Marching, skipping, running and other rhythmic movements, accompanied by instru- mental music. 2. Gymnastic exercises, imitating (a) familiar movements seen in the home and in the street: * See June, 1905, Kindergarten Review, page 030. GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. (6) movements of workmen: (c) movements of animals. 3. Finger plays. 4. Ball games, rolling, bouncing, throwing and catching. 5. Games for training the senses. 6. Games in a ring: (a) Trade games; (6) nature games; (c) social games; id) impromptu plays suggested by stories and songs. (May be classified also under Moral Training.) 7. Free play at recess, introducing a few com- mon toys, as balls, tops, jumping ropes, bean bags, reins, dolls. Nature Interests. 1. Observation of the sun, the moon, the stars, the sky, the clouds, rain and snow, the sunset, the rainbow, shadows indoors and out-of-doors, long and short days, the seasons, etc. 2. Care of living animals, as a cat, a kitten, a rabbit. Picture books of animals used daily. Sounds of animals imitated. Observing life in the aquarium. 3. Care of the caterpillar, its cocoon, the but- terfly or moth, ants, flies, spiders, bees. 4. Planting flower and vegetable seeds in springtime; fall planting; watering plants. 5. Naming plants, flowers, fruits, grains, au- tumn leaves, dried grasses and grains used in decoration, pictures. 6. Sorting and arranging seeds, shells and pebbles. 7. Obser%dng nests and other homes of animals. Learning names of natural objects in the cabinet, as acorns, cones, chestnut burrs, milkweed pods, mosses, etc. (See Language). Note. The children handle and play with these natural objects, learning their names, colors and uses: there is no formal study of them. 8. Walks and excursions if possible. Language. 1. Stories ind conversations relating to life in the home, the doings of children, cleanliness and health, the life of animals and plants, the weather, the seasons, the holidays, etc. 2. Memorizing choice songs; also rhymes and jingles. 3. .\ttempts at reproducing simple stories. 4. Practice in distinct enunciation; a few phonic elements compared with sounds made by animals. 5. Special effort to enlarge the vocabulary by learning the names of things seen and handled in the kindergarten. Number and Form. 1. Counting children, blocks, splints, shells, acorns, edges, corners. 2. Measuring sticks from one to five inches; measuring edges of squares and cubes. 3. Naming combinations of numbers in eight by building with the third and fourth gifts, ex- tended in the use of the fifth and sixth gift. 4. Naming and combining halves and quarters in building and in paper-folding. 5. Suggestion of twos, threes, fours in weaving. Note. All work in number and form merely incidental. Music. ' 1 . Listening to instrumental music. 2. Singing to children. 3. Memorizing simple songs. 4. Marching to music; also recognizing and responding in movements to various rhythms. 5. Practice in sense games in recognizmg notes that are alike and unlike, high and low. Handwork. 1. Building with blocks. 2. Modeling in sand and clay. 3. Designing and outlining with tablets, sticks, rings and seeds. (Limited.) 4. Drawing. Illustrative and object. Daily practice on the blackboard. 5. Painting. Flat washes of a single color, painting mainly natural objects having bright colors. 6. Weaving with colored splints in heavy manila mats; paper mats and fringes (not less than one-half inch in width) ; free weaving with grasses or raffia. 7. Sewing with or without a needle. (Limited.) 8. Paper-folding. Simple forms and objects developed from squares, oblongs and circles. 9. Paper-cutting and Mounting. (a) Free and illustrative; (6) cutting to crease and line. 10. Construction of simple objects of interest to children as toys. Comenius, who was the forerunner of Froebel, has shown us that we can discern the beginnings of all knowledge in the "School of Infancy." It is in this spirit that the classification we have presented must be considered. PLATE III. THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. I have said elsewhere, "Such an outline rep- resents the character of the work to be accom- plished rather than the quantity. It must not be interpreted to mean that every child in every kindergarten is to become familiar with every topic suggested." It is not desirable to limit a definite number of " folds" or even objects to be made in kinder- gartens nor the number of songs and stories. The exact ages of the children, for even a few months count on a child's age materially, the size of the kindergarten, for more can be accomplished with twenty children than with thirty or forty, the home and the school environment, the na- tionality, all these make it very necessary for the kindergartner to exercise liberty in deciding details. It is most important that no formal tests or drills be employed by a principal or superintendent. No one can with impunity at this age dig up the roots of knowledge to see if they are growing. An examination of a kindergarten child on these topics would be little short of absurdit3\ What the kindergarten child learns is not to be considered as so much definite knowledge, but rather as living experience through which a basis for primary subjects is laid. In the course as given above, all technical kindergarten terms are purposely omitted. Tech- nical language is not without value in its place but there is no significance in such terms as gifts and occupations, that is not translatable into terms more familiar to the primary teacher, and we desire her to understand what has been attempted. The especial object of this course being to show an underlying continuity between the kinder- garten and the grades, it was thought advisable to substitute the more general term handwork for gifts and occupations, although it may not convey the whole meaning of those terms so familiar to every kindergartner. This outline course was approved by Dr. George S. Davis, now president of the Normal College of the City of New York, but at the time an assistant city superintendent in New York city and Chairman of the Committee on Manual Training and Kindergartens. Indeed it was he who asked me if such an outline course could not be prepared for the Paris exhibit to set forth the fact that our public kindergartens had actually become an organic part of the system of public education in America. The present syllabus, adopted by the Board of Superintendents of the City of New York in 1905, is based upon the foregoing course, but shows a different form of statment. It is as follows: THE KINDERGARTEN. The following are the lines of work that should be included in kindergarten instructiom: Nature Study. — In nature study, the children should observe and care for animals and plant life, and should make daily observations of natural phenomena. The teacher should take the children on excursions to the parks and fiekls, and should encourage them to work in out-of- door gardens. L.^NGUAGE. — Stories and conversations in the kindergarten should relate to life in the home, the doings of children, cleanliness and health life of animals and plants, the weather, the sea- sons, the holidaj's, etc. In story telling, the stories should be illustrated with blackboard sketches, pictures and objects. The stories should be reproduced concretely through the medium ol games and adaptable material ; later, as an intro- duction to language, the stories should be re- produced orally with great freedom of expression. A special effort should be made to enlarge the vocabulary by teaching the names of all objects seen and handled in the kindergarten. A few rhymes and jingles should be memorized. Songs. — In music, the children should be taught to listen appreciatively to instrumental music and to singing. In singing by the children, only such songs should be selected as unite ex- pressive melody to appropriate words, and those in which the rhj'thm of poetry and music coincide. The voice compass should extend from E first line to E fourth space of the staff. Only soft singing should be allowed at any time, and great care should be given to enunciation and expression. Singing during marches and physical exercises is not advisable. Games. — In physical training, the play and games should be interpretive and expressive of every-day life. They should lead to a control of the muscles, and to mental and social develop- ment. They should include marching, skipping, running and other rhythmic movements, accom- panied by instrumental music; gjTnnastic exer- cises, in which the children imitate famiUar movements seen in the home and in the street, movements of workmen, and movements of GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. animals: finger plays; ball games, as rolling, bouncing, throwing and catching; games for training the senses; games in a ring, as trade games, nature games, social games, impromptu plays suggested by stories and songs; free play at recess, introducing a few common toys, as balls, tops, jumping ropes, bean bags, reins and dolls. Handwork. — The handwork is suggested by the kindergarten Gifts and Occupations. It in- cludes building with blocks (Gifts II to VI) ; designing and outlining common objects with tablets, sticks, rings and seeds; modeling in sand and clay; drawing, both illustrative and object, with heavy crayons; practice on blackboard; painting both illustrative and object; (seepara- graph on Nature Study and on Stories for suggestions of pictorial subjects in drawing, painting and modeling) ; weaving with colored splints in heavy manila mats, and in paper mats with fringes of inch and half-inch widths; occa- sional free weaving with grasses or raffia; sewing with or without a needle ; paper folding of simple forms and objects developed from squares, oblongs and circles; paper cutting and mounting, the cutting to be free and illustrative, or restricted to the crease and line; construction of simple objects by combining paper-folding with cutting and pasting. No occupation work should be introduced which is injurious to the eye, such as fine perforating, fine sewing and fine weaving. The work with the gifts and occupations should be partly directed and imitative and partly inventive. Relation to the Primary Grades. — In order to co-ordinate the kindergarten and the primary grades, the kindergarten exercises should be modified toward the close of the term in prepara- tion for promotion. There should be periods of silent work and a greater proportion of in- dependent work in the advanced group. The close connection between the kindergarten and the first year of school work is indicated by the topics under which the kindergarten occupations are classified in this syllabus. Kindergartners shoukl re-read frequently these outlines, also the outlines for the first school year and judge carefully whether they give a due proportion of time to the different phases of work. Each topic should also be made from time to time a subject for discussion at conferences, among kindergartners and teachers. The kindergartners and primary teachers are particularly interested in the last paragraph, and many pleasant visits have been made by the kindergartner with the children to be promoted during the week before promotion. Going into a strange room to remain with an unknown teacher is a severe ordeal for a timid child, but going with the kindergartner with the prospect of returning is a happy experience for all and paves the way for an ideal promotion. One or two reports of kindergartners who have carried out this plan successfully may prove suggestive to others. Report L The children to be promoted visited the first primary grade, listened to the older children sing and tell stories, and in turn sang and told stories for them. When we returned to our kindergarten room, we told the younger group what we had seen and heard and done. Report 2. I visited the lA class both before and after promotion. The children were allowed to sit in the desks to try them, and to look at the readers with pictures in them that they would soon learn to read. They were delighted to see paper-cutting on the walls and to be able to say, "Oh, we can cut too." Report 3. A bond of sympathy exists between the first grade and our kindergarten. We have invited each of the first-year classes to visit us in our kindergarten to share the nature material sent us from the country. We have contributed toys to establish a play- time for lA classes on Friday afternoons. During the month before promotion, we have tried to prepare the children for promotion by establishing stricter discipline. Report 4. The reports from the first grade teacher are encouraging. The children seem to be taking hold of the grade work with great in- terest. Kindergartners who object to the idea of a course of study or curriculum, often in lieu of it use a program suggesting topics for the year. The development of such a detailed daily pro- gram will be considered in another chapter. A curriculum is general and intended as a guide to superintendents, principals, teachers and intelligent parents who desire to form a THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. general notion of possible results, as well as to kindergartners themselves. Any formulated kindergarten course must always be considered much less binding than a school course. The reason for this is clear if we appreciate Froebel's distinction between childhood and boy- hood. He says in "The Education of Man," in the first section of the third chapter, "As the preceding period of human development. The period of childhood, is predominantly that of hfe for the sake merely of living, for making the in- ternal, external, so the period of boyhood in pre- dominantly the period of learning, for making the external internal." While there is a reason for this distinction, it is also true that school life of every grade is being made more and more a real life of activity and not one of mere absorption. This view of school was fully set forth by Dr. John Dewey in "School and Society" some years ago. This remarkable book and its re- markable exponent, the school estabUshed by Col. Francis W. Parker, have been among the agencies tending to establish a mutual under- standing between kindergartners and teachera It was Col. Francis W. Parker who once said: " One and all of the true principles of education are applied in the kindergarten; these principles should be applied (simply changing the applica- tion to adapt it to different stages of growth) through all education, up to the gates of heaven.' THE KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM. As noted in the foregoing chapter the interest of kindergartners is now centering upon the yearly kindergarten program, and the day's order of exercises. The kindergarten program appears to have passed through several stages. It was comparatively unorganized in the days of Froebel and his immediate successors. Froe- bel's new, well-organized materials of play were doubtless considered sufficient of themselves to suggest what to do from time to time. AH out-of-doors was an invitation to play with natural objects. Gardening was sure to fill part of the day. Singing and games were to have their place and were introduced spontaneously. " Come, chil- dren, let us dance and sing," Froebel would say, when he saw an active change of occupation was needed. Here then we find suggested at least three distinct divisions of the day. With the story and the picture a fourth element enters naturally into the program. To enumerate we have: 1. Nature interests, walks and excursions, gardening and care of pets. 2. The story and the picture. 3. Songs, games and physical exercises. 4. Play and work with definite kindergarten materials, filling one or more periods daily. Any formal decision in regard to the number of minutes that should be given to each interest was thought unnecessary and was doubtless left to the common sense of the kindergartner, much as a sensible mother arranges a home daily program. A wise mother is always ready to take advantage of the natural variations that arise in the life of a young child, who is always fragmentary in his interests. Notwithstanding many interrup- tions, a wise mother does have a home program in mind, though rarely a written one. A mother's program is governed first by her ideals, but also by the seasons, by the days of the week, by the weather, by the hour of the day, and by the interests of all the members of the famUy. The customs of her country and of the community in which she lives also help to regulate the daily home round. To be yielding at all points tends to make a careless home, while to be immovable about every detail makes an unhappy home. In this simple, homelike fashion Froebel doubt- less had a kindergarten program. His was the first great period of child study. It is not strange that the child's activity led, for the great principle " Education should be passive, following, not prescriptive, categorical, interfering," had been declared by Froebel himself. As kindergartens grew in number and became more closely affiliated with the school, the need of a more definite statement of a program and of the daily time schedule became apparent. Let us consider then THE KINDERGARTEN TIME-SCHEDULE OR DAY'S ORDER. The little country village in which Froebel lived most of his days did not know time schedules as do city folk of the present day. Punctuality becomes a virtue in a large school and city, absolutely essential for the good of the whole. Principals must arrange recesses for all grades, and children must be ready when attendants or older brothers and sisters call for them. In short there must be limited liberty, or liberty under law and regulation. Again all young kindergartners are not able to apportion wisely time periods. They are aided by having a standard to refer to as a guide, a standard subject, however, to slight variations according to the judgment of the individual kindergartner. No time schedule for a kinder- garten or even for a school should be absolutely rigid. There should be just enough regularity in the kindergarten for the children to form good habits and prevent fickleness. •llthough an opening circle with its pleasant 6 PLATE IV. .E-i 5; THE KINDERGARTEX OF TO-DAY. greetings, hymns and conversations has been generally accepted as the most natural opening for a kindergarten day, yet under some conditions it has been found advisable to begin the day with a table period. For example, suppose several children cannot reach the school as soon as others. This was the case in a fine private kindergarten in a city suburb. Another innovation has been a story period in the middle of the morning or at the close instead of during the opening period. Some kindergartners prefer to close with games while others often introduce them immediately after the morning circle. Freedom to modify must be granted to the individual kindergartner. There is no absolute order to be preferred for all kindergartens and all days. With such modifications granted, we ofi'er below a time schedule that has been used suc- cessfully in many kindergartens. One of its new features is that it proposes three table periods instead of two, the usual number. Another is that it arranges for an afternoon session to be attended by children not present in the morning. Three hours are allotted to the children who attend in the morning, and two hours and a half for the children who attend in the afternoon. While the morning hours are undoubtedly pref- erable for all children, it has been found necessary in large cities either to adopt this double plan or to exclude many children who should attend. It is not desirable for the older children to attend one session and the younger the other session. Arranging a kindergarten in groups of older and younger children, as will be afterwards explained, is preferable. Children are imitative, and the younger will learn much by association with older children. The kindergartner will also be relieved in discipline and general class manage- ment. The time schedule given below apportions about one-third of the schedule to physical exercises. The three table periods are given to 1. Building (gift work); 2. Making (occupations) ; 3. Drawing (art). While it has been more general to have but two table periods, the third division of table work has been introduced in order to secure the daily recognition of drawing. If other occupation periods demand lengthening at any time, the drawing period may be reduced to five or ten minutes, but it .should come regu- larly everj' day. It is not intended that the gift, occupation and drawing periods should always fill the exact hours stated. Any period may be a little longer or a little shorter than given below. The periods are also to be considered inter- changeable. It may, for example, be more convenient at times to have drawing earlier in the day. In these three table periods we recognize the children as being; 1. Little builders; 2. Little makers; 3. Little artists. Three or four days' use of building blocks to one with the flat gifts is recommended, work in the three dimensions being preferable for young children. Any given occupation should be continued for several days. This is better than to introduce a great variety of work every week. Kinder- garten children have been accused of a tendency to fickleness and great fondness for variety, a tendency supposed to rest upon too frequent change of occupation. We must learn from our critics. Children may lose hold of what they have learned by not continuing an occupation for several days. In many kindergartens it has been cus- tomary to change the occupation daily as: Monday, weaving; Tuesday, cutting; Wednes- day, pasting; Thursday, sewing; Friday, modeling. A week is a long period for a child to wait from one exercise to another of the same kind. We prefer the first plan mentioned. During the three periods devoted to gifts and occupations, it is often desirable to divide the kindergarten into two or more groups. Each group in turn works under direction. Five minutes of close, careful dictation at one time is sufficient for any group. The handwork which requires the most individual attention should be presented during the hour when the assisting kindergartner is present. Too much talking by the kindergartner divides attention and distracts the child. Children gain confidence in working alone part of the time. The kindergartner should return to each group and approve the work accomplished. 8 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. With these preliminary cautions and explana- tions the following time schedule is presented: KINDERGARTEN TIME SCHEDULE. (Thia schedule is suggestive. It may be modified to suit Conditions.) A. M. p. M. 8.40-9 Children help in preparing room for 12,40-1 the day. feed animals, water plants, also look at pictures and picture books, draw on blackboards, play with balls, dolls, sand and shells. (Ca'l to circle by piano.) &-9.20 Morning Circle. Exercises include 1-1.15 greetings, hymn, songs, finger games, observation of weather, roll-call, story or short conversation. (Standing durint; one or more songs.) 9.20-9.30 Marching, rhythms or gymnastic 1.15-1.20 stories. 9.30-10 Building, designing, measuring, out- 1.20-1.45 (2 groups) lining, sorting. Number, form, size, or 2-2.25 or position introduced incidentally. 10-10.20 Recess — and play with balls, reins, 1.45-2 bean-bags. etc. Lullaby. (Children Or2.25-2.50 rest pretending to go to sleep.) 10.20-10.45 Making familiar objects by means of 2-2.25 (2 groups) weaving, folding, cutting, pasting, or 1.20-1.45 sewing, etc. (Concentrate on one or two ways of working for several successive days.) 10.45-11.15 Games 2.25-2.50 (With and without music) or 1.45-2 (Avoid singing during active games.) 11.15-11.40 Drawing, brush work, sand or clay 2.50-3.10 (2 groups) modeling. (Color, form, nature or 1.20-145 study.) 11,40-12 Circle. Sense Games, ball games, 3.10-3.30 story, goodbye song, dismissal. Care should be taken in altering this time schedule to maintain a due proportion between active and quiet periods. At least one-third of the time the children should be on their feet. No stiff or fixed bodily position should be re- quired at any period, but at the same time the kindergartner should study correct hygienic positions and quietly insist upon them. Professor Earl Barnes well states this duty in an address given before the Kindergarten Depart- ment of the National Education Association (1908). He says, "The directive work of the kindergartner .so far as guiding activity is con- cerned, must lie mainly in the direction of organiz- ing the tyrannical but necessary reflexes that we call habits. The child should learn to walk well, to carry his head erect and his chest well forward, to step lighlty, to run and dance, to shake hands, bow, pass articles or move a chair aside." In this time schedule attention is called to grouping the children, in order that two or more occupations may be simultaneously carried on. Small groups of workers add to the social life of a kindergarten, leaders are developed and conversation is more natural. The plan of having several groups also enables the kindergartner to handle newcomers with less difficulty and to give advanced work to children who are soon to be promoted to the grades. Grouping helps the kindergartner to individ- ualize the children. It makes the children more independent, and helps in meeting the criticism that some kindergarten children do not know how to amuse themselves at home without guidance or constant direction. The best results in handwork and drawing have been secured where three and even four small groups have been maintained. Many kindergartners find an advantage in having all the children work together for a week or longer at the beginning of the term. They form the children into groups gradually as their ability manifests it.self. Even in kindergartens where there is no assist- ant, the grouping can be carried on successfully. Discipline is improved as the children become self-helpful. The kindergartner is less liable to do too much talking. Talking while children are working produces a divided attention and prevents a habit of concentration upon the thing in hand. The young kindergartner must guard against this danger. Mr. H. Courthope Bowen, the distinguished English author of "Education by Self-Activity," gives kindergartners this advice: "Formulate your results form time to time, but only to see how far you have gone, to judge of what you have done. Do not fix them, nor attempt to fix them, for you cannot ; life is movement and should give freedom." Mr. James L. Hughes in discussing the value of a kindergarten program says, " What kinder- gartners need is not a uniform program, but specific outlines of the work that should be accomplished in the kindergarten and directive laws for making programs." Professor Thorndyke likewise suggests the necessity for general outlines. (See "Teachers College Record," 1904.) "There are two reasons," says Professor Earl Barnes, "why we cannot formulate a universal curriculum for the kindergarten. In the first place, the kindergarten must take up and use the experience a child has already met; and in the second place, it must supplement the home." We may add that as homes and experiences differ, hence programs must differ in detail, although not in their general purpose and trend. This thought finds support in the " Education PLATE V. -I* a THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. 9 of Man," where Froebel writes: "The knowledge of everything, of its purpose and properties, is found most clearly and distinctly in the local conditions and in its relations to surrounding objects." As already stated, the kindergarten program has developed since the days of Froebel, passing through several stages. The latest stage has been denominated by Miss Harriette Melissa Mills, the " Humanitarian Program," which name accords well with the social aims of a kindergarten as stated in "The Kindergarten Creed." The program should focus upon two main factors, home and nature. The industries are held incidental to home life. As far as the child is concerned, industries grow out of the neces- sities of the home. The humanitarian program attempts to organize the previous experiences of the child rather than to increase experience to any great extent. The child has been gathering many experien- ces in the home up to the time of entering a kindergarten. The very fact of leaving home regularly for a few hours every day and then returning to it, makes the home, its inmates, its doings, take on new aspects. The home becomes an object of interest and the child becomes more conscious of its meaning to him than he has been before. Hence quite naturally the home becomes the center of interesting conversations in the early kindergarten days. It is now being recognized, however, that such conversations should not occupv the very first days, for the little ones are being deeply impressed with new sights and sounds, and it is more natural at first to talk about some of these. In his new interests the child will forget to feel homesick, yet everything must not seem new and strange. There must be a relation through a few strong connecting links with the home to help the child find himself. These links may be simple toys, as balls, building blocks and picture books in full sight when he enters the kindergarten room. A dolly seated in a doll's chair or in a doll's car- riage will even better answer the purpose. There are so many small blackboards used in the home, nowadays, that the big blackboard will not be wholly no\'el. The sand table will attract and the aquarium by their novelty. Such objects will stand out in the new environment. The resemblance to the home furniture. chairs and tables, will be felt even though marked differences in kind exist. The windows, even the stairways, will cause the child to feel that there are relationships and similarities between home and kindergarten. The number on the door of the room may be compared to the number on a house. Froebel says, "We should not forget that in- struction should start from the pupil's own life and proceed from it like a bud or sprout." Again, " No new subject of instruction should be brought to the pupil unless he at least feels vaguely that it is based on previous work." Froebel is here speaking of the school, but in the same way, the kindergarten must endeavor to knit the new in the kindergarten world to the old in the home life. "That which follows," says Froebel, "is always conditional upon that which goes before. I make that apparent to the children through my educational process." "The knowledge before all things necessary for the welfare of future generations is that the human"mind is choked in the germ by the burden- some crowd of notions heaped up and patched on foreign to it, rooted in nothing within." The child will be happier and more contented when he begins to realize the resemblances be- tween home and kindergarten. It should be the kindergartner's endeavor to hasten this realization. The best thought to help this union will be just the key-note of the kindergarten, play, education through play. A ball belongs to both home and kindergarten and hence is uniting, and helpful as an organizing object. The doll, the blocks, the picture book or a simple toy may in some cases answer even better than the ball. The window is always a source of joy to a child. It is found in the kindergarten as well as in the home. He may look out and tell what he sees» Perhaps one child may even see where he lives! He looks out and sees the familiar street, hears the wagons and the cars. He looks up and sees the sky, the clouds or possibly the rain and is led through these already familiar sights to talk about nature interests, nature out-of-doors. The child's vocabulary may be very limited at first. He knows by experience much that he cannot express. New name-words will interest him and fix attention upon the object named, as the aquarium or cabinet. 10 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. What is this? and this? and this? Helen Keller tells us that the day was " not long enough to learn the names of things" when she once discovered that things have names. A walk around the room may be made very pleasing during the first weeks, the kindergartner or an older child taking by the hand one or two of the braver little ones while the others watch the walk. On returning to their seats each tells what has been seen. After walking, running and skipping may be suggested, or rumiing may come first. It is more natural for a child to run than to walk. Marching is much too formal and should be reserved for a later jieriod. Children walk, and run and skip at home and on the street. They do not march. We are making natural con- nections and must proceed gradually from the known to the unknown. Thus the kindergarten Games begin as Froebel suggested in walking or "The traveling game." (See Pedagogics of the Kindergarten, Chapter XIV.) Still holding the thoughts of " Home and Nature" and "Education by development" as watchwords, the kindergartner may now forecast a general outline for the year. The great holidays already known in the home will prove guiding points to some extent — Thanks- giving, Christmas, The National Holidays, Easter and May-day. Lesser ones of local interest will receive attention also. These great human festival seasons help to make the humanitarian element of our program. Nature will guide by seasons and months and the days she sends us. 1. What will the Home yield as suggestive topics for the year? 2. What will Nature yield? In answering the first cjuestion the kindergartner may in outline gather together the main topics for conversations, stories and expressive work as follows : THE HOME. a. Parents; brothers and sisters, especially the baby, other relatives and friends, what each one does to help the others ; how the child should treat each one. Lessons in courtesy. b. Pets and how to take care of them. c. Playthings. d. \'arious kinds of food ; where it comes from ; whe brings it; who prepares it; fruits and vege- tables as signs of the seasons. (Nature now ap- pears — Home and nature cannot be taken sepa- rately at all points. Nature surrounds and provides for the home.) e. What children wear; adaptation of clothing to seasons; how mother and father provide it. (Here human industries begin to be manifested although already started in the talks about help- ing in the home.) f. Building a home. (Repeated in miniature in the making of a doll's house.) Furnishing the home ; toy furniture and ornaments. Decora- tions, pictures, books, flower-]30ts, window boxes. As pre\'iously suggested the community in- dustries will arise naturally out of the labor in the home. These will vary according to the local environment, whether city, country or suburban. TJiose which children have seen should first be introduced and others added which are less familiar. Those most commonly considered in the city are the baker, the carpenter, the blacksmith, the driver, the engineer, the store-keeper, the farmer. The men who drive to the city house every day bringing food, as the milkman, the grocer, rep- resent, it is true, less dignified occupations than the farmer, but they appeal first to the city child because he sees them every day. A child is attracted by the driver and his horse. The horse is one of the few animals to be found in the city. The city child sees not the beginnings of toil as does the country child; he must be led out- ward from the home, through the street to the store, to the parks, to the country. Remember Froebel 's word: "The purpose of everything is found most clearly and distinctly in its local conditions and in its relation to sur- rounding objects." Only in this way can the child form clear concepts and understand rela- tionships. Due proportion should be observed in the time given to minor occupations but they should not be neglected if they are big in the child's world. They should be used simply as stepping stones to greater industries. The occupations that conduce to the health and cleanliness of the home and city should be accorded due attention. They are humanitarian. If the thought of such labor rests on cleanliness and good house-keeping, and is applied in the kindergarten daily by "little house-keepers" PLATE .VI. THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. 11 as far as is practicable, good results only can follow. "Cleanliness is next to godliness." By means of a very little garden work, the city child will begin to understand the labor of the farmer and by story and plays this interest may be extended. The helpfulness of each laborer to all other laborers should become apparent gradually. Politeness, courtesy and helpfulness with a little self-consciousness and a power to inhibit childish impulses will lead gradually to good social conduct. Prompt attendance and prompt attention to signals will issue in habits of prompt obedience. A more thoughtful kind of obedience will also gradually develop if the child's initiative is not disregarded. His right to his own way when it will not injure himself or others must be respected by the kindergartner. In analyzing the second great subject of the humanitarian program, namely Nature, the kin- dergartner will doubtless find the following topics arise in her mind as she endeavors to think her way through her program for the year. Some of the points have already been developed in connection with home interests. AUTUMNAL INTERESTS. a. Animals. — Home and kindergarten pets: the horse ; the cow and calf ; the hen and chicks ; the sheep and lamb; the squirrel; the turkey; the duck; the birds that go away; cocoons; fishes in the aquarium or the park; shells; in- sects. b. Plants. — Indoors and out-of-doors. Pre- paring window boxes; transplanting; gathering seeds: fall flowers; colored leaves; fall fruits and vegetables; acorns and chestnuts; seeds in pods; bulbs; fall planting; the park; observa- tion of tree near by. c. Soil. — Clay, sand, stones, pebbles. (i. The Weather. WINTER INTERESTS. a. Anim.\ls. — Pets; bunny; the hor.se; the spar- rows and pigeons that did not fly away South ; the elephant; the goat and less familiar animals found and named in picture books; the reindeer. h. Plants. — Grains; dried grasses; evergreens; the fir tree; twigs; wood; food for bunny and birdie; acorns, cones, and berries collected in the fall; observing tree near by. c. The Weather. — Days short and cold; snow; frost; fire. d. Soil. — Clay; sand, stones, pebbles. SPRING AND SUMMER. a. Animals. — Home pets; hen and chickens; farm animals; birds returning: butterflies: bees; earth worms possibly noted in garden soil. 6. Plants.— Budding twigs; sap; maple sugar; grass; spring flowers; seeds planted, both flower and vegetable; tending garden; the play farm or the real farm; watching the flowers on walks; tree near by; trees in park; feeding animals with pla7its. c. The Weather. — Wind; rain, water, the seashore. MONTHS AND DAYS. It may be preferable to some kindergartners to outline the j'ear by months rather than seasons. The month is a very familiar division of time to an adult but not so to a child. The day and the season are the most natural and impressive time features of the year to a child. A few of the most characteristic months should be named and their characteristics noted, but the entire twelve need not be mentioned in the kindergarten. In naming a month, a child does not really know what he is naming, as a month is not recognizable as a natural division of time. The child cannot realize it as "a moon." The calendar helps in naming the months, but it is in most cases better to reserve the calendar for primary work. The seasons, fall, winter, spring and summer, have such marked differences that a little child can note them clearly enough to appreciate the names. Much should be made of the day. Sunrise, sunset, morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night are all connected with home interests. "Every day the sun .\nd after sunset Night and the stars." Sun, moon and stars, shadows, the light bird, the rain, the rain drop, the rainbow, the snow, the snowflake, the snow-star, the wind, a breeze, the rustle of leaves, are all words that should be intelligently made part of the child's vocabulary while in the kindergarten. Each one of these words strikes a note from nature and adds a beau- tiful image to the contents of the child's mind. 12 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. "In early childhood the itching palm of every sense is an outstretched inquiry to the whole world. In the breath of flowers, the tinted clouds: the s«-ish and roll of waves, the glint of sunshine, the activity of his fellows, the childish cup of satisfaction is filled." The child should rejoice in every kind of a day and be led to name it while it is a present ex- perience, as: A sunny day, A rainy day, A cloudy day, A snowy day, A windy day, A warm day, A cool day, A wintry day, A spring day. The moon, crescent, full or half, should be observed all through the year. The moon is one of the first objects of nature that attracts a child to the sky. "Lovely moon, lovely moon Sailing so high Come to the children Down from the sky." Shadows on the wall, on the floor, in the streets' shadows of children, of the houses, of the trees, of birds, the light bird and the bright band of prismatic colors are all elevating objects of thought and add to the love of beauty. "The beautiful is the best means of educating the child as it has been of the race," says Froebel. There is beauty in a florist's window and in the fruiterers well-arranged baskets of ripe fruits differing from season to season. They are worthy a call on some fine day. The push carts loaded with richly colored vegetables are picturesque, and "The tinted garments flapping in the wind" present lines of beauty to an artist's eye. The smoke curling upward and slowly dying away; the eddies in the city street; the curling leaves of autumn ; the snowy edges on the window sills; the smiling faces of our friends, are all objects of beauty. The eye of the city child may find beauty everywhere and "See in the gutter's tide a volute whirl, Or mount to where webbed wires seem to hint Of patterns interwoven." There must be many variations in subjects presented in accordance with the child's environ- ment, whether city, suburban, village or countrj'; whether near a park or remote from one ; whether near a river or bav; the ocean or inland. If any particular environment lacks important objects of general interest, the kindergartner should supply them in pictures, blackboard drawings and in sand scenes. She should tell stories of children who have seen them, until though never seen, such objects become part of the life of those who cannot go to them. Thus the city child will learn of country life and the country child of city life. In cities, the street will yield a number of in- teresting subordinate topics. The street relates itself to home, to kindergarten, to nature and to many human interests. The street is all " out of doors " to the city child. Children shut away from it in orphan asylums and who do not walk out often, are jubilant at the prospect of "going out." One such child stooped to pat the sidewalk. From babyhood, the city child dances and crows when he sees his street garments. Then let the city kindergartner think over the follow- ing suggestive questions and weave them little by little into her program throughout the year. THE STREET. Who made the street? What is it for? What is it made of? Who takes care of it? Can children help? Should children throw pieces of paper or skins of fruit on the sidewalk? Why not? ^Vhat will you do if you see such things on yotu' sidewalk? What do some people put on their window- sills and front stoops to help make the street look pretty? What animals can you see in the streets? ^Vhat kind of wagons? Have you seen a fire engine? Who takes care of httle children when they cross a crowded corner? What streets do you know that have cars on them? What street has no cars? Who put the tracks down? Where do you go to enter the subway? Did you ever see ships at the end of your street? What river are they on? Is there a bridge over the river? Who built it? What is its name? Is your side of the street shady in the morning? When is it sunny? Which is the tallest house on your block? How many stories high is it? How high is your house? Which side of the way is it on? What is the name of your street? Is there a church on your block? Has it a steeple? Is there a school? Is there a tree? Is there a weather- vane? Is there a store? Is there a stable? A PLATE VII. OL U fllUl.STMAS TREE. THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY, 13 carpenter's shop? A blacksmith's? What street is our school on? How do you come to kinder- garten? Can you name every street you cross? Let us play cross the street carefully. Who will be the policeman? Shall we play we have horses and wagons? How shall we make the street? The street is the comiecting road between home and kindergarten. It has its beauties as well as its defects, but it is out-of-doors, the air is free and the blue sky is overhead. Perhaps a seed has fallen in a cre\'ice, perhaps a vine creeps upwards on a house. The child may see the sun, the moon and the stars and the lights of evening from the street. The street will have a message all through the year. Teach the Httle ones to look up, to look out, to try to find the best in the street, be it narrow or wide. THE PROGRAil BY WEEKS. After such a general gathering together of topics based upon Home and N.^ture, the kinder- garten passes on to make a detailed weekh- program. There are fifty-two weeks in the year. Sub- tracting holidays, the kindergartner finds she may be required to prepare for thirty-nine or forty weeks. She may lose the principle of continuity if she thinks of these weeks separately. It will help to unify the work of the year if she thinks of the following periods : 1. Period of organization in the kindergarten after the child leaves home. Getting acquainted with new friends, new objects, new ways, com- paring them with things familiar, ^'acation pleasiu-es recalled. 2 weeks. 2. Period especially devoted to talks about home and home friends and their doings. Days of the week. Toys. 2 weeks. 3. Period devoted to nature interests connected with the fall of the year; as falling leaves, flights of birds, squirrels and nuts, preparation of food in the home; cooking one very simple dish as apple, or cranberry sauce; making butter: the harvest; all leading to the Thanksgi\ing festival. 7 weeks. 4. Short period on the coming of winter. Warm clothing; fires; watching for snow. 2 weeks. 5. Period leading to Christmas and the New Year holidays. Gifts for our friends. 3 weeks. 6. Feriod on Mid-icinter. Winter sports ; win- ter work leadmg to the industries and trades of the community. 4 weeks. 7. Period leading to the 7iational holidays in the month of February. Thoughts of bravery: brave men known to children as the firemen ; brave animals; brave children; brave soldiers; our flag; our country. (St. Valentine; the postman.) 3 weeks. 8. Period leading to a Spring festival; awaken- ing life of spring in animals and plants. 7 weeks. 9. Period devoted to making window or out- of-door gardens; life on a farm. May-pole celebration. 7 weeks. 10. Period leading to summer holidays. The seashore; the park; the country. Preparing for promotion. 3 weeks. With these ten periods fixed in mind, definite goals, as it were, will be kept in view amd unity and continuity will be the more readily attained. The kindergartner should now proceed to select daily topics, stories, songs, games, gifts and occupations for the first period, the period of organization. (See Kindergarten Re%'iew, Oct., 1902, for a Super\-isor's Suggestions for the first week.) The kindergartner should take walks in the vicinity of the school if not already familiar with the neighborhood and its possibilities in nature and other interests, so that she can readily refer to objects famihar to the children. To select lists of stories, songs, games and occupations for each period or for each month, and exact details for a week at a time is usually found satisfactory. To plan for all details farther ahead than a week with such young children is not practicable. PRE\nEws both weekly and monthly are in-\-aluable to the kindergartner, yet she must be free to meet conditions as they arise from day to day. The kindergartner in training should studv model programs. A mmiber ha\e been pubUshed and others are circulated among training teachers. Such programs should be explained, criticised and used as standards by beginners. The outline program at the close of this chapter is taken from "Vacation Outlines"* but has been ♦Adapted from "Outlines for \acation Kindergartens," which also contain similar suggestions for a week's work on the seashore and on the farm. Jennv B. Merrill — Milton BR.\DLEr Co. 14 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. modified so as to be suggestive for the first week in September, and also to indicate work for two groups. The program presented aims to divert the children by talking about a pleasant summer trip to a park and by jjlaying out the experi- ences the children may have enjoyed on such occasions. If the conditions are favorable, out-of-door trips should be introduced in order to help the children feel at once the relation between the home, the street, the school building and the parks, and to prevent overstimulation or fatigue by in-door exercises. A kindergartner may in any case accompany the children to the door of the school building every day, go out upon the street and wave a good-by. In many instances the trips must be imaginary, as they are in the outlines presented below on " A Visit to Central Park." A kindergartner should make a list of possible introductory songs, stories, games and rhymes. She should select pictures and objects to be used and have them ready of access to bring forward at the right moment. She should decide which gifts and occupations she will introduce. She should know what supplies are at hand so as not to be disappointed in carrying out her plans. A painter mixes his own paints to make his own pictures. In like manner a kindergartner who wishes to become an artist teacher must not hesitate after studying models of good programs to make one for herself and paint one anew from ,year to year. When gifts and materials of all kinds are used for expression, rather than to develop set sequences, it becomes impossible to forecast every detail. Kindergartens differ. Chil- dren differ. Localities differ. Supplies differ. Kindergartners grow older and wiser. Therefore the kindergarten program should be dynamic, not static. It is better not to attempt to put programs in book form lest they lead kindergartners to stagnate, but successful kindergartners should continue to publish detailed programs in the magazines from year to year, as they have been doing for mutual help during the past fifteen years. The following bibliography on programs and program making furnishes the printed material to training teachers and students on this subject to the present date. The list is arranged clironologic- ally so far as the dates are known. Practical Suggestions for Kindergartners. Jeanette Gregory, 1895. Pub. by C. B. Woodward, St. Louis. Kindergarten Manual of the City of New York. Jenny B. Merrill, 1897. (Out of print.) \ Year's Program, Geraldine O'Grady. Kg. Review, 1899-00. A Fundamental Kindergarten Program, Elenore Heerwart. Kg. Review, March, 1900. Elementary School Record, Kindergarten Number. Prof. John Dewey, Editor, 1900. A Year's Program. Kg. Review, 1901-2. Note. This program gives suggestions in regard to instrumental music. Miss Colburn later prepared the Kindergarten Manual for the city of Cincinnati. Outline for Program Making, Elizabeth Harrison. Chicago Kg. College. (I.K.U. Report, 1905.) Kintlergarten Program, Nina C. Vanderwalker. Milwaukee State Normal School Leaflets, 1901-2. Plan of Work in the Kindergarten by months and seasons, ,4nne Elizabeth .\llen and her associates. The Elementarv School Teacher, Chicago Univer- sity 1901-2-3-4-5. Through the Year with Trees, Elise Morris Under- bill. School Work, April, 1903. Outlines for Vacation Kindergartens, Jenny B. Merrill. Milton Bradley Co., 1903. Note. In booklet form. Suggestions for a September Program, Hortense M. Orcutt. Kg. Magazine. Sept., 1900. Explanations of the New York Kindergarten Syllabus, Jenny B. Merrill. School Work, Nov., 1903, April", 1904. A Last Year's Program, Luella A. Palmer. Kg. Magazine, 1905-6. Little Folks' Land. A Kindergarten Program, Madge A. Bingham. Kg. Magazine, 1905-6. Note. Now in book form. A Kindergarten Program, Edna Everett. Kg. Re- view, 1905-6. Suggestions for a Year's Program, Eveline A. Waldo. Kg. Review, 1905-6. Discussion on the Program, I. K. LT. Kg. Review, 1905. Kindergarten Outlines, Bertha Payne. The Elemen- tary, School Teacher, June 1905. A Year's Outlines for the Kindergarten, Katherine Beebee. Note. In booklet form. The Program by Months, Hilda A. Busick. Kg. Magazine, 1906-7. Daily Program of Gift and Occupation Work, Carolyn Bailey and Clara M. Lewis. Milton Bradley Co. A Year's Program, Jane L. Hoxie. Kg. Review, 1908-9. Kindergarten Program by Months, Lileon Claxton. Kg. Magazine, 1909-10. The Evolution of the Kindergarten Program, Harri- THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. 15 ette M. Mills. Sixth Year Book of the Society for the Scientific Study of Education. Chicago University. The Kindergarten Program, Harriette M. Mill;!, Kg. Magazine, 1907-8. The Organic Continuity between the Kindergarten and the Primary Grades, Jenny B. Merrill. Seventh Year Book of the Society for the Scientific Study of Education. Chicago University. Present Issues in the Kindergarten, Susan E. Blow. D. Appleton Co. The Kindergarten in American Education, Xina C. Vanderwalker. Macmillan Co. Note. The last two numbers are in book form and contain criticisms of the kindergarten program in several chapters. A series of articles in The Elementary School Teacher. Chicago University, 1908-9. viz: Sept. No. The Relation between the Ideal and the Practical in the Kindergarten Program, Luella A. Palmer. Oct. No. Fundamental Factors in the Making of a Kindergarten Curruiculum, Earl Barnes. Nov. and Dec. Nos. The Value and Limitations of Froebel's Gifts, Patty S. Hill. Jan. and Feb. Nos. The Kindergarten Program, Bertha Payne. March No. The Present Point of View of the Plays and Games of the Kindergarten, Mary Boomer Page. April No. The Occupations of the Kindergarten, Alice Tenple. Jan. 1910. The Art Work of the Kindergarten. Caroline C. Cronise. A SUGGESTIVE PROGRAM SUIT.\BLE FOR .^N OPENING WEEK in a vacation school or in the month of Septem- ber in a regular kindergarten. Aim. 1. To make children feel at home in their new environment. 2. To review a pleasant summer e.xperieiice as a basis for action and expressive handwork in ihe kindergarten. Topic. A VISIT TO CENTRAL PARK. SUGGESTIONS FOR CONVERS.\TIONS, STORIES, SONGS. Monday. — Getting acquainted; our names; learning to say good-morning and to shake hands ; (•lean hands. Where do you live? Is there a tree in your street? Is there a park near? What is in it? Who takes you there? Do you like to go? Would you like to hear a story about some chil- dren who went to Central Park? Story told and picture shown. Did you ever hear a bird sing in a park? Can you sing? Let us try to sing a little song now. Teach a simple morning song and a finger exercise. Tuesday. — Good-morning. Sing the song learned. Our names; are all the children here? Names of things in schoolroom; compare with things at home; schoolroom larger; more win- dows; more seats; more children. Try to count windows, seats, children; handkerchiefs; cleanli- ness. Story continued about children w'ho went to the big park; the ride (play train); the baskets with the lunch; how they knew when they reached the park; many trees; the gra.ss (signs); the paths; climbing big rocks: the pond, the boats, feeding tne swans; playing ball; going under the bridge (play bridge in games) ; watch- ing the horses and carriages (play horse in games) . Teach a song about trees or birds. Wednesday. — Good-morning; clean hands; names; songs; finger exercises; .show pictures of animals. Story of children's visit to Central Park reviewed and continued; looking at the animals in the park; the workmen who take care of them, feeding them, etc. Songs of trees, birds and other animals by kindergartner or older children. Thursday. — Review; story of visit to park continued; .seeing the man cut the grass, gather stones in wheelbarrows, feed the animals, water the roads, etc. Song about any work mentioned in the story. Friday. — Review; completing scene in sand- box; everything in it named; look at pictures and objects made during the week and talk about them. Songs of the w'eek. HAND WORK FOR FIR.ST WEEK.* 1. Sand-table, (a) Small park. Children place many trees in the sand, using real branches or those made of paper. Teacher indicates a few *1. Such materials should be provided for the handwork as will enable the children most easily to express the story of the park. In our view the kindergarten handwork should not consist in teaching the use of any particular gift or occupation, but rather should it be used to lead the lead the child to expression in some appropriate medium. 2. The children are supposed to work in two groups. .\t first the younger group may watch the older ones as 16 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. paths by placing trees regularly; children build seals in the park; teacher makes a circular flower bed; children put in flowers; children build the keeper's house; use splints for railing if the park near the school is inclosed; place blocks for rows of houses outside of park (older children) . (6) Central Park, an entrance indicated by flower circle; trees; sand covered with grass or moss except paths; a few rocks for hilly places; small lake of glass or paper; boats; swan on island; bridge; build collection of houses for animals; a few animals on grass or in deer cages made of five-inch sticks. (Supplement with pictures.) 2. Work in sand trays every day. (Smooth, dig, sift, etc.) 3. Brush work or drawing. (Both groups daily.) 4. Clay modeling. 5. Paper cutting, folding, pasting, etc. Monday. — Group 1. Cutting green paper for grass; making a tree with green paper fringe fastened on a twig or splint ; Group 2. A sign "Keep off the grass" (explain when necessary to have one) ; a swing. Tuesday. — Group 1. Making more trees ; brooms by fringing manilla paper and fastening as before; folding many windows for windows of room or car; Group 2. Folding and pasting an engine. Wednesday. — Group 2. Folding train of cars on elevated road; Group 1. Making gate of park or of a car with splints ; Thursday. — Group 2. Making wagon or cage of paper, splints, and parquetry circles; Group 1. Paper balls for stones or paper grass to fill wagons. Friday. — Group 1. Making paper bags for crackers; boats or balloons; Group 2. \ wagon from a box, or a cage with box and splints; benches, boats, etc. GAMES FOR FIRST WEEK.* IMITATIVE EXERCISES. 1. One or more children run, walk, .skip around the ring; all imitate. 2. Running in to the center and back to place. 3. Swinging arms (All). Play push a swing (All). 4. Play drive a horse. (Use reins.) 5. Represent trees in the park; birds. 6. Two tall children join hands to make a bridge; little ones run under. 7. Ball games. (Roll — bomice.) S. Sense games. (Hide the ball.) 9. Finger plays. Note. — One of the public kindergartners in New York City was needed to assist in registration during the first days. She set the older children who had been in the kindergarten before to work to make a park for the new-comers, and they entertained the httle ones happily without help from the kindergartner. Results were crude and simple, but everyone was happy. There is a tendency to do too little during the first days. The play spirit should be uppermost and formality should be introduced gradually. If possi- ble during the first few days let the children play in small groups as: Group 1. Play ball. Group 2. Play in the sand. Group 3. Draw on the black- boards. Group 4. Play with the doll and other toys. Change the groups during the morning. Let the children who cry go home if possible; they need to learn how quickly they can reach home; they will return happily the next day. Warn guardians not to frighten them but to bring them back, with a promise to return if they are timid. they "make a park," or they may play "go to the park" when it is finished. They should be encouraged to tell what they see in the park that the older children have made. While waiting they may have the individual sand trays on the tables. 3. Let the children suggest what they wi.sh to make, and how to make it as far as possible. The objects sug- gested need not be confined to the day mentioned. The divisions are indicated merely as a guide to young kinder- gartner.s. If the work is made too formal at first, the children will be repressed, and it will take the kindergartner much longer to study their individual characteri.stics. Let the children be active from the first. *L If various simple motions are imitated during the first week and accompanied by descriptive rhymes spoken only by the kindergarten, the children will be prepared to enter upon more complete games later on. 2. In both handwork and games, a greater variety of work has been suggested than may be required. In kin- dergartens where the majority of children are over five years of age more work may be attempted. PLATE Vni. LESS MATHEMATICS IN THE USE OF KINDERGARTEN xMATERIALS. KiNDERGARTNERS agree upon the views pre- sented in many of the paragraphs of the creed in the preface of this edition. The creed omits the usual fixed order in enumerating kindergarten gifts and occupations depending upon their mathematical relations. Upon this omission kin- dergartners disagree. There is indicated in the seventh paragraph of the creed a simple and in the view of many, a natural way of regarding kindergarten materials, an enumeration not in serial order. This state- ment is as follows: "The most important of the materials indicated by Froebel are balls, build- ing blocks, sand, clay, paper, scissors and draw- ing materials, Constructive play with these or other plastic materials should follow a few simple industries and such play should develop gradually into work." Usually the list of kindergarten playthings is given in mathematical order, namely from solid to point in the gifts and from point to solid in the occupations, as presented by Froebel in "Education by Development. Chapter XI." This analysis and synthesis of the materials of the kindergarten, so often quoted in the past, is re- garded now by many as "logical but not psy- chological," that is, while it is most satisfying as a classification to an adult mind, it has no meaning to the child, and should have little bear- ing in deciding the method of procedure in intro- ducing the material to a little child. Balls and blocks, all agree, should naturally lead the way, but even this order may be re- versed. A superintendent told me that on one occasion, a young kindergartner stood nonplussed, actually unwilling to begin because the first gift had not arrived. This is making too much even of the ball. AMth children of kindergarten age almost any material may be at any time utilized, if necessary, in a simple fashion. It is these ex- treme views regarding the sequence and mathe- matical relations of the gifts that have often thrown discredit upon the kindergarten method. There are kindergartners who believe that they would be doing the child's mind an injury if the Third Gift of eight small cubes were presented before the Second Gift, which contains an un- divided sphere, cube and cylinder. They forget the fact that Froebel presents the first and second gifts as nursery playthings for the first and second years of the child's life. It is true that pleasing and instructive ways have been evolved of using these first gifts even in the fourth and fifth years of the child's life which all kindergartners heartily approve. Such plays are described in this book later on. The difference is that many now deem it unessential to establish a mathematical relation between the gifts. They believe that what is necessary for the child to learn should come first through play and use. If a relationship between the solid cube and the divided cube composed of eight small cubes must be established and the dissection of the cube ex- plained to the little ones, should it not be done after a little experimental building in a playful way rather than as an initial step? It seems more childlike so to do. The Third Gift on the very first day in th3 kindergarten is often the best plaything to keep children happily active. Usually young kinder- gartners feel much relieved when they realize that this break in the fixed order is deemed ad- missible. It opens their minds to a more natural use of the gifts as a series of building blocks. The materials of the kindergarten should be considered in their entirety and drawn upon \\'ith discretion as means to arouse activity, or if activity is already aroused as channels for its out- let or expression. They should be regarded as means to secure some expression of the many images formed and forming in the mind of the child. Such images have been created by home and other every-day experiences, or by stories and conversations, walks and excursions with the kindergartner. 17 18 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. New objectf? in the kindergarten room, pictures and drawings must also he considered as provok- ing images of less familiar things and as incentives to action. A ball in\'ites a child to play. It says to the child, "Come, throw me, roll me, run after me, toss me, catch me, bounce me." Blocks say to the child, "Come, pile us up; tumble us down; push us along; make a house; a barn, a fence; count us; see how many you have." Sand, a favorite material, calls loudly to the little ones, "Come, dig, push me, smooth me, pile me up, make a pile, make two piles, sift me through your fingers, make holes, make tracks, make cakes, make gardens." Thus used at the very start these well-chosen materials develop the constructive imagination. It is to this power of the mind that many kinder- gartners are appealing in these days, rather than to the abstractions of form, position and direc- tion. That these abstractions have in the past been overemphasized in dictation lessons is the opinion of many, while others continue such lessons. Form and direction may be mentioned incidentally, playfully, and usually in relation to use in construction. For example, "I am afraid your bridge may tumble down," will direct attention to the need of upright supports and im- press the exact vertical position with sufficient accuracy for the child's welfare. Perfect accuracy is overstimulating and nervous work for a young child. In constructing a see-saw or a swing, or even in drawing either object on the blackboard, the vertical, horizontal and oblique lines are made plain in actual use. They need not be named in mathematical terms. The see-saw has an up- right sujiport. The seat board is now horizontal, now oblique. So it is with the swing. The common language of every day life is more suitable for the child, namely, standing, lying down, leaning. These terms should be used naturally in talking about the object after it has been made or drawn. A few counting lessons are quite reasonable. Children love to count their toys, and counting is the best basis for number work. A few simple problems are also admissible, as build a post four blocks high, five, six, seven, eight blocks high. Make two posts. How high is each one? While Froebel's geometrical series of gifts, as shown in the plates of this book, will always be of great interest as the foundation of a re- markable effort of a great educator to organize play material for childish activity, many educators now consider the series as such of historic rather than of practical value. Others, as already stated, still believe that not one link of this logical chain may be dropped without detriment to the child and to the integrity of the kindergarten. I have ad-vised the publishers to retain the older plates* both for their historic interest to students who wish to accjuaint themselves with the old as well as the new in kindergarten methods, and as a convenience to those still adhering to the logical series of gifts and occupations. One of the fundamental methods of Froebel, as of all good teachers, is the method of comparison. Hence I do not hesitate to retain the plates,* although personally I do not advise following them in detail. We must profit by comparison of views. Froebel's teachings of the relation of past, present and future indicate him to be an evolu- tionist and not a revolutionist. We follow his example closely in this respect. Training teachers desiring to study this subject more fully are referred to three able article^': 1. Some Conservative and Progressive Phases of Kindergarten Education, by Patty Smith Hill, Sixth Year Book of the National Society for the Scientific Study of Education, Pub. at Chicago University. 2. "The Kindergarten Gifts," by Harriette Melissa Mills, Teachers College Record, Nov., 1904. 3. The Kinder- garten Number of Teachers College Record, Nov. 1909, by Dr. John A. MacVannel and Patty S. Hill. These are three of the most important views yet published by writers of the progressive type. * The plates here mentioned are to be found in Part II. of Part I, but not all in Part II. I heartily approve all the work presented in the plates PLATE IX. THE COMPARATIVE VALUE OF FORMS OF LIFE, BEAUTY AND KNOWLEDGE. KiNDERGARTNERS who are in a transitional state of mind between the old and the new often find it difficult to know how to modify their procedure in order to secure the good of the new without setting aside much of their present method. "Spend most of your time on life forms and j-ou will vivify your work without danger of upsetting your kindergarten methods" is about the best advice that can be offered. The life forms are the connection between the old and the new, that is to say, all kindergartners approve them. Glancing rapidlj' through the older plates of this book, the excessive predominance of geomet- rical forms which are the "forms of knowledge" and also of symmetrical designs which are the "forms of beauty" of the kindergarten, must strike the eye of any student. A careful study of Froebel's own method of interesting the child in such forms will be found in Pedagogics of the Kindergarten, page 132. Froebel there links the forms of beauty with forms of life by comparing them with stars, wreaths and flowers. In rhymes he calls them dancing forms. By introducing such terms frecjuentlj' and also by a strong tendency to playfulness, Froebel shows that he realized the child's need of an interpreter of the form of beauty in the life forms. An interesting address upon this subject was gi\'en in 1908 before the kindergarten de- partment of the National Educational Associa- tion entitled "The Use and Abuse of Design in the Kindergarten" by Miss Mae B. Higgons, and ably discussed by Mrs. Alice H. Putnam.* The reason then for urging the value of forms of life, which mean forms of nature and forms of familiar objects of every-day life, becomes apparent. The children taught by Froebel spent much time out-of-doors, and hence forms of nature were not so likely to be neglected as they have been in cities. It is certainly essential that the child's eye should not be constantly impres.sed with hne, angle, square, oblong, circle, semi-circle, triangle, pentagon, hexagon, octagon, or even sphere, cube and cylinder. This we have considered in another chapter. Here we mention the danger of overdoing these forms under the head of " forms of Knowl- edge " as they were denominated by Froebel. Both geometrical and symmetrical forms have been made to appear and reappear in every gift and occupation, until geometry instead of life seemed to be accepted as the kindergarten end and aim. We are now urging in their stead the frequent reproduction in drawing, molding, painting and cutting of such life forms as fruits, flowers, vegetables, leaves, birds, butterflies, chickens, kittens, the lamb, the squirrel, the rabbit and other animals, not forgetting nor for- bidding the human form which children love so well to attempt. (See Plate XIV showing dolls cut from children's drawings and Plat« No. IX, showing free cutting of animals seen at the Zoo. It should be stated that these results were obtained because the kindergarten was in the vicinity of the Zoological Gardens. The same plate shows the reproduction of the kinder- garten bunny by twelve children who loved their own bunny.) The familiar forms of home life and of known industries, of toys and playthings, of tools and dishes, should receive more attention than geomet- rical forms. The house and any of its furnishings are a never-failing source of interest to draw, to paint, to build, to mold, to cut and to make. Some of these household forms lend themselves best to one occupation and some to another, as dishes to modeling. * Reports of these addresses will be found in the Kg. Review of 1908. 19 20 GOLDEX JUBILEE EDITION. Variations of tlie window, an object so dear especially to city children, may appear and re- appear in cutting, folding, mounting and draw- ing. A series, of such exercises based on the window, shows various kinds of curtains and shades, window plants and even supposed views beyond the window. The attractive medium of translucent-colored paper maybe one of the materials employed. In such exercises, espe- cially in those on the house, the door and the window, all the practice needed in vertical, horizontal and oblique lines, in exact right angles or corners, in squares and oblongs, is given through the making of a well-known and ever-pleasing form of life. See Plate XVI. All these geometrical forms of knowledge are hidden, as it were, in the forms of life, and should be generalized in later school years. They should not be forced out of their hiding places any more than the bony frame work of our bodies should be studied by children. The skeleton of the human body is beautiful, wonderfully so to those able to bear it, but the study of anatomy comes late. So should that of typical forms. They are skeletons merely. They are not now being introduced before the fourth and fifth years of school life by our leaders in art work. They are not drawn even in those years in many of the best courses except as they appear in toys and in other common objects. Cubes, spheres and cylinders should be con- sidered as playthings when used in the kinder- garten and never described in words or made centers for classification. (See present editor's notes on each Gift in Part II.) PLATE X. STAGES OF PK(_ti;P.ESS IX 1)KA\VL\(,. DRAWING IN THE KINDERG.IRTEN AND THE NURSERY. There is no kindergarten occupation that has been more generally abandoned than drawing on a network of lines. Such drawing has been found to belong to a later period of develop- ment and relates itself to the mechanical draw- ing of the school. Steadying eye and hand to work together in drawing lines over other lines is nervous work for a child under eight or even nine years of age. It is also injurious to the eye of the young child and tends to produce near-sightedness, as does too early use of the reading book. Kindergartners for a long time apparently cjuite overlooked Froebel's recognition and ap- preciation of the way a little child naturally inclines to free illustrative drawing to express him- self in a creative occupation. Froebel gives a number of ver}' simple, practical suggestions for drawing in the nursery which mothers as well as kindergartners should observe carefully. These suggestions are found in the commentary on "The Little Artist'' and in the second chapter of "The Education of Man." In the commentary Froebel advises mothers to make outlines in the air and in sand as well as on slate or paper, the child gradually imitating. He says, " Drawing in the air being a decided movement gives pleasure to your little child." In the rhymes and accompanying picture of "The Little Artist," Froebel suggests the illustra- tive drawing, now generally accepted, as the appropriate drawing for the kindergarten. He says: "The things a child can make May crude and worthless be; It is his impulse to create Should gladden thee." In "The Education of Man," Froebel notes the joy of a little child who, having found a pebble, or piece of slate or chalk, delights in drawing it over any smooth surface just to .see the color and the lines appear. At first, the rubbing, the movement interests him, than the change on the surface of the slate or other substance attracts his attention. The child rejoices in his own power to create the change. As many readers of this book may not have "The Education of Man" at hand, we will quote at length from it, for the subject is a \'ital one, and is so treated by Froebel. ",\ child has found a pebble; in order to determine by experiment its properties, he has rubbed it on a board near by, and has discovered its property of imparting color. It is a fragment of lime, clay, red stone or chalk. "See how he delights in the newly discovered property, and how busily he makes use of it! Soon the whole surface of the board is changed. "At first the boy takes delight in the new prop- erty. Then in the changed surface — now red, new white, now black, now brown — but soon he begins to find pleasure in the winding, straight, curved and other forms that appear. These linear phenom- ena direct his attention to the hnear properties of surrounding objects. Now the head becomes a circle, and now the circular line represents the head, the elliptical curve connected with it represents the body; arms and legs appear as straight or broken lines and these again represent arms and legs; the fingers he sees are straight lines meeting in the com- mon point and lines so connected are, for the busy child again hands and fingers; the eyes he sees as dots and which again represent eyes; and thus a new world opens ■within and without. For wluit man tries to represent or do he begins to understand. "The perception and representation of Unear relations opens to the child on the threshold of boy- hood a new world in various directions. Not only can he represent the outer world in reduced measure and thus comprehend it more easily with his eyes; not only can he reproduce outwardly what lives in his mind as a reminiscence or new association, but the knowledge of a wholly new invisible world, the world of forces, has its tenderest rootlets right here. "The ball that is rolling, or has been rolled, the stone that has been thrown or fallen, the water that has been dammed and conducted into many branch- ing ditches — all these have taught the child that the effect of a force, in its individual manifestations is always in the direction of a hne. 21 22 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. "Then the representation of objects by lines soon leads the child to the perception and representation of tlie direction in which a force acts. " Here flows a brook " and, saying this, the child makes a mark indicating the course of the brook. The child has drawn Unes signifying to him a tree. " Here grows another branch, and here still another," and as he speaks, he draws forth from the tree, as it were, the lines indicating its branches. "Very significantly says the child, "Here comes a bird flying," and draws the direction of the sup- posed flight, a winding line. " Give the child a bit of chalk or the Uke, and soon a new creation will stand before him and you. " Let the father, too, in a few lines sketch a man, a horse. This man of lines, this horse of lines, will give the cliild more joy than an actual man, an actual horse would do. "Mothers and attendents, would you know how to lead the child in this matter. See and observe the child; he will teach you what to do. " The attentive mother, the thoughtful father, the sympathetic family, without any of them having ever drawn, without an artist among them, may lead the child growing into boyhood to draw with tolerable accuracy a straight line, a diagonal or diameter, mirrors, windows and many other things, with some degree of resemblance." Froebel proceeds to speak of the value of con- necting spoken language with drawing. This is a valuable and practical suggestion too often neglected in kindergartens. There is no work that children do about which they will talk more freely than their drawing.s. The drawing lesson becomes an excellent opportunity for language work. We have quoted Froebel thus at length to show clearly that present day drawing in the kinder- garten is thoroughly Froebelian. There is no more important kindergarten occupation than drawing. It should be a daily exercise, not an occasional one, as it now is in many kindergartens. There is no occupation in which a child can more readily exercise creative activity. Prof. Earl Barnes says, "Any thoughtful observer who watches a child's drawing from the time he is two until he is six, must be deeply impressed with the great aid it furnishes to all of his processes of thought." In speaking of this free, illustrative drawing, Mr. Henry T. Bailey says: "This type of drawing opens the realm of pictorial art to the young child more directly than any other type of draw- ing yet discovered." Many children have pas.sed the " scribbling age' ' in drawing before entering the kindergarten, others have never been permitted to draw at home. Naturally then, there must be a great difference in dealing with individual children in the kinder- garten. The kindergartner's first duty is to place drawing materials before each child and observe what each child attempts to do. It has been found very interesting to retain the first set of papers for comparison with later drawings. Some children who have never drawn seem afraid to begin. They should be furnished daily with materials, but left alone for a time and en- couraged to watch their neighbors draw. Those children who are still in "The scribbling age" will be helped by practice drawing. Try to concentrate the child's attention upon a sweep- ing movement acro.ss the whole paper in an endeavor to color it. Indeed here is an opportunity to adopt Froebel's suggestion of practicing move- ment in the air before touching the paper. Chil- dren love to "make believe," and drawing in the air is "make believe drawing." Short, thick pieces of crayon should be used and drawn across the entire paper. Using the side of a small piece of crayon is a good device to prevent scribbling. It will aid in coloring the paper more evenly. A paper colored with green crayon may be called a grass plot and an appropriate picture mounted upon it, as a lamb, a cow, chickens or children playing. (See Plate XI.) The sheet colored blue may be called the sky and a bird or two mounted, or it may be taken to be water, a slit cut and a folded ship inserted so that it will stand and slide backward and forward in the slit. Again, the children may fringe a piece of paper after they have colored it. They may cut it into strips and use it for chains. Considerable practice in this coloring removes the tendency to scribble or to make tiny strokes with a cramped movement. It gives freedom of movement. Nothing should be said to the child of practice. To the kindergartner, such work is merely a de- vice to free the hand and secure long lines. To the child, it must be a real piece of work. The child is pleased to see the paper he has colored used in the different ways indicated. By continuing to practice drawing in the air and in sand, even the youngest children will soon PLATE XI. PRACTICE AND OBJECT DKAWIXG. THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. 23 be able to draw simple objects on paper, as a nest, a see-saw, a swing, a flag. These objects, it will be observed, give practice in all directions, vertical, horizontal and oblicjue. The nest gives a winding line, curving over and over itself. The children will delight to put colored eggs in the nest, and the kindergartner, if not the child, may draw a bird hovering over it. When the nest is well drawn on paper, a slit may be cut and a bird slipped in over the eggs. The bird may have been cut to outline and col- ored by the child. (See Plate XVIII.) The following series of practice lessons was worked out some years ago by Miss Lileon Claxton and has proved very suggestive and helpful to many young kindergartners. The drawings were made on bogus paper with heavy crayons nearly as thick as an adult's finger, and after drawing, an appropriate picture was mounted upon the paper. We give the list of drawings and mounted pictures: Practice Drawings. Mounts. 1. Water, blue crayon. A ship. 2. A see-saw, black. Children. 3. Pond and bush, blue, green. Ducks. 4. Green hill. Jack and Jill. 5. White hill. A sled. 6. Grass. Cows. 7. A tent, white. Soldiers. 8. A cage. A lion. 9. A fence. Horse and colt. 10. Chicken-coop. Hen and chicks. Note. — It will be observed that the practice in the first series is on straight lines, and that the three positions indicating vertical, horizontal and oblique are all present. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. sizes.) 20. Paper 21. Second Series, (curved lines.) A ball hanging. Three balls hanging. .\n apple. An orange. A pumpkin. Snowballs. The six balls of First Gift (colored in order.) Balloons (one, two, three and more). A snow-man (made of two balls of different A hammock swung between two posts. doll mounted. Pussy (back view). Note. — In the second series the practice is in mass mainly. The order is not fixed. Practice may be on straight and curved lines on alternate days. Before each lesson, practice the appropriate motion in the air as, in drawing a hill move the hand in a slanting direction. After finishing each drawing, let the children mount the picture suggested or draw freely, as, a child on each end of the see-saw. Coloring animals is a favorite occupation. (See Plate No. XVI.) It is also a kind of practice in mass drawing. There are outlines of famihar animals that may be secured in sets to color. They are rather smaller than it is best to use in the early lessons. Many kindergartners secure large patterns by tracing the animals found in good animal picture books. If such books are used daily in kinder- garten as they should be, the children will soon be familiar with animal forms and colors. They will delight in reproducing the colors of the book as nearly as they can match them \vith crayon or paint-box. The animals of the Henny Penny story after being colored and mounted make an interesting story chart or border for the blackboard. (See Plate No. XI.) A mother hen and her brood, a horse and colt, a cow and calf, mounted on appropriate back- grounds are pleasing and instructive. A fence may be drawn as if to shut the animals in the barnj-ard. The older group of children should be held to more careful work in coloring animals, for example, they may use several colored crayons and color the duck's feet and bill, the hen's comb and other details that demand closer observation and more careful strokes. The younger children should use one color only. With gray bogus paper, common white black- board crayon may be used to good advantage in coloring white animals, as a cat, a bunny, a goat, a sheep, a horse. With very young children, it has been found best to have the animals cut out before coloring. The older children may themselves cut out the animals to color. A little child is trammeled by attempting to keep within an outline but may sweep with good strokes to the very edge of the paper animal when it is cut out before coloring. This is important, as freedom and strength of movement is to be sought before accuracy. 24 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. While such practice drawing may be given daily for a few weeks, an opijortunity should also be given daily for free illustrative drawing, which is to the child a language. " Show me on your drawing paper what you saw coming to kindergarten this morning on the street. I will come and guess what it was," says the kindergartner. "Make a picture of one of your playthings." "Draw your httle dolly in her carriage." "Draw Jack and Jill or Little Boy Blue." As Prof. Earl Barnes says in one of his excellent commentaries* on children's drawings, "Those who object to having a young child use drawing freely as a language, generally base their objection on the fact that the child cannot draw. But that is one of the reasons why he can use drawing to such good advantage as a language. He cannot draw, but he does not know that he cannot, and the symbolizing tendency makes him free to attempt even the sky and God. "Children under eight, if not already spoiled by bad teaching, can be depended upon to draw of their own volition, or on refiuest, anything on the earth, or in the heavens above." While the children draw, it is the kinder- gartner's opportunity to study them, to pass from one to another cjuietly, asking a few personal questions of each child, and encouraging those who are backward by drawing for them. Advantage should be taken of the instinct of imitation in this occupation as in all others. Imitation is one of the most valuable of the mind's methods of learning. Formerly teachers did not fully realize this value and often forbade children to imitate, thinking it prevented creative work. It is true that we should not encourage the child to imitate the product, but rather the method of working. Dr. John Dewey says, "The child ma}- learn much from the incidental and mainly unconscious imitation of the methods used by others. There is all the difference in the world, educationally, between that unconscious assimila- tion of the mode of handling used by another better-trained person, and the mechanical and set copying of that person's work. " One imitates the process and tends to set free I he child's powers; the other imitates the prod- uct and tends towards slavishness." Prof. Sully says : "The first attempts to manage the pencil are commonly aided by the mother, who, moreover, is wont to present a model draw- ing and what is even more important at this early stage, to supply model viovonents of the arm and hand. In a strict sense, of course, no child's drawing is absolutely spontaneous and independent of external stimulus and guidance." (Studies of Childhood. Sully— Chap. The Little Draughtsman.) At the close of a drawing exercise, it is often advisable to request several children to tell what they have drawn. Indeed it is well nigh impossible to keep the children from doing so if there is anj- naturalness in discipline. Children will even rise out of their seats and act out their drawings or add to them by means of gesture and word what they find it difficult to express in lines. The kindergartner may occasionalh' select two or three good drawings to hold up or place where all can see them for the rest of the day. Chil- dren's work should seldom lae kept up longer. In commenting, it is better to say "I like the picture which you have made," rather than to praise the child himself for drawing it. In later years this inspection of drawings at the close of a lesson should take the form of class criticism, but very little criticism should be given or required of kindergarten children. A question or suggestion given occasionally will prove sufficient in the way of criticism at this early age, as, "How many legs has your horse? Where are his ears? Is he running or standing still? Perhaps you can make him run. Where is the train going? * Is it on the track? Where are the wheels? This boy is so big, I am afraid he cannot get into his wagon." By these suggestive remarks, the children grad- ually take hints that lead to improvement. They will begin to represent action and motion as well as form, and will also consider proportion. ^'ery little suggestion or criticism should be given at first in regard to placing a drawing. The child cannot think of many points at once. Before drawing, however, there may at times be a little conversation as to whether it will be better to have the long edges of the paper front and back or from side to side. Occasionally prepare the paper in accordance with the specific object to be drawn as a long narrow piece of paper for a flower having a long stem. Art *See Barnes' " Studies in Education.' Kg. Mag., April and May, 1901. Vol. II. No. S. Also Barnes' "Child Study in relation to Elementary I'LATE Xir. ILLUSTRATIVE DRAWIXG. THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY, 25 All sorts of incongruities must be expected and accepted in drawings made by children of kinder- garten age, remembering that too much sugges- tion and too mucli criticism will hinder spontaneity by making the child self-conscious. Yet the thoughtful kindergartner is always endeavoring to lift the child to the "next higher level," not allowing him to keep on too long repeating him- self on the lower level. A device which has been found effective both in the kindergarten and in primary grades to impro^■e the child's free illustrative drawing is as follows : Select a single object which is mentioned in a story; show it to the children; draw it for them on the blackboard in several positions. Erase the drawings, place the object where it can be seen by all who are to draw it. Ask the children to make a picture that looks just like it. "Play you have a camera. Now take the picture." Later in the week, when you have told the story, and the children are "telling it" in pictures, it wiU be found that the drawing of the one object will have been the means of improving the illustration of the whole story. For example, before asking the children to draw the Jack and Jill story, show a little pail. Draw the pail as a single object. Before the story of "Little Boy Blue," draw a horn. After practicing drawing single animals, as a squirrel, a bunny, a fish, a bird, stories may be told of each animal and the freedom with which the animal is dra-«-n will set up the whole scene produced by the children. It is a device well worth trying. Some kindergartners wonder why children in other kindergartens draw so much better than theirs. It is because of just such simple devices which are not appreciated by many, but which thoughtful, creative minds invent from day to day. The freedom with which a kindergartner draws before her class is also a most important factor, for it would seem that children imitate* so exactly at this age, that their drawings take on the very peculiarities and excellencies of those drawn before them. Dr. Henry Lukens, whose article upon Chil- dren's Drawings in the Pedagogical Seminary, Vol. IV. 1, attracted much attention some years ago, says, " I do not see why an artist should not make a series of such objects as children love to draw in simplified outlines, giving only characteris- tic touches. Finished, shaded, perspective draw- ings are not so likely to stimulate interest in little children." In speaking of illustrative draw- ings Dr. Lukens says: "All school work is too limited in opportunity for experience, productive and other forms of outgoing energy. Education tends, from its very nature, towards a pouring in, sensory process. Development can, however, only come from a growth on the motor or pro- ductive side. " Such an opportunity is afforded hy free draw- ing out of the head. Abundance of practice will certainly make vast improvements over the re- sults as now presented. " The chief things to aim at, I should think, would be : "1. To stimulate practice in and out of school. " 2. To aid the development by suggestio7is and by simplified outline drawings by good artists." Since Dr. Lukens wrote, mass drawing has become popular and it has been found that simple mass representations as in "The Noah's Ark Series," "The Hen and Chickens" the "Duck and Ducklings," now so extensively used in wall decorations, reappear to some extent in children's attempts both in brush work and in free cutting. The kindergarten children also imitate the mass drawings of older brothers and sisters seen at home. Good stationary work on the walls or the black- board is helpful, as impression tends to expression, but drawing while the child watches is the greater incentive. The child sees the way to begin and to proceed. He tends to imitate the movements. Very crude, ugly drawings should not be left long on the blackboard for they, too, impress themselves. Shades are sometimes attached to the blackboard and drawii down over the children's drawings to hide them from view rather than have them erased at once. The children should if possible draw on the blackboards daily for a few minutes to encourage large movements. The question now arises whether there should be any attempt at genuine object drawing in the kindergarten. * For very valuable suggestions on the use of imitation in drawing, consult an article by Prof. Walter Sargent in The Elementary School Teacher, Nov., 1909. 26 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. As has already been stated, drawing is mainly a means of expression to the Httle child. He draws from within, from what he knows to be true of an object rather than how it appears. This makes real object drawing well-nigh im- possible. For example: An apple with a hat- pm stuck through it was given as a model to a large number of young children at six years of age. Ninety-seven per cent drew the whole length of the pin across the apple, although, of course, no one could see the pin but only the pro- truding ends. The whole pin was represented, not because the children saw it, but because they knew it to be there! Children in like manner draw an opacjue box or basket showing all that they know to be in it. Drawings of city kindergarten children show coal in little pieces, all the way to the bottom of a coal cart. (See Plate XV IL) Although the children are not yet old enough for exact object drawing, it is advisable once during the week to present a definite object as a model. If the object is small, as a leaf or a flower, one should be given to each child. Larger objects should be carefully placed in full sight, as a child's broom, a toy wagon, a doll, a spade, a rake. The objects chosen at first may well be flat, as a ladder, a fan, a flag, an envelope, a window. By calling attention to the object and having it in full sight, the children begin to improve, although anything like exact reproduction cannot be expected. If no object drawing is attempted, the child, who is apt to create symbols of things, will go on repeating these symbols until his horses, his trees, his men are all alike. Object drawing, or an attempt at it, will help the child improve on himself. "On our walk," says the kindergartner, "we must look at an oak tree and an elm tree and see if they are just alike. Then when you draw a tree, I will ask you what kind of a tree it is." The child must not be left too long in one stage, repeating and repeating himself. That is the action of an undeveloped mind. Self-imitation is valuable in its place, as when baby begins to pile blocks, he repeats and repeats and repeats the act, hundreds of times. It is, at a later age, a low order of progress. The kinder- gartner must watch for the " psychologic moment" to help the child lift himself a step higher. The selection of objects is important. They should be mainly toys and natural objects as fruits and vegetables, grasses and flowers in their season. The season of the year may naturally control the objects chosen for drawing as well as the stories to be illustrated. In the early fall, fall flowers, leaves, apples, grapes, peaches, and later the vegetables, the potatoes, the carrot, the beet, the red pepper, the pumpkin as Thanksgiving is approaching. Later — winter garments, as mittens, caps and muffs, sleds, will be pleasing subjects. Soon the Christmas tree and all its accompany- ing toy treasures will present fascinating objects to draw. Snowballs, snow men, snow hills and sleds, windows with snowy s lis, snowcarts and shovels should be drawn in mid-winter. In the springtime, flowers again come into the child's life and he makes brave attempts to show the pussy willow, the daffodil, the violet, the crocus, the tulip, the grasses. The Maypole drawings give fine practice in drawing lines at all angles and in all colors, and many children will attempt the dancing of the boys and girls around the pole. At all seasons men, women and children, dolls, houses, furniture, wagons, boats, trolleys, steam- cars, engines, ships, bridges, ladders, tools and toys afford an endless variety. It is surprising that many kiiidergartners do not seem to realize the special preparation nec- essary to .secure good results in drawing. That it is mainly free as far as the child is concerned, seems to mean that the kindergartner has nothing to do. This is a great mistake. The kinder- gartner must see ahead. She must have an ideal, a goal. She must study each individual child as he draws from day to day and note his progress or arrest of development. She must know who is in and who is beyond the scribbling age, or the cataloguing age, or the age of diagrams or conventional signs. She must consider her suggestions and questions carefully, judging the right one for each in- dividual. She should be improving all the time in blackboard drawing herself that she may make the best models and utilize the child's instinct of imitation. She must have good models at hand or know how to get them when needed. Often a child in the class will furnish the toy needed. She must have cjuick sympathy to interpret the childish view and to enter into the child's descrip- PLATE XIII. ILLUSTRATIVE DRAWIXOS— CITY LIFE. THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. 27 tions of his crude attempts at representation. She must see more than the child and be able to interpret for him and suggest new ideas. She must choose stories to be illustrated wisely as well as objective models. She must consider, with care, the selection of materials. The right paper, the right size, the best crayon; all these details are hers for study. Each and everj' one of them will contribute to the progress of the work. An eminent educator says, " By recording images and thus holding them before the mind for consideration, drmcing becomes one of the most effective agencies in organizing a body of correct ideas or concepts on which all intelligent think- ing must finally rest." Is it not then well worth while to give marked attention to it? A most interesting and instructive scrap-book can be made by selecting the best of the children's drawings throughout the year. If the subjects have been well chosen, the seasons, the songs, the stories, the games, the excursions, the trades, animal and plant Hfe, home incidents, and those of the neighborhood, the general environment in which the child lives, the holida3^s, aU will be mirrored forth. Such a book surely reflects back to a kindergarten child the work of the year. It makes a review picture book. If a child's drawings are saved and about twenty or thirty selected, each one mounted carefully upon a larger sheet of durable paper, and all neatly fastened in book form, no better gift for the intelligent parent could be de\-ised at the close of the term. It will be a Uttle pano- rama to the child and to the parent, recalling songs and stories and many happy experiences in the kindergarten. Plates X to XIII illustrate the various phases of drawing which have been described in this chapter. THE OCCUPATION OF PAPER CUTTING. A number of the new plates in this book in- dicate how much more free cutting is being done in the l^indergarten of to-day than formerly. The plates in the older edition cover pages of cutting according to dictation upon a prepared geometrical form, especially the triangle. Hours upon hours have been spent by training classes in cutting and mounting forms of beauty com- posed of many tiny pieces of paper. Such work in paper cutting is almost wholly abandoned. The occupation of paper cutting has developed in freer channels and is invaluable because of its inexpensiveness as well as its excellence as a medium of e.xpression. Children love to cut with a pair of scissors, the familiar tool of the home. Usually they are denied the privilege because of the dangers attend- ing it. Even when blunt scissors are furnished in the home, there is the fear of cutting household articles or clothing. Sometimes a pretty curl disappears. Hence scissors, though so familiar a tool, are usually forbidden in the home to the young child. In kindergarten, however, blunt scissors, plenty of paper and the watchful eye of the kindergartner prevent catastrophes. We recommend blunt scissors five inches long. The smaller pairs sometimes furnished are not desirable. Bogus and manilla paper are the best materials, as they are crisp and take the scissors without bending. They are also in- expensive papers. The child enjoys the sound of the tool on this stiff paper. The paper chosen should not, how- ever, be very stiff or tough at first. The children if very young will enjoy cutting simply to cut. They enjoy the action without reference to results. Snipping is a good exercise for several lessons; the little pieces may be gathered and used to fill a pillow for dolly, or to make a load for a toy wagon. White snips may make a snow storm if it happens to be winter. Fringing follows snipping. Cutting strips of short lengths for chains is a simple exercise. After fringing paper, it may be converted into brooms, brushes, ])lumes, feathers, and later into towels or tablecloths of various sizes. Many periods may be given to these preliminary exercises if the little ones have had no previous experience in cutting at home. Cutting spirals from circles and squares gives a jjleasing result and is usually found an easy cutting lesson. Suspending such spirals over the radiator so that they will dance up and down pleases the children. Sometimes it is well to let the children simply experiment just to see what they can cut. They are often surprised at their own productions and name them from fancied resemblances. Power is also gained by cutting out their own free drawings. The children gradually discover that cutting is really drawing with the scissors. This seems to give confidence especially in illus- trative work. Next simple familiar forms may be suggested. It is even more important that they be familiar than simple, for the child must have the image well in mind if he is to reproduce it. Among the forms to be cut are dolls, dishes, houses, household furniture, as chairs, tables, beds; clothing, as aprons, dresses, trouser.s, stockings, shoes, hats, caps, mits; fruits and vegetables in their season; famihar animals; ships; tools of various workmen ; leaves; flowers, toys, etc. (See Plates XIV-XVI-XVII.) To secure good results, the children should frequently watch the kindergartner cut out a form before attempting it themselves. Cutting to the line, while try ng to the eye, may be used to some extent even in the kinder- garten. It prepares the way for cutting out scrap pictures and making scrap-books and is also necessary sometimes in construction work. Occasionally there should be cutting to the 28 PLATK XIV. THE KINDERGARTEN OF TO-DAY. 29 line or crease by dictation on the checkers of a square folded into sixteenths. Doubling the paper before cutting should not be allowed. The child cannot carry a half form in mind. It is better even in cutting dollies to discard the old method of doubling the paper. (See Plate XIV.) When, however, it is desirable to cut out animals that will stand, the paper may be doubled as in the case of the rocking-horse on Plate XIII In such a case the whole form is kept in mind. If cliil hand, or with the hand inverted, or they may be sent back to the floor several times Iiefore catching. Throwing the balls against the wall, tossing them into the air and many other exercises may be introduced whenever the balls are used, and will always serve to interest the children. Care should be taken to have every movement performed in perfect order, and that every child take part in all the exercises in its turn. At the close of every ball play, the children occupy their original places marked on the floor, the balls are collected by one or two of the older pupils, and after this has been done, each child takes the hand of its opposite neigh- bor, and bowing, says, "good morning," when they march by twos, accompanied by music, once or twice through the hall, and then to their seats for other occupation. EDITOR'S NOTES. pRCEBEL originally intended this gift for use in the nursery when the little one was under the direct guidance of his mother, and for such use it is admirably adapted. It is probalily for this reason tliat so little was made of this gift by Prof. Wiebe, who waswi'iting for chil- dren of older years, such as were supposed to * The language exercises suggested are invaluable. balls which Froebel intended for the nursery See Education of Man, Chap. II. Sec. 29. be in the American kindergartens twenty-five years ago ; but at the present time very much more is made of it, and its possibilities are great. As a part of the system it has its place in the kindergarten of to-day, being invalna- lile, inasmuch as it teaches color, form and motion. While from the following series of They are often neglected for mere baby plays with the PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 00 exercises we can only hint at the endless va- riety of games and songs that may be given to the children in making relations with this gift, the ingenuity of the kindergartner will suggest much by which tlie six soft balls of the first gift may be introduced as preliminary to the sohd forms of the second gift. If the child has had no um-sery training with the balls, only one should be given at a time, red being usually chosen. Wlien the red ball lias been fully introduced and the child has plaj-ed with it in a rhythmical way until perfect sym- pathy is established between him and his play- thing, another may be given, and so on. GENERAL IMPRESSION. The kindergartner shows the ball and intro- duces her obsei-vations with some fitting words, as : — How pretty is the ball. Now please look at it all I "While she distributes the balls to the chil- dren, who hold both hands to receive one, she sings : — First -open hands and take the ball. Then close the little fingers all. Then let each child open his hands and place the ball before him on the table ; call attention to it by saj'ing : — This ball of bright and colored wool. It looks so very beautiful. Examine it, bow neat, how clean. So should a child be ever seen. Ask the children if they can tell you any- thing about the ball. One will answer, "It is soft ;" "it is rough ;" "it is elastic ;" "it will roll," etc. Then there is something to tell them about tlie rubber tree* and an experience to gain with every moment during which the balls are used. Ask the children to rock their balls to sleep, making a cradle of the hands, and singing : — Our balls are going to Bye-low-land, Going to sleep in each child's liand, Rock them so gently to and fro. Our little balls to sleep must go. — <3r — A little ball is lying liere So quietly asleep, And as I rock it to and fro A loving watch I'll keep. Then, if it is not yet time to put the balls away, sing : — It likes now to be moving. Moving, roving, moving, roving, 3Io\lug, rovhig so. Accompany the song by passing the ball from one hand to the other, keeping time to * Such instruction is best reserved for the primary tlon of processes for a young child. the music, which should always be strongly marked for young children. Nothing is moi-e harmonious or helpful in a kindergarten than to get hands and feet accustomed to rhj-thmi- cal motions. In distriliuting, if preferred, the balls may be called flowers, as :— These flowers are so bright and fair. Please handle them with tender care : And as I pass them to you all, Take care they do not break or fall. The balls may be flowers that are sleeping, and the chiklrsn's hands the covers ; let some child go around to awaken the flowers. Then the balls may be leaves on the trees and drop quietly down, the children using their arms held above their heads for the branches. Again, they may be birds, frogs, fishes, fruit, snow- balls to be made and thrown up and caught ; al- so gifts and decorations for a Christmas tree, some child representing the tree. These are but a few suggestions as to the various purposes for which the balls are used. When it is time to put the balls away, sing : — My ball lies in its little bed. So quiet and so still ; I'll gently rock it to and fro. Ami hush it well, I will. COLOR. Hold up the baU and ask the children what color it is, then to find something in the room or upon themselves of the same color, and when they have found several red things, give the name red ; but do not give the name until they have watched the color and proved that they have experienced the sensation. In teaching the other prismatic colors in these exercises, obsei-ve the same caution — let the sensation come before the name. Children in private kindergartens usually know the names of the colors. ' 'Do you remember what we played in the ring? 'Johnny likes to wander.' Now we will let the red balls wander just as Johnny did." Give a red ball to each child next to you, and after it has passed two or three children start another, and so on. Sing : — The red ball loves to wander From one child to another. And to each one will saj' 'Good Day.' (repeat last line.) '•"When JNIr. Red Ball is tired we will gently place him on the table and let him rest, while we bring from the box one of his brothers. It is the color of a round, juicy fruit. Yes, it is the color of the orange, and we •will let the school. It is too remote and requires too much explana- 56 GOLDEX JUBILEE EDITION. orange balls wander." Compare real oranges with it, and let the children find orange-colored objects to match the orange ball. After each game let the children do just what the liall has done. At the end of auj- regular exercise let the children choose any of the games they have played. It is well to let them glue red autumn leaves or red kindergarten papers on a circular piece of cardboard, either white or black, twelve or fourteen inches in diameter. A clearer impression of form as well as of color will be made if the form is varied with the color, using for instance, a round chart for red, square for orange, olilong for j-ellow, triangular for green, pentagonal for lilue, hexagonal for violet and octagonal for all the colors. These can be fastened upon the wall in prismatic order.* Give each child tn'o round papers of the same Orauges ripe, oranges ripe, Who will buy my oranges ripe? A yellow ball can represent lemons, with the song, "Lemons ripe," etc., a green ball being used for apples, while the group is singing "Ap- ples green," and so on. Then some child is sent to ask for the red ball, another for the orange, another for the yellow, etc. This ex- ercise trains the attention and memory and teaches the children to make comparisons. For example : The red ball is like the cherry, the orange ball is like an orange, the yellow like a bird, the green like the leaves. Repeat these games and let each child have several counters for money, and come and buy a ball of the same color as the money. Or for an occupation to develop color. hold the balls before the children and let them each select the color they like best. After making a choice color. Let the children come one bv one and find give them a piece of paper of that color, also a n 1 'all like their papers. Pin the papers on the needle and thread. Ask them to hold the balls for wings, then let the children watch to see which bird flies up from the teacher's lap, and direct those who have the same color, to let theirs fly at tlie same time, singing : — "Up, up in the sky." Down goes the little l)ird out of sight and a new bird flies into the air. "Now take off the wings of your l)ird and they will be little balls again. Roll them to me, and we will let the bright face of the paper toward them and put the needle right through the middle ; then give each child a straw and tell them to put their nee'dle through the hole, then through another piece of paper, and so on until a long chain is made. These may be used for necklaces, or decorations for the room, etc. For the older children the balls ma}' be placed In a circle on the table and a game of hiding the yellow balls wander. Find other yellow things balls played. Let some child close his eyes, about the room. "What have you seen that is and when a ball is taken away, have the chil- yellow? Count the yellow balls." dren sing : — If in private work the kindergartner finds herself with children five j'ears old it may be l)etter to use the more mature game of fruit sell- ing. A bunch of balls is held up aud the chil- Now tell little playmate. Who has gone from our ring; Aud if you guess rightlj'. We'll clap as we sing. If the child cau tell on opening his eyes which dren allowed to name each one, as, red cherries, ball is missing, whether the red, orange, violet, yellow lemons, green apples, etc., these an- etc., the children clap their hands, at the same swers being drawn from the children. Then time singing, la-la-la. This game can be iu- a child goes down between the tallies or around troduced by playing with a group of six chil- the circle to sell the fruit, singing alone or Vi-ith the teacher : — Cherries ripe, cherries ripe. Who will buy my cherries ripe? and is answered by the children singing : — Cherries ripe, cherries rijie. We will buy your cherries rijie. Meanwhile they hold out their hands to re- dren instead of sis balls, and is afterward played with all the children in the ring. The balls maj' be different flowers and the table a garden. Interest the children by show- ing them some real flowers, and talking about them. Ask the children if they can name the flowers, then suggest the idea that they use the ceivethe ball, which the child gives to any one balls for flowers, and the table for a garden he pleases ; the one who receives the ball holds and have just such pretty flowers growing in it up and then puts it out of sight. An orange their beds. ball is sold by another child in the same way Gather the balls in a Inuich and holding them as he sings : — up ask which they will use for geraniums, which * Such color charts are more appropriate for the primary grades than for the kindergarten. See Chapter on Color in Part I. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 57 for marigolds, which for yellow roses, green buds, forget-me-nots and violets, letting each child pick out the tiower and the ball corre- sponding to it in color. Give each child the choice of the flower which he would like in his garden and if the smaller children cannot tell it by the name, have them point it out among the real flowers. Let their hands be used as a cover for the flowers and when they have placed them on the table with the palms downward, suggest that they go to sleep, as the little flowers when planted in their beds will want to sleep soundly until it is warm enough to throw off their covers and creep out. The children may then see if they have in their garden the kind of flower which they have chosen. When all eyes are closed place the ball which is the color of the flower chosen under their hands. While the little plants are kept snug and warm have the children make a little rain shower with the other hand. Down the rain- drops gently patter, whisperiug to the sleeping flowers that it is time to awaken from their long nap. "Let us see if the violets in our gar- dens have heard the gentle call of the rain drops and are going to creep out." Hold up the real violet that the sense impression of violet may accompany the words. And presently the vio- let balls begin to throw oft" their covers and peep out and with the string held close to the ball are slowly raised while the teacher sings : — Oh, lovely little violet, I pray you, tell me, dear, Wliy you appear so early, Ere other flowers are here. The children with the violet balls answer : — Because I am so tiny, In early Maj- eonie I, If I come with the others, I fear you"d pass me by. (Miss Jenks's "Songs and (Tames.") When all the violets are in bloom let them bend and nod and whisper to each other, while the sunbeams speak to the other flowers. Some child is chosen for the sunbeam, and flits f i-om flower to flower, touching them softly and as they awaken one by one, the reaj flowers are held up that the balls may peep out and grow up in the same way as before. If some are still sleeping another child is chosen for the sunbe.am, and when the garden is full of flowers ask the children if they would like to make them into bouquets. Have one child take his violet and find all its little sisters and make a bouquet of violets. Another child is chosen to secure a bunch of marigolds ; and when the roses, buds, geraniums, and forget-me-nots are all gathered the game may be repeated. This time, however, have all the flowers bloom out together, and as they are growiug up, sing the second verse of ' -The Little Plant" from Emilie Poulssou's Finger Plays. Choose different children to gather the flow- ers this time, and make them into a wreath. Ask the children for the dift'erent flowers and as the balls are handed to you one 1i\' one, open the double string and loop it over the next ball and so on until the wTeath is complete. One advantage of inti'oducing more than one game is that of giving the children the favor of choosing. This should be done impartially and the dull, inactive children should lie drawn out in the same way. The teacher should gen- tly insist on their choosing, and the feeling that their choice guides the play of the others draws them out of ttieir isolation into the sun- shine of companionship. These little things in the hands of a skilled kindergartner who is working from the standpoint of the child to de- velop his whole being, may prevent nuich that is morbid and harmful. The ball is to him a bird, a flower, sometimes it tells one story to the child and sometimes another ; it is a living, cherished playfellow, and gradually its quali- ties are mastered and found in other things Thus the ball becomes a starting point for a vigorous and wholesome exercise of memory and imagination, and the insight of the child is quickened and extended. FORM. Call attention to the i-ounduess of the ball by saj'ing : — Lock at the hall from left to ria;ht, You'll see the same appearance (|uite; 'Tis round, and turn it as you will You'll see the same appearance still. Have the children go through the movements and then ask them to name other round objects. A suitable story or song may be brought in. The ball being an unseparated whole, convej's the idea of unity, and may represent the world, an apple, a wheel, bird's nest, etc. Although form is very little emphasized in this gift,the child's obsen-ation is gained by calling attention to its shape and color, and his activity called forth by simple exercises, while his mora/ 58 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. faculty is being developed, and his intelligence opened to comprehend the law nnderlying all life as it exists exteniallj', namelj-, that all the diversity of external phenomena returns to and rests in that which is itself a complete whole. MOTION. No other quality appeals more strongly to young children than motion, which is one of the chief characteristics of this gift. While every muscle receives exercise and strength, force and energy are developed, and with the alum- dance of inatter which comes under the notice of the kindei-gartner it will be easy for her to introduce new oliservations. AViud the string around the ball and roll one to each child and let the children tell the color as the ball rolls. ' '"VVliat did the balls do ?" They rolled. ' 'Would you like to hear a song aliout rolling ?" Roll over, come back here So merry and free. My playfellow dear AVho shares iu my glee. Let the children on one side roll to the chil- dren on the other or place the hands a foot and a half apart and throw the ball from one to the other, singing ; — The ball desires to wander, To fl}' across to yonder Eight, left— right, left. Regulate the roUiug by the motion of the hand or by the rhythm of the song. At the end of the exercise let the children play the balls are marbles and roll down the length of the table, telling the color of the one they hit. Roll again, this time at word of command : "One, two, three, roll !" Vary the counting iu order to exercise and develop attention, and let each child roll to counting, as this exercise results in training the hand and eye, and also develops color as well as attention. Let the child take the ball in both hands and drop it into the hands of the next child, held together to receive it. Sing from Miss Jenlis's book : — Little ball, pass along, Gaily ou your way ;" While we sing a merry song. You must never stay, 'Till at last the song is done. Then we'll try to find In what pair of little hands, You've been left behind. Older children may pass the liall by taking it in one liand, passing it to the other and from that placing it in the nearest hand of the next child, -who repeats the same movements. These movements require care and attention and pro- ^•ide good exercise, but are too hard for very young children ; for if they are attempted they should be done exactly right, as indeed should every exercise in the kindergarten. Accuracy rightly developed does not interfere with the spirit of play which should lie kept. Children love to do things accurately if the requirement is suited to their capacity, and the kiudergart- ner has the right spirit. This exactness in little things lays the foundation for habits that are of great value. Let the balls hop from one hand (the nest) upon the table and sing, "Hopping Birds." Teach direction Ity showing how we make the ball sink and rise. "How does it go?" Ask the children to tell something that moves up and down, as elevator, window, curtain, etc., and sing : — Ball is sinking downward, Rising up again. Sinking, rising. See how the ball sinks and rises. — or — My ball comes up to meet me. Then down it goes so fleetly In the air, oh, hurrah ! In the air, oh, hurrah! Hold the ball in one hand, so that the string makes a vertical line. Notice things in the room whose position is upright, legs of piano, edge of door, etc. Tell the children about carrier pigeons, how they carry letters tied under their wings. Not a whole bag full, like the postman, but just one. Some one ties it under the wing and then they tly up high and go a long way and take it to the right place. Before this exercise let the chil- dren play "See our pretty birdie fly," in the ring and let them now play this with their balls. Let the ball fly in the air and then alight on the taljle before them. "What kind of a bird is it?" Robin Redbreast, Oriole, Canary, Par- rot, Bluebird, according to color. Sing: "Lit- tle bird, you are welcome." Let the balls of all colors fly up and then come to rest. Make a nest with both hands and sing : — Up, up iu the sky the little birds fly. Down, down iu the nest, the little birds rest. With a wing ou tlie left and a wing on the right. These dear little birdies are all safe for the night. Recall songs of previous exercises, and let the children choose which they like. Notice what they choose and develop conversation through songs and games. Ask the children PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 59 how else or in what other direction the balls move. Introduce back and front movement, sing- ing "The Pendulum," and let the children play it. Ask them to show you with their lialls how the clock goes. "What does it say?" Tick, tack. "Would you like to sing about the clock ?" Teach and sing : "Come and see" or "To and Fro,"the children singing "tick, tack," only, if they cannot sing words readily. ' ' Can you make your arms go like the pendulum? Let us make om- arms go to the right, tick — to the left, tack, etc. Now make the balls swing right, left, tick, tack. Hold the string from left to right. How does the edge of the table go ?" Left to right. Fru-bel says : "Direction should be rooted iu motion." That is, the vertical move- ment should precede the vertical line and the horizontal movement the horizontal line. Now bring out front and back movement and sing : — Now ball swing to and fro, More gentlj', soft and slow. But far away, you cauuot stay Wliile swiupug to and fro. — or — Bim bom, bim bom. So the bells swing in the steeple. Call to church the kind good people. Bim bom, bim bom, bim bom. Let the children merely sing "Bim, bom." "Canyon make your arm go like the bell ? What kind of bells have you heard ? What do the great church bells say?" Hold the ball iu one hand and the end of the string in the other. "How does the string go?" Back and front. Ask the children if they would like their balls to go round and round. Sing "Round and round it goes," repeating the first line of the mill wheel in Mrs. Hulibard's book and swing the ball round and round by the string, play- ing the balls are mill wheels. If the time has come to put the lialls away sing : — And now 'tis time to rest. You've done your very best. Go sleep dear ball till next I call ! For now 'tis time to rest. As the ball swings round and round it may represent the windmill. And in this way the kindergartner may bring in the action of the wind. Ask the children to show with the balls and their hands the kind of work which the wind does. Let them represent the trees, with the hands raised above the head and a swaying motion of arms and hands for the branches, which wave and bend as the wind blows. Suggest that they show how the wind rocks the bird's nest, which may be built high up in the tree-tops where the little birds may come. Let them choose which kind of a bird they would like iu their nest, then with the fingers cui'\-ed upward to form the nest swing the balls one by one into their hands ; then let the wind gently rock the tree-tops from side to side by a swaying movement of the hand from right to left, the ball being held in the center of one hand while singing from Mrs. Hailmauu'a songs : — In the tall branch of tlie tree-top There's a nest snug and warm. In it lies a little birdie. Safe in sunshine and in storm, etc. Let them show how the wind plays ^ith the leaves, how it moves the boats across the water when the waves are high, how it sails the kites, how it blows the clothes on the line, repre- senting each movement with the ball held in the hand. 'WTien acting in uuison, the children will feel the harmony of a movement more strongly, then when acting separately ; then they enjoy rolling the ball from one to the other, throwing it up in the air, against the ground or wall and catching it, or by throwing it backward and forward to each other. These few hints will suffice to enable one to invent new plays and make suitable variations of those here given.* * Tliese simple, natural ball exercises of tossing, rolling, catching and bouncing should be permitted at recess times and before the hour for opening if the children come early. For such exercise, various sizes of rubber and celluloid balls should be used in preference to worsted balls. THE SECOND GIFT. The Second Gift consists of a sphere, a cube and a cylinder. These the teacher places npon the table, together with a rubber ball, and asks : — "Which of these three objects looks most like the ball?" The children will certainl}' point out the sphere, but, of course, without gi%'ing its name. "Of what is it made?" the teacher asks, placing it in the hand of some pupil or rolling it across the table. The answer will doubtless be, "Of wood." "So we might call the object a u-ocMlfti hall. But we will give it another name. We will call it a sphere." Each child must here be taught to pronounce the word, enunciating each sound very dis- tinctly. The ball and si)here are then further compared with each other as to material, color, weight, etc., to find their similarities and dis- similarities. Both are round: both roll. The ball is soft; the sphere in hard. The ball is li'jhf ; the sphere is hear;/. The sphere makes a louder noise when it falls from the taljle than the ball. The ball rebounds when it is thrown upon the floor ; the sphere does not. All these answers are drawn out from the i)upils by suitable experiments and questions and every- one is required to repeat each sentence when fully explained. The children then form a circle, and the teacher rolls the sphere to one of them, asking the child to stop it with lioth his feet. This child theu takes his place in the center, and rolls the sphere to another one, who again stops it with his feet, and so on, until all the children have in turn taken their place in the center of the circle. At another time, the children may sit in two rows upon the floor, facing each other. A white and a black sphere flre then given to the heads of the rows who exchange by rolling them across to each other. Then the spheres are rolled across obliquely to the second individuals in the rows. These exchange as before, and then roll the spheres to those who sit third, and so on until they have passed throughout the lines and back again to the head. Both spheres should be rolling at the same instant, which can be ef- fected onlj' by counting or when time is kept to accomi)anying music. Another variety of play in the use of this gift consists in [ilaciug the rulober ball at a distance on the floor, and letting each child, in turn, attempt to hit it with the sphere. For the purpose of further instruction, the sphere, cube, and cylinder are again placed upon the table, and the children are asked to discover and designate the points of re- semblance and difference in the first two. They will find, on examination, that both are made of wood, and of the same color ; but the sphere can roll, while the cube cannot. Inquire the cause for this difl:'ereuce, and the answer will, most likely, be either, "The sphere is round," or "The cube has corners." "How many cornei'S has the cube?" The children count them, and reply, "Eight." "If I put my finger on one of these corners, and let it glide down to the corner below it, (thus,) my finger has passed along an ed(ie of the cube. How many such edges can we count on this cube? I will let my finger glide over the edges, one after the other, and you may count." "One, two, three, 12." "Our cube, then, has eight corners, and twelve edges. I will now show yoil four cor- ners and four edges, and s.ay that this part of the cube, which is contained between these four corners and four edges, is called a side of the cube. Count how many sides the cube has." "One, two, three, four, five, six." "Are these sides all alike, or is one small and another large?" "They are all alike." "Then we may say that our cube has six sides, all alike, and that each side has four edges, all alike. Each of these sides of the cube is called a square." To explain the cylinder, a conversation like the following may take place. It will he ob- served that instruction is here given mainly by comparison, which is, iu fact, the only philo- sophical method. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 61 The sphere, cube, and cyUuder are placed together as before, iu the presence of the chil- dren. They readily recognize and name the first two, but are iu doubt about the third, whether it is a barrel or a wheel. They may be suffered to indulge their fancy for awhile in finding a name for it, but are, at last, told that it is a cylindvr, and are taught to pro- nounce the word distinctly and accurately. "What do you see ou the cylinder which you also see ou the cube?" "The cylinder has two sides." "Are the sides square, like those of the cube?" "Tliey are not." "But the cylinder can s^tuff/ ou these sides just as the cube can. Let us see if it cannot roll, too, as the sphere does. Yes! it rolls; but not Hive the si>here, for it can roll only in two ways, while the sphere can roll any way. So, you see, the sphere, cube, and cylinder are alike in some respects, and different iu others. Can you tell me in what respects they are just alike ?" "They are made of wood ; are smooth ; are of the same color ; are heavy ; make a loud noise when they fall ou tlie floor." These answei's must be drawn out by ex- periments with the objects, and liy questions, logically put, so as to lead to these results as natural conclusions. The exercise may be con- tinued, if desirable, by asking the children to name objects which look like the sphere, cube, or cylinder. The edge of a cube may also be explained as representing a straight line. The point where two or three lines or edges meet is called a corner ; the inner point of a corner is an angle, of which each side, or square, of the culie has four. To sum up what has al- ready been taught : The culie has sis sides, or squares, all alike; eight corners and twelve edges ; and each side of the cube has four edges, all alike ; four corners, and four angles. The sphere, cube, and cylinder, when sus- pended by a double thread, can be made to rotate around themselves, for the purpose of showing that the sphere appears the same in form iu whatever manner we look at it ; that the cube when rotating, (suspended at the center of one of its sides,) shows the form of the cylinder ; and that the cylinder, when rotating, (suspended at the center of its round side,) presents the appearance of a sphere. Thus, there is, as it were, an inner triunity in these three objects — sphere contained in cjdinder, and cylinder iu cube, the cylinder forming the mediation between the two others, or the transition from one to the other. Al- though the child may not be told, the teacher may think, in this connection, of the natural law, according to which the fruit is contained in the flower, the flower is hidden iu the bud. Suspended at other points, cj'liuder and cube present other forms, all of which are interest- ing for the children to look at, and can be made instructi\e to their young minds, if ac- companied by apt conversation ou the part of the teacher. EDITOR'S NOTES. The second gift consists of a l)0x containing a sphere, a culie with staples, and a cylinder, together with sticks and an additional perfectly plain cube. It fulfills a varied and valuable office iu child education and has an iudi^^duality we did not find in the first gift, since each form is distinct from and unlike the others. Its strongest educational value consists in the fact that it represents the fundamental forms of tlie universe. The ball is tlie sym- bol of tlie earth, the sun, the moon and all the heavenly liodies. The cutje sjnnbolizes the min- eral kingdom, and connecting these is the cj'l- iuder, which is the prevailing type of animal and vegetable life. We find tlie sphere of this gift resembles the soft ball in form, and in many things which the ball can do, but it has additional powers ; it can speak to us and is permanent in form and material. Of this gift every child should have a full set, and as the sphere, cube and cylinder form a whole, they should be presented as a whole to the child, though in the beginning they may be given to him singly. The ball is first offered him. The child recognizes his old playfellow and his first thought will be that he has another ball, because the similar form will attract his attention. This is right and will be found to be one of the principles in Frcebel's system. A similar- ity with the pre\'ious steps may always be oli- served, and this gives each new step the claim of an old friend, enlisting feeling as well as 62 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. thought, while presenting something In advance. The child vnll at once perceive, however, that the sphere looks, feels and sounds dif- ferently ; that it resists his grasp although the woolen ball yielded to it. Immediately he be- gins to make comparisons. The new ball will be found, unlike the previous one, to he capa- ble of making a noise on the table, and this should not be repressed too much. Children like to hear sounds, as they like to see and handle things ; and although we have learned to discriminate lietween noise and music, we must remember that children delight in noise for its own sake until they are led through it to rhyth- mical sounds and later to music ; so a little noise on the table vnth the sphere is legitimate if it is not aimless. THE SPHERE. The gift may be introduced by asking the children to close their eyes and placing a sphere in each child's hand ask for a description be- fore they open their eyes. "What is it like?" "How cioes it feel?" Give them a ball of the first gift and let them tell about both without opening the eyes. Then ask them to open their eyes and tell what they see. ""\Miy I that is a ball, too." True enough, but not like the other ball, so let us find out what the difference is. Lead the children to experiment with the sphere, play with it and tell you what they dis- cover. They will tell you that the sphere ■will roll, toss, swing, and that it does not easily stand still. Give them hard and soft spheres, smooth and rough spheres, spheres of different sizes and colors and draw out their comparisons. After the children have made their discoveries and comparisons let them look about the room for similar forms, and also ask them to bring similar forms from home. These lessons on solid fonns give scope for much general in- formation.* Little talks about the wood, where it comes from, etc., may become a part of the work, suggesting many pretty songs. If the three forms are brought out at one time they may be called three little friends who live together in a long, brown house, which is just large enough for them to get inside, each in his own place and close the door. Ask questions to develop the children's ideas ; who these people are, what they are like, what they can do, and so on. Then bring the sphere from the box. The first thing the children wUl * There is a tendency to give too mucli instruction about the origin and manufacture of materials in the kindergarten. This instruction should be limited and reserved in main for the primary grades. want to do is to pound or make a noise. Do not restrain the action hut as one kindergartner suggests, play concert, be their bandmaster and count for them. "All lift up the balls, one — two — knock ; one — two — three — knock," and so on, putting a definite thought into an indefinite action. Ask the children what they have played with the soft balls. Repeat the games as the chil- dren name them, until they have thought of what they played, and play these games with the sphere. Their imagination changes the sphere into many new things. It is the carpenter's hammer or the blacksmith's sledge. It is a swift horse or a capering dog ; not now so often the tiny bird, but something with more strength and ^"^gor, yet still full of life and acti%ity. Let a sphere run to Robbie ; now one to jNIary . Bring out the fact that it goes over and over and rolls because it is round. After having given frequent illustrations of the roundness of the ball the name sphere is inti'oduced. Ask the children to name something that goes round and round, and let them spin, roll and swing the sphere. Notice that "in every place, it always shows its one cm'%-ed face." Let the sphere swiug from left to right, repeating the exercise the children had with the ball of the first gift. Give spheres to the children who are sitting on one side of the table to roU to those on the other side, while they all sing, "Roll over, come back here, so meiTy and free ;" or "One, two, three, roll." Repeat the songs, letting some have the hard and some have the soft balls, exchanging them so that each ma}- have both kinds. At the end of the exercise com- pare the two, thus bringing out the quality of sonorousness. They find in this gift something that speaks to them, for after the motion of an object the sound which it makes is next noticed and it is this quality which gives its special charm to the sphere. To bring out sound especially, tap the soft ball on the table and let some child answer good morning to it and guess who it is ; then tap the hard ball and let another child answer this time, and guess who it is ; knock in dif- ferent parts of the room, on different articles. To connect the two gifts sing, while hold- ing the soft ball by the string : — PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 53 Here's a little kitty, Goiug rouud aiMl rouud ; She has ousliioiis on her feet, And never makes a sound. With the hard ball sing : — Here's a little pony, Trotting rouud and round ; He has hoofs upon his feet. And stamps upon the ground. Let the children roll iu turn a soft ball and the sphere to hit another ball at the end of the table. It will be enough for very little chil- dren to get an experience of the difference in the rolling of the two lialls. Older children should be led to see and tell you that it is be- cause the sphere is hard that it rolls Ijetter than the ball. This will make a foundation for the understanding of resistance when they study physics. Let the children come to you and roll the sphere in a plate. Sing for them "Round I roll when iu a plate," then let them roll it along the length of the table and sing : — Xow along the table straight, When I rest, or roll or fall, Always I'm your little ball. The spheres can be nuts for the tree and so connected with the winter fireside or the Christ- mas time. A little skill keeps up the connec- tion with the special season of the j-ear and with the pre\-ious work. In playing the "Fruit Game" substitute nuts for the fruit, as : — '•Who will buy, who will buy. Who will buy our walnuts ripe?"' Let the children sell different kinds of nuts, and then try to find the liuyer, which gives a test of memory, with no color to aid, although the children seldom fail to find them all. Repeat the games with ball and sphere surticieutly often to keep the connection. The number of times and amount of pleasure given Ijy them will lie in proportion to the interest and resources of the kindergartuer. THE CUBE. After you have taught all you cau from the sphere give each child the cube. Some one asks, "Why not the cylinder, as it is more like the ball ?" Because it is similar is just the reason it is not presented next. All knowl- edge is based on comparison, but a compari- son is not possible without differences and conti'asts. The simplicity and unity which characterize the sphere are replaced by variety and umltiplicity in the cube and the decided contrast between the two will give the child a clearer impression, so that when he receives the cube he will again make comparisons. Call for similarities first, differences after- ward. Both are hard, smooth, made of wood, and of the same color. Let each child try to roll the cube, and he will see it will stand firmly but cannot roll, although the sphere readily obeyed the slighest impulse to move. The cube, standing solidly on one face refusing to roll or to yield to anything Init force, opens a new world to him. It suggests big stones, and foundations for ground work. It is the type of the mineral world and possesses solidity and seciu-ity. Hence iu piling up the forms the child almost invariably places the cube at the bottom, needing no suggestion as to its proper position. In comparing the two, the child finds that the sphere has one round face, while the cube has many faces ; that the culie has edges and corners, which the Ijall has not ; the ball gives the idea of motion and the cube of rest ; the ball may be placed in a stationary position at any point, the cube -nill only rest on its faces. Place a cube before each child near the front of the table, and ask the children how many faces they see ; of course they can only see the one directly under their eyes. Move the cube back and ask again. They will see two faces. Let them ttirn their heads a little and hold perfectly still. Ask once more and they will say three faces. Lead them to realize that they cau only see three faces at one time. A large paper culie suspended iu the room with opposite faces of different colors will help the children to appreciate this fact. Ask them to bring things into the kindergarten which are like the cube inform. Give each child six parquetry papers, two of one color ; for instance, two red, two orange, tn'O green. Make the face of the culie quite wet with a camel's ban- brush and water, and let each child put on a red paper. Let him find the opposite side and put on the other red paper. Put on the orange and green in the same way, taking the faces in twos ; the upper and lower first, then the front and back, then the right and left. If the child is too young to count the faces he will get an experience of many and opposite faces. The older children can count the faces without confusion, with the help of the opposite color, or they can roll the 64 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. sphere and mark with chalk each one of the six square, flat faces, as they find and count them. Let each cliild roll one sphere in turn and try to strike the cube at the other end of the table. "On what does the cube stand?" On one of its faces. Give the older children the name flat face and cuixed face. "How many faces has the cube?" Six. "How many faces has the sphere?" One. "What kind of faces has the cube?" "What kind of a face has the sphere?" Let each child come to you in turn and shutting his eyes, tell by feeling whether it is a curved or a flat face he is touching. In the games the peculiar characteristics of the sphere and cube may be brought out by their movableness and steadfastness. The directions indicated through motion in the first gift are here fonud to be permanent in the faces and edgesof the cube, and are easily recognized. The cul.ie may be a little house and the sphere a little boy who lives in it. Let the sphere run to this side of the house and knock, and now at this, and then this, and this, (four sides). Now we will put him on the top of the house. Then take the boy away and lift up the house to find one more side. Count the sides as you strike them. "What else can we find on the cube?" Bring out corners and edges by letting each child make a little dent on his hand with the corner of the cube, and a little crease with the edge. Ask the children if they can dent or crease their hands with the sphere. Ask them to show j-ou all the corners and edges they can without counting. If the children are very j'oung or very backward give them a clear idea of corners by letting a child stand in the corner of the room, and give each child a little seed to put in the corner of his cube, then one for the opposite corner, and so on. The six sides, eight corners and twelve edges appear a world of study to the children and give the foundation for number work. Thus far the child has seen the cube in a state of rest. It will cause him more lively pleasure to note the peculiarities of its free motions. Suspend the cube and ask how many <'aces the cube has. If one child can answer, let him come up and spin the culje while the others sing to the air of "Be quiet dear cube," in Mrs. Hubbard's book : — My six, square, flat faces are ruiming away. And chasing each other around in their play. Come back little faces, come back and stand still, And now you may run ott'again if you will. The children call this singing the cube, and the desire to come up and spin the culie stim- ulates them to make an effort to remember the number of faces. If there is time finish with a rolling exercise. This dialogue between the cube and the child may be sung for many exercises until the number and kind of faces are firmly fixed. Those children who do not spin the cube may roll two spheres along the table to hit the cube. When the number of faces are fixed, the corners may be sung to the same tune : — My eight little corners are running away. And chasing each other around in tlieir play. Come back little corners, come haelc and standstill, And then you may run ofl' again if you will. This rolling may be used for several lessons until the children are sure of the number of corners, then the edges may be brought out by singing, "My twelve little edges are running away," etc. While the sphere always presents one and the same appearance, the cube shows a marked difference of form with each movement. If a string is fastened to one corner or the middle of any edge and the cube is twirled, it has the appearance, viewed from the side, of a double cone, or, as the children would call it, a top. When looked down upon, its edges and cor- ners seem to slip awaj' and we see a point in the center surrounded by a circle. When whirled from the center of a face the cylin- drical form is shown, with a shadowy circle out- side. All these peculi.arities will be brought out under the child's notice while playing with the cube. THE CYLINDER. When the wonder and pleasure of the cube have been indulged in long enough, add the cylinder, or as the children call it, the "roller." "What can the sphere do?" "What can the cube do?" "Did you ever see anything that could roll and stand too ?" Bring out the cyl- inder. It may be introduced as a cousin. Roll one to each child and let him tell wherein the cylinder resembles its cousins. This form will also make a noise and is in color like the sphere and cube. It will roll like the ball because it has one round face ; it will stand or rest like the cube because it has flat faces. While the ball rests on a point, and the cube on a face, the cylinder can rest either on a face or a line. The cylinder has two curved edges, but no PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 65 corners. Let the cbildren show faces and edges. Roll it and then let it stand. Count one, two, three, and let each child roll his cyl- inder to you. Notice flat and curved faces. Let the childreu show you a flat face — a curved face. "How many flat faces are there ?" "How many cuiwed faces ?" "Can you put your Au- ger along a line on the curved face r" The outlines of the flat faces form circles. If the finger is passed around the cun-ed face a circle is made, but by passing it up and down we get a straight line. Let each cliild have a sphere to compare with the cylinder. "Can you find a straight lino on the sphere's curved face?" Suggest that he close his eyes, and taking his finger see if he can tell whether he is touching the sphere's cm'ved face, or the cylinder's curved face. Let each child in turn roll the cylinder and ball to hit the cube. Ask the childreu to bring things from home like the cylinder, and to tell all the reasons why it is a cylinder ; also when they bring anything like the sphere and cube to tell why it is a sphere or a cube. Let the children come to you and find things among those they have lirought, or that you have collected, that look like the sphere, the cube or the cylinder; also let the older chil- dreu tell you what they can see from the win- dow that is like either of these forms. As soou as the child becomes familiar with these foruis they will liecome to him types of the life around him. He is very quick to ob- serve how everything can be classified under one of these three forms ; thus the ti'iune law of all growth is revealed to him, luitil gradually it dawns upon him that these objects are con- nected by having properties in common, and out of this feeling develops the perception of unity in the midst of diversity. As the cyl- inder seems to have been left in a somewhat isolated position, it is well to attract as much attention as possible to this object, a more ex- tensive use of which, will be brought out in the fifth gift B. The forms of the second gift are provided with staples in which strings may lie inserted, and the object suspended by holding the ends of the string between the thumb and fingers. Twist the string, and let the child hold it while it revolves ; he will be delighted to see one form merge into another, and finally come back to the first form. By holding an eud in each hand, and skillfully pulling them apart, revolving the form as the string untwists, and then allowing the impetus of the form to twist the string as it is slackened, so that l)y repeating the opera- tion a rapid rotary motion may be produced, first in one direction and then in the other, curious semi-transparent shapes may be seen which will create an interest in geometrical forms. The cube seems to change into a cyl- inder, a double cone, or a cj'liuder and wheel ; the cyhnder is a sphere witliin a sphere or a double cone in a sphere and wheel, and thus the child learns that things in motion seem very ditfei'ent from what they really are. Suspend a cube from its face with a double string and spin it. "How does the cube look now?" Like a cylinder or roller. "Now that it stops what does it look like ?" Like the cube. "Now it spins again ; what does it look like ?" Sing to the tune of "Buy a broom" : — Oh, say Mr. Culie what now are you hiding, ^\'hat now are you hiding this nioruiug from me? I'll let you go flyiug,and tlien I'll be spying, What it is you are hiding this morning from me. 'Tis the roller ! 'Tis the roller ! 'Tis the roller j'ouare hiding this morning from me. Let two children come up and spin the ball, singing, "Round goes the ball, but in every place." Let two more come and spin the culje, singing, "Oh, say Mr. Cube what are you hid- ing ?" Let two more come and see what the roller hides. Sing : — Here the roller comes with its faces three, la-la-la-la-la. He is just as sober as he can be, la-la-Ia-la-la. But when he is whirling, his faces grow thin. And show the little hard ball within, la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. (Thismay be sung to "Vive la Companee,"' a col lege song.) If the cylinder is twirled from the middle of a curved face, a ball is seen with a shadowy rim around it. If twirled from the middle of a flat face, a double cone appears, when viewed from the side ; when looked down upon, a ball flattened at the top, accompanied by a shadowy rim is seen. If twirled from the edge of a flat face a cone appears from the side, a ball from above. Thus the ball is seen in the cylinder, the cylinder in the cube, and the double cone in both cube and cylinder. This finding of one form within another lirings out the unity of the second gift. Instead of using the double string a rod may be passed through tlie holes in the cylinder and 66 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. cube. Have the rod liliiutly pointt'd at both ends, and with one end on the table, hold the top end with the finger resting on it, and im- part a rotary motion to the form by impulses from the finger of the other hand. Several of these forms are shown in Figs. 1-5. Fio'. 1, represents the cube with the axis thi-ougb the center of oiiposite faces. Fig. 2, the cube with the axis through diag- onally opposite corners. i Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig- 3. Fig. 3, the cube as rotated on an axis pass- ing tbrough the centers of two diagonally op- posite edges. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. Fig. 4, shows the cylinder as lieing rotated on a rod perpendicular to the center of its natu- ral axis. Fig. .5, represeuts the rotating cyhnder with the axis diagonally through from edge to edge. An interest in form inspired in this way, may lead to later investigation into the mysteries of the sciences, results of which eternity aloue can measure. Do not make the child weary with this gift. Rolling the ball and C3'lindcr may always be brought in to relieve monotouy if necessary. A sequence of lessons on bread-making may be given, after the child has become familiar ■with various seeds and the processes of plough- ing, planting, reaping, etc., until finally the baker makes the bread ; the sphere, cube and cjdinder playing their part as raindrops, store- house, seeds, plough, millwjieels, fiour barrel, rolling pin and other well-kuowu forms. This gift proves most instructive if the sphere, cyhnder and culje are given all at once. They may be placed side l»j' side, or as in Fig. 6, producing a column, which arrangement is em- bodied iu the two Frabel memorial stones. t Fig. 6. After the three forms have been enjoyed to- gether place them iu the box which may be given to the children and anuch pleasure derived from its examination. The shape of the box will be noticed, and the different ways of plac- ing it, so that the length will be from back to front, from right to left, and up and down. But the height of joy is iu the possession of such treasures as lie in the liox. The friends he has known so intimatelj' lie there together, the ball alwaj-s at the "door end," as he calls it, of the box, which should always be placed at the right hand, the cube at the left and the roller iu the middle. The other cube with "something the matter with its corners" and its edges is such a study ; but it does not take the average child long to find that the little rattan in the box will just fit in the holes through the cube, or to notice that if he ouly had a string he could put it through the little "rings" that he sees. He makes one discovery after another, and when he finds that the two round sticks fit into the holes (which were be- fore a mystery) iu the lid of the box, and that the square stick goes on the top of these, a new world is surely discovered by each little Col- umbus. The box may 1ie fitted up with paper sails for a boat, loaded with cylinders for bar- rels, cubes for boxes of freight and spheres for fruit, or it may be loaded with different things, as seeds, plants, vegetables, etc., according to the season. The boxes may be turned down on the side as oveus, aud the lids placed on the table as PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 67 kneading boards ; the preforated cube can be used for a stove, with a stick for the pipe ; the plain cube for tlie kitcheu table ; the cylinder for a Itarrel of flour ; or by putting a round stick through the hole it may be used for a rolling pin ; the sphere may lie a turkey or ap- ple dumpliugs ; other cubes may be used for bread, and cylinders for jelly rolls ; then when all are ready, put them in the oven for baking. In using the same form to represent different things in a play, do not fear that there will be any incongruity, pro\nded the suggestion conies from the children, and the objects symbolized are closely related iu thought, for the child's imagination is so free that he can clothe and re-clothe the same form with new life. The sense impressions which come from tracing re- semblances and differences, experimeuting and handling, will give a familiarity with the forms and their relation to each other, which no ab- stract lesson on surfaces, edges and corners could afford. The windmills, water-wheels, steamboats, wagons, and engines conceived and run l)y unconscious inventors and master workmen — especially when one little fellow finds out something new he can do with his treasures, and imparts it to the eager group — are a marvel and joy to any real kindergartner. No such wealth of resources to cultivate imagi- nation and inspire confidence is found in any other gift as in this, which was an especial favorite with Frcebel, and is so invaluable that no kindergartner who has once shared the de- light of the children iu this gift for one year in the kindergarten course, wiU ever be willing to do without a box for each child.* The * The present editor believes with many that too much has been made of the s\Tnbolism of this gift, development of plays with the whole gift including the box is excellent and we recommend it heartily. The difficulty for caring for large quantities of boxes in our public schools as well as the expense is to be considered in ordering. Each child may use the whole gift in turn, if the kindergarten is taught in groups. A dozen gifts will then suffice for a kindergarten. THE THIRD GIFT. This cousists of a cube ^^i^•iat■^^ into (^iijJd 9maUei' one-inch inbes. A prominent desire in tlie miud of every child is to (livid' things, in order to examine Jie parts of which they consist. This natural instinct is observable at a very early period. The little one tries to change its toy by break- ing it, desirous of looking at its inside, and is sadly disappointed in finding itself incapable of reconstructing the fragments. Frcebel's Third Gift is founded on this observation. In it the child receives a whole, whose parts he can easily se;)«/'a?e, Ana pxit together miain at pleas- ure. Thus he is able to do that which he could not in the case of the toys — restore to its original form that which was broken— making a perfect whole. And not only this — he can use the parts also for the construction of other ^choJes. The child's first plaything, or means of oc- cuiiation, was the ball. Next came the sphere, similar to, yet so different from the ball. Then followed ciihe and cylinder, both, in some points resembling tlie sphere, yet each having its own peculiarities, which distinguish it from the sphere and ball. The pupil, iu receiving the cube, divisible into eight smaller cubes, meets with friends, and is delighted at the multipli- city of the gift. Each of the eight parts is precisely like the whole, except in point of size, and the child is immediately struck with this quality of his first toy for hidlilinr/ pur- poses. By simply looking at this gift, the pu- pil receives the ideas of whole and part — of form and comparative size; and by dividing the cube, is impressed with the relation of one part to another in regard to position and order of movements, thus learning readily to com- prehend the use of such terms as above, below, before, behind, right, left, etc., etc. With this and all the following gifts, we 'Droduce what Fra?bel calls ./br?Hs of life, forms of knowledge , and/o/'ws of beauty. The first are representations of ol.ijects which actually exist, and which come under our common observation, as the works of hu- man skill and ait. The second are such as afford inslructiou relative to number, order, proportion, etc. The third are figures repre- senting only idecd forms, yet so regularly con- structed as to present perfect models of sym- metry and order iu the arrangement of the parts. Thus in the occupations connected with the use of these simple building blocks, the child is led into the living world — there first to take notice of objects by comparison ; then to learn something of their properties by induction, and lastly, to g.ather into his soul a love and desire for the beautiful by the con- templation of those forms which are regular and symmetrical. THE PRESENTATION OF THE THIRD GIFT. The children having taken their usual seats, the teacher addresses them as follows : — "To-day, we have something new to play with." Opening the package and displaying the box, he does not at once gratify their curi- osity by showing them what it contains, but commences by asking the cpiestion : — "Which one of the three objects we played with yesterday does this box look like?" They answer readily, "The cube." "Describe the box as the cube has been described, with regard to its sides, edges, corners, etc." Wheu this has been satisfactorily done, the box is placed inverted upon the table and the cover removed by drawing it out, which will allow the cubes to stand on the table. Lift- ing the box carefully, so that the contents may remain entire as in Fig. 1, the teacher asks : — "AVhat do you see now?" The answer is as before, "A cube." Fig. 1. One of the scholars is told to push it across the table. In so doing, the parts will be likely to become separated, and that which was pre- viously whole will lie before them in frag- ments. The children are permitted to ex- amine the small cubes ; and after each one of them has had one iu his hand, the eight cubes ai'e returned to the teacher who remarks : — PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 69 "Children, as we have broken the thing, we must try to mend it. Let us see if we can put it together as it was before." This ha\ing been done, the boxes are then distributed among the children, and they are practiced in removing the covers, and taking out the cube without destroying its unity. They will find it difficult at first, and there will be many failures. But let them continue to try until some, at least, have succeeded, and then proceed to another occupation. PREPARATION FOR COXSTRUCTING FORMS. The surface of the tables is covered with a net work of lines, forming squares of one-iuch. A space including a definite number of squares is allotted to each pupil. In these first conver- sational lessons, the children must be taught to point out the right upper corner of their table space, the left upper, the right and left lower, the upper and lower edges, the right and left edges, and the center. With little staffs, or sticks cut at convenient lengths, they may indicate direction, by laying them upon the table in a line from left to right, covering the center of the space, or extending them from the right upper to the left lower edge covering the center ; then from the middle of the niiper edge to the middle of the lower edge, and so on. The teacher must be careful to use terms that can be easily comprehended, and a\T)id changing them in such a way as to pro- duce any ambiguity in the mind of the child. Here, as in the more advanced exercises, everything should be done with a great deal of precision. The children must understand that order and regularity in all the perform- ances are of the utmost importance. The following will serve as an illustration of the method : The children having received the boxes, they ai-e required to place them exactly in the center of their spaces, so as to cover four squares. Then take hold of the box with the right hand and inverting it upon the table remove the cover with the left hand by draw- ing it out from beneath. The right hand is used to raise the box carefully from its place and eight small cubes will stand in the center of the space forming one large cube. Lastly the cover is placed in the box and the box placed in the upper corner of the space allotted to the child. At the close of any play, when the materials are to be retm-ned to the teacher, the same minuteness of detail nuist be observed as fol- lows : — Replace the box over the cubes, and draw toward the edge of the table ; then slip the cover beneath, reverse the bo'x and replace the cover. These are processes which must be r-cpeated many times before the scholar can acquire ex- pertness. FORMS OF LIFE. The boxes being opened as directed, and the cubes upon the center squares — in each space — the question is asked : — "How many little cubes are there ?" "Eight." "Count them, placing them in a row from left to right," (or from right to left). "What is that?" "A row of cubes." Fig. 2. It may bear any apjiropriate name which the children give it — as "a train of cars," "a company of soldiers," "a fence," etc. "Now count your cubes once more, placing them one upon another. What have you there?" "An upright row of eight cubes." "Have you ever seen anything stand- ing like this upright row of cubes ?" "A chimney." "A steeple." "Take down your cubes, and build two upright rows of them — one square apart. What have you now?" "Two little steeples," or "two chimneys." Fig. 3. Thus, with these eight cubes, many forms of life can be built under the guidance of the teacher. It is an important rule in this occu- pation, that nothing should be rudely destroyed which has been constructed, but each new fonn is to be produced by slight change of the preceding one. A number of these forms are given below. They are designated by Fro?bel as follows : — h '• — ' \ \ 1 Fig. 4. Fig. .5. Cube or Kitchen Table. 70 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. C. Fii-eplace. ,/^-r Grandpa's Chair. Fig. r^ m w Fig. 8. Grandpa's aud Grandma's Chairs. 1 i 1 fe^ / I Fig. 9. A Castle with two towers. ^^__ 1 1 i 1 1 A Stronghold. Fig. 10. /■ / / / A Wall. Fig. 11. ^ y Ji I 1 1 i Fig. 12. A High Wall. 1 3 Fig. 13. Two Columns. Fig. 14. A Large Column, witli two memorial stones. Fig. 15. Signpost. f-\ / Fig. 16. Cross. Fig. 17. Two Crosses. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 71 Fig. 18. Cross, with pedestal. Fig. 19. Monument. A Fig. 20. Sentry-box. dC y" Fig. 21. A WeU. Fia. 22. City Gate. Fig. 23. Triumphal Arch. Fig. 24. City Gate, with tower. 1 1 Fig. 25. Chui-ch. Fig. 26. City HaU. %\ i i 1 Fig. 27. Castle. Fig. 28. A Locomotive. Fig. 29. Euin. 72 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. . J i % 1 Fig. 30. Bridge with Keeper's House. Fig. 31. Two Rows of Trees. l^ Fig. 32. Two Long Logs of Woo(L Fig. 33. A Piatfo Fig. 34. Two Small Logs of Wood. ^^S Fig. 35. Foui' Garden Benches. Fig. 36. Stairs. 1 f L 1 f 1 ft Doulile Ladder. Fig. 37. i / %- I t Fig. 38. Two Columns on pedestals. ,,'^ =f / y / Well-trouoh. Fio;. 39. u J , \ \ - ^ Bath. Fig. 40. A Tunnel. Fig. 41. ^ Easy Chair. Fig. 42. H I Fig. 43 Bench with back. Cube. Fig. 44. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 73 Several of the uames iu this list represent olijectjs which, being more specifically German, will not be recognized by the children. Ruins, castles, sentry-boxes, signposts, perhaps they have never seen ; but it is easy to tell them something about these objects which will in- terest them. They will listen with pleasure to short stories, narrated by way of explanation, and thus associating the story with the form, be able, at another time, to reconstruct the latter while they repeat the former iu their own words. It is not to be exjtected, however, that teachers in this country should adhere closely to the list of Frojbel. They may, with advan- tage, vary the forms, and if they choose, affix other names to those given in these pages. It is well sometimes to adopt such designations as are suggested liy the children themselves. The}' will be found to be quite apt iu tracing resemblances between their structures and the objects with which they are familiar. In order to make the occupation still more useful, they should be required also to point out the dissimilarities existing between the form and that which it represents. It is proper to allow the child, at times, to viveiit forms, the teacher assisting the fantasy of the little Imihler iu the work of construct- ing, and iu assigning names to the structure. AVheu a figure has been found and named, the child should be required to take the blocks apart, and build the same several times iu succession. Older and more advanced scholars suggest to younger and less able oues, and the latter will be found to appreciate such help. It is a common observation, that the younger children in a family develop more rapidlj' than the older ones, since the fonher are assisted iu their mental growth liy companionship with the latter. This benefit of association is seen more fully in the Kindergarten, under the judicious guidance of a teacher who knows how to en- courage what is right, and check what is wrong, in the disposition of the children.* It should be remarked, in counectiou with these directions, thatiu the use of this and the succeeding gift it is essential that all the blocks should be used in the building of each figure, in order to accustom the child to look upon things as mutually related. There is nothing which has not its appointed place, and each part is needed to constitute the whole. For ex- ample, the well-trough (Fig. 39) may be built of six cubes, but the remaining two should rep- * See the Kindergarten Creed. resent two pails with which the water is con- veyed to the trough. FORMS OF KNOWLEDGF.t These do not represent objects, either real or ideal. They instruct the pupil concerning the properties and relations of numbers, by a particular arranging and grouping of the blocks. Strictly speaking, the first effort to count, by laying them on the table one after another, is to be classed under this head. The form thus produced, though varied at each trial, is one of the forms of knowledge, and by it the child receives its first lesson iu arithmetic. Proceeding further, he is taught to add, always by using the cubes to illustrate the successive steps. Thus, having placed two of the blocks at a little distance from each other on the table, he is caused to I'epeat, "One and one are two." Then placing another upon the table, he repeats, "One and two are three," and so on, until all the blocks are added. Subtraction is taught in a similar manner. Having placed all the cubes upon the table, the scholar commences taking them off, one at a time, repeating, as he does this, "Oue from eight leaves seven;" "One from seven leaves six," and so on. According to circumstances, of which the Kindergartner, of course, will be the best judge, these exercises may be continued fur- ther, by adding and subtracting two, three and so on ; but care should always be taken that no new step be made until all that has gone before is perfectl}' understood. With the more advanced classes, exercises in multiplication and division may be tried, bj' grouping the blocks. The division of the large cube, to illustrate the principles of proportion, is an interesting and instructive occupation ; and we will here proceed to give the method in detail. The children have their cube of eight be- fore them on the table. Fig. 45. The teacher is also furnished with one am? lifting the upper half asks : — t See chapter on Less Mathematics. 74 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. "Two halves — one whole." Agaiu, each half is di\ided, as shown in Figs. 49, 50 and 51. The children are required to repeat during these occupations : — Fig. 46. •'Did I take the whole of my cube in my hand, or did I leave some of it on the table?" "You left some on the table." "Do I hold in my hand more of my cube than I left on the table, or are both parts alike ?" "Both are alike." "If things are alike, we call them equal. So I divided my cube into two equal parts, and each of these equal parts I call a half. AVhere are the two halves of my cube ?" "One is in your hand ; the other is on the table." "So I have two half cubes. I will now place the half which I have in my hand upon the half standing on the table. "What have I now ?" "A whole cube." The teacher, then separating the cube again into halves, by drawing four of the smaller cubes to the right and four to the left asks : — Fig. 47. "What have I now before me?" "Two half cubes." "Before, I had an tipper and a lower half. Now, I have a right and a left half. Uniting the halves agaiu I have once more a whole." The scholars are taught to repeat as follows, ■while the teacher di\'ides and unites the cubes in both ways, also as represented in Fig. 48 : — Fig. 48. "One whole — two halves. Fig. 4'J. Fis. 50. Fig. 51. "One whole — two halves." "One half — two quarters (or foiuths)." "Two cjuarters — oue half." "Two halves — one whole." After these processes are fully explained and the principles well understood by the scholars, they are to try their hand at divid- ing of the cube — first, iudi%'idually then all together. If they succeed, they may then be taught to separate it into eighths. It is n' I ad\isable in all cases, to proceed thus far. Fig. 52. Children under four years of age should be restricted, for the most part to the use of the cubes for practical building purposes, and fo^ simpler forms of knowledge. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 75 FORMS OF BEAUTY.* Starting with a few simple arrangements, or positions, of the blocks, we are able to de- velop the forms contained in this class by means of a fixed law, viz., that every change of position is to be accompanied by a corre- sponding movement on the opposite side. In this way symmetrical figures are constructed in infinite variety, representing no real objects, yet, by their regularity of outline, adapted to please the ej-e, and minister to a correct artistic taste. The love of the beautiful can- not fail to be awakened in the youthful mind by such an occupation as this, and with this emotion will be associated, to some extent, the love of the good, for they are inseparable. The works of God are characterized by per- fect order and sj'mmetry, and his goodness is commensurate with the beauty manifest every- the processes of co;:islruclion which are to fol- low. It is one of the important features of Froebel's system, that it enables the child readily to discover, and critically to observe, all relations which objects sustain to one another. Thoroughness, therefore, is required in all the details of these occupations. We start from any fundamental form that nmy present itself to our mind. Take, for illustration. Fig. .57. F"our cubes are here united side to side, constituting a square sur- face, and the outline is completed by placing the four remaining cubes, severally side to side with this middle square. In Fig. 58, edge touches edge ; in Fig. .50, side touches edge, and in Fig. (50, edge touches side midway. Another mode of development is shown in F"igs. 61-67. The four outside cubes move toward the where in the fruits of his creative power. The right by a half cube's length, until the original construction of forms of beauty with the build- form reappears in Fig. 67. iug blocks will prejjare the child to appreciate, by and by, the order that rules the universe. These forms are of only one block's height, and, consequently, represent outlines of sur- faces. It is necessary that the children should be guided, in their construction, by an easily recognizable center. Around this visible point all the separate parts of the form to be created must be arranged, just as in working out the highest destiny of man, all his thoughts and acts need to be regulated by an in^^sible cen- ter, around which he is to construct a har- monious and beautiful whole. In order to jiroduce the varied forms of beauty with the simple material placed in the hands of the scholar, he must first learn in what ways two cubes may lie brought in con- tact with each other. Four positions are shown Now, the four outside cubes occupy the opposite position. Fig. 68, edges touch sides. They are moved as before by a half cube's length, until, in Fig. 74, the form with which we started, is regained. "We now extract the inside cubes (i). Fig. 75, and each of them travels around its neigh- bor cube (o), until a standing, hollow square is developed, as in Fig. 81. Now cube a again is set iu motion, (Fig. 82). It assumes a slanting direction to the remaining cubes, and, pursuing its coui'se around them, the form reappears in Fig. 88. Next h is drawn out, (Fig. 89) an Jill "^ M Fia;. 53. Fia;. 54. Fio-.55. Fig. 56. Fio-. 57. Fig. 58. Fig. 59 A th, llilill a < « t~ < ^ %\f |i«l a Luv; (f1 ^ r ^ T— ' — "7 1 v.^ \v ll \ .lu... ...r- »Mi lllli III \ ' A I* II ill [111' L_ _J L Fig. 60. Fig. 61. Fig. 62. «■_■ ^~' ^~ ^™ ^~ ^"^ ^^ '■" ' ■^ -^ 1 _i !!'- 1 llill \i IS l!l| kv^' \h\ ^ a E iij. 1 ■ ^f O^A W^ ill iiir lllli lllli ll' 11 iiii/i L Fig. 63. Fig. 64. Fig. 65. Fig. 66. Fig. 67. ~ n 1 iTti / „ ^^ k ((f ► ^ ifj > <• h My ""■■■J — I> i '■^■'A # \ !► ^^^ "xl /r. ^ k/ < > < M 4 \ '% >- Ni|; > <; J ^' , Y Fig. 6.S. Fig. 69. Fig. 7 ^ > %> ^•1 € lifi p ^ ii ^ 4 r < 1" 4 r IP ^ p / w '^ i i <| l> B 1^ a 4 w • ^ % f r ^ 1 ^ — _ 1— _ Fig. 73. Fig. 74. Fig. 75. Fig. 76. Fig. 77. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 77 Fio;. 78. Fig. 7; Fio-. 80 Fig. 81. Fig. S2. ~ 3 d ^ \m r' ^ ! #h (iir ^ ^ ,.'■ (--L. 11m llW Ifc "ill [> r < fj / /-- J 4 1 HiT b"' ■ Vj .^'" rM !► ^ KEEfeErTTsblrf V ii^^ySJH II 11 n _L..„^ ■:' -ii'mJ- \. i/ jjll, r^ > ffT AP^ _ _ 1 Fig. 88. Fig. 89. Fig. 90. Fig. 91. Fig. 92. Fig. 93. "^ "^ ~ ^^ ^"^ ^^ ^~ _j 1 # -F b ^ f _.;'liV4-"V ^w f'-l ~h^ 1 pj H' i , _j H /^'•i , f p J 1 11 I _ 4Ih m- — — ■ — (7. a' — -! r^ ~ — — — 41 J — "tj)/' n ^ 1 _ Fig. 9i. Fig. 9.'. Fig. 96. Fig. 97. "~ r L ,^ , n -f-T !■ ■* . — — r ■ — i i w — ' <"VA. ; I — - i ..i i . .) , rH — : !'-" /'■■,/ -* - -I - L- :,:id::] — ^ ^ f -f- i-^ — te — — ^ J — — 1 1 \ I \ -- p L~ i - L ^"vV^. •k- " 1 1 ^„w^,:J> L — 1 L r _ _ L Fig. 98. Fig. 99. Fig. 100. Fig. 101. Fig. 102. 78 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. i h -A K 4 l> iiifik ^ %f 1)' # '■'/ i f 4 \ xx:'? — % / \C^'^ i !• '^'^pr*^ "1 ' -jy \i 4$kY i 1 f »y ~^ Fio-. 103. Fio-. 104. Fii>-. 105. Fig. 106. Fig. 107. Fia;. 10.^. Fig. 109. Fig. 110. EDITOirS NOTES. Fig. 111. Fig. 112. As tlie best knowledge cauuot be attained without division or analysis of a whole, the divided solids follow those which give the im- pression of wholes. An arbitrary di\asiou can- not give clear ideas, so a regular di\nsion, according to certain laws, is necessary. Prominent features of this gift are the like- ness of each part of the cube to the whole, and the contrast of size between the cube and its parts. The chief object of the gift is to de- velop the creative power of the child ; so that he is encouraged to follow his instinctive wish to see the construction of things, and begins his investigation of particular phenomena. He divides the cube to find its component parts and examines the pieces. He finds that each part is like the whole, only smaller, so that the im- pression of this jjarticular form is deejjened ; he can create many forms and byre-arranging discover new qualities and uses. The material allows the child to express out- wardly his inner conceptions, which is one of the first demands of hfe. The desire to look at the interior of things is the germ of the fullest development, the beginning of the formation of the scientific mind. Wliile this gift is similar to the cube of the second in size and material, and interests the child because of this likeness, it is the contrast between the two cubes that holds his attention. Thus he is taken from what he already knows, into a wider field of knowledge. Let the child compare the two gifts in regard to faces, corners, edges, direction and clement of rest ; in this way test his memory and lead hhn to commence a classification of objects by deciding that all bodies of similar proportions and qualities must be cubical in form. The harmony of the child's development through this gift rests chiefly on the method with which he begins and ends his play with it. If he takes the cube from the box as a whole, it stands before him a tj'pe of the unity he would learn about ; and if after the play he reconstructs the typical whole, his inner nature is satisfied, for he has proceeded from imity, through his play to unity again ; but if he takes the parts out one by one all is con- fusion, aiipealiug only to the external side of his nature. In plaj'ing, every part should lie used, other- wise the material is wasted. The child should early learn that nothing is isolated and un- connected, nothing without its purpose and its appointed use. If all the given material is used the relation of the part to the whole is kept con- stantly before the mind and eye of the child ; each part being of value only as it helps to make the whole complete. Details in small things are of great impor- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 79 tance, and the kinderaiai-tuer sliould carefully impress on the cliild the idea of order and neat- ness in the taking out and putting away of the cube. As soon as the box containingHiisgift is given out the child recognizes it as another cube, and the kindergartner should call atten- tion to tlie paper upon it, compare it with the other boxes, and talk aliout it. Then placing the box four inches from the front of the table reverse it so that it rests upon the top, draw out the cover, lift the box so as not to distiu'b the cubes, place the lid diagonally inside and remove the Ijos to give free play for the work. This simjile operation gives the child an ex- ample of order. In this first presentation of the divided cube, lead the child to see it as a whole that can be divided into parts, so that he shall get a defi- nite idea of the "ndiole, its parts, of form and comparative size and of the relations of num- ber and position, learning readily to compre- hend the use of such terms as front, back, top, bottom, right and left. Review the naming of ojjposites and the directions of the different lines. Divide the cube m all its various waj-s, so that it has top and bottom halves, front and hack halves and light and left halves ; give a simple sequence with a short story, thus : Move the right half of the cube two inches to the right, to make the road which little Blary takes on her way to grandma's in the country. Place the halves together again, and move the left- half two inches to the left (the brook which runs liy the foot of the meadow where she sails her tin}' boat and watches the fishes play). Put the parts together again and remove the top-half, placing it two inches to the back, (two lunch tables in the grove Ijack of the house). As from the whole to the half, so also proceed from the half to the cjuarter-cubes by dividing the halves into halves, then to the eighth of the whole cube, liy dividing the quarters into halves. Show that two-fourths and four-eighths equal one-half, that two-eighths equal one-quar- ter, that eight-eighths equal the whole, etc. Of course these progressive steps can only betaken slowly and in accordance with the child's com- prehension, the kindergartner making sure that each point is understood, liefore another is given. For the division of the gift sing the following song to the tune of '-All for Baby," iu Miss Poulsson's Fiuijer Plays : — (Wiiole cube). Here is mamma's kitclien, Built so close and tight ; (Place the top half on the table against the right of the lower half). Here's the brenkfast table, 'Which we'll dress in wliite. (Draw right-half one inch to the right). Xow we will divide it, pee ! we have two more ; (Separate these halves right and left). Again we will divide it. Now we each have four. Push back all the liack ones. Each one from its mate. Kow if we should count them AVe'll tiud that we liave eight. Pusli them up together Astliej- were before. One and one are two, and Two and two are four. Lift the right half np. And place it on tlie top ; Now our cube is whole And, it's time to stop. The children find pleasure iu di^^ding the cube into its parts, examining each separate piece, and in arranging and re-arranging the eight parts in different waj-s. To bring out the number and position of the faces, call the cube a barn ; let a little bird fly from the top, another from the front, one from the back, from the right side and from the left. Show the edges and their directions by build- ing walls, platforms and columns of different heights and lengths in different directions, bringing the square faces of the cul)e so con- stantly before the child that his concept of a square becomes a true one. In the use of the building material allow the little children much freedom. Check from the beginning any tendency to knock down any of the forms which they make, and lead them to change one form into another related to it liy slight alterations. Keep this up until the child acquires the habit of following this plan. Have them build neatly and accurateh' according to the measurements of the squared table, as this brings the play building of the child under the fundamental law of all building and its beauty as well as its practicability is soon seen. To increase the interest of the child, and draw out involuntary freedom, connect the building with his own experiences ; connect the forms iu 80 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. his play by a simple story or let a child tell of something he has seen, and illustrate by build- ing the object. Show the different ways cubes may touch each other, as face to face ( direction front and back, or right and left) ; edge to edge, with the corners front, faces front right and left, or front and back ; edge to face at the front, back, right and left. To add in- terest let the children invent and tell a story about the object. They are delighted to see their cube grow into a table, a chair for grandpa, a bed, a church, a bridge, a lighthouse to guide the sailors. These objects they clothe with life, developing their imagination and originality. Thus through this gift the forma- tive and expressed powers of the child are ex- ercised, his judgment and reason are developed and he gains a love of all that is beautiful and harmonious. THE FOURTH GIFT. The precertinu; gift consisted of cubical blocks, all of their three diineusions being the same. In the Fourth Gift, we have greater vari- ety for purposes of construction, since each of the parts of the large cube is an oblong block, whose length is twice its width, and four times its thickness. The dimensions bear the same proportion to each other as those of an ordi- nary brick ; and hence these blocks are some- times called lirieks. They are useful in teach- ing the child difference in regard to length, breadth, and height. This difference enal)les hiui to construct a greater variety of forms thaa he could by means of the third gift. By these he is made to understand, more dis- tinctly, the meaning of the terms vertical and horizontal. And if the teacher sees fit to pursue the course of experiment sufficiently far, many philosophical truths will be devel- oped ; as, for instance, the law of equilibrium, shown by laying one block across another, or the phenomenon of continuous motion, exhibi- ted in the movement of a row of the blocks, set on end, and gently pushed from one direction. PREPARATION FOR CONSTRUCTING FORMS. This gift is introduced to the children in a manner similar to the presentation of the third gift. The box is reversed upon the table and the cover is removed. Lifting the box care- fully, the cube remains entire. The children are made to observe that, when whole, its size is the same as that of the previous one. Its parts, however, are very different in form, though their number is the same. There are still eight blocks. Let the scholars compare one of the small cubes of the third gift with one of the oblong blocks in this gift ; note the simi- larities and the differences ; then, if they can comprehend, that notwithstandiug, they are so unlike in form, their soM contents is the same, since it takes just eight of each to make the same sized cube, an important lesson will have been learned. If told to name objects that re- semble the oblong blocks, they will readily designate abrick, table, piano, closet etc., and if allowed to invent forms of life, will doubt- less construct boxes, benches, etc. The same precision should be observed in all the details of opening and closing the plays with this gift as in those previously described. FORMS OF LIFE. The following is a list of Fr^bel's forms. If the names do not appear quite striking, or to the point, the teacher may try to substitute better ones : — Fig. 1. The Cube. f?^/ . ! I. 'I . r Fig. 2. Part of a Floor, or Top of a Table. Fig. 3. Two Large Boards. Fig. 4. Fom- Small Boards. Fig. 5. Eight Buildina; Blocks. Fig. 6. A Long Garden Wall. 82 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. I Fia;. i J A City Gate. Fig. 8. Another City Gate. Fig. 9. A Bee Staud. ■^ y A 1 1 li \m 'nil 1 iii'it \m i Fig. 10. A Colonnade z?c Ti", I Fig. 11. A Passage. Fisf. 12. Bell Tower. Fig. 13. Open Garden House. Fig. 14. Garden House, with doors Fia;. 15. A Shaft. Fig. 16. Shaft. Fig. 17. A Well, with cover. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 83 Fig. 18. A Fountain. Fig. i;). Closed Garden Wall. Fig. 20. An Open Garden. Fig. 21. An Open Garden. Fig. 22. Watering Trough. m f'-iiiirmiTM 'Ullllllll TWilil Fig. 23. Shooting Stand. mill ''"\\\\ Fig. 24. Village. Fig. 2.5. Triumpliul Arch. Fig. 26. Merry-go-round . Fig. 27. Large Garden Settee. h"'uiiii|l|li Fig. 28. Seat. rra Fig. 29. Settee. :^' '^ii^ Fig. 30. Sofa. Fig. 31. "wo Chairs. 84 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. .^=« ^ I* Fio-. 32. Gaideu Table and Chairs. Fisr. 33. Cbildreu's Table. ■il'll ■ 'i:;.l 'lij:; "■'''' '1 ^ A y " "' iif 'Mihlililp- Fig. 34. Tombstone. Fig. 35. Tombstone. Fio-. 36 Tombstone. Fig. 37. Monument. Fig. 38. Monument. Fig. 39. Winding Stairs. Broader Stairs. Fig. 40. Stalls. Fig. 41. 1 Fig. 42. A Cross Road. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 85 Fig. 43. Timuel. ■J h ,l i L .1 '': 1 I -''H, Fis;. 44. Pyramid. Fig. 45. obooting Stand. Fisr. 46. Front of a House. Fig. 47. Chair, -n-itb Footstool. A Throne. Fig. 48. Fig. 50. Figs. 49 and 50 are illustrations of Continr uous Motion. Here as in the use of the previous gift, one form is produced from another by slight changes, accompanied by explanations on the part of the teacher. Thus, Fig. 30 is easily changed to Figs. 31, 32, and 33, and Fig. 34 may be changed to Figs. 35, 36, and 37. In every case, all the blocks are to be employed in constructing a figure. FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE. This gift like the preceding, is used to com- municate ideas of di^•isibility. Here, however, Fig. 51. Fig. 52. on account of the particular form of the parts, the processes are adapted to illustrate the di- vision of a surface, as well as of a solid body. Fig. 53. The cube is arranged so that one vertical and three horizontal cuts appear, (Fig. 51 ) and the child is then requested to separate it into 86 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fio;. 54. halves, (Fig. 52) these halves iuto quarters, (Fig. 53) and these quarters iuto eighths, (Fig. 54). Each of the latter will be fouuil to be one of the oblong blocks, and this for the time may be made the subject of couversatiou. "Of what material is this block made?" "What is the color?" "What objects resemble it in fonn?" "How maiiy sides has it?" "Which ii! the largest side?" "Which is the smallest side?" "Is there a side larger than the smallest and smaller than the largest ?" In this waj', the scholars learn that there are three kinds of sides, symmetrically arranged in pairs. The upper aud lower, the right and left, the front and back, are respectively equal to and like each other. By questions, or by direct explanation, facts like the following, may be made apparent to the minds of children. "The upper aud lower Bides of the block are twice as lai'ge as the two long sides, or the front aud back, as they maybe called. Again, the front aud back are twice as large as the right ;nd left, or the two short sides of the oiocii. Consequently, the two largest sides are four times as large as the two smallest sides." This can be demon- strated in a very interesting way, by placing several of the blocks side by side, iu a variety of positions, and in all these operations the children should be allowed to experiment for themselves. The small cubes of the preceding gift may also with propriety be brought in comparison with the oblong blocks of this gift, and the differences observed. h •1 , ; /'I I ■HI llllilllil'. SiilliillU tical or horizontal cut, (Figs. 56 and 57). These two forms will give rise to inp*^ructive observations and remarks by asking : — "AVhat was the form of the original tablet?" "What is the form of its halves?" "How many times larger is their breadth than their height?" So with regard to the position of the oblong halves ; the one may be said to be lying (Fig. 56) while the other is standing, (Fig. 57). ■Hiili MllJi,.: Fig. 56. 'Change a lying Fig. 57. a lying to a standing oblong block." Iu order to do this, the child wih move the first so as to describe a quarter of a cii'cle to the right or left. Fig. 58. L'nite two blocks by joining their small sides. You then have a large lying oblong block, (Fig. 58). iilPPI Fig. 59. "Separate again (Fig. 59) aud divide each part iuto halves, (Figs. 60 aud 61). You have now four parts called quarters, and these are squares, iu their surface form." Fig. 55. When the single block has been employed to advantage, through several lessons, the whole cube may then be made use of, for the repre- sentation of forms of knowledge. Construct a tablet or plane as in Fig. 55. In order to show the relations of dimension, divide this plane iuto halves, either by a ver- Fig. 60. Each of these quarters may be subdivided, aud the children taught the method of dii-isior PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 87 Fig. 0-2. I Fio-. 61. Fig. 63. Fis;. 64. Fig. 06 by two. Other material may also be used iu c o 11 n e e t i on ■n-itli the blocks such as apples, or an y small objects which serve to illus- trate the pro- perties of mim- ber. It is evi- deut that these oper ations should be con- ducted iu the most natural way, and never b e g u n at too early a stage of development of the little ones. In Figs. 62-6.5 anothermodeis indicated, for the puri)Ose of illustrating fur- ther tlie coudi- tionsof form connected with this gift. Figs. 66-81 show the manner in which exercises in addition and subtrac- tion may be introduced ;\s has already been alluded to in the lescription of the Third Gift. FORMS OF BEAUTY. We first ascertain, as iu the case of the cubes, the various modes iu which the oblong blocks cau l)e brought in relation to each other. These are much more numerous than iu the 88 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Third Gift, because of the greater variety iu the dimensions of the parts. Iu the follow- ing designs a number of forms of beauty are shown derivable from the original foi'm, (Fig. 82). Each two blocks form a separate group, which four groups touching iu the center, form a large square. The outside blocks (o) move in Figs, 8y-90, around the stationary middle. Tue inside blocks (h) are now drawn out (Fig. 91) then the blocks (a) united to form a hollow square (Fig. 92) around which b moves gradually (Figs 93 and 94). Now b is combined into a cross with open center, a goes out (Fig. 95) and moves in an opposite direction until Fig. 98 aj)pears. By extricating b the eight-rayed star (Fig. 99) is formed. In Fig. lOO a revolves, b is drawn out until edge touches edge and thus the form of a flower appears (Fig. 101). Now b is turned (Fig. 102) andiu Fig. 103, a wreath is shown. Iu Fig. 103 the inside edges touch each other ; in Fig. 104, inside and outside ; iu Fig. 105 edges with sides, and b is united to a large hollow square, around which a conmiences a regular moving. In Fig. 110, a is linallj' united to a h'ing cross, and thereby another starting-point gained for a new series of developments. Each of these figures can be subjected to a variety of changes by simply placing the blocks ou their long or short sides, or as the children will say, by letting them stand vjior lie cloun. The network of lines on the table is to be the constant guide, in the construction of forms. In inventing a new series, place a block above, below, at the right or left of the center ; and a second opposite and equidis- tant. A third and a fourth are placed at the right and left of these, but iu tlie same posi- tion relative to the center. The remaining four are placed symmetricallj' about those first laid. Bj' moving the o's or 6's regularly in either direction, a variety of figures may be formed. Fia;. 82. Fisf. 83. Fig. M. Fig. 85. Fig. 8(3. Fig. 87. Fig. 92. Fig. 88. Fig. Kl Fig. 90. Fig. 93. Fig. 94. Fig. 95. Fig. 91. Fig. 96. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 89 Fio-. 102. Fig. 103. Fig. 104. Fig. 105. Fig. 106. Fig. 107. Fig. 108. Fig. 109. Fig. 110. EDITOR'S NOTES. While wc find that the eight equal parts of the third gift are of the same form as the whole, this gift shows eight parts in the form of par- allelopipeds-solids, with three imequal dimen- sions, which constitute the chief characteristic of the gift, and adds to both gift and play a new and original importance. In this as in all the building gifts, every part should be used, and when the boxes have been distributed they should be opened in such a way that the cube stands before the child as a whole, so that he may begin his work as a whole. Call attention to its being divided according to. a new plan, and to the form of the component parts, which the child easily recognizes as be- ing that of a brick. Let a cube of the third gift lie handed to the children so that they maj' com[)are it with the ob- long brick of this gift ; ask for similarities and differences ; the unequal dimensions iu these bricks make it necessary for the child to pro- ceed with more reflection, to compare, and to experiment, iu order to produce asymmetrical result. If two cubes are given, the children will readily see that two bricks laid one above the other are just as large as two cubes laid side by side, and in this way the truth is made e^ideut that the solid contents are the same. While in the third gift the solid appears most prominently, in this gift the idea of sur- face is suggested. Every face is an oblong, and the variety of size makes more clear the form itself, so the child gains as true a con- cept of an oblong as of a square. To impress on the child the differences ot position which each brick can occupy, let the bricks stand, as soldiers, sit or lie flat, as if asleep. Give the child a cube, and ask him to 90 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. do the same witli that. He finds it always re- mains the same on whichever of its faces it may rest ; tlius new lessons are taught him, and he is made to understand length and breadth more clearly. The different dimensions in the hricks make the variety and numlK-r of jiossi- blc figures with this gift almost incalculable. Many philosophical truths may be illustrated, as the law of c(|uilibrium — when a narrow face has to support a broader one ; or continuous motion — by setting a row of blocks on end, and pushing the first one against the other, causing the whole row to fall. As an exercise in tlie relation of size, let the children separate the cube into halves, which may lie done by a vertical or horizontal divis- ion, aud gives rise to suggestive ([uestions and instructive observations ; these halves may be separated again and divided into quarters, and again into eighths ; in this manner the children are brought to comprehend successive di\-i- sions by two. These exercises admit of many variations. Let the pupils find the different waj's in which two bricks may lie placed with regard to each other, and build forms while the teacher talks with them about the objects represented, so as to awaken thought within them. ' Let the children work out for themselves with the blocks, a sequence of moves illustrating a story, or a sequence of thought given by the teacher. In this way they come to know the form as regards dimensions, faces and relation of parts to the whole. A fresh delight comes to the child when he discovers how one oljject may he transformed into another, and particularly when there is some conuection between each new figure and the child himself, who must have a clear insight into the most simple and natural relations of things, that the sight of things more com- plicated may not confuse him and hinder his development. The following sequences are suggestive and render it easy to find such connections. FURNITURE SEQUENCE. BuKEAO. — Cube, with cut running right aud left. Draw the front half away. Let a luick stand at either end of the back half touching it by the broad face. Join the two remaining bricks by their long narrow faces and place on top for a mirror. Fig. 111. Washstand. — Let the two bricks which formed the mirror stand directly back of the lying bricks, touching them by their broad faces. Let the top brick sit on the standing back bricks, Fig. 112. "^ I'll IS Fig. 111. Fig. 112. "Writing-Desk. — Lift sitting brick in the right hand, and the two bricks below it in the left hand. Let the two bricks lie on the re- maining pile, projecting an inch in front, the cut running front and back. Let the remain- ing brick sit on them at the back, so its broad face coincides with their short faces. Fig. 1 13. Hat-rack. — Lift the three bricks just placed. Let two stand ' at the back as lief ore. Lift the top brick, join it to the remaining brick by long narrow faces, and let them sit on the back bricks. Fig. 114. i-tSI Fig. lis: Fig. 114. Chair and Table. — Join right ' and left bricks by their broad faces. Let them he, right and left, two inches in ' front of f oitn. Lift the two top bricks aud let them lie across the two front bricks, the cut running front and back. Fig. 115. Two Chairs. — Make a chair of the front bricks, facing and similar to the chair of the four back bricks, Fig. 116. Fig. 115. Fig. 116. Bed. — Remove the back of the front chair. Place the top brick in the back chair cushion, so that it touches the standing bricks by its broad face. Place the top front brick so that its PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 91 broad face coincides with the narrow front face of the brick below it. Fit in the remaining short faces just touching. Place the remaining brick at the left in a similar position, Fig. 125. Fig. 117. bricks for a mattress, the cut running front and back. Fig. 117. Then comes the orderly building of the cube. tBAKEE SEQUENCE. Shop. — Cube, cut running right and left. Fig. 118. Eight Drawees. — Remove the front half, placing it one inch to the right of the back half, in similar position. Fig. 119. i LA Fig. 118. Fig. 119. Two CousTERS. — Let the right and left bricks touch by theii- short faces. Place the top half two inches in front of the lower half, running right and left. Fig. 120. FocB LoATES. — Draw the two back nght bricks one inch to the right. The front bricks the same. Fig. 121. (^ ^ ^ Zi^ Fig. 120. Fig. 121. Table. — Rish the bricks together forming aprism 4x1x1, Fig. 122. B-AKDfG Sheets. — Place the top half two inches back of the lower half. Fig. 123. a r^ y Fig. 122. Fig. 123. Molding Board. — Push the front and back halves tosrether. Fig. 124. Fig. 124. Rolling Pin. — Place the two front right bricks at the right of and touching the liack right bricks by their short faces. Place front left brick at the right of those just placed, the C zzn ■n X a Fig. 125. Mixing Trough. — Join the two end bricks by their short faces and let them sit back of the four left hand bricks touching by broad faces. Let the two front left bricks sit opposite those just placed. Take one of the right hand bricks in each hand, and let them sit at either end of the trough, closing the opening, Fig. 126. Flolti Scoops. — Draw the right half, one inch to the right. Fig 127. Fig. 126. Fig. 127. "Wagon. — Place the left-hand brick directly at the left of the right half, so that it shall touch it with the broad face. Remove the brick Ijing at the left between the two sitting bricks, and place it front and back across the middle of the wagon. The two remaining left bricks serve as horses, Fig. 128. Fig. 128. Fig. 129. Monet Chest. — Lift one of the left hand liricks in each hand, place one right and left of the wagon seat, touching it by loug narrow faces. This lid may be raised or lowered at will. Fig. 129. Return to cube. HOUSE BUILDDCG ANT> FURXISHIXG SEQUENXE. HorsE. — Cube with the cutting right and left. Fig. 130. Fig. 130. Fig. 131. Piazza. — Lift the top half, place it directly in front of and touching the lower half, cut running right and left, Fig. 131. Open Door. — Lift the two front bricks, and let them stand on the back brick, one inch apart, with the long narrow faces in front. Lift the top front brick and let it lie across the standing biicks, Fig. 132. 92 GULDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Four Tables. — Move the five back bricks oue iueh back, move the front brick one inch front. Flace the l)rick which forms the top of the door on the front brick, toucliing it by the broad face. Join the standing bricks bj' broad faces and let them lie oue inch bade of tlio Ijack bricks, Fig. 133. ll r liii ---' x^lll^S 1 Ira Fig. 132. Fig. 133. Car-seats. — Lot the upper back brick sit directlj' behind the lower hack brick. Arrange remaining bricks in like manner, Fig. 134. Two Lox<; Seats. — Lift the back seat, plac- ing it beside the seat directly in front of it, so that they will touch by short faces. Join the two remaining seats in like manner. Fig. 135. f==T ,^^ ZZl Fig. 134. Fig. 13.5. Sofa, with Arms and Table. — Remove the front, sitting bricks, and let one sit at either end of the Ijack seat touching it bj' broad faces, tlie short faces being in front. Let two front bricks touch one another liy broad faces, form- ing the tal)le, Fig. 136. Fig. 136. Two Seats With Arms. — Draw three right hand bricks, two inches to the right. Let the brick which forms the top of the table sit at the left hand end of the bricks just moved, touching them by broad faces. Left hand sec- tion the same, Fis. 137. Fig. 137. Two Marble Basins. — Draw out the brick which forms the right-hand seat, and let it sit one inch in front of the back )irick, similar posi- tion. Left hand section the same, Fig. 138. Two AV'iNDOWs. — Holding the right-hand bricks firmly together, place them in an upright Fig. 138. position, so that the bricks whicli were right and left, form the top and bottom of a window. Same with the left bricks. Fig. 139. High Window. — Place the left-hand window on top of the right-hand window, Fig. 140. Fig. 140. Vestibule — Place the top half of the win- dow directly in front of and touching the lower half. Fig. 141. Band Stand. — Let the two top bricks lie directly in front of and touching the lower Itricks. Remove the standing bricks. Let oue lie right and left across the cut between the two front bricks, another across the cut be- tween the two back bricks. Let the two re- maining bricks lie across the opening front and back. Fig. 142. Return to cube. Fig. 141. Fig. 14i>. The children take pleasure in uniting, and building with this gift : also, with the third and fourth combined, when they have liecome suffi- ciently acquainted with each separatel}' ; eom- )>iuiiig the gifts gives them an opportunity of comparing the cube and brick more closely, and so learn their properties and pecluiarities bet- ter, than by the use of each separately. Oue will build a church, another a stove, a shop or house, and so a group of children will have a unity of purpose which is harmonizing in its effects. Note. — Kindcrgartners have found the combination of tlie third and fourth gifts give? excellent building material, extending the number and variety of blocks. It is also customary in some kindergartens to substitute one divided cube for one of the whole cubes of the third gift, this enabling the children to practice on combining halves and quarters before recei\-ing the fifth gift. THE FIFTH GIFT. CUBE, TWICE DIVIDED IX EACH DIRECTION. All gifts used as occupation material iu the Kiudergarteu develop, as previously stated, oue from another. The Fifth Gift, like that of the Third aud Fourth Gifts, consists of a cube again, although larger than the previous ones. The cube of the Third Gift ^^•as divided once iu all directions. The uatin'al progress from 1 is to 2 ; hence the cube of the Fifth Gift is di\ided ticice iu all directions ; conse- queutlj', iu three equal parts, each consisting of iilne smaller cubes of equal size. But as this division would only have multiplied, uot diversified, the occupation material, it was necessary to introduce a new element, by sub- dividing some of the cubes iu a slauting di- rectiou. We have heretofore introduced ouly verti- cal and horizontal lines. These opposites, however, require their mediate element, and this mediation was already indicated iu the forms of life and of beauty of the Third and Fourth Gifts, when side and edge, or edge and side, were brought to touch each other. The slauting direction appearing there transi- tionalh' — occasionally — here, becomes perma- nent by introducing the slanting line, sepa- rated by the di\'isiou of the body, as a bodilj' reality. 1 ill \ $\ 1 i 7'. % 1 Ij V m Fig. 1. Three of the part cubes of the Fifth Gift are divided into half cubes, three others into quarter cubes, so that there are left twenty- one whole cubes of the twentj'-seveu, produced by the division of the cube mentioned before, aud the whole Gift consists of thirty-nine single pieces. It is most convenient to pack them in the box, so as to have all half and quarter cubes and three whole cubes in the bottom row, as in Fig. 1, which ouly admits of separating the whole cube in the various ways required here- after, as it will also assist iu placing the cube upon tlie table, which is done in the same manner as described w'th the preWous Gifts. The first practice with this Gift is like that with others introduced thus far. Led by the question of the teacher, the pupils state that this cube is larger than theii other cubes ; aud the manner iu which it is divided will next at- tract their attention. They state how many times the cube is divided iu each du'ectiou, how many parts we have if we separate it according to these various divisions, aud car- rying out what we say gives them the neces- sary assistance for answering these questions correctly. In Fig. 2 the three parts of the cube have been separated and laid side by side. Fig. 2. These three squares we can again divide iu three parts, and these latter again in three, so that tlien we shall have twenty-seven parts, which teaches the pupil that 3X3=0, 3X9 To some, the repetition of the apparently simple exercises may appear superfluous ; but repetition alone, iu this simple manner, will assist children to remember, aud it is always interesting, as they have uot to deal with ab- stractions, but have real things to look at for the formation of their conclusions. But, again I saj-, do not continue these oc- cupations any longer than you can command the attention of your pupils by them. As soon as signs of fatigue or lack of interest become manifest, drop the subject at once, and leave the Gift to the pupils for their owu amuse- ment. If j-ou act according to this achnce, your pupils never will overexert themselves, and will always come with eulivened interest to the same occupation whenever it is again taken up. After the children have become acquainted with the manner of di^^sion of their new large cube, and have exercised with it in the above- mentioned way, their attention is drawn to the 94 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. shape of the divided half and quarter cubes. They are divided by means of slantiny lines, ■which should be made particularly prominent, and the pupils are theu asked to point out, on the whole cubes, in Avliat manner they were di- vided in order to form half and quarter cubes. The pupils also point out horizontal, vertical and slanting lines which they observe in things in the room or other near objects. Take the two halves of your cube apart and Bay, "How many corners and angles can you count on the upper and lower sides of these two half cubes?" "Three." Three corners and three angles, which latter, you recollect, are the insides of corners. AVe call therefore, the upper and lower side of the half cube a tri- angle, which simply means a side or plane with three angles. The child has now enriched its knowledge of lines by the introduction of the obli(]ue or slanting line, in addition to the horizontal and vertical lines, and of sides or planes by the introduction of the triangle, in addition to the square and oblong previously introduced. With the introduction of the tri- angle, a great treasure for the development of forms is added, on account of its frequent oc- currence as elementary forms in all the many formations of regular objects. The child is expected to know this Gift now sufficiently to employ it for the production of the various forms of life and beauty to be in- troduced . FORMS OF LIFE. The main condition here, as always, is that for each representation the whole of the occu- pation material be employed ; not that only one object should always be built, but in such manner that remaining pieces be always used to represent accessory parts, although apart from, yet in a certain relation to the main position actively and effectively in relation to some greater whole. Nor should it be forgotten that nothing should Ije destroyed, but everything produced by rebuilding. It is advisable always to start with the figure of the cube. 1,1 Iil m Fig. 4. Flower-stand. Large Chair. Fig. 6. Easy Chair, with Foot Bench. i!ii .ij ' 'ill ;i 1 Ip Cube. Fig. 3. figure. The child should, again and again, be reminded that nothing belonging to a whole is, or could lie, allowed to be superfluous, but posed of twelve quarter cubes; third row, six that each individual part is destined to till its half cubes. Fig. 7. A Bed. Lowest row, fifteen whole cubes; second row, six whole and six half cubes com- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 95 Sofa. First row, sixteen -n-hole and two half cubes. Fis. 9. A WeU. Fig. 10. House, with Yard. First row, twelve whole cubes ; second row, nine whole and six half cubes ; roof, twelve quarter cubes. Figr. 13. Chui'ch, Building itself, eighteen whole cubes ; roof, twelve quarter cubes ; steeple, three whole cubes, and three half cubes ; vestry three half cubes. Fig. 14. Fig. 15. Body of Church. Eight whole, four half and eight quarter cubes ; steejjles, twice five whole and two half cubes ; befrn-een steeples, three whole and four- quarter cubes. Fig. 15, ground plan. Fig. 11. A Peasant's House. First row, ten whole cubes ; second row, eight whole and two half cubes ; roof, three whole, four half and twelve quarter cubes. Fig. 16. S- 12. Factory, with Chimney and Boiler-house. Schoolhouse. First row, nine whole and six Factory, sixteen whole cubes ; roof, sis half quarter cubes; second row, nine whole cubes; and four quarter cubes; chimney, five whole thii-d row, three whole and six half cubes ; and two quarter cubes ; boiler-house, four foiirti TOW, six quarter cubes. quarter cubes ; roof, two quarter cubes. !)G GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fis;. 17. Clia|)el, with Ilennitage. Fig. 18. Two Cxarden Houses, with Rows of Trees. Fig. 19. A Castle. Fig;. 20. Fig. 21. City Gate, with Three Entrances. / \ 1 1 1 I |L 1 IL L 1 i I- Fig. 22. Arsenal. Fig. 23. C'itv Gate, with Two Guard-houses. Cloister in Rnins Fig. 24. A Monument. First row, nine whole and four half cubes ; second to fourth row, each, four whole cubes ; on either side, two quarter cubes, united to a square column, and to unite the four columns, two half cubes. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 97 A Monnment. Fii-st row, nine whole and fonr quarter cubes ; second row, five whole and four half cubes ;third row, four whole cubes ; fourth row, two half and four (quarter cubes. ' Fig. 26. A Large Cross. First row, nine whole and four times three quarter cubes ; second row, four whole cubes ; tbiid row, four half cubes. Tables, chairs, sofas and lieds, are the first objects the child builds. They are the objects with which he is most familiar. Then the child builds a house, in which he lives, speaking of kitchen, sleeping-room, parlor, and eating- room, when representing it. .Soon the realm of his ideas widens. It roves into garden, street, etc.. It builds the church, the schoolhouse, where the older brothers and sisters are in- structed ; the factoi'y, and arsenal, from which, at noon and after the days's work is over, so many laborers walk out to their homes to eat their dinner and supper, to rest from their work, and to play with their little children. The ideas which the children receive of all these objects by this occupation, grow more correct by studying them in their details, where they meet with them in reality. In all this they are, as a matter of course, to be assisted by the instructive conversation of the teacher. It is not to be forgotten that the teacher may influence the minds of the ehildien very favor- ably, by I'elating short stories about things and persons in connection with the object repre- sented. Not their minds alone are to be dis- ciplined ; their hearts are to be developed, and each beautiful and noble feeling encouraged and strengthened. Be it remembered again that it is not neces- sary that the teacher should always follow the course of development shown in the figures on our pages. Every course is acceptable, if only destruction is prevented and rebuilding adhered to. Some of the figures may not be familiar to some of the children. The one hat never seen a castle or a city gate, a well or a monument. Short descriptive stories about such objects will introduce the child into a new sphere of ideas, and stimulate the desire to see and hear more and moie, thus adding daily and hourly, to the stock of knowledge of which he is already possessed. Thus, these plays will not only cultivate the manual dex- terity of the child, develop his eye, excite his fantasy, strengthen his power of invention, but the accompanying oral illustrations will also instruct him, and create in him a love for the good, the noble, the beautiful. The Fifth Gift is used with children from five to six years old, who are expected to be in their third year in the Kindergarten. A box, with its contents stands on the table before each child. They empty the box aa heretofore described, so that the bottom row of the cube, containing the half and quarter cubes, is made the top row. "What have you now?" '>A cube." "We will build a church. Take off all quar- ter and half cubes, and place them on the table before you in good order. Move the three whole cubes of the upi)er row together, so that they are all to the left of the other cubes. Take three more whole cubes from the right side, and put them beside the three cubes which were left of the upper row. Take the three re- 98 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. mainino' cubes, which were on the right side, aud add them to the quarter aud half cubes. What have you uow?" •'A house without roof, three cubes high, three cubes loug aud two cubes broad." "We will now make the roof. Place ou each of the six ui>per cubes a quarter culie with its largest side. Fill up the space between each two quarter cubes with another quarter cube, and i)lace another quarter cube ou top of it. What have you uow?" "A house with roof." "How mauy cubes are yet remainiug?" "Three whole aud six half cubes." "Take the whole cubes, aud place them one ou top of the other, before the house. Add another cube, made of two half cubes, aud cover the top with half a cube for a roof. What have you uow?" "A steeple." "We will employ the remaining three half cubes to build the entrance. Take two of the half cubes, form a whole cube of them, aud place it ou the other side of the house, oppo- site the steeple, and lay upon it the last half cube as a roof. AMiat have we built uow ?" "A church with steeple aud entrance." (Fig. 13). FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE. The representation of the forms of knowl- edge, to which the Fifth Gift offers oppor- tunity, is of great advantage for the develop- ment of the child. To superticial observers, it is true, it may appear as if Fra'bel not only as- cribed too much importance to the mathemati- cal element to the disadvantage of others, but that mathematics necessarily require a greater maturity of uuderstauding than could be found with cliildreu of the Kiudergarten age. But who thinks of introducing mathematics as a science? Mauy a child, live or six years of age, has heard that the moon revolves around tlie earth, that a locomotive is propelled b_y steam, and that lightuiug is the effect of electricity. These astronomical, dynamic aud physical facts have been presented to him as mathe- matical facts are presented to his observatiou in Frrebel's Gifts. Most assuredly it would be folly, if one would introduce in the Kiuder- garten, mathematical problems in the usual abstract manner. In the Kiudergarten, the child beholds the bodily representation of an expressed truth, recognizes the same, receives See chapter on Lc it without difficult}', without overtaxing its developing mind iu any manner whatsoever. AVhatever would be difficult for the child to derive from the mere word, naj', which might under certain circumstances be hurtful to the young mind, is taught naturally and in an easy manner by the forms of kuowledge, which thus liecome the best means of exercising the child's power of observation, reasoning, and judging. Beware of all problems and abstrac- tions. The child builds, forms, sees, observes, compares, and then expresses the truth it has ascertained. By repetition, these truths, ac- quired by the observatiou of facts, become the child's mental property, aud this is not to be done hurriedly, but during the last two years iu the Kindergarten and aftei-n-ards in the Primary Department. The first seven forms of knowledge (Figs. 27-33) show the regular divisions of the cube in three, nine and twenty-seven parts. In either case, a whole cube was employed, and yet the forms produced by division are dif- ferent. This shows that the contents may be equal, when forms are different. (Figs. 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32). ^ ^ ^ .■■ ^ y . ^ X' X- yi' 1:; Fig. 29. Fig. 30. Fig. 31. . Matliouiatics. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 99 Fig. 3-2. Fig. 33. This difference becomes still more obvious if the three parts of Fig. 28 are united to a stand- ing oblong, or those of Fig. 29 to a lying ob- long, or if a single long beam is formed of Fig. 30. "Take a cube children, place it before you, and also a cube divided in two halves, and place the two halves with their triangular planes or sides, one upon another." These two lialves united are just as large as the whole cube. But the two halves may be united, also, in other ways. They may touch each other with their quadratic and right angular planes. Represent these different ways of uniting the two halves of the cube simultaneously. Not- withstanding the difference in the forms, the contents of mass of matter remained the same. In a still more multiform manner, this fact may be illustrated with the cubes divided in four parts. Similar exercises follow now with the whole Gift, and the children are led to find out all possible divisions in two, three, four, five, nine and twelve equal parts. (Figs. 34-44). Fig. 34. Fig. 3.5. Fig. 36. Fig. 37. Fig. 38. ^^^ , .f^^ Fig. 39. .f v^,. /. /^ / - I f / / / ^^^n^^^^^ Fig. 40. .^^^^m^^ Fig. 41. Fig. 42. Fig. 43. Fig. After each such division the equal parts are to be placed one upon another, for dividing and separating are alwaj's to be followed by a pro- cess of coml lining and reuniting. The child thus receives everj' time, a transfoi-mation of the whole cube, representing the same amount of matter in various forms. (Figs. 45-48). 100 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 45. Fig. 46. Fig. 51. [Cr^ / / / . \ k ^ Fig. 47. Fig. 48. The child should also be allowed to compare with each other the various thirds, quarters, or sixths, iuto which whole cubes can be divided, as shown in Figs. 35, 36, 37, 38, or 40, 41 and 42. It is understood that all these exercises should be accompanied Ijy the living word of the teacher; for thereby, only, will the child become perfectly conscious of the ideas re- ceived from perception, and the opportunity is offered to perfect and multiply them. The teacher should, however, be careful not to speak too much, for it is only necessary to keep the attention of the pupil to the object repre- sented, and to render impressions more vivid. The divisions introduced heretofore are fol- lowed by represeutations of regular mathe- matical ligures, (planes), as shown in Figs. 49-52. The manner in which one is formed from the preceding one is easily seen from the figures themselves. Fig. 52. As mentioned before, part of the occupa- tion described in the preceding pages is to be introduced in the Primary Dejiartmeut only, where it is combined with other interesting but more complicated exercises. Simply to indi- cate how advantageously this Gift may be used for instruction in geometry in later years, we have added P'ig. 56, the representation of which shows the child the ■\-isible proof of the well-known Pythagorean axiom, by which thf theoretical, abstract solution of the same, cer. tainly, can alone be facilitated. Fig. 53. ^^ / > ' /I / / ' \A ^/ / / 1^ f Fig. 54. c ..^^^ 7'~r ^^ Fig. 49. Fig. 55. -! Fig. 50. Fig. 56. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 101 For the continuation of the exercises in arithmetic, begun with the previous Gifts, the cubes of the present cue are of great use. Exercises in addition and subtraction are con- tinued more extensively, and by the use of these means, the child will be enabled to learn what is usually called the multiplication table, in a much shorter time and in a much more ra- tional way than it could ever be accomplished by mere memorizing, without visible objects. FORMS OF BEAUTY. If we consider that the Fifth Gift is put into the hands of pupils when they have reached the iifth year, with whom, consequently, if they have been treated rationally, the external or- gans, the limbs, as well as the senses, and the bodily mediators of all mental activity, the nerves, and their central organ, the brain, have reached a higher degree of development, and their physical powers have kept pace with such development, we may well expect a somewhat more extensive activity of the pupils so pre- pared, and be justified in presenting to them work requiring more skill and ingenuity than that of the pre\'ious Gifts. Ami, in fact, the progress with these forms is apparently much greater than with the fomis of life ; because here the importance of each of the thirty-nine parts of the cube can be made more prominent. He who is not a stranger in mathematics knows that the number of com- binations and permutations of thirtj^-nine dif- ferent bodies does not count by hundreds, nor can be expressed by thousands, but that mill- ions hardly sirffice to exhaust all possible com- binations. Limitations are, therefore, necessary here : and these limitations aie presented to us in the laws of beauty, according to which the whole structure is not only to be formed harmoniously in itself, but each main part of it must also answer the claims of symmetry. In order to comply with these conditions, it is sometimes necessary, during the process of building a Form of Beauty, to perform certain move- ments with various parts simultaneously. In such cases it appears advisable to divide the activity in its single parts, and allow the child's eye to rest on these transition figures, that it may become perfectly conscious of all changes and phases during the process of development of the form in question. This will render more See chapter on Forms intelligible to the young mind, that real beauty can only be produced when one opposite bal- ances another, if the proportions of all parts are equally regulated Ijy uniting them with one common center. Another limitation we find in the fact, that each fundamental form from which we start is di\ided in t^vo main parts — the internal and the external — and that if we begin the changes or mutations with one of these opposites, they are to be continued with it until a certain aim be reached. By this process certain small steps are created, which enable the child — and, still more, the teacher — to control the method ac- cording to which the perfect form is reached. "Each definite beginning conditions a cer- tain process of its own, and however much liberty in regard to changes may be allowed, they are always to be introduced within cer- tain liuiits only." Thus, the fundamental form conditions all the changes of the whole following series. All fundamental forms are distinct from each other by their different centers, which may be a square, (Fig. 65), a triangle, (Fig. 91), a hexagon, octagon, or circle. Before the real formation of figures com- mences, the chUd should become acquainted with the combinations in which the new forms of the divided cubes can be brought with each other. It takes two half cubes, foi'uis of them a whole, and, being guided by the law of op- posites, arrives at the forms represented in Figs. 57-64, and perhaps at others of less significance. The following series of Figs. 65-106 are all developed one from another, as the careful ob- server w-ill easily detect. As it would lead too far to show the gradual growing of one from another, and all from a common fundamental form, we will show only the course of devel- opment of Figs. 65-70. The fundamental form (Fig. 65) is a stand- ing square, formed of nine cubes, and sur- rounded by four equilateral triangles. The course of development starts from the center part. The fom* cubes a move exter- nally, (Fig. 66) , the four cubes b do the same, (Fig. 67), cubes a move farther to the cor- ner of the triangles, (Fig. 68), cubes 6 move to the places where cubes a were pre\-iously, (Fig. 6;) ) . If all eight cubes continue their way in the same manner, we next obtain a of Life anti Knowlc'd;re. 102 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. 1 - 1 n r n A r /M ^ ^fi!^ /iH, ^\' \/ X _ 1 _j L. Fig. 57. Fig. 58. Fig. 59. Fig. 60. Fis;. 61. Fia;. 62. Fig. 63. Fig. 64. 1 ( I lif w '^^ 1l = TtV ^JT' - illlll s 1 ^ / n A \ r ^ ak ^iiiik_ \U SkV \ — ^ ^ f p ^ > R ^ %r 'w k 'W'W' «iiiil W ■^ Jl /• J A A = H (di \ \ w jm ■ 1 h < > •i B ,'/ 4 A 1^ i,'!" j> Fig. 6.' Fio;. 68 Fig. 71. Fig. 74. VV<. (ill Fisr. 69 Fig. 72. Fig. 75. Fig. 67. 1,. 1 4 4h €| Y ^ V 1 ill III ■ 111 III i|ili ~ <■-. IF ^ lllllr ill r ^ s Iff pj p p if ■ w '^ pr i| p "^ A J k mlf \ (iifk i ^ ^ f %" 1 < P 1 iii 111 ill ill Fig. 70. Fig. 73. ~ J,:' A IB A I* - III / \llli! '/ \ 1 ji's 5 y ^^\ '¥\' \ A. m i ■ \ B 1 ■ j. < t > ► i > iillw X -1^ /' r'"" 1 -^ k Illlll '111 w "„■, ,: " -1 Hill ^ :!|:l k A ■ \y' V ■^ _ Fig. 76. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 103 Fig . 81. Fig . 82. s ig . 83 F ig . 84. 1 11 [ —ill X "m ; ' •\ > M |r?::j r- > /"\ '■': ;? \ „„|, y\ 1 Y ISJ ^ -'' JV^tij -< A -1 -p ^. ^ .V- '^--- "1^ s ^/ ' \/' \/ V / Xjv- > / , ^ ^ Vri- ^^ .' , <

fe i i ' ^v >^¥ K''"V\ 1 J f \ / T£^^ f!^ 1 1 1^ Fig • 85 Fig . 86. Fig. 87 • ■ ^\y S !%,< •fc '*•- ^. . "!z !lt ^ 1 " " ^ f ^ ,•.._;] f ir::::/i^v i . lj i L'^' . ! ' ~" 1 i 1 L'K X / ■ [■^ 1 /r\ ^ , ■ M [jry- 1 ' . 1 : LI ^1 _ ; 1 ' X. ■ 1 \-/ p_: ><] ! / J LJ : ^ \ hi ' 1 1 1 1 Fis. 88. Fig. 89. FiV i^ - N I 4 r N j^ \^ / A 'M "l ^ ^J k ^ M /~ K H 1 , ^ ^ ^ Vj ^ 'll K W\ ^^^ k-^ [^ ^ \. 4 ^^7l ^ -A f 1 [■<' J } ^ >v ^/\ ^ 1 %7\ \ r rz i ^ ^ ■ , ; T\ \ M ; i i^i . I \ A Xiinj ^ 1 _ \ T 1 1 i 1 1 1 Fig. 91. Fig. 92. Fia:. 93. Fig. 94. Fig. 95. Fig. 96. 1 1 1 \ 1 1 1 1 < y fr/4 u^fL A ITa /i If w 4 k> f (|/ t^yy ^ •^ ^''; L H i*^ i M ^ i J sC ^ 1 1 ! ^ 1 1 i i i i ■■ 1 r 1 1 .. 1 M ! 1 Fig. 97. Fig. 98. IL ]1 ^riv 1^ ™ ^^^ S^ 1 IT [ ; "fj p ' IJ i i ^4ir ^la^^ y-^ /^^— ^L5]|kr_ 1 i^^Tt v^3 V Hw" ^ijry; W^r;3 ^'/Tr -+i^- + i _Mit/ j^Ljs 4^i^ Aw '^fe^ "^ Ii ' 1 ' ST ^^^^^t 5 € ■# ^1^ . V ^ w II J i 4r¥^ >^ ^ ^J p ^it|r TX^ /- Fig. 99. Fig. 100. Fig. 101. Fig. 102. ^111 A ^ 1 Vl rnAI K ,7 t r n I n ■\0v u ij'3v M«>, ._ IT f rt 1^ 1 < — ' 1^ 'i k ^ '-'N ! s 9r . :■■ ■. . .. 7\ f '^^ r s ' ''^l-'^ ■Ki-^ / \ ^ !■: : AA^^ ^ ■ ^ -V JlTll k ;.,■.. '-J f ^^ — - 1 M a' A\ X 7" V -y'""^ V j^'TT^ t. 4! ■ . A ? 1M k ^/\AhA\Ai^ ■y -■■!.■ - ■ •" i f ;' b JW; 1 M ^ ^ ^g ■^ i i !■ jl Si 11 I'j ;(: Li ^? |[ ■ '< lll|l iiiliiii 'i' i! m f B C^ 1 ^Siiii |— — = 1^ M — 1 -=L n a a _L 1 1 \ g ■" 1 "^ t '^ ^^k. ^ ill If !?>s_ ,|[l!:,;. <.,>, ^. 1 III ' ''rK.:.L i, f - 1" It tall H ^^lA - -:-- IM L ,.,.1 , \ 1 .^y ^^ r Fis. 36. Fis;. 37. Fig. 38. ■ ' 1 ^ ! S;« is= SSs , . i.. 1 11 llllil! 1 1 ill .IK II T - — jl n ,.._ i 1 ■ " ■ , — . . — ^ r=- si^=, - f - il p^^^^^^^ m ■ — ill 1 ^\ III 1 i*5iiS iilb H III ^^ — s a III , 1 _J Fig. 39. Fig. 40. EDITOR'S NOTES. Fig. 41. While as a ivhole, this gift is more like the fiftli it surpasses that gift iu its constructive capacitj', the forms built being more complete and finished, and requiring more delicacy of touch, as they are of a lighter and more grace- ful style of structure and more easily destroyed. The column, which is the chief characteristic of the gift, and which was foreshadowed in the fifth gift when two quarters were joined by square faces, enal)les the children to build high structures resembling Grecian architecture, be- side many other pleasing forms which are de- pendent upon it. In its parts this gift most resembles the fourth gift, and the forms like the bricks of that gift, can stand, lie or sit; the different parts also serve in measuring length, breadth and height. Although not so rich and varied in forms of sjniimetrj' and knowledge, this gift is more suitable for the construction of life forms than any of the previous ones, and the number is al- most unlimited, the material being especially adapted for the forming of apertures. It al- lows the use of more forms of comparison than the other gifts, and emphasizes the proportion of different parts in respect to size, giving a clear idea of forms, their number and position. Iu introducing this gift, let the children see if they can find auj' old friends among the forms, then count the edges, faces and corners of the brick, cohnnn and square plinth. Have them compare the column and brick, the square plinth and brick, and the column and square plinth. Lead them to see how the forms may vary iu size and shape and yet be equal in volume. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 119 /lompare this gift with the fifth aud point out the different waj's of di^•idingeach. By sepa- rating tliis gift into six layers the children may learu the number of bricks, columns and square plinths contained in it. The gift may be di- vided among three children by separating it into three groups, each consisting of two layers which tliey will see is one third of tlie gift. The lajing out of the gift and the building of one form may constitute a lesson. Then these forms may be built and joined together ; after- ward these steps may all be retraced to the layer, or the gift may be built up direct from the last form. Let the children experiment in finding and using the form which is best adapted for a cer- tain purpose, and they will soon see how the column is fitted to jneet certain needs. Give simple directions and let them worii out the rest for themselves, having a definite purpose in view. Asli questions as to which form is best suited for theu- purpose, aud lead them through the ideas of proportion and form to reach certain results, never losing siglit of the idea of unity in any building the children may do. As soon as the children are able, let each child have a whole gift, then sequences may be given aud connected by a story. A LIFE SEQLT:NCE. Separate the gift, (Fig. 42) into sis laj^ers, three of which shall each contain three bricks and three square plinths ; the other three should consist of three bricks, two columns and one face, in front and against the center of the base and the remaining brick on the one just placed so that its narrow face will touch the square plinths. These bricks form the steps. Make two similar figures with the remaining two thirds, as in Fig. 44. Fig. 43. Place two of these thirds back to back so that the steps will face to the right and left ; and against the front of this figure, place the steps from the remaining third, the upper brick Fig. 44. touching the square plinths, leaving the under brick one half inch from tlie base. Lift the remaining part of the third form with the ex- ception of the three liricks which make the base, and stand on top of the other two thirds, with the columns right and left. On this stand one of the remaining three bricks, the narrow face front. Form steps of the other two bricks and place in the rear, as in Fig. 4.5. square plinth, which are placed one inch back of the former three layers, as in Fig. 43. The front and back right-hand layers form one third of the gift, witii which we first build. Take two square plinths and place in the cen- ter of the right and left bricks of the front layer. Fig. 45. Fig. 46. On each square plinth stand a column, face Remove the standing brick, then lift the front, and place a square plinth on top of each upper part of this form down to the square column. Then lay a brick from right to left on plinths which are on top of the lower columns, its broad face, on top of the two square plinths and put it one side, after having placed the just placed. Lay another brick on its broad removed brick between the two lower bricks to 120 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. form a base of three Ijricks. Take away the steps aud place four of the bricks on their broad faces, on top of the four square plinths, the sides running right and left. On these place the remaining four bricks on their broad faces, the sides running front and back. Then stand the form which was put one side in the center of these four bricks, the columns being on the right and left. Fig. 46. Remove the top, including the base of three bricks, and place at the right of the figure, the bases touching by edges. Remove the remain- Of the two archways form steps for the three sections aud we have the three original thirds, which the children may easily separate into layers, aud then build up into the gift, the layers alternating. A BEAUTY SEQUENCE. The fundamental form is an enclosed hexa- gon made with all the bricks, three of them forming each side of the hexagon. Within the enclosed space is a hexagon formed with square plinths, the face of each plinth being directly opposite the central brick of the outer hexagon. In the spaces of the large hexagon is a square plinth touching adjacent sides by corners, and at the outer edge of the plinth is a column touch- ing the center of each plinth by its square face, Fig. 49. Fig. 47. ing two layers of Itricks down to the square plinths on the columns and place two of the bricks with edges running front and back, on top of the center and left hand square plinths, forming a figure similar to that on the right hand. Place two bricks on their narrow faces above the opening at the right with the edges extending over it. Cover these with a brick placed on its broad face. Repeat this over the opening at the left, as in Fig. 47. Fig. 48 Remove the six bricks just placed on top, and then turn the three sections of the figure Lialf-way round, placing them in a line running right and left, with an opening one inch wide between the sections. Stand a brick with narrow^ face front, upon the exposed corners of the four center square plintlis, and cover with the two remaining bricks placed on their broad faces, forming two archways. Fig. 48. Fig. 49. Push the center l)rick of each side of the hexagon toward the inner hexagon until their small faces meet, Fig. 50. Remove the square plinths forming the inner hexagon to the space directly opposite on the outer hexagon. Form a new inner hexagon with the square faces of the columns, Fig. 51. Push the bricks back to their original posi- tions. Fig. 52. Move the square plinths in the spaces out until two angles are in line with the angles of the adjacent bricks. Remove the columns from the center to the outside, and let them touch the plinths bj' their long faces. Fig. 53. Push the center brick of each side of the hexa- gon toward the center of the form, the angles meeting and outlining a small hexagon, Fig. 54. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 12I Fiff. 50. Fig. 51. Fis. 54. Fig. 52. 122 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Turn the square plinths with one angle Move the plinths nearest the hexagon to the toward the center of the form, Fig. 55. spaces of the hexagon. Move the center bricks Move the columns along until they touch the back to their original positions, Fig. 57. Change the cohnnns so that they will touch Fig. 56. Fig. 57. outer angle of the plinth next to them by the the last plinths moved by their square faces, center of their long faces. Move the remain- Place the remaining plinths in the center to ing plinths to touch the columns on their outer f onn a small hexagon, and we have the origi- faces by an angle, Fig. 56. nal form THE SEVENTH GIFT.* SQUARE AXD TRIANGULAR TABLETS FOR LAYING OF FIGURES. ■\Vith the tablets the embodied planes, the child cannot represent a sofa, but a form simi- lar to it ; an image of the sofa can be produced by an-anging the squares and triangles in a certain order. "We shall see, at some future time, how FrcBbel continues on this road, progressing from the plane to the line, from the line to the point and finally enables the child to draw the image of the object, with pencil or pen in his own little hand. THE QUADRANGULAR LAYING T^Ui- LETS (Squares). (See Figs, i — 15). In a similar way as was done with the va- rious building gifts, the child is led to an ac- quaintance with the various qualities of the new material, and to compare it with other things, possessing similar qualities. It is ad- visable to let the child understand the connec- tion existing between this and the previous gifts. The laying tablets are nothing but the embodied planes, or separated sides of the cube. Cover all the sides of a cube with square tablets and after the child has recog- nized the cube in the body thus formed, let it separate the tablets one by one, from the cube hidden by them. The following, or similar questions are here to be introduced : — What is the form of this tablet? How many sides has it? How many angles ? Look carefully at the sides. Are they alike or unlike each other? They are all alike. Now look at the corners. These also are all alike. Where have you seen similar figures? What are such figures called ? Can you show me angles somewhere else? Where the two walls meet is an angle. Here, there and every- where you find angles. But all angles are not alike, and they are therefore differently named. All these dif- ferent names you will learn successively, but now let us turn to our tablet. Place it right straight before you upon the table. Can you tell me now what direction these two sides have which form the angle? The one is hori- zontal, the other vertical. An angle which is formed if a vertical meets a horizontal line, is called a right angle. How many of such * Comparatively little use should be made of all Gifts iu tlie flat; once weekly is sufficient. See Chapter on "Less Mathematics in the Kindergarten." The enlarged tablets and sticks are desirable. The moving of the tiny pieces is considered nervous work for young children. The tablets are sometimes used with the blocks, as, after building a table, use circular tablets for plates. All mental development begins with con- crete bemgs. The material world with its mul- tiplicity of manifestations first attracts the senses and excites them to activity, thus caus- ing the rudimental operations of the mental powers. Gradually — only after maiay proc- esses, little defined and explained by any sci- ence as yet, have taken place — man becomes enabled to proceed to higher mental activity, from the original impressions made upon his senses by the various surroundings in the ma- terial world. The earliest impressions, it is true, if often repeated, leave behind them a lasting trace on the mind. But between this attained pos- sibility to recall once-made observations to represent the oljject perceived by our senses, by mental image (imagination), and the real thinking or reasoning, the real pure abstrac- tion, there is a very long step, and nothing iu our whole system of education is more worthy of consideration than the sudden and abrupt transition from a life in the concrete, to a life of more or less abstract thinking to which our children are submitted when entering school from the parental house. Fra'bcl, by a long series of occupation ma- terial, has successfully bridged over this chasm which the child has to traverse, and the first place among it, the laying tablets of various forms occupy. The series of tablets is contained boxes containing : — A. Quadrangular square tablets. B. Right angular (equal sides). C. Equilateral. D. Obtuse angular (equal sides) E. Right angular (unequal sides) The child was heretofore engaged with solid bodies, and in the representation of real things. He produced a house, garden, sofa, etc. It is true the sofa was not a sofa as it is seen in reality; the one built by the child, was there- fore, so to say, an image already, but it was a bodily image, so much so that the child could place upon it a little something repre- senting his doll. The child considered it a real sofa, and so it was to the child, fulfilling, as it did, iu his little world, the purposes of St real sofa in real life. five Trian- gular tablets. 124 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. angles can you count on your tablet? Four. Show me such right angles somewhere else. By the acquisition of this linowledge the child has made an important step forward. Looking for horizontal and vertical lines, and for right angles, he is led to investigate more deeply the relations of form, which he had heretofore observed only in regard to the size conditioned by it. The child's attention should be drawn to the fact that, however the tablet may be placed the angles always remain right angles though the lines are horizontal and vertical only in four positions of the tablet, namely, those where the edges of the tablet are placed in the same direction with the lines on the table be- fore the child. This will give occasion tu lead the child to a general perception of the stand- ing or hanging of objects according to the plummet. But the tablet will force still another obser- vation upon the child. The opposite sides have an equal direction ; they are the same distance from each other in all their points ; they never meet, however many tablets the child may add to each other to form the lines. The child learns that such lines are called parallel lines. He has observed such lines frequently before this, but begins just now to understand their real being and meaning. He looks now with much more interest than ever before at surrounding tables, chairs, closets. houses, with their straight line ornaments, for now the little cosmopolitan does not only receive the impressions made by the surround- ings upon his senses, but he already looks for something in them, an idea of which lives in his mind. Although unconscious of the fact that with the right angle and the parallel line, he received the elements of architecture, it will pleasantly incite him to new observations whenever he finds them again in another ob- ject which attracts his attention. The teacher in remembrance of our oft- repeated hints, will proceed slowly, and care- fully, according to the desire and need of the child. She repeats, explains, leads the chiL", to make the same observations in the most different objects, and changing circumstances, or guides the child in laying other forms of knowledge, (lying or standing parallelograms Fig. 4 and 5), of life, (Steps, Fig. 6 and 8, double steps. Fig. 7 and 9, door. Fig. 10, sofa. Fig. 11, cross, Fig. 12), or forms of beauty, (Figs. 13, 14 and 15). The number of these forms is on the whole only very limited. It is well now to augment the number of tablets in the hands of the pu- pil, by two, when a much larger number of forms can be produced. The various series of forms of beauty, introduced with the third Gift, can be repeated here and enlarged upon, according to the change in the material now at the disposal of the child. 1 ~^ ~~~ V- ~ r~ ^ — — ^A s ^- i" 'L ^ ' M. M ■■"" - Iv \r\ \'T\ 1 L 1 1 h— Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. Fig. 5. Fig. 6. Fig. 7. Fig. 8. ^ig. 9. Fig. 10. Fig. 11. Fig. 12. Fig. 13 Fig. 14. Fig. 15. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 125 EIGHT-ANGLED TRIANGLES. (See Figs. i6 — 59J. As from the whole cube, the dhided cube was produced, so by division the triangle springs from the square. By dividing it di- agouallj' in halves, we produce the rectangu- lar triangle with two equal sides. Although the form of the triangle was pre- sented to the child in connection with the Fifth Gift, it here appears more independently, and it is not only on that account necessary to ac- quaint the child with the qualities and being of the new addition to his occupation material, but still more so because the forms of the tri- angles with which as a natural sequence he will have to do hereafter, wU be entirely un- known to the pupil. The child places two tri- angles, joined to form a square upon the table. What kind of a line divides your four- cornered tablet? An oblique or slanting line. In what direction does the line cut your square in two ? From the right upper corner to the left lower corner. Such a line we call a diagonal. Separate the two parts of the square, and look at each one separately. What do you call each of these parts ? What did you call the whole ? A square. How many corners or angles had the square? Four. How many corners or angles has the half of the square you are looking at? Three. This half, there- fore, is called a triangle, because, as I have explained to you before, it has three angles. How nianj' sides has your triangle ? etc. Looking at the sides more attentively, what do you observe ? One side is long, the other two are shorter, and like each other. These latter are as large as the sides of the square, all sides of which were alike. Now tell me what kind of angle it is, that is formed by these two equal sides? It is a right angle. Why? and what will you call the other two angles ? How do the sides run which form these two angles ? They run in such a way as to form a very shai'p point, and these angles are, therefore called acute angles, which means sharp-pointed angles. Your triangle has then, how many ditt'erent kinds of angles? Two ; one right angle, and two acute angles. It is not necessary to mention that the above is not to be taught in one lesson. It should be presented in various conversations, lest the acquired knowledge might not be retained bj' even the brightest child. The attention of the pupil may also be led, in subsequent conver- sations to the fact that the largest side is op- posite the largest angle, and that the two angles are alike, etc. SufHcient opportunity for these and additional remarks will offer itself during the representations of forms of life, of knowledge, and of beauty, for which the child will employ his tablets, according to his own free will, and which are not neces- sarily to be separated, neither here nor in any other part of these occupations, although it is well to observe a certain order at any time. Whenever it can be done, elementary knowl- edge may well be imparted, together with the representations of forms of life, and forms of beauty. In order to invent, the child must have ob- served the vaiious positions which a triangle may occupy. It will find these acting accord- ing to the laws of opposites, already famUiar to the child. The riyht angle, placed to the right front, (Fig. 17) will bring it into the opposite posi- tion to the left hiick, (Fig. 18) then into the mediative positions, to the left front, (Fig. 19) and to the right hack, (Fig. 20). By turning, the right angle comes back of the long side, (Fig. 21) and in the opposite position it comes to the//-o)(f of theHypothenuse, (Fig. 22) then to the"j-/^/(f, (Fig. 23) and finally to the left oi it. (Fig. 24). The various positions of two triangles are easily found b}- moving one of them around the other. Figs. 26-31 are produced from Fig. 25, by mo\-ing the back triangle, in six steps, around the other triangle, always keeping it in its original position. In Figs. 32-37, the changes are produced, alternating regularly between a turn and a move of the back triangle. In Figs. 38-47, simply turning takes place. After the child has become acquainted with the first elements from which its formations develop, it receives for a beginning four of the triangled tablets. It then places the right angles together, and thereby forms a stand- ing full square. (Fig. 48). By placing the tablets in an opposite posi- tion turning the right angles from within to without, it produces a lying square with the hollow in the middle, (Fig. 49). This hollow space has the same shape and dimensions as Fig. 48. The child will fancy Fig. 48 into the 126 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. place of this hollow space, and will thereby transfer the idea of a full square upon an empty or hollow one, and will consequently make the first step from the perception of the concrete to its idea, the abstraction. The child will now easily find mediative forms between these two opposites. It places two right angles within and two without, (Figs. 58 and 59) two front aud two back (Fig. 50) two to the right, aud two to the left (Fig. 51). So far, two tablets always remained con- nected with one another. By separating them ■we produce the new mediative forms, Figs. 52, 63, 54 and 55, in which again two and two are opposites. But instead of the right, the acute angle may meet in a point also, and thus Figs. 56 aud 57 are produced, which are called ro- tation forms, because the isolated position of the right angle suggests, as it were, an incli- nation to fall, or turu, or rotate. The mediation between these two opposite figures is given in Figs. 50 aud 51 — between them and Figs. 49 aud 50 in Figs. 58 aud 59 ; and it should be remarked in this conuectiou, that these opposites are conditioned by the position of the right angle in all these eases. All these exercises accustom the pupil to a methodic handling of all his material. They develop a correct use of his eye, because regu- lar figures will only be produced when his tab- lets are placed correctly aud exactly in their places shown by the network on the table. The precaution which must be exercised by the child not to disturb the easily movable tablets, aud the care euiployed to keep each in its place, are of the greatest importance for future necessary dexterity of hand. In a still greater degree than by these simple elemen- tary forms just described, this will be the case, when the pupi' comes into possession of a larger number of tablets — up to sixty-four — for the formation of more complicated figures, ac- cording to the free exercise of his fantasy. — ~ ~ ' ■^^ i^ /,i " r i \f 1| 4 iKh ■m f p- \ Mlhk ... L_ L -J _ _] L L _ Figures 10, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26. 1 r -n ^ Ik n 1 H 4 \ ' ' k K k ~ r 1 — ll^N 1 Ij 1 1 Ik ^ ^ -iifi 'iij ' 1 _ Figures 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, oo. 37. ~— — ' A — i w~ — / H — 1 N .J.. r k ^ \ ^ 4k . fji^ Iki/rtil L 1 L_ 1 1 L_ _ Figures 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 4C, 47 ^ ! I I I I /" / f.-s^ Figures 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 127 FORMS OF LIFE. (See Figs. 6o— So.) All hints giveu in comiectiou with the buikl- iug blocks, are also to be followed here, with thi.s difference onlj-, that we now produce ima- ages of objects, whereas, heretofore we united the objects themselves. With four tablets the child forms Fig. GO, a flower pot. Fig. 61, a little garden- house. Fig. 62, a pigeon-house. With eight tablets Fig. 63, a cottage. Fig. 64, acauoe or boat. Fig. 65, a covered goblet. Fig. 66, a lighthouse. Fig. 67, a cloclc. With sixteen tablets Fig. 68, a bridge with twospans. Fig. 6 'J, large gate. Fig. 70,achurch. Fig. 71, a gate with belfry. Fig. 72, a fruit basket. With thirty-two tablets Fig. 73, a peasant's house. Fig. 74, aforge with high chimney. Fig. 75, a coffee-mill. Fig. 76, a coffee-pot without handle. With sixty-four tablets Fig. 77, a two-story house. Fig. 78, entrance to a railroad depot. Fig. 7'.), a steamboat. In Fig. 80, we see the result of combined activity of many children. Although to some grown persons it may appear as if the images produced do not bear much resemblance to what they are intended to represent, it should be remembered that in most cases, the chil- dren themselves have given the names to the representations. Instructive conversation should also preveut this dratrlng v:itli planes, as it were, from being a mere mechanical pas- time ; the entertaiuiug, living word must in- fuse soul into the activity of the hand and its creations. Each representation, then, will speak to the child and each object in the world of nature ami art will have a story to tell to the child in a language for which he will be well prepared. We need not indicate how these conversa- tions should be carried on, or what thej' should contain. Who would not think in connection witli the pigeon-house, of the beautiful white birds themselves, and the nest they build ; the white eggs they lay, the tender young pigeous coming from them, and the care with which the old ones treat the youug cues, until they are able to take care of themselves ? An ap- plication of these relations to those between parents and children, and, perhaps those be- tween God aud man, who, as His children en- joy His kindness and love every moment of their lives, niaj'be made, according to circum- stances — all depending on the development of the children. However, care should always be taken not to present to them, what might be called abstract moi'als which the young mind is unable to grasp, and which, if thus forced upon it cannot fail to be injurious to moral de- velopment. The aim of all education should be love of the good, beautiful, noble, and sub- lime ; but nothing is more apt to kill this very love, ere it is born, than the monotony of dry, dull preaching of morals to young children. Words not so much as deeds — actual experi- ences in the life of the child, are its most natu- ral teachers in this important branch of edu- cation. Pig.60. Fio-. 61. Fig. 62. Fig. 63. Fig. 64. Fig. 65. Fig. 66. Fig. 67. Fig. 68. Fig. 69. Fig. 70. Fig. 71. Fig. 72. 128 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. ~ ~" r N ^1 --■N \ if A M-'Y ■11^ t ^H=;itt,»H=y1^ i W[\n "^ — — — -: 1 '.t^ rlr- 1 — — — — — H \^A: , : , •Al" -y — — — — — 1 — " — '-^ ililii ajliili — ' — lJ — r F — _j 1. « iN .\ •1 1 f: _LI1I J — — — — Fig. 73. FiiT. 74. Fia;. 75. Fio-. 76. ' J M t 1 1 I 1 L _^.._._J.._.l 1 Ti < rr'-\^ '^NNN^ y ^^N^^ k-^Wi -'■•i'^^ K Ipl - — ■mi ^In f"", "■■ (■ ■"■^■■■W- Ml ^ 'M ■--1.---V.1 / L. 1 \ 1 1 1 _ ._ _ ' 1 1 t 1 T it Fio-. Fiof. 78. Fis;. 79. ' 1 , ; ; 1 1 _ — — — J^ i H — ■ — — — — — — — — — ' — ^B! r_ — ' — — ' — ' — — — — ■I ■ H — u — — J- m JL — — , — — , — , _ — _ — _ — --■ ,_ ,,, - ; , ^^im 3HP IppJPl -* ;. i L-* -,"■[ '^^ ^ w '^ — — /i 1 J , 1 7' ;^ afliiliiiialii lJj. j \U r:^ "-, ^ Hi i . I '' JHjl 1 1 M^p "._."- 1 1 ill 1 1 { 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 j i 1 1 1 i Fig. 80. FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE. (See Figs. 81—94). These tablets are especially qualified to bring to the observation of the child different sizes of the same forms and equal sizes in dif- ferent forms. By joining two, four and eight tablets, we become acciitainted with the regular figures which may be formed with them, as shown in Figs. 81-86. These with the exception of Fig. 81 are made from the four triangles arranged in different forms. Figs. 87, 88 and 89 show triangles of which each is double the size of the previous one. In the squares shown in Figs. 90 and 91, the latter is double the size of the former. Figs. 92-94 show two triangles of tlie same size laid to produce different forms. That the contemplation of these figures and the occupation with them, must tend to facili- tate the understanding of geometrical axioms in the future, who can doubt? And who can gain- say that mathematical instruction, by means of Frcebel's methods must needs be facilitated, and better results obtained? That such in- struction will he rendered more fruitful for practical life, is a fact which will be obvious to all, who simply glance at our flgui'es, even with- out a thorough explanation. They contain demonstratively the larger number of the axi- oms in elementary geometry, which relate to the conditions of the plane in regular figures. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 129 For the present purpose, it is sufficient if the child learns to distinguish the various kinds of angles, if he knows that the right angles are aU equally large, the acute angles smaller, and the obtuse angles larger than a right angle, which the child will easily understand by put- ting one upon another. A deeper insight in the matter must be resei-ved for the primary department of instnictiou. coustantlj' touch one another. The opposite — long side touching short — we have in Fig. 117, and by traveling from right to left of half the triangles, Figs. 117-122 are obtained. \\' V n ^ ^ w \ A \ d \j Ik / ^ ^ ' / • f Ik p 1 Fig. 108. Fig. 104. Fig. 105. Fig. 106. Fig. 107. Fig. 108. v~ ■ w>^ \ M' Y y d % Y nI1\ r/ k f k m W 1 y 4\\ iii( ^' A \ "% L \A >H| \ •f k^ A Fig. 109. Fig. 110. Fig. 111. Fig. 112. Fig. 113. Fig. 114. 1 ^ k ' ^ m / Ir w Ik w Ik \ f^ A k ,A^ \ 1 kiP m A 1 A A Y d \ V \ "-1 \w "'\^ i lltK Ik k .4 N '% 11 1 Fig. 115. Fig. 116. Fig. 117. Fig. 118. Fig. 119. Fig. 120. *No one child could handle this number without producing nervous fatigue. The exercises are preferable for primary work leading to design. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 131 1 - A r r ~ — ) f ■^1 n k "^ w' — 1 r'- ^ m -.'i ^ w a 4~r- N 4 — — ir^il 4 ■■/Kii -) i>^ xV^ k J H y k A u u / r^ zL k V 1 ' Fig. 121. Fig. 122. Fig. 123. Fig. 124. Fig. 125. Fig. 126. r 1 1 i ~^ 1 /^ ^A \ y \y Njiji ■ \'" V A \.4 H| Kr r '' /'\P' '■ ""\ /■ K f^r k m. ""A \ 'y\ /^:- ^ /■'nJ "^Ps M':^ / \ ^ 1 1 \.,i ■ ; ""■■••l/'i Ijijj'''^ k.<- '-4^t \ 1 J _ _ _j nn Fig. 127. Fig. 128. Fig. 129. Fig. 130. Fig. 131. Fig. 132. TTTT m Ti *~4~ *\ 2 1^ ^e= K I . I _i^ Fig. 133. Fig. 134. Fig. 135, Fig. 136. Fig. 137. Fig. 138. ri aa tm ll2il~3 di. "Tt^ Sa "X J£ J I I n Fig. 139. Fig. 140. Fig. 141. Fig. 142. Fig. 143. Fig. 144. Fig. 145. Fi2. 146. Fig. 147. Fig. 148. 132 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. n r r r~ ^ ^(^^ k 1 1 r \ r V ^ ' ^^. W r k d my., .., ™<,hl !\.'^ \i,,/ B f 111' .. f„ 11 \ ^ / / - = Ik it" / ^ \ ^ N itk |f J j/'tl / , / 1 pm^ y IT ^ ^fis. !,j|p ^k /^/ r w J J 1 i 1 _ Fig. 149. Fig. THE EQUILATEKAL TRIANGLE. (See Figs. 152 — 227J. So far the right angle has pretlomiuated iu the occupations with the tablets, and the acute angle only appeared iu subordinate relations. Now it is the latter alone -which governs the actions of the child iu producing forms and figures. The child will naturally compare the equila- teral triangle, which he uow receives with the isosceles, right-angled tablet already known to him. Both have three sides, both three angles, but on close observation not only their simi- larities, but also their dissimilarities will be- come apparent. The three angles of the new triangle are all smaller than a right angle, are acute angles and the three sides are just alike, hence the name — equilateral — meaning '■'■eqital sided" triangle. Joining two of these equilateral tablets the child will discover that it cannot form a tri- angle, square or any of the regular figures pre- viously produced. To undertake to produce forms of life with these tablets would prove very unsatisfactory. FORMS OF KNOWLEDGE. These are of particular interest because they present entirely new formations. It has been mentioned before, that the previ- ously introduced regular mathematical figures do not appear here as a whole. However, a triangle can be rejH-eseuted by four or nine tablets, a rhomboid l;>y four, six or eight tab- lets, a trapezium by three, and manifold in- structive remarks can be made and experi- ences gathered in the construction of these figures. But above all, it is the rhombus and hexagon, with which the pupil is to be made 150. Fig. 151. acquainted here. The child unites two tri- angles by joining side to side, and thus pro- duces a rhombus. Tlie child compares the sides — are they alike ? What is their direction ? Are they paral- lel ? Two and two have the same direction, aud are therefore parallel. The child now examines the angles and finds that two and two are of eijual size. They are not right angles. Triangles, smaller than right angles, he knows, are called acute angles, and he hears uow that the larger ones are called obtuse angles. The teacher may remark that the latter are twice the size of the former ones. By these remarks the pupil will gradually re- ceive a correct idea of the rhombus and of the qualities by which it is distinguished from the quadrangle, right angle, trapezium and rhomboid. In the same manner, the hexagon gives oc- casion for interesting and instructive questions and answers. How many sides has it? How many are parallel ? How many angles does it contain? What kind of angles are they? How lai'ge are they as compared with the angles of the equal sided triangle? Twice as large. Tlie power of observation and the reason- ing faculties are constantly developed by such conversation, and the results of such exercises are of more importance than all the knowledge that may be acquired in the meantime. The greater part of this occupation, how- ever, is not within the Kindergarten proper, but belongs to the realm of the Primary school department. If they are introduced in the former they are intended only to swell the sum of general experience iu regard to the qualities of things, whereas iu the latter, they PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 133 serve as a foundation of real knowledge in the department of mathematics. THE FORMS OF BEAUTY. The child first receives three tablets and ^ill find the various positions of the same toward one another according to the law of opposites and their combination. A^s. Fig.152. Fig. 153. Fig. 154. Fig.155. Fig.156. Fig. 171. Fig. 172. Fig. 173. Fig. 174. Fig. 175. Fig. 176. Fig 157. Fig. 158. Fig.159. Fig. 160. SIX TABLETS. The child will unite his tablets around one common center (Fig. 161), form the opposite (Fig. 162), and then arrive at the forms of mediation Figs. 163, 164, 165 and 166, or he unites thi'ee elementary forms each composed of two tablets as done in Fig. 167 taid forms the op|)osite Fig. 168 and the mediations Figs. 16!) and Fig. 170 or he starts from Fig. 161, turning first one, then two, then three tablets, outwardly. By turning one tablet Figs. 172 and 173, by turning two tablets Figs. 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, and 180 are produced from Fig. 171. This may be continued with three, four and five tablets. All forms thus received give us elementary forms which may be em- ployed as soon as a larger number of tablets are to be used. Fig. 177. Fig. 178. Fig. 179. Fig. 180. NINE TABLETS. As with the right-angled triangle, small groups of tablets were combined to form larger figures, so we also do here. The ele- mentary forms. Figs. 152-160 give us in three- fold combination the series as shown in Figs. 181-191 which in course of the occupation may be multiplied at will. Fig. 161. Fig. 164. Fig. 165. Fig. 166. Fig. 181. Fig. 182. Fig. 183. Fig. 184. Fig. 185. Fig. 186. Fig. 187. Fig. 188. Fig. 180. Fig. 190. Fig. 191. Fig. 167. Fig. 168. Fig. 169. Fig. 170. TWELVE TABLETS. Half of the tablets are of light wood and half dark. By this difference in color, opposites are rendered more conspicuous, and these twelve tablets thus aiford a splendid opportu- nity for illustrating more forcibly the law of opposites and their combination. Figs. 192- 227, show how, by combination of opposites in the forms a and b, every time the star c is 134 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. produced. Eutirely uew series of fox-ms may be produced by employing a larger number of tablets, eighteen, twenty-four or thirty-six. We are, however, obliged to leave these repre- sentations to the combined inventive powers of teacher and pupil. Fig. 213. Fig. 214. Fig. 215. Fig. 192. Fig. 193. ■■k Fig. 194. Fig. 216. Fig. 217. Fig. 218. Fig. 195. Fig. 196. Fig. 198. Fig. 199. Fig. 200. Fig. 219. Fig. 220. Fig. 222. Fig. 223. Fio-. 221. Fig.224. Fig. 201. Fig. 202. Fig. 204. Fig. 205. Fig. 207. Fig. 208. Fig. 203. Fig. 209. Fi"-. 225. Fig 226. Fig. 227. THE OBTUSE- ANGLED TRIANGLE WITH TWO SIDES ALIKE. (See Figs. 22S— 250). The child receives a box with sixty-four obtuse-angled tablets. He examines one of them and compares it with the right-angled triangle, with two sides alike. It has two sides alike, has also two acute augles, but the third angle is larger than the right angle ; it is an obtuse-angle, and the tablet is, therefore, an obtuse-angled triangle with two sides alike. The pupil then unites two and two tablets by laj'ing them so that edges join edges, corners touch corners and edges joiu corners as shown in Figs. 228-236. Fig. 210. Fig. 211. Fig. 212 Fig. 228. Fig. 229. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 135 Fig. 230. Fia;. 232. Fig. 234. Fis;. 231. Fig. 233. Fig. 235 Fig. 236. The nest preliminary exercise, is the com- bination by fours, of the elementary forms thus produced. Peculiarly beautiful, mosaic-like forms of beauty result from this process, such as Figs. 237-243, which are produced by the combination of two opposites or by medi- ative forms. Figs. 244-250 are samples of forms of life. Fig. 237. Fig. 238. Fig. 240. Fig. 241. P ... Fig. 242. Fig. 243. The forms of knowledge which may Tic pro- duced, afford opportunity to repeat what has been taught and learned previoush' about pro- portion of form and size. In the Primary School the geometrical proportions are further introduced, by which means the knowledge of the pupils, in regard to angles, as to the po- sition they occupy in the triangle, can be suc- cessfully developed by practical observation, without the necessity of ever dealing in mere abstractions. Fig. 239. Fig. 247. Fig. 248. 136 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 249. A comparison v.-\th tlie rigbt-augled triangle with two equal sides will facilitate the matter greatly. Ou the whole, however, the process of de- yelopuieut may be pursued, as repeatedly in- dica.ted ou previous occasions. Fig. 250. THE RIGHT-ANGLED TRIANGLE WITH NO EQUAL SIDES. (See Figs. 251— 2S6). The little box coutaiuiog fifty-six tablets of the above description, each of which are in form like one-half of the obtuse-angled tri- angle, enables the child to represent a goodly number of forms of life, as shown iu Figs. 251-264. r/j £.iL Fig. 251. In producing them sufficient opportunities will present themselves to let the child find out the qualities of the new occupation material. Fig, 253. |(f !?" k T#| H!^ Fig. 254. Fig. 255. Fig. 252. Fig. 256. Fig. 258. Fig. 259. Fig. 260. m. s....Lmii PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. Fig. 257. l?u tri T"='*.- ca Fig. 263. Fig. 261. Fig. 264. The variety of the forms of beauty to be laid with these tablets, is especially founded outheif combination iu twos. Figs. 265-270 show the forms produced by joining equal sides. 138 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fio-. 265. Fig. 266. Fis;. 267. Fis. 268. Fig. 269. Fig. 270. In similar manner, the cliild has to find out the forms which will be the result of joining unlike edges, like corners, unlike corners, and finally corners and edges. By a fourfold combination of such elementary forms the child receives the material (Figs. 271-282), to produce a large number of forms of beauty similar to those given under Figs. 283-286. For the purpose, also, of presenting to the child's observation, in a new shape, propor- tions of form and size, in the production of forms of knowledge, these tablets are very serviceable. Like the previous tablets, these also, and a following set of similar tablets, are used in the Primary Department for enlivening the instruction in Geometry. It is believed that nothing has ever been invented to so facilitate, and render interestiug to teacher and pupil, the instruction in this so important branch of education as the tablets forming the Seventh Gift of Froebel's Occupation Material, the use of which is commenced with the children when they have entered the second year of their Kin- dergarten discipline. Fig. 272 Fig. 276. Fig. 279. Fig. 273. Fig. 277. Fig. 278. Fig. 280. Fig. 281. Fig. 282. ^ A ^ / 1 ' ' I -\ fe5s-"f -- ' — +--a Fig. 283. Fig. 284. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 139 1^ ■r-\

nglish language, was equally a forerunner of the kindergarten in America, which to-day stands well in advance of the work in all other parts of the world, while its possi- bilities can as yet be only imagined. Twenty years ago America was at a great industrial dis- advantage in comparison with older nations, because her artisans lacked the scientific and art education which was afforded the work- men of other countries. This defect is rapidly * No sucli introduction i^ needed. Children draw is no more nervous woriv in the kindergarten than favin: being overcome in the establishment of indus- trial schools, through the liberal donations of some of our capitalists and the general progress of our public school officials along the same lines. Inlaying the foundation of such educa- tion in the kindergarten the seventh gift has inmiense capabilities, but much of its force and value has been lost from lack of logical se- quence in the derivation of the forms of the tablet, and the order of their use. In the origi- nal seventh gift tablets as imported from Ger- many there were five forms, namely, the square, half square, equilater.al triangle, obtuse-angled triangle and scalene triangle made by di%'iding diagonally an oblong of two squares. In this gift the absence of the circle and half circle seems to have been unfortunate, because the ball is the first solid, and correspondingly the circle should be the first surface form, and the general introduction of the circle and half circle by the leading kindergartners of our day seems to particularly indorse this criticism. Following the circle based on the sphere, should come the square which is one of the six equal faces of the cube, and the half square formed by a diagonal di%nsion of the square should follow. Next, we may have the equi- lateral triangle which is the type of three-sided plane figures, as the square is the type of four- sided figures. If the equilateral triangle is long before tliey can profitably handle tablets. There ' tablets unless enlargced ones are used. 140 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. divided by a line from one corner to the cen- ter of tlje opposite side, this line will be per- pendicular to that side and one of these halves of the equilateral will be a scalene triangle with two acute angles and one right angle. If these two triangles formed by dividing the equilateral triangle are placed base to base, we have an obtuse-angled triangle. These five forms are the same as in the original German gift, except the scalene triangle, and it is in the form and order of introduction of this tablet, that the objection to the old seventh gift is found. If the scalene triangle is one-half of the equilateral it becomes a typical and valua- ble form, instead of a meaningless and useless one when it is a half of an oblong of two squares. In this new form the angles are ninety degrees, sixty degrees and thirty de- gi'ees, all of which are typical or in a sense standard angles, but if instead of this triangle we have the half of the oblong of two squares, the two acute angles become fractional and have i A no value as standards and no logical relation to the other tablets. Two of them will not make an equilateral triangle, neither will they make the obtuse-angled triangle with which they must be associated, and no number of tbem will exactly fill a circle. In fact, the tri- angle is a constant source of error and false education to the eye, and in its use much of the practical value of this gift is sacrificed. In the accompanying diagrams. A, B, C, D, E, the tablets of the seventh gift are shown in their proper order. The square A educates the eye to correctly estimate a right angle, one of the essential qualifications of a skilled artizan. The bisection of the square gives the forty-five degrees triangle B, thus training the eye to measm-e that universal angle, the miter, one-half of a right angle. These two angles are so common that the draftsman or the designer constantly uses a large "tablet B" in connec- tion with the T square in his work. The angle of forty-five degrees is one eighth of the circle and this triangle is used in a very simple way for drawing the octagon, thus : — Draw a circle and with the T square draw a tangent to the top and bottom of the circle. With the triangle sliding on the blade of theT D Fig. 287. square draw the two tangents at opposite sides, Fig. 287. Then place the hypothenuse of the triangle on the T square and draw four diag- onals tangent to the circle to complete the oc- tagon, as in Fig. 288. This is but one of the many ways in which the forty-five degrees tri- angle is used by the draftsman. The equila- teral triangle C has tliree angles of sixty de- n u Fig. 288. grees each, six of which form a complete circle. The di%'ided equilateral or right-angled scalene triangle D has one angle of ninety degrees, one of sixty degrees and one of thirty degrees, and this tablet is another tool indispensable to the draftsman, and a constant companion of the forty-five degrees triangle and the T square. It is of the same service in drawing the hexa- gon that the forty-five degrees triangle is in i J Fig. 289. forming the octagon, as may be seen in Fig. 289, and Fig. 290, which following Figs. 287 and 288, will usually give the idea without further explanation. In case the matter is not perfectly clear these operations can be per- formed with the T square and triangles of the drawing kit of the elementary school. These two triangles represent all the angles which may be termed standards, namely, ninety degrees, PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 141 fortj'-five degrees, sixty degrees and thirty de- (Figs. 299-304), also border patterns, (Fig. grees, and a child iu the kindergarten sliould be- 305). Sequeuees may be derived liy working come as familiar with them as with the size of by opposites, as shown in Figs. 30()-310. the squares on the table. The obtuse-angled triangle E, as made in the gifts, is in form like two of D, joined at the short sides, but for con- venience the size is reduced one-half. r- i^^ • "1 Fig. 290. The only argument for the use of the scalene triangle derived from the oblong of two squares, seems to be based on the fact that such a tri- angle is conveniently made on the netted draw- ing, but this certainly is not of sufficient im- portance to warrant the introduction of a math- ematical monstrosity such as this triangle must be considered. Among the seventh gift tablets for sale and in use in the kindergartens both forms of the scalene triangles may be found. One is the half of an oblong of two squares and the other the half of a equilateral triangle. Some kin- dergartners are using either the one or the other with well settled eon-sictions as to its superior value, while others have given little or no thought to the subject. The difference is so radical between the two geometrical forms that it should become a question of considerable im- portance in the mind of an intelligent kinder- gartner, which form she selects in her gifts. Ha\-ing decided, she ought to be sure that she gets what she wants when ordering material. The argum.ent in favor of the half equilat- eral has been'briefly expressed above, because the experience of the editor in practical geome- try and industrial drawing has convinced him of the truth of this position, but every kinder- partner is entitled to the opposite opinion af- ter ha\-ing given careful thought to the subject. In presenting this gift as the circle is the first plane to be given, a clay sphere may be modeled and by cutting through the center, the face of the hemisphere will show the circle thus proving to the children that it is derived from the ball. Call attention to other circular ol)jects and give simple lessons in direction and position ; follow this by laj'ing forms of symmeti-y with the circle, (Figs. 291-298), and half circle, Fig. 292. Fig. 293. Fig. 294. Fig. 295. Fig. 296. Fig. 297. In considering the square let a piece of ap- ple or bread be cut just the size and shape of the third gift, and then a slice cut from it to show how the square tablet is a representative of the surface of the cube. Most children would understand it, perhaps, without this, but something real is better and the fact that /=: 142 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. taking the slice from the cube has left only a in the tablets of this gift, it often gives him part of a eulie becomes more of a reality to great pleasure to reproduce that design in per- manent form by pasting colored papers cut Fig. 299. Fig. 300. Fig, 301. LmJ Fig. 302. Fig. 303. Fig. 304. Fig. 305. ^p9 :) ; Fig. 306. Fig. 307. Fig. 308. the children after they have watched the pro- cess than if they had only tried to think it out. Wlien a cliild has laid a satisfactory design Fig. 309. in shapes like the tablets on to a piece of card or heavy paper, which may be can ied home as a souvenir. In this occupation which has been called "Parquetry," the element of color may be introduced while l)oth the form instruction and manual training involved are invalualile. In some styles of the seventh gift the tablets are painted in a variety of colors, and while on first thought this feature may be very at- tractive, experience has seemed to demonstrate to the satisfaction of kiudergartners in this countrj', that the tablets in light and dark woods, expressing tones rather than color are more valuable, educationally, than the colored tablets. Before the introduction of Parquetry papers the colored tal:)lets were quite popular, but with the greatly improved expression o? color sequences found in the modern educa- tional colored paper, tliis feature seems open to many objections. No painted surfaces sub- ject to constant use by the children and ex- posure to the light, can permanently retain their colors so as to have much educational value in color perception, and therefore the occupations are far better adapted to the teaching of color than the gifts. Also the consideration of the effects of light and shade in the designs as made with the tablets is as much as the child's mind is able to grasp at first, while increased interest is secured later by the addition of colors in the reproduction of the designs, by pasting papers selected from the great variety of colors in the modern edu- cational colored papers. Par()uetry not only delights the children but teaches accuracy of eye and hand in placing the small bits of paper, neatness in the gumming, and cultivates taste in the selection and combination of colors. It is distinctly an American occupation which has been generally accepted as a valuable addition to the earlier occupations of the kindergarten^ THE EIGHTH GIFT. STICKS FOR LAYING OF FIGURES. As the tablets of the Seventh Gift are noth- ing but an embodiment of the pkmeh surround- ing or limiting the cvhe, and as these planes, limits of the cube, are nothing but the repre- sentations of the extension in length, hreadtli and height, already contained in the sphere and ball, so also the sticks are derived from the cube, forming as they do, and here bodily rep- resenting its edges. But they are also contained in the tablets, because the plane is thought of, as consisting of a continued or repeated line, and this may be illustrated by placing a suf- ficient number of one inch long sticks side be- side, and close together, until a square is formed. The sticks lead us another step farther, from the material, bodily, toward the i-ealm of abstractions. By means of the tablets, we were enabled to produce flat images of bodies ; the slats, which, as previously jnentioned, form a tran- sition from plane to line, gave, it is true, the outlines of forms, but these outlines still re- tained a certain degree of the plane about them ; in the sticks, however, we obtain the material to draw the outlines of objects, bj' bodily lines, as perfectly as it can possibly be done. The laj'ing of sticks is a favorite occupa- tion with all children. Their fantasy sees in them the most different objects, — stick, yard measure, caudle ; in short, they are to them representatives of everything straight. Our sticks are of the thickness of a line (o'le twelfth of an inch), and are cut in vari- ous lengths. The child, holding the stick in his hand, is asked: What do j'ou hold in your hand? How do you hold it ? Verticallj'. Can Fig. 1. Fig. 2. Fig. Lay your stick upon the table. How does it lie ? In what other direction can you place it? The child receives a second stick. How many sticks have you now ? Now try to form something. The child lays a standing cross, (Fig. 4). You certainly can lay mauj' other and more beautiful things ; but let us see what else we may produce of this cross, by mov- ing the horizontal stick, by half its length, (Figs. 4 to 14). Fig. 4. Fig. 6. Fig. 6. Fig. 7. — — ■ <= ■ Flo;. 8. Fig. 9. Fis. 10. Fio-. 11. Fig. 12. Fig. 13. Fig. 14. Starting from a lying cross, (Fig. 15) or from a pair of open tongs, (where two acute and two obtuse angles are formed bj' the cross- ing sticks), and proceeding similarly as with Figs. 4-14, we will produce all positions which two sticks can occupy', relative to one another, except the parallel, and this wiU give ample opportunity to refresh, and more deeply ini- press upon the pupil's mind, all that has been introduced so far, concerning vertical, hori- zontal and oblique lines, and of right, acute and obtuse angles, (Figs. 15-23). you hold it in any other way ? Yes ! I can hold it horizontally. Still in another w.iy ? Slant- ing fi'om left above, to right below, or from riglit above to left below. (Figs. 1-3). Fig. 15. Fig. 16 Fig. 17. Fig. 18. 144 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 11). Fig. 20. Fig. 21. Fig. 22. Fig. 23. AVith two sticks, we can also form little figures, which show some slight resemblance with things aroimd us. By them we enliven the power of recollection and imagination of the child, exercise his ability of comparison, increase his treasure of ideas, and develop in all these his pow'er of perception and concep- tion — the most indispensable requisites for disciplining the mind. Following are given representations of ob- jects made : — With two sticks. Fig. 24, A Playing Table. Fig. 25, Pick Axe. Fig. 26, An Angle Meas- 'ure. (Carpenter's square). Tig. 32. .Fig. 33. With five sticks. Fig. 34, Signal Flag of R. R. Guard. Fig. 35, A Cottage. Fig. 3G, Saw. horse. Fig. 37, A Chair. rig.85. Fig. 30. Fio-. Fig. 24. Fig. 25. Fig. 26. Witli three sticks, Fig. 27, A Flail. Fig. 28, With six sticks. Fig. 38, A Flag. Fig. 39, A Boat. Fig. 40. A Reel. Fig. 41. A Small Tree. A Small Flag. Fig. 29, A Star. Fig. 27. Fig. 28. Fig. 29. With four sticks, Fig. 30, A Wooden Chair. Fig. 31, A Wash bench. Fig. 32, A Crib. Fig. 33, Flower-pot. '^^^^ Fig. 38. Fig. 39. Fig. 40. Fig. 41. Fig. 30. Fig. 31. With seven sticks, Fig. 42, A Dwelling House. Fig. 43, A Bridge with Three Spans. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 145 Fig. 44, Tombstone and Cross. Fig. 45, Rail With nine sticks, Fig. 51, Dwelling-liouse. Fence. Fig. 52, Sailboat. Fig. 53, Balance. Fig. 54. Coffee-mill. Fig. 55, Students Lamp J ii U L Fig. 43. Fig. 51 t=4=J Fig. 44. y Fig. 45. With eight sticks, Fig. 46, Church, with steeple. Fig. 47, Gas Lantern. Fig. 48, Corn- crib. Fig. 49, A Flower-pot. Fig. 50, A Piano forte. Fig. 53. Fig. 54. Fig. 46. Fig. 47. Fig. 48. Fig. 49. Fig. 50. Fig. 55. With ten sticks, Fig. 56, Graveyard Wall Fig. 57, A Hall. Fig. 58, A Flower-pot. Fig. 59, A Bedstead. Fig. GO, A Flag. 146 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 56. Fig. 57. Fig. 58. Fig. 59. Fig. 60. With eleven sticlcs, Fig. 61, A Kiteheu Lamp. Fig. 62, Cup aud Saucer. Fig. 61. Fig. 62. With twelve sticks. Fig. 63, A Church. Fig. 64, Chair aud Table. Fig. 65, A Well with Sweep. Fig. 63. Fig. 64. Fig. 65. These exercises are to be continued with a larger number of sticks. The hints given above, will enable the teacher to conduct the laj-iug of sticks in a manner interesting, as well as use- ful, for her pupils. It is advisable to guide the activity of the child occasionally in another direction. The pupils may all be called upon to lay tables, which can lie produced from two to ten sticks, or houses which can be laid with eighteen sticks. Sticks are also employed for representing forms of beauty. The previous, or simulta- neous occupation with the building blocks, aud tablets, will assist the child in producing the same in great variety. Figs. 66-72 belong to this class of representations. Combination of the occupation material of several, or all children taking jiart in the ex- ercises, will lead to the production of larger forms of life, or beauty, which in the Primary Dei>artment, can even be extended to repre- senting whole landscapes, in which the mate- rial is augmented by the introduction of saw- dust to represent foliage, grass, land, moss, etc. By means of combination, the children often produce forms which afford them great pleas- ure, aud J'epay them for the careful persever- ance aud skill employed. They often express PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 147 Fig. 66. Fig. 67. Fis;. 68. Fig. 69. Fig. 70. Fig. 71. Fiff. 72. 14S GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. the ■wish that they might be able to show the inoductiou to father, ov mother, or sister, or friend. But this they caDoot do, as the sticks will separate when taken up. We should assist the little ones in carrying out their desire of giving pleasure to others, by showing to, or presenting them with the result of their own industry, in portable form. By wetting the ends of the sticks with muci- lage, or binding them together with needle and thread, or placing them on substantial paper, we can grant their desire, and make them hap- pj% and be sure of their thanks for our efforts. But we have another means of rendering these representations permanent, and it is by draiuing, which, on its own account, is to be practiced in the most elementary manner. We begin the drawing, as will hereafter be shown, as a special branch of occupation, as soon as the child has reached its third or fourth year. The method of laying sticks is in general the same as applied for drawing, the latter, how- ever, progresses less rapidly. It is advisable to combine sticks in regular figures, ti'iangies and squares, and to find out in a small num- ber of such figures all possible combinations according to the law of opposites. All these occupations depend on the larger or smaller number of sticks employed ; they there- fore afford means for increasing and strength- ening the knowledge of the child. The pupil, however, is nuieh more decidedlj' introduced into the elements of ciphering, when the sticks are placed into his hands for this specific pur- pose. We do not hesitate to make the asser- tion that there is uo material better fitted to teach the rudiments in figures, as also the more advanced steps in arithmetic, than Fra'bel's sticks. A few packages of the sticks in the hands of the pupil is all that is needed in the Kindergarten proper, and the following De- partment of the Primary School. The children receive a package with ten sticks each. Take one stick and lay it verti- cally on the table. Lay another at the side of it. How many sticks are now before you? Twice one makes two. Lay still another stick upon the table. How many are there now ? One and one and one — two and one are three. Still another, etc., etc., until all ten sticks are placed in a similar manner upon the table. Now take away one stick. How many remain? Ten less nine leaves one. Take away another stick from these nine. How many are left? Nine lessone leaves eight. Take another; this leaves seven ? etc., etc., until all the sticks are taken one by one from the table, and are in the child's hands again. Take two sticks and lay them upon the table, and place two others at some distance from them. (|| ||) How many are now on the table ? Two and two are four. Lay two uiore sticks beside these four sticks. How many are there now? Four and two are sii. Two more. How manj' are there now? Six and twoare e/(/7/f. And still another two. How many now? Eight and two are ten. The child has learned to add sticks bj' twos. If we do the opposite, he will also learn to subtract by twos. In similar manner we pro- ceed with ?/iree,/o((r and _^i'e. After that we alternate, with addition and subtraction. For instance, we lay three times two sticks upon the table and take away twice two, adding again four times two. Finally we give up the equality of the number and alternate, liy add- ing different numbers. We lay upon the tal.de two and three sticks which equal five, adding two, which equal seven, adding three, which equal ten. This affords opportunity to introduce six and nine, as a whole, more frequently than was the case in previous exercises. In subtrac- tion we observe the same method, and intro- duce exercises in which subtraction and addi- tion alternate with unequal numbers. Lay six sticks upon the table, take two away, add four, take away one, add three and ask the child how many sticks are on the table, after each of these operations. In like manner, as the child learned the figures from one to ten, and added and sub- tracted with them as far as the number of ten sticks admitted, it will now learn to use the tens up to one hundred. Packages of ten sticks are distributed. It treats each package as it did before the single stick. One is laid upon the table, and the child says, "Once ten ;" add a second, "Twice ten;" a third, "Three times ten," etc. Subsequently he is told, that it is not customary to say twice, or two times ten, but twenty ; not three times ten, but thirty, etc. This experience will take root so much the sooner, in his memorj', and become knowledge, as all this is the result of bis own activity. As soon as the child has acquired sufficient ability in adding and subtracting by tens, the PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 149 combination of uuits and tens is introduced, to makethe cliildremmderstand wliat nwrnera-Zs The pupil receives two packages of ten sticks are, use the blackboard and show them that if —places one of them upon the table, opens we wish to mark down how many sticks, blocks, the second and adds its sticks one by one to or other things each of the children have, we the ten contained in the whole package. He might make one line for each stick, block, etc. learns ten and one equal eleven, ten and two AVrite then one small vertical line on the black- equal twelve, ten and three equal thirteen, until board, saying in writing, Charles has one stick; ten and ten equal twenty sticks. Gatheringthe making ?(ro lines beloiu the first, continue by ten loose sticks, the child receives another saying" Emma has two blocks; again, making package and places it beside the first whole three lines, Ernest has three rubber balls, and package. Ten and ten equal twenty sticks, so on until you have written ten lines, always Then he adds one of the loose sticks and says giving the name of the child and stating how twenty and one equal twenty-one, twenty and many objects he has. Then write opposite each two equal twenty-two, etc. Another package row of lines to the right, the Arabic figure ex- pressing the number of lines, and remark that instead of using so many lines, we can also use these figures, which we call numends. After the children have learned that the figures which we use for markins down the of ten brings the number to thirty-one, etc., etc., up to ninety-one sticks. In this manner he learns twenty-two, thirty-two, up to ninety- two, twenty-three to ninety-three and one Qundred, and to add and subtract within this limit. To be taught addition and subtraction number of things are called numerals, exercises in this manner, is to acquire sound knowledge, founded on self-activity and experience, and is far superior to any kind of mind-killing memorizing usually employed in this connec- tion. If addition and subtraction are each other's opposites, so addition and multiplication on the one hand, and subtraction and division on of the following character may be introduced. How many hands have each of you? Two. The numeral 2 is written on the board. How many fingers on each hand ? Five. This is writ- ten also on tiie board — .5. How many walls has this room? Four. Write this figure also on the board. How many days in the week are the children in the Kindergarten ? Six days. the other, are oppositioually equal, or, rather. The 6 is also written on the board. multiplication and di^^sion are shortened addi- tion and subtraction. In addition, when using equal numbers of sticks, tJie child finds that by adding two and two, and two and two sticks he receives eight sticks and is told that this may also be ex- pressed by saying four times two sticks are eight sticks. It will be easy to see how to pro- ceed with division, after the hints given above. Let none of our readers misunderstand us as intimating that all this should be accom- plished in the Kindergarten proper. Enough has been accomplished if the child in the Kindergarten by means of sticks and other material of occupation, has been enabled to have a clear understanding of figures in general. This will be the basis for further develop- Then repeat, and let the children repeat af- ter you, as an exercise in speaking, and at the same time, for the purpose of recollecting the numerals : Each child has 2 hands, on each hand are .5 fingers ; this room has 4 walls, — always em- phasizing the numerals, and pointing to them when they are named. The children may then count the objects in the room or elsewhere, and then lay with their sticks, the numerals expressing the number they have found, speaking in the meantime, a sentence asserting the fact which they have stated. As the occupation with laj'ing sticks is one of the earliest in the kindergarten, and is em- ployed in teaching numerals, and reading and ment in addition, subtraction, multiplication writing, and drawing also, it is evident how and division in the Primary Department. important a material of occupation was sup- It now remains to add the necessary advice plied by Fra?bel, in introducing the sticks as in regard to the introduction and representa- one of his Kindergarten Gifts* tion with the sticks of the numerals. In order * This is a simple and inexpensive material, but the shorter lengths are difficult for a child to place and hence are in danger of producing nervousness. The newer raetliods in vogue in teaching, reading, writing and drawing make the occupation useless in these subjects and even undesirable. The whole word or story now precedes the single letter in reading. In writing, attention is concentrated upon movement rather than u]ran form. Script also is used for beginners and caimot be shown with sticks. Capital letters only can be formed with the sticks; making .so many letters in capitals tends to teach children to use too many in writing. The sticks are valuable for counting lessons and for making groups of twos, threes, fours, etc., preparatory to addition and multiplication. Numerals should not be taught in the kindergarten at all. All the representation of numbers with packages of tens is excellent for primary work, but should never be taken up with childri.n \inder six years of age. The tendency even in the primary grades is to postpone Number work. Some psychologists tell us that the nascent jjcriod for Number comes after eight years of age, and more will then be learned in one year than in the three pre^•ious years and with less fatigue. 150 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. EDITOR'S NOTES. As this gift is used to represent the line, it takes the child one step farther, into the ab- stract world, teaching both direction and out- lines. It consists of sticks from one to five inches iu length, which come in bundles or in a com- partment box containing fifteen hundred sticks of the natural wood or of the six spectrum colors,* which are more attractive to the chil- dren, and are helpful in color lessons and iu representing familiar objects. In presenting this gift first hand one stick to each child, call attention to it l)y asking what it looks like and where it came from. Give a talk on trees, telling how they spring from the seed and grow, and how the wood is used for various pm-poses. / introduced, the teacher being careful to advance no faster than the child can follow. With four sticks a square may be fonned, or the sticks may be placed around a quad- rangular tablet, and then removed, showing the outline. The sticks are the foundation for outUne drawing, and after the children have made sim- ple objects with the sticks let them draw what they have made, on paper or the blackboard. Give simple lessons in dictation, and in or- der to cultivate imagination and to draw out the inventive powers of the children, let them arrange short sequences iu forms of life, add- ing interest by a story. Give sticks of different lengths, as this en- ables the children to make a greater va- riety of figures. AVhen using the two-inch stick lead them to see that it corresponds to the edge of the second gift cube. This gift is useful in making angles and geometrical figures. In the geometrical figures the first to be outlined is the square, following the face of the second gift cube aud the square tablet of the seventh gift. Direct attention to the right angles and let the children jioiut them out. FoUow this with obtuse and acute angles. When the fifth gift and tlie triangle of the sev- enth gift have been used then lay the sticks to form triangles, oblongs, pentagons, etc. v /h \ Fig. 73. Ask for different articles that are made from wood and give the process by whicli the sticks are prepared for use, how they are dyed, etc. ; then let the children place the sticks in different directions, the vertical, horizontal, aud slant- ing. Give a second stick, place them parallel, in different directions ; combine them and place them in all possible positions to each other. A number lesson in addition, subtraction and multiplication may be taught, and a third stick * See Chapter on Color. Plain wooden sticks should be used more than colored ones. It is a serious mistake to let children outline except in one color. Frequently a house is outlined with sticks of various colors, which is an absurdity. Suit the color to the object to be outlined when possible; otherwise use plain wood in the natural colors. To help in sorting a handful of colored sticks is a good exercise. Fig. 74. A great variety of life forms can be shown and to some extent symmetrical forms. It is well to let the children unite their sticks or com- bine them with I'iugs, especially iu the life forms, (Figs. 73 and 74). In this way a house with interior furnishings may be made, or a house, yard and fence. The world of occupation fur- nished by this gift is a continual wonder to the kindergartner. THE NINTH GIFT- WHOLE AND HALF RINGS FOR LAYLNG FIGURES. Immediately connected with the sticks, or straight lines, Fra-bel si'ives the representatives of the rounded, curved lines, in a box contain- ing twenty-four whole and forty-eight half cir- cles of two different sizes made of wire. The rings supply the means of representing a curved line perfectly, besides enabling us by their dif- ferent sizes to show "•the one within another." This gift is introduced in the same w.iy as all other pre\'ious gifts were introduced, and the rules by which this occupation is carried on must 1 le clear to every one who has followed us in our "Guide" to this point. The child receives one whole ring and two half rings of the larger size. Looking at the whole ring the children observe that there is neither beginning nor end in the ring — that it represents the circle, in w'hich there is neither beginning nor end. (Fig. 1). "With the half OX Fig. 1. Fig. 2. ring, they have two ends ; half rings, like half circiCS and all other parts of the circle or curved lines, have tn'O ends. Two of the half rings form one whole ring or circle, and the children are asked to show this by experiment. Various observations can be made by the children, ac- companied by remarks on the part of the teacher. "Whenever the child combined two cubes, two tablets, sticks or slats with one another, in all cases where corners and angles and ends were concerned in this combination. Fig. 3. corners and angles were again produced. The two half rings or half circles, however, do not form any angles. Neither could closed space be produced by two bodies, planes, nor lines. The two half circles, however, close tightly up to each other so that no opening remains. The child now places the two half circles in opposite directions. (Fig. 2). Before, the ends touched one another, now the middle of the half circles ; previously a closed space was formed, now both half circles are open, and where they touch one another, angles appear. Mediation is formed in Fig. 3, where both half circles tmicli each other at "uc end and re- XX Fig. 4. main open or as indicated by the dotted line, join at end and middle, thereby enclosing a M Fig. 5. Fig. G. small plane and forming angles in the meantime Two more half circles are presented. The Fig. 7. Fig. .s. child forms Fig. 4, and develops by mo^^ng the half circles in the direction from without to within. (Figs. 5-8). All these forms are, owing to the nature of the circular line, forms of beaut i/ or beautiful forms of life, and, therefore, the occupation with these rings is of such importance. The child produces forms of beauty with other ma- 152 CIOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. terial, it is true, but the curviHl line suggests tender and ])lin,l)le soul of the eliild, uiust needs to him in a higher degree than anything else be greater and more lasting. AVithout believ- idcas of the beautiful, and the simplest com- ing iu the doctrine of two inimi('al natures in Fig. 11. man said to be in constant conflict with each other, we do believe that tiie talents and dis- l)osition in human nature are subject to the l)Ossil)ility of lieing developed in two opposite directions. Jt is tliis possibility which con- ditions the necessity of education, the necessity of employing every means to giv(^1lie dormant inclinations and tastes in tiie cliild, a direction toward tlie true, and good, and l)eautiful, — in i'ig- '•'■ one word, toward the ideal. Among these bniations of a small number of half and whole means stands pre-eminently a rational and circles, also bear in themselves the stamp of beauty. (Figs. 0-12). Fig. 12. timely development of the sense of beauty, upon which Fncbel lays so much stress. Showing the young child objects of art which are far beyond the S|)here of his appreciation, however, will assist tliis develoiimcnt, uiucii less than to carefully guard tiuit his surround-ngs contain, and siiow the fundamental requisites of lieauty, viz. : Order, cleanliness, simplicity Fig. 1(1. and harmony of form, and giving assistance If the fact cannot be refuted, that merely to tiie child in the active i-epresentation to the looking at the beautiful favorably impresses beautiful in a manner adapted to the state of the mind of the grown person in regard to development in the child himself, direction of its development, enabling him to Likeformslaid with sticks, those represented more fully appreciate the good and true, and with rings and half i-ings also are imitated by noble, and sublime, tliis influence upon the the children by drawing them on slate or paper. EDITOR'S NOTES. This gift now consists of twelve whole, eight- een half and twelve quarter wire rings, for lay- ing figures which involve circles. It is a con. tinuation of the eighth gift and preparatory to drawing and designing, being used to represent an outline of a surface. The rings are made of steel, and come in three different sizes of one inch, one and one- half inch and two inches in diameter. In in- troducing this gift the largest ring should be given first, and attention called to its form and properties. A talk on iron, its uses, how it is dug out of the ground by miners, a description of the mines, of the [irocess the ore passes through, how it is melted and molded into useful machines and articles, how it is changed into steel, is l)oth interesting ami instructive to the children. Ask for ditferent things that are PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 153 made of iron and steel, and draw from the chil- tions, the number and size of rings being in- drenthe reason why steel is valuable for knives, creased gradually. axes and other cutting utensils. A second AVlien a third ring is given, let the children suggest ways of laying tiicui. If they are of the same size, they may l)e placed side by side, Fis. 13. Fig. 14. in a group, in the form of a triangle, etc. If the different sizes are used, they may be placed one within the other, so that they are parallel, or they may touch at some point. Fonns of Fig. 18. sjTnmetry may be developed by several of these ring may he added and an exercise given in grouped together, as in Fig. 9. placing the rings in different ways and posi- The exercises with the half-rings are more 15-1 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. vnteresting and iustructive, as the forms are more varied and change at every step. Have the children place the half-rings in different positions. Give each child the same quantity of material and let them lay a design. Fig. 10 shows a combination of the half-rings. Se- Fig. lit. Fig. 20 quences invohiug both half and whole rings may be given, as shown in Figs. 13-17. When the quartei-ring is given, let the chil- dren compare it with the half-ring and combine the two in different sizes. Figs. 18 and 19 are the smallest half and quarter-iings combined, and Fig. 20, shows the largest size of each. Figs. 21 and 22 give pretty border patterns which may be embellished. As the curved line is the line of beauty, this gift is better adapted for beautiful forms than any of the others. Forms of life, especially in flower designs, are developed with the quar- Fig. 23. Fig. 24. ter-rings as shown in Fig. 23, while Figs. 24, and 25 show a combination of the whole, half and quarter-rings. Fig. 26, shows a combination of the three smallest sizes of each, Fig. 27, of the second size, and Fig. 28 of the largest. Fig. 29 is a combination of the whole, half and quarter- rings in the three different sizes. The rings of this Gift and the sticks of the eighth may be combined with pleasing and profitable results as shown in Figs. 30-38 of which Figs. 34-38 are a sequence. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 155 Fig. 25. Fia;. 26. Fis. 28. Fig. 29. 1^ ) Fig. 27. Fig. 30. 156 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 32. Fisr. 33. ^ Fig. 34. Fig. 35. <3fi) or,- e Fig. 36. Fig. 37. o4o 6 Fig. 38. THE TENTH GIFT* THE MATERIAL FOR DRAWING. One of the earliest oecupatious of the child should be methodical drawing. Frojbel's opinion and conviction ou this subject, de- viates from those of other educators, as much as in other respects. Frcebel, however does not advocate drawing, as it is usuallj' prac- ticed, which ou the whole, is nothing else but a more or less thoughtless mechanical copy- ing. The method advanced by Frcebel, is in- vented Ijy him, and perfected in accordance with his general educational principles. The pedagogical effect of the customary method of instruction in drawing, rests in many cases simply in the amount of trouble caused the pupil in surmounting technical difficulties. Just for that reason it should be abandoned entirely for the youngest pupils, for the difficulties in many cases are too great for the child to cope with. It is a work of Sisyphus, labor v-itliout result, naturally tend- ing to extirpate the pleasure of the child in his occupation, and the unavoidable consequence is that the majority of people will never reach the point where they can eujoj- the fruits of their endeavors. If we acknowledge that Froebel's education- al principles are correct, namely, that all manifestations of the child's life are manifes- tations of an innate instinctive desire for de- velopment, and therefore should be fostered and developed by a rational education in ac- cordance with the laws of nature, drawing- should be commenced with the third year; nay, its preparatory principles should be intro- duced at a still earlier period. With all the gifts, hitherto introduced, the children were able to study and represent forms and figures. Thus they have been occupied as it were, in drawing with bodies. This de- veloped their fantasy and taste, gi\'ing them in the meantime correct ideas of the solid, plane, and the embodied line. A desire soon awakes in the child, to repre- sent by drairiiig these lines and planes, these forms and objects. He is desirous of rep- resentation when he requests the mother to tell him a story, explain a picture. He is occu- pied in representation when breathing against the window-pane, and scrawling ou it with his finger, or when trying to make figures in the sand with a little stick. Each child is de- lighted to show what he can make, and should be assisted in every waj' to regulate this desire. Drawing not only develops the power of representing things the mind has perceived, but affords the best means for testing how far they have been perceived correctly. It was Froebel's task to invent a method adapted to the tender age of the child, and his slight dexterity of hand, and in the meantime to satisfy the claim of all his occupations, ie., that the child should not simply imitate, but proceed self-actingly, to perform work which enables him to reflect, reason, and finally to invent himself. Both claims have been most ingeniously satisfied by Frcebel. He gives the three j'ears old child a slate, one side of which is covered by a net-work of engraved lines (one- fourth of an inch apart), and he gives him in addition, thereto, the law of opposites and their mediation as a rule for his activity. The lines of the net-work guide the child in mo^^ng the pencil, they assist him in measuiing and comparing situation and position, size and relative center, and sides of objects. This facilitates the work greatly, and in con- sequence of this important assistance the child's desire for work is materially increased ; whereas obstacles in the earliest attempts at all kinds of work must necessarily discourage the beginner. Drawing ou the slate, with slate pencil is followed by drawing on paper with lead pen- cil. The paper of the drawing books is ruled like the slates. It is advisable to begin and continue the exercises in drawing on paper, in like manner as those on the slate were be- gun and continued, with this difference onlj', that owing to the progress made and skill ob- tained by the child, less repetitions may be needed to bring the pupil to perfection here, as was necessary in the use of the slate. It has been repeatedly suggested, that whenever a new material for occupation is in- troduced, the teacher should comment upon, or enter into conversation with the children, about the same ; the difference between draw- ■ See Chapter on Drawing. — Page 21. 158 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION; ing ou the slate and on paper, and the ma- terial used for both may give rise to many re- marks and instructive conversation.* It may be mentioned that the slate is first used, because the children can easily correct mistakes by wiping out what they have made, and that tliey should be much more careful in drawing on paper, as their productions can not appear perfectly clean and neat if it should be necessary to use the rubber often. Slate and slate pencil ai-e of the same ma- terial ; paper and lead jicncil are two very differ- ent things. Ou the slate the lines and figm'es drawn, appear white on darker ground. On the paper, lines and figures appear black on white ground. Moie advanced pu])ils use colored lead pen- cils instead of the common lilack lead pencils. This adds greatly to the appearance of the figures, and also enables the child to combine colors tastefully and fittingly. For the devel- opment of their sense of color, and of taste, these colored mosaic like figures are excel- lent practice. Drawing, as such, requires observation, at- tention, conception of the whole and its parts, the recollection of all, power of invention and combination of thought. Thus, by it, miud and fantasy are enriched with clear ideas and ti'ue and Ijeautiful pictures. For a free and active development of the senses, especially eye and feeling, drawng can be made of in- calculable benefit to the child, when its natu- ral instinct for it is correctly guided at its very awakening. The child is first occupied by THE \^RTICAL LINE. (See Figs. J— 42). The teacher draws on the slate a vertical Hue of a single length (one fourth of an inch) , say- ing while so doing, I draw a Hue of a single length downward. She then (lea^ang the line on the slate, or wiping it out) requires the child to do the same. (Fig. 1). She should show that Care should be exercised that the child hold the pencil properly, not press too much or too little on the slate, that the lines drawn be as equally heavy as possible, and that each single line be produced by one single stroke of the pencil. The teacher should occasionally ask : Wliat are you doing ? or, what have you done ? L Fig. 1. Fig. 2. the Hue she made commenced exactly at the crossing point of tn'o lines of the net-work, and also ended at such a point. * Slates have been discarded for hygienic reasons, for the young children. Fig. 3. Fig. 4. and the child should always answer in a com- plete sentence, showing that he works under- standingly. Soon the Hues may be drawn up- 1 j 1 Fig. 5. Fig. 6. wards also, and then they may be made al- ternately up and down over the entire slates until the cliild has acquired a certain degree of abiHty in haudliug the pencil. Fig. 7. Fig. ». The child is then required to draw a vertical Hue of two lengths, and advances slowly to lines of three, four and five lengths, (Figs. 2-5). Fig. 9. With the number five Frrebel stops on this step. One to five are known, even to the child three years old, by the number ou his fingers. Heavy craj'ons or the brush are preferred to pencils PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 159 The productions thus far accomplished are now combined. The child draws, side by side Fig. 10. Fig. 11. of one another, lines of one and two lengths (Fig. 6), of one, two and three lengths (Fig. 7), of one, two, three and four lengths (Fig. 8), and finally lines of one, two, three, four aud five lengths (Fig. 9). It always forms , ^ . i r 4 . _^ 11-13 himself. Leading him to understand the points of Fig. 10 exactly, he will have no difficulty in representing the opposite. Instead Fig 12. Fig. 13. by BO doiug a right-angled triangle. We have noticed akeady, in using the tablets, that Fig. 15. of drawing the smallest line first, he will draw the longest ; instead of drawing it downward, he will move his pencil uinvard, or at least be- Fig. 16. gin to draw on the line which is bounded above and thus reach Fig. 11. By continued reflec- Fig. 14. right-angled triangles may lie in many different ways. The triangle (Figs. 9 and 10) can also assume various positions. In Fig. 10 the five lines stand on the l>ase line — the smallest is the first, the largest the last, the right angle is to the right below. In Fig. 11 the opposite is found — the five lines hang on the base-line, the largest comes first, the smallest last, and the right angle is to the left above. Figs. 12andl3 Fio-. 17. are forms of mediation of Figs. 10 and 11. tion entirely within the limits of his capabihties The child should be induced to find Figs, he will succeed in producing Figs. 12 and 13. There is no more nervous work for the young children than attempting to draw on lines. It is also very trying to the eye. It has been discarded by almost every one. It can be used several years later with advan- tage as preliminary to mechanical drawing. 160 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Thus hy a different way of combiiiatiou of five vertical lines, four forms have been pro- duced, consisting of equal parts being, how- ever, unlike, and therefore oppositionally alike. Each of these figures is a whole in itself. But as everytliiug is always part of a large whole, so also, these figures sen-e as elements for more extensive formations. Fig. 18. In this feature of Froebel's drawing method in which we progress from the simple to the more complicated in the most natural and logi- cal manner, unite parts to a whole and recog- nize the former as members of the latter, dis- lu Fig. 14 tlie right angles are just in the middle; in Fig. 15 they are the most outward corners. In the forms of mediation (Figs. 16 and 17) , they are, it is true, on the middle line ; but in the meantime ou the outlines of the figures formed. In the other forms of media- tion, (Fig. 18, 19, etc.,) thej' lie together on the middle line ; but two in the middle, and two in the limits of the fieure. Fig. 2(1. Thus we have again, in Fig. 18-22, four forms consisting of exactly the same parts, which therefore are equal aud still have qual- ties of opposites. In the meantime, they are fit to be used as simple elements of following formations. In Fig. 22, they are combined into a star with filled middle. Nimierous forms of mediation maj' be produced, but we will work at present witli our simple elements. Fig. 19. cover the like in opposites, and the mediation of the latter, unquestionable guarantee is given that tlie deUght of the eliild will be renewed and increased, throughout the whole course of instruction. Let Figs. 10-13 be so united that the right angles connect in the center (Fig. 14), and again unite them so that all right angles are on the otitside (Fig. 15). Figs. 14 and 15 are opposites. Fig. 14 is a square with filled inside and standing ou one corner. Fig. 15 one resting on its base, with hollow middle. Fig. 21. Owing to the similarity in the method of drawing to that employed in the laying of the right angled, isosceles triangle, it is natural that we should here also arrive at the so-called rotation figures, by grouping our triangles with theii- acute angles toward the middle (Figs. 23 PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 161 and 24), or arrange them around a hollow square (Figs. 25 and 26). Figs. 27 and 28 are forms of mediation be- tween Figs. 23 and 24 and at the same time between Figs. 14 and 15. As pre\iously remarked, the slate is ex- changed for a drawing book as soon as the progress of the child warrants this change. It affords a peculiar charm to the pupil to see his productions assume a certain durability and i t __ ^ _ _ Fig. 22. All these forms again serve as material for new inventions. As an example, we produce Fig. 21) composed of Figs. 27 and 28. Fig. 24. permanency enabling him to measiu-e, by them, the progress of growing strength and ability. So far the ti'iangles produced by co- arrangement of our five lines were right- angled. Other triangles, however, can be produced also. This however, requires more practice and security in handling the pencil. Figs. 30 and 31 show an arrangement of the five lines of acute angled ( equi- lateral) triangles, and are opposites. Their ; ; ^_^ Fig. 23. The number of positions in which our orig- Fig. 25. inal elements (Fi^s. 10-13) can be placed by union gives the opposites Figs. 32 and 33 ; fi- one another, is here-nith not exhausted by far, naUy, the combination of these two. Fig 34. as the initiated ^dll observe. In the last three figures we also meet now 162 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 26. ' . ■ I ■ ' Fig. 27. Fig. 29. ,r- Fig. 30. Fig. 31. " > - -j ^ Fig. 32. - '^ " - ^ t-^ - , Fig. 28. Fig. 33. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 163 Fig. 34. — - a b ' Fig. 35. Fig. S 7. Fig. 3 S. - > Fig. 3 9. Fig. 36. Fig. 40. 164 GOLDEN JUBILP:E EDITION. the obtuse angle. This finds its separate rep- resentation in a of Fig. 3.5 ; opposition accord- to position is given in b ; mediation in c and d and the combination of these four elements in one rhomlioid fomiing Fig. 35. The four ob- tuse angles are turned inwardly. Fig. 37, the Fig. 41. opposite of Fig. 35, is produced by arranging the triangles in such a manner that the obtuse angles are turned outwardly. Fig. 36 presents the form of mediation. Fig. 42. It is evident that with obtuse-angled trian- gles as with right-angled triangles, combina- tions can be produced. Indeed, the pupil who has grown into the systematic i)lan of develop- ment and combination will soon be enabled to miite given elements in manifold ways ; he will produce stars with filled and hollow middle, rotation forms, etc., and his mental and phys- ical power and capacity will be developed and strengthened by such inventive exercises. Side by side with invention of forms of beauty and knowledge, the representation of forms of life takes place, in free individual ac- tivity. The child forms, of lines of one length, a plate, (Fig. 38), or a star, (Fig. 39), of lines of one and two lengths a cross, (Fig. 40), of lines up to four lengths lie repi'esents a coffee-mill, (Fig. 41), and employs the whole material of vertical lines at his command in the construction of a large building with part of wall connected with it. (Fig. 42). Equal consideration, however, is to be bestowed upon the opposite of the vertical. THE HORIZONTAL LINE. Figs. 43—63. The child learns to di-aw lines of a single length below each other, then lines of two, three, four and five lengths, (Figs. 43-47). He ar- ranges them also beside each other, (Figs. 48-50 ) , unites lines of one and two lengths, (Fig. 51), of on e , t w o a n d three lengths, (Fig. 62), of one to four leng t h s , (Fig. 53) , finally o f o ne to five lengths, thereby producing the right angled triangle. Fig. 64,it3oppo- sitCi Fig. 55, and forms of mediation. Figs. 56 and 57. The pupil arranges the elements into a square with filled middle, (Fig. 58 ) , with hollow middle, , (Fig. 50), produces the forms of mediation, (Fig. 60), and continues to treat the horizontal line just as' he has been taught to do with the vertical. Rotation forms, largeriig- ures, acute and obtnse- angled triangles can be formed ; forms of beauty, knowledge and life are also invented here, (Fig. Gl, adjustable lamp; Fig. 62, key ; Fig. 63, pigeon-house) ; and after the child has accomphshed all this, he arrives fi- nally, in a most natural way, at the combina- tion of vertical and horizontal hues. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 165 Fig. 43. Fig. 44. -i— ■ Fig. 45. Fig. 5G. Fis. 57. Fig. 46. t 1 ! i F^g. 47. - — r Figs. 48. Fig. 49. Fig. 50. Fig. 51. Fig. 62. i 1 1 I t - Fig. 53. Fig. 54. Fig. 55. Fig. 58. ^_^ I t t I I 1 I I I t .-- , Fig. 59. Fig. 60. 166 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. .^— _— .^^ — — ——-—-- * '. Fig. 61. Fig. COMBINATION OF ^^:RTICAL AND HORIZONTAL LINES. Figs. 64 — 92. First, lines of one single length are com- bined ; •ue already have four forms different as to position, (Fig. 64). Then follow the com- bination of two, tlu-ee, four, live-fold lengths, 62. Fig. 63. Fig. 69 is produced. Its opposite Fig. 70 and the forms of mediation, can be easily found. A union of these four elements appears iu the square, Fig. 71; opposite Fig. 72. Iu Fig. 71, the right angles are turned toward the middle, Fig. 64. Fig. 65. (Figs. 6.5-68) with each of which fom* opposites as to position are possible. As jireviously, Fig. 68. Fig. 69. and the middle is full. In Fig. 71 the reverse is the case. Forms of mediation easily found. Fig. 66 Fig. 67. lines of one to five-fold lengths are united to triangles, so now the angles are united and Fig. 70. If vertical and horizontal lines can be united only to form right angles, we have previously seeu that vertical as well as horizontal lines PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 167 may be combined to obtuse and acute-angled triangles. The same is possible, if they are united. Fig. 73 gives us an example. As in Fig. 73, the vertical lines form an ob- tuse-angled triangle, so the horizontal lines, and finally lioth kinds of lines can at the same time be arranged into ol)tuse-angled triangles. known manner. Figs. 73 and 75 are such fundamental forms ; the development of which to other figures will give rise to many instruc- Fig. 71. Thus a series of new elements is produced, whose systematic employment the teacher should take care to facilitate. So far we have only formed angles of lines equal in length ; 1)ut lines of unequal lengths Fig. 73. tive remarks. These figures show us that for such formations the horizontal as well as the " " \ Fig. 72. may be combined for this purpose. Exactly in the same manner as lines of a single length were treated, the child now combines fue line of a single length with that of two lengths, then, in the same way, the line of two lengths with that of four lengths, that of three with that of sis, that of four with that of eight, and finally, the line of five lengths with that of ten. The combination of these angles affords new elements with which the pupil can continue to form interesting figures in the already well- Fig. 74. vertical line may have the double length. Fig. 74 sliows the horizontal lines combined in such a way as if to form an acute-angled triangle. They, however, fomi a right-angled triangle, only the right angle is not, as heretofore, at the end of the longest line, but where? An acute-angled triangle would result, if the hor- izontal lines were all two net-squares distant from each other. Then, however, the vertical lines would form an obtuse-angled triangle. Important progress is made, when we com- 168 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 75. bine liorizontal a n d ver t i cal lines in such a way that by touching in two points they form closed figures, squares and oblongs. Fig. 78. and iive lines. These are com) liued then as vertical lines were combined also 1^ with 2% the 1=, 2% and 3% etc. These eoml)inations can be carried out in a vertical direction, when the squares will stand over or under each other ; or in a horizontal, when the squares will stand side liy side ; or, finally, these two oppo- sites may be combined with one another. Fig. 76, shows as an example a combi- nation of foursquares in a horizontal di- rection, its opposite, and forms of me- diation. In Fig. 77, squares of the first, second and third sizes are combined, vertically and horizonta 1 1 y , f o r m i ng a right angle to the right be- low ; then comes the oppo- site, (angle left above) and the forms of med i a t i o n . The same rule is f ol 1 o w ed Fig. 77. here as with the right angle First, the child draws squares of one-length's formed by single lines. The simple elements are dimension, then of two-lengths, of three, four, combined with each other into a square with Fig. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 169 Fig. 79. hollow middle, etc. ; and from the new elements tially new element should give rise to a mmr thus produced larger figures are again created, ber of exercises, conditioned only by the iudi- as the example Fig. 78, illusti-ates. Squares of \adual ability of the child. It must be left to the faithful teacher, by an earnest ob- ^ serration and study of her pupils, to _ find the right extent, here as every _ where in then- occupations. Indis- — criminate skipping is not allowed, neither to i)upil nor teacher ; each fol- — lowing production must, nnder all cir- ~ cumstauces be derived from the pre- ~ ceding one. [^ As the square was the re s u 1 1 of angles formed of lines of equal length, so also with the oblong. Here, too, the child begins with the simplest. He forms oblongs, the base of which is a single line, the height of which is a line of double length. He reverses the case then. Base line two, height single length. Retaining the same proportions, he pro- gi'esses to larger oblongs, the height of which is double the size of its base, and vice versa, until he has reached the nimi- bers five and ten. It is but natural that these oblongs, standing or lying, should also be united in vertical and horizontal directions. Each form thus produced again assumes four different positions, and the four ele- ments are again united to new formations, according to the rules previously explained. Fig. 79 a shows au arangement of standing oblongs, in horizontal directious. The opposite would contain the right angle, at a to the right be- low — to the left above ; Fig. 79 c would be one form of mediation, a second one, (opposite of Fig. 79 c) would have its right angle to the right above. Fig. SO shows a combination of lying oblongs, in a vertical dkec- tion. Fig. 81 shows oblongs in vertical and horizontal directions. Fig. 82 a combination of standing and lying oblongs, the former being arranged vertically, the latter, hori- zontally. In Fig. 8.3, we find standing ob- a Fig. 81. c longs so combined that the form represents an from one to five length lines of course admit of acute-angled triangle ; a and c are the only being combined in similar manner. Each essen- possible opposites in the same. t '—. a _ « . .„^ ' ' -^ ^ ^ ^— ^ — . — - ■« _ _4 — ^ '9 1 * =-r 1^ ic- — ^ Fig, 80. 170 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fia;. 82. ■ Fig. 86. Fig. 83. ' J i — — . — .^ — 1:1 IJ 1 H— Fig. 87. ^--i ■[— I- F ig • 8i i. _ Fig. 84. Fig. 85. Fig. 89. Fig. 90. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 171 Fig • 91 — - _ _ _ . \ ■ I — — — — — — — — . . — — , — — - F ig 12 *T _,_ , — r- r- k h— r— L — . Fig. 93. These few examples may suffice to indicate the abimdauce of forms which may be constructed with such simple material as tlie horizontal and verti- cal lines, from one to five lengths, (and double). It is the task of the educator to lead the learner to detect the elements, logically, in order to produce with them, new forms in unlimited num- bers, within the boundaries of the laws laid down for this purpose. But even without using these ele- ments, the child will be able, owing to continued practice, to represent manifold forms of life and beauty, l)artly by his own free invention, partly by imitating the objects he has seen before. As samples of the former. Fig. 90 shows a cross, Fig. 92 a triumphal gate. Fig. 93 a windmill ; of thelatte'i-,Figs. 84-86, 89 and 91 show samples of borders. Figs. 87 and 88 show other simple embellishments. As the vertical line conditioned its opposite, the horizontal line, both again condi- tion their mediation. OBLIQUE LINES. (Figs. 94—134). Our remarks here can be brief as the opera- tions are nothing but a repetition of those in connection with the vertical line. The child practices the drawing of lines from one to five lengths, (Figs 94-98) and combines these, receiving thereby four oppositionally equal right-angled triangles, (Fig. 99-102), of which it produces a square, (Fig. 103), its opposite, (Fig. 104), forms of mediation, (Fig. 105), and finally large figures. Then the lines are arranged into obtuse an- gles, and the same process gone through with them. With these, as in Fig. 106, its opposite Fig. 109, and its forms of mediation, Figs. 107 and 108, the obtuse angles will be found at the vertical middle line, or as in Fig. 110, at the horizontal middle line. By a comliinatioa of Figs. 108 and 110 we produce a star. Fig. 112. Finally we have also, reached here the forma- tion of the acute angled triangle, (Fig. 111). The oblique line presents oarticular richness 172 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. in forms, as it may be a line of various degrees In all these cases, the obliques were diag- of inclination. It is an oblique of the first de- onals of standing oblongs. They may just as gree whenever it appears as the diagonal of a well be dingonals of lying oblongs, pig. H6 — / / Fig. 96. When it appears as the diagonal of an oblong, it is either an Fig. 94. Fig. 9.5. square, as in Figs. 94:-ll'2 — — — — — / / / / / / / / _ _ — — , A / / / / / / / / / / -^ — . — — — — / / / / / / / / / , — — -^ \ \ \ \ — -^ — — ' — — — \ s ^ ^ - -■ \ \ \ \ — -A _. ' — — — — — / / / \ \ / / \ \ \ y / / WIN / / // \ \ \ V \ \ \ \ \ // / / / \ \\i\ / / / / \ \ \ // / \ \ / \ / — . — — — . — — — Fig. 97. Fig. 98. oblique of the second, third, fourth or fifth de- gree, according to the proportions of the base Une and height of the oblong, one to two, one to three, one to four, one to five Fig. 103. in which obliques from the tirst to the lifth de- gree are united, will illustrate this. The ob- liques are here aiTanged one above the other. — — — — — — — — / / / / \ \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / \ \ / A \ / \ \ \ / \ \ \ / / \ \^ \ \ / / / \ \ \ \ \ / / / / — — — — — — Fig. 99. Fig. 100. The upper left hand corner of Fig. 113, shows obliques of the second degree united to a right-angled triangle ; the lower right hand Fio;. 104. Fig. 101. Fig. 102. its opposite ; and the remaining two corners form mediations. In Fig. 114, the same lines are united in an obtuse-angled triangle. In Fig. 115, they Anally form an acute angle. — — — — — — — — — \ / \^ / \ / / \ \ / / / \ \ \ / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ \ / / / \ \ \ ^ / / / \ \ / \^ / \ — Fig. 105. In Fig. 117, the right and left sides show a simi- lar combination ; the obliques, however, are ar- ranged beside one another ; the upper and PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 173 — — — — — — — — — — / / / \ / / \ / / / \ N^ \ / / / \ \ // \ \ / / \ / / 7 N / ^ \ / N \ / \ w / / \ \ \ \ / / \ \ / / \ \ / \ \ \ / \ \ \ \ \ — — 1 — — Fig. 106. Fig. 107. — — — — — — ~1 H - -\ - \ / \ \ / / \ \ / / \ \ / / \ X \ \ / / / / / / / / \ \ \ \ / / / \ \\ / / \ \ \ / / \ \ / \ - — — — — — — — - — — Fiff. 110. ~ ~~ -A ~~ / \ / 7 N N / / \ \ / / / \j \ N / / / / \ \ \ \ / / / \ \ ^ / / \ ^ -^ — _J — -^ - Fig. 111. — — -^ — — i -\ H — \ / \ / \ \ / \ \ N, \ \ \ \ / / \ \ \ / \^ \ \ / ^ \ \ / \ \ / \ / \ / / \ / / \ \ / / / \ \ / / / / ^ / / / / / / \^ / \ / / \ / V- L — — — — — — — — — \ / ^i s ^ ^^ / / \ / / \ \ // / \ / / / ^ \ / / / / N \ \ / / / /■ N \ \^ s / l/ / / \ \^ s\ \ / / / Y / /, y / \ \ \ \ / / /, / \ \ \ 7 / / / \ \ / / N s / / \^ s / \ \ \ / V \ ^ ^/ \ / / / \ ^ — _ -1 -\ — _ Fig. 108. Fig. 109. Fig. 112. 174 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. " 2 - / 1-1- - ft 111 7 II 7, HI - / 7 ft ' Tl. HI TT1 1 la - XX^ ~X^ '- \^ \^^ ~- x^ ~XX - 3 ^_^_^ ^ ^XX " U-^ TX " A5 \ 3 - V - - VV- K - \v^ X - ' /.J / :zlri 'ft - Y t ■ztti ■-tt, -t - Fig. 113. § I — — — — I ^ ^ ^ "^ ^ "~ -. •— -.^ —^ ^ ^ ^ -"^ ^ ^ / — — — Fig. 115. Fio;. 116. ;■ ^ 'l_ V -1 '- 5 u ^- -i S^ ul t -t 5 jf i -t ^^^^y- \^"^^^^5;^^n 7^^^^=^^"^ ~~S:;5^^s^^ _/. L M \X- t- -\ - u ^ ff~ ^ tz \^ T~ "-^ : Z_ s Fig. 117. — — — — -^ -p5 ■^ ^ 'T ^ ^ ^ =- "" =^ ^ \ ^ ^ ^ \- _ _ — -^ Fig. 118. Fig. 114. Fig. 119. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 175 Fis. 120. Fig;. 121. Fig. 122. Fig. 123. Fig. 125. " Fis. 126. Fig. 12; Fig. 124. Fig. 128. 176 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fio;. 12ii. "■ ^\ — - /\?^ ■^ /\ ^ ^ / "5/ '\ ~ X _x X \ / 's^ ^\ / 1 ^ J_ \^ / / \ /[\ / /\ -■ fX / \ \^ / \ / nX \ \/ X X X / \ \XS^ 7 [ T — — — U — -. h1 \/ _ * [~ — . — h V Fi^. 130. Ym. 131. 1 - 1 t 1- t " - t X t X ' 1 \ t J " A/'^ 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 - -I V U V - / _^ - -h^ -^ ' -=fc Fig. 132. Fig. 133. .-._ ■ / \ / \ ^ ^ k ^' t\ 'i •^ .' / \ / V s / / s / / / \ N / ^ ^ V ^ / \ X ^ V v. /^ y r h % - ^ ^ - N 1 1 . Fig. 134. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 177 lower members are formed of diagonals of standing oblongs. Obliques of various grades can be united with one point as in Fig. 118, beside -which the form of mediation would appear as Fig. 119. As in this case, lying figures are produced, standing ones can be produced likewise. Each two of the elements thus received may be united BO that all obliques issue from one point, asiit Fig. 120, and in its opposite. Fig. 121. An oppositional combination can alsotake place, so that each two lines of the same grade meet, (Fig. 122). The combination of obliques with obliques to angles, to squares and oblongs now follow, analogous to the method of com- bining oblongs, vertical and horizontal lines. Finally the combination of vertical and oblique, horizontal and obliipie lines to angles, rhombus and rhomboid is introduced. AVith these, the child tries his skill in pro- ducing forms of life: Fig. 133, gate of a for- tress; Fig. 134, church with a schoolhouse and cemetery wall, and forms of beauty : Figs. 123-132. The task of the Kindergarten and the teacher has been accomplished, if the child has learned to manage ol:)lique lines of the first and second degree skillfully. All given in- struction which aimed at something beyond this was intended for the study of the teacher and the primary department, which is still more the case in regard to the curved line. THE CURVED LINE. (Figs. 135—147.) Simply to indicate the progress, and to give Frcebel's system of instruction in drawing com- plete, we add the following, and Figs. 135-147 in illusti'ation of it. First, the child has to acquire the ability to draw a curved line. The simplest curved lino is the circle, from which all others may be derived. However, it is difficult to draw a circle, and the net on slate and paper do not afford suffi- cient help and guiile for so doing. But on the other hand, the child has lieen enabled to d.aw squares, straight and oblique lines, and with the assistance of these it is not difficult to find a nimrber of points which lie on the periphery of a circle of given size. It is known that all corners of a quadrangle (square or oblong) lie in the periphery of a circle whose diameter is the diagonal of the quadrangle. In the same manner all other right angles constructed over the diameter, are pe- riphery angles, affording a point of the desii-ed circular line. It is therefore necessary to con- struct such right angles, and this can be done very readily with the assistance of obliques of various grades. — — — / ? ri — — — fiin. / \ .r^" f* rj ^ / \ ^ cA e ^ ^ > ^ \^ /// ^ > c // ^ ^ ^ --^ i:^I^\ Al^ ^^ ^ -fk ^ s^- -^ ^ ^/\ jj w \ ^ <^ /I // j ^ > y \ \ ' Q i \ / i — — — — ^' — — _ Fig. 135. Suppose we draw from point a (Fig. 135), an oblique of the third degree, as the diagonal of a standing oblong ; draw then, starting from point c, an oblong of the third degree, as diag- onal of a lying oblong, and continue both these lines. They will meet in point «, and there form a right angle. All obliques of the same degree, drawn from opposite points, will do the same as soon as the one approaches the vertical in the same proportion in which the other comes near the horizontal, or as soon as the one is the diag- onal of a standing, the other of a lying oblong. / Fig. 13(5. The lines Aa and Co are obliques of the third. Ah and Cb of the second, 4/^ and Cfoi the third degree, etc., etc. In this manner it is easy to find a number of points, all of which are points in the circular line, intended to be drawn. Two or thi-ee of them over each side. 178 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. will suffice to facilitate the drawing of the cir- ccMscribiug circle (Fig. 136). lulike niauuer the iNTERScribiug circle, will be obtaiued by drawing the middle transversals of the square, (Fig. 137), and constructing from their eud- poiuts angles iu the pre%'iously described manner. After the pupil has obtaiued a correct idea of the size and form of the circle, whose radius may be of from one to five lengths, he the combination of d and c. In Fig. 142, the arrangement finally takes place in oblique direction, and all lines meet in one point. The quarter circle is followed by the half ill Fig. 137. Fig. 138. will divide the same iu half and quarter circles, producing thereby the elements for his farther activity. Fig. 13'J. The course of instruction is here again the same as that in connection with the vertical line. The pupil begins with quarter circles, radius of which is of a single length . Then fol- low quarter circles with a radius of from two to five lengths. By arrangement of these five Fig. 140. Fig. 141. quarter circles, four elements are produced, which are treated in the same manner as the triangles produced by arrangement of five straight lines. The segments may be parallel and the arrangement may take place in vertical and horizontal direction, (Figs. 138 and 139), or they may, like the obliques of various de- grees, meet in one point, as in Fig. 142, of which Figs. 138 and 139 are examples. Fig. 140 represents the combination of the elements a and ri as a new element ; Fig. 141 f- .*- — I 1 9 L. . Fig. 142. cu-cle,(Figs. 143-145); then the three fourths circle, (Fig. 146), and the whole circle, as shown in Fig. 147. 1 . 7 f — ^. / / 1 M 1 M 1 ^^ ^^ - - ^ \ t Z S - ^ ^5 <^^-^^ ' - ^^—^ \^^ ^ - MI Z 4 ^ -t ^^^/ J Jl 7 i ir ' ■v. .y 1 i/i I'M 1 _^ Fig. 143. With the introduction of each new Mne, the same manner of proceeding is obseiTed. Notwithstanding the bre\-ity with which we e : ^- ^^ - 7 ^ — \ -. - t^ f- - . r tj - ^^^ t ^ - - ^^^ -^ ^^ ^7 - Fig. 144. have treated the subject, we nevertheless be- lieve we have presented the course of insti-ue- tiou in drawing sutHciently clear and forcible, PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 179 aad hope that by it we have made evident : — drawing for the future life of the pupil — may 1. That the method described here is per- he be led therein by its significance for Indus- fectly adapted to the child's abihties, and fit to develop them in the most logical manner. V. F=^ 2^ Fig. 145. Fig. 146. 2. That the abundance of mathematical perceptions offered with it, and the constant necessity for combining according to certain laws, cannot fail to surely exert a wholesome influence in the mental development of the pupil. 3. That the child thus prepared for future instruction in drawing, will derive from such instruction more benefit than a child prepared by auj' other method. "Whosoever acknowledges the importance of ^t ■^ — ^ : ^ =— =^^ / > / i 1 1 i\i\ / --rrh^ixu / 1 1 iM n - V ^ /^-\\ \ \ - -SS.- ( .^\ ) J ^ \r^ )]// ■*? )tLW-^ Fig. 147. trial purposes, or aesthetic enjojnnent, which latter it may afford even the ])oorest I — ^will be unanimous with us in advocating an earlj' com- mencement of this liranch of instruction with the child. If there be any skeptics on this point, let them try the experiment, and we are sure they will be "won over to our side of the question. EDITOK'S NOTES. The system of drawing based on netted slates and paper, as recommended I)}' Froebel has been freely criticised in recent years, and by some kiudergartners entirely discarded. The draw- ing exei'cises which have been ah-eadj' given were devised either by Frcebel or his early fol- lowers in accordance with the principles which he is supposed to have held. If Frcebel had received in his youth the instruction in draw- ing which is enjoyed by the children of the present time he probably would have developed a system of drawing for the kindergarten some- what different from that which bears his name, and yet it is safe for his followers to hesitate before they entirely discard his suggestions on this subject. It is well in this connection to consider how much of his work has come to be recognized as of great value, after having been neglected and practically ignored b_y our best educators for a generation, and we should give careful attention to the clahns made for the netted drawing, adopt as much of it as seems *See the "Little Artist " in Froebel's Mother Play. to be of value and then go on with the more modern methods which have been proved to be desirable, during the last tweutj'-five years of progress in art and industrial education. In free-hand drawing Froebel has practically left us no suggestions.* He was a sui-s-eyor and a mathematical draftsman with no training in artistic free-hand drawing. Prof. Wiebe seems to have quite clearly set forth the principal features of value in the system of drawing used by FrQ?bel and developed liy his followers for twentj'-five years after his death. The editor prefers in this edition of Prof. "Wiebe's book to treat of netted drawing as it was advocated by Frabel, without addition to the original text or argument for its valuable qualities. In addition to the exercises thus recom- mended there is undoubtedly some educational profit in copying on netted paper the designs laid on the kindergarten table with sticks, and whatever of value there is in this work may be secured bj' using sticks from one to four inches His suggestions are admirable for free drawing. In the commentary as well as in the rhymes and pictures suggestions are given to the mother for early drawing. See chapter on Drawing of present edition where these suggestions are explained. See also plates showing children's free drawing. ISO GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. long to form the designs on the table, and net- ted paper with one quarter to one half inch squares for copying the figures. A hal)it of accuracy is cultivated and some ability in imi- tating is developed in such work, which must be of value in almost any phase of industrial art. The reproduction of this school of netted drawing, with such prominence as it here as- sumes in comparison with all else that is shown of drawing in this book, is not intended to in- dicate its relative importance at the present time, but to avoid losing sight of Frwbel's rec- ommendations. Little space is here devoted to the modern methods of instruction in draw- ing because these are constantly before the teachers and are also fully explained by com- petent writers in various publications relating to the subject. For the use of slates, either in the kindergarten or the school, there is no ex- cuse at the present day. The one argument of economy is offset a hundred fold by hygienic and other objections which are patent to all who have given thought to the question. Before drawing can be intelligently taught in any kindergarten the teacher must know so much of the subject as to l)e able to select from tlie various systems f>f jirimary drawing the pe- culiar features best adapted to the kindergar- ten. A child m his second kindergarten year ought to be better prepared to undertake any phase of drawing than a pupil in the second year of the primar3' school without any pre- vious kindergarten experience, because of the superior training in form perception and manual dexterity which the kindergarten affords in the first year. Thawing is a universal language by which communication may be held between all classes of the human race. The Hieroglyphics of the ancient nations and the rude drawings of the American Indians are the means by which ideas were transmitted from one age to another and by which we are to learn much of life in the past. Careful observation must precede draw- ing, and any drawing which represents in a reasonable degree the leading truths regarding the form of objects, is legitimate and not with- out value. The most progressive methods of teaching drawing in our schools to-day are founded on form study and model drawing, and therefore the children of the kindergarten have a great advantage over others in learning to draw, because the instruction of the kinder- garten includes so much of form study that the pupils learn to perceive more clearly than other children the fundamental forms in the objects around them. Educationally, elementary drawing may be divided into three general classes : Illustrative drawing ; mathematical or instrumental draw- ing, which is often termed mechanical drawing ; and free-hand objective drawing, or drawing from models. In this order illustrative draw- ing is placed first because it is the first at- tempt of the savage and the child to express ideas by pictorial illustration. This must also be considered again after all others, because it is the highest achievement of the artist to ex- press ideals surpassing in lieauty all nature. If properly encouraged, the child from the earliest age at which he can hold a pencil is delighted to draw rude representations of his pets and toys. He will often see in his draw- ing a likeness to an object which does not ap- pear to the more mature perceptions, because the child grasps the general forms or more striking features without observing the minor details. In this faculty the infant possesses naturally that whicii the older student must ac- quire before ho can become an expert artist. Therefore the kindergarten child should have free access at pro|)er times to the blackboard, or be furnished with cheap paper and pencil for illustrating in his own way the stories whicli are told to him or which he may be led to tell of his own experience. In such drawings it is not expected that any of the truths of perspec- tive will be verj' accm-ately expressed. It may be that a cat, a chicken, a house or a tree will be drawn, and if the resemblance which is at- tempted is approximated in the result it should receive such approval as will furnish encourage- ment to further effort. This idea was not popu- lar fifty years ago and the noontime efforts 'of the district school pupils to decorate the black- boards, schoolroom walls and desk tops with samples of elementary art and "knife work" were frowned upon in such a ])ractical man- ner as to destroy all amiiition for excellence in graphic expression as well as manual training. The kindergarten may be the means for de- veloping many an artist as well as an artizan who would otherwise never sliow any talent in these directions. If the teacher has given such attention to the simplest elements of illustrative drawing as PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 181 fe'-^^K Fig 153. 182 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. will emiljle her tu prodiiue siicli blackboard sketches as are suggested by the simple outlines shown in Figs. 148-154, the frequent use of this faculty will give the children samples that may stimulate them to accom[)lish the same results in the expression of their own ideas, and if they should merely imitate the work of the teacher no harm can result as the work will afford the best possible training in finger and arm movements. Instrumental drawing which is suggested as the second division of the general subject, in- cludes all drawing made to a scale, such as a map wiiich is the plan of a section of country, or a square which is a drawing of one face of a cube. In all such drawings no representa- tion of solidity by means of perspective is at- tempted, and they are made either the exact size of the object or of some definite propor- tion as one half size, one quarter size, etc., and therefore by the use of a suitable "scale" may be measured and the actual size of the ob- ject determined so that it can be correctly re- jirodueed from the drawing. vSucli drawings are often called "working drawings." In the kindergarten only "full size" drawings should be attempted and for this purpose the forms found in the kindergarten material cannot be surpassed as models. Because the ball is a circle from whatever position it is viewed, this fact regarding its form is easily perceived by the child and thus if he lays the round tablet of the seventh gift on his paper and marks around it, he will have a circle which is an out- line of a ball and may l)e finished to represent a first-gift ball by adding a line for the string. If the square tablet is used as a pattern to be marked aroimd, it will represent the face [of a third-gift cube. So also theother tablets may serve as patterns for drawing representations of the faces of the other gift blocks. In the four-inch folding paper we have one of the most valuable drawing models for this class of work. For example let the pupil lay a four-inch square folding paper on a sheet of plain drawing paper, make a dot at each cor- ner, remove the paper and with a ruler for a guide draw the four straight lines connecting the dots and forming a square. This square is a complete mathematical drawing of the folding paper, because the paper practically has no thickness and therefore has but two dimensions, both of which are shown in the drawing. Now fold the paper accurately, one edge to the opposite edge, unfold and carefully lay the paper on the drawing of the square al- ready outlined, and make a dot at each end of the crease produced by the fold. Remove the paper and with the aid of the ruler draw a line connecting the dots and representing the Fig. 155. Fig. 156. Fig. 157. Fig. 159. Fig. 160. creases made bj' the fold, as in Fig. 155. Fold the other two opposite edges together in the same way and draw the line representing the second crease at right angles to the first, form- ing Fig. 156. Now fold the four corners to the center, unfold and draw lines representing the four new creases as indicated in Fig. 157. An- other simple sequence is shown in Figs. 158, 159, and 160, while many others may be de- vised. As geometrical drawing in the higher grades develops the power of exact obser- vation and manual performance, so the net- ted drawing of Frwbel and the previously de- scribed practice with the tablets and folding papers as models are equally useful in culti- vating the same qualities in the kindergarten. The teacher must constantly have in mind the fact that all exercises with the children which PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 183 modificatious of the cylinder; Figs. 178-183 represent the fourth gift, while Figs. 184-186 embody the triangular prism of the fifth gift ; Figs. 178,183 and 184 maybe considered a combination of the fourth and fifth gifts. It is neither necessary nor desirable to attempt in the brief space of a Kindergarten Hand Book to make further sugges- tions in this line, because so many* simple and practical books on the subject have been published which apply as well to the higher grades of the kin- dergarten as to the lower school grades for which they were writ- ten. Form perception and man- ual training, which are such prominent features in the kin- dergarten, are the chief fac- tors in correct drawing, and Fig. 161. correct drawing is absolutely necessary to good art, as well as to mechanical construction. A well-known teacher and writer on the subject of art instruction has said : ••The geometric figures enter into the subject of require accuracy and close attention nmst be used for only a very few minutes at one sit- ting. But because this restriction is necessary it must not be inferred that all exercises requir- ing any degree of exactness must be abolished or forbidden in the kindergarten. It is not necessary to especially impress upon a compe- tent kindergartner the necessity for accuracy when accuracy is required, as it is a funda- mental principle of her profession, but it is well for her to know also that it is not ignored by the best artists, although too often neg- lected liy pseudo-artists who pose as authority. In these days of practical ideas an artist en- hances his commercial value and does not lose caste professionally because he can produce a design correct in drawing, and, if occasion re- quires, within given dimensions. It is well to remember that a sharp distinc- tion must be made between mechanical or in- strumental drawing and free-hand drawing. One is as valuable as the other in its own place, and it is no more creditable to be an expert in free-hand than iu mechanical drawing. There are occasions when the free-hand drawing must be as accurate as the iustrumental drawing, although the quality of the required lines may be quite different in the two classes of work. Therefore inasmuch as accuracy must be ob- served when it is called for, the pupil should be required to know what it means and how to secure it if necessary, which is more frequent than the practice of some professional artists would seem to indicate. "We now come to our third division of the subject, free-hand drawing, which is the broadest and most practical for school instruc- tion and may be encouraged in the kindergarten as an aid to illustrative drawing, the first sec- tion in our division of the subject. If the boy can draw the cube and cylinder of the second gift in perspective approximately correct, he has the fundamental experience for many of the forms in his future work, and with the addition of some of the fifth-gift forms very many of the principal outlines of architectural construction may be represented. The ac- . companying sketches suggest some of the ap- ^^S- 164. big. loo. plications of the gift-block foi-ms to nature all forms, natural and artificial, and their ap- drawino-. plication is of absorbing interest when traced Figs. 161-165 represent objects embodying through object and ornament, through archi- the spherical form ; Figs. 166-169 embody the teeture and painting, through snow-flake and form of the cube; F^gs. 170-177 illustrate crystal, flower and fruit, shell and insect, and * See "A First Year in Drawing." Henrj- Y. Bailey, Year Books of the Supervisors of the Manual Arts. 1903-04. Fig. 162. 184 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 171. Fig. 178. Fig. 179. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 185 all higher forms of life. These should be illus- some ability at illustration ami free-hand draw- trated. Working drawings of cylinders and ing. One who has not experienced it cannot cubes are but the beginning ; they have new imagine the pleasure of being able, even though meauing when seen as the first types which pre- quite imperfectly, to make a hasty pencil sketch |,|,,,,,,,,,,,,,|,,,,|..,;||T!|]i!i^:iJ| Fig. 180. Fig. 184. Fio-. 181. Fig. 182. Fig. 185. Fig. 183. Fig. 186. figure the steam-cylinder, the railway car, the for future reference. A series of note sketch soldiers' monument and the mausoleum, the books kept for years becomes a constant source Tower of Pisa and the Grand Opera of Paris." of pleasure and there is a personahty in the No kindergartner can do her best until she has sketches which never can pertain to the results a. good knowledge of elementary geometry and of the snap-shot with the camera. THE ELEVENTH AND TWELFTH GIFTS.* MATERIAL FOR PERFORATING AND EINIBROIDERING.. It is claimed by us tliat all occupation ma- terial preseuted by Frcebel, iu the Gifts of the Kiudergaiten, are, in some respects, related to each other, complemeuting oue another. What logical connection is there between the occu- pation of perforating and embroidering, intro- duced with the present and the use of the pre- viously introduced Gifts of the Kindergarten? This question may be asked liy some superficial enquirer. Him we answer thus : In the first Gifts of the Kindergarten, the solid mass of bodies prevailed ; in the following ones the plane ; then the embodied line was followed by Steadiness of the eye and hand are the visibK results of the occupation which directly pre pares the pupil for various kinds of manual labor. The perforating, accompanied by the use of the needle and silk, or worsted, in the way embroidery is done, it is evident in what direction the faculty of the pupil may be developed. The method pursued with this occupation is analogous to that employed in the drawing de- partment Starting from the single point, the child is gradually led through all the various grades of difficulty ; and from step to step his — , — — — — ' — — ^ — — — X — -^ _, Fig. 1. the drawn line, and the occupation here intro- duced brings us down to the point. With the introduction of the perforating paper and prick- ing needle, we have descended to the umallest part of the whole — the extreme limit of mathe- matical divisibility ; and in a playing manner. — — — - — — ; _ _ _ _r . — — Fig. 4. Fig. 5. interest in the work will increase, especially as the child followed us unwittingly, on this, in an the various colors of the embroidered figures abstract sense, difficult journey. add much to their liveliness, as do the colored I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I peucus 111 lue ui :iv\ lug iieparuneui. i 1 I . . . . K— . , , , , , , , t ' I ' ■ I ' I — -.. 1 1 i I i i i i I , , ' < I ' -•^' ' ^« -• »- I •- I -♦- •- I i -% • i 1 1 i i i 1 I , , 1 ^_ , , , , Fig. 2. The material for these occupations is a piece of net paper, which is placed upon some layers of soft blotting papei'. The pricking or per- forating tool is a rather strong sewing needle, Fig. 6. The child first pricks vertical lines of two and three lengths, then of four and five lengths, (Figs. 2 andS). They are united to a triangle, opposites and fonns of mediation are found, and these again are united into squares with hollow and filled middle, (Figs. 4 and 5). The horizontal line follows, (Figs. 6-8), then the Fig. 3. Fig. 7. fastened in a holder so as to project about one combination of vertical and horizontal to a fourth of an inch. Aim of the occupation is right angle in its four oppositionally equal the production of the beautiful, not only by the positions, (Figs. 9-12). The combination of child's own acti\nty, but by his own invention, the four elements present a vast number of * These occupations are entirely omitted in many kindergartens because physicians have criticised them as injurious to the eye of the young child. Until after seven years of age the child's eye tends toward near- sightedness. If pricking and sewing are used at all, the child should be encouraged to look up often and so rest the eye from focussing too long on a point. The exercise should last for a few moments onlv. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 1S7 small figures. If the external point of the angle of Figs. 9 and 10 touch one another, the cross (Fig. 13) is produced ; if the end points of the legs of these flgui'es touch, the square is made, (Fig. 14). Byrepeatedly uniting Figs. 9 and 12, Fig. 15 is produced, and by the com- bination of all four angles. Figs. 16 and 17. According to the rules followed in laying fig- -h -J , - j: — -4: -- - Fig. 8. - . " 1— , — 1- •; In a similar way, the oblique line is now in- troduced and employed. The cliild priclis it in various directions, commencing with a one length line, (Figs. 32-35), combines it to angles, (Figs. 36-39), tlie combination of which will again result in many beautiful forms. Then follows the perforating of oblique lines of from two to five lengths, (a single length containing up to seven points), which are em- ployed for the representation of borders, cor- ner ornaments, etc., (Figs. 42-45, 61). The oblique of the second degree is also introduced, as shown in Figs. 46 and 47, and the peculiar formations in Figs. 48-51. Finally, the combination of the oblique with the vertical line, (Figs. 62 and 54), and with the horizontal, (Figs. 53 and 55), or with both at the same time, (Figs. 56-60), takes place. Fig. 9. Fig. 10. ' . [ ^ , ^ , — -.- ±- ' ' _ - - ■^ ■^ —i !-•-< — + H 1 1 . - — 1 — ' — — |— H i — 1 — _ — — — - — — — — - Fig. 15. Fig. 11. Fig. 12. _ [ , , U_l — 1 — ' 1 1 ' . ■ ' ■ " ■ \ 1 - — "^ ~*" ■*" -•- -ri ;:T^ _^ _^ - — -^ -^ — — ■*t "*■ ..„. - — ' — 1 1 H — 1 — 1 1 II ■ Fig. 16. Fig. 13. — — — — 1 - _ _ _ _ _ — ;*- ~*~ ~*~ __ ~~' T "^ [ _ _ _ _ _j — — -L — , — - — - - — - — - - - — Fig. 14. irres with tablets of Gift Seven, and in draw- ing, or by a simple application of the law of opposites, the child will produce a large num- ber of other figures. The combination of lines of one and two lengths is then introduced, and standing and lying oblongs are formed, (Figs. 18 and 19), etc. The school of perforating, j)ec .'fe has to consider still simple squares and lying and standing oblongs, consisting of lines of from two to five lengths. In order not to repeat the same form too often, we introduce in Figs. 21-31 a series less simple ; containing, how- ever, the fundamental forms, showing in the meantime the combination of lines of various dimensions. Fig. 17. Fig. 18. Fig. 19. Fig. 20. All these elements may be combined in the most manifold manner, and the inventive ac- ti^ity of the pupil will find a large field in pro- Some kindergarteners place paper on the sand table and let the children punch large holes with large nails, so as not to omit any of Froebel's occupations. It is certainly true that children enjoy punching holes in paper, but hygenic considerations come first. 188 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. ; " _ _ " " 777'( ^777 ' " ->»»; ^ ^S.^V\NN i J Fig. 38. Fia. 3! ). Fig. 21. Fig. 22. Fig. 23. Fig. 24. Fig. 25. Fig. 26. — — — — — — — — — - - 1 ] Fi. 3* 27. ] ^i£ r 3* 2^ 'i. F ig 1 29 - - — - 1 „ _ _ Fig. 30. Fig. 31. - -\ / 7/7/ 7/ -A — — - _j \ \ \ \ \ \ \ — Fia;. 32. Fig. 33. 4.' — — — \ k \ \ \ \ \ ^ — — / / / / / / / Fig. 34. Fig. 35. / — — — - - / \ / \ \ / k / \ / s / 1 S^S7S7S7^ ^/\/\/\\/\/ . Z^/^Z^Z^ZK^'NL/N^^^/N 1 1 Fi< y. 40. ) i i i )O^X)^^XXX^ "^XXXXXXXXX 1 X^X^XaXa^ sXaaDnXXxXX 1 1 Fig. r- 1 41. 1 > ' ZE^^ZE^^ zxs^zx^ 7y: lzz SEZ S^ Z SEZ SE7 Fig. 42. - //SST/sy^ IZS,SZ7\S ' . /Z\^ >^ g g — -r - Fig. 56. ^ig. 57. - — — \ N^ / \^ s/ / \ S n/ — — — — Fig. 58. ' — i_ — i ^ —* - -} r 1 ^ ^ >"i ^"^ ^ X ^ .^ P J -| L J ^ ^ R $^ ^ X $ ■><• ^ >< ^ ^ L, J // >>k< )U V V \ \ — — — _ _ _ Fig. 59. 190 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. ducing samples of borders, corner pieces, frames, reading marks, etc., etc. When it is intended to produce anything of a more complicated nature, the pattern should be drafted by pupil or teacher upon the net paper previous to pricking. In such cases, it ia advisable and productive of pleasure to the pupils, if beneath the perforating paper another one doubly folded is laid, to have the pattern transferred by perforation upon this paper in various copies. Such little productions may (h^&^^h^^^>^^^^^^^^ ^^M?/^^^ P k\ yc^/a ^^ c^ i-- k 15c l(i:i \\\\\\\ \\\\\\\ \\\\\\\ 17a 17b /////// /////// /////// ISa 18b MM MM 11a □ \Z3 nn nn □ CD mm mm 19a 19b ^M 20a 20b 2lu As perforated holes are alike on both sides of the card one arrangement of holes will often make right and left-handed designs by revers- ing the card. Owing to the methods involved in the manu- facture of the "perforateil cards" the ordinary '•pricked cards" can be made in a greater va- riety of patterns, and for children other than the youngest in the kindergai-teu they are more interesting and can be sewed by them without diffleulty with the finer needle and thread. The following figures illustrate a selection from a much greater variety now in the market. IIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII llllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllll IIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII MiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiM llllllllllllllllllllll 3 hiiiiniiiiiliiniiiii Hi! rrri — ^nnn rrri — ii-n rrri — \-\-\-i lull jjjj ll li ijjj ^^l££jjj^ DDnnananD DDDDananD DDDDDDDDn DnQDanann □DDDDaCDD JignDDDODD DDDOnODDDDDOO DOOQDODDDDDOO DDDODDDODDODD DOCOODODDDDOD DODDDDOODDODD iuHPDODDODDDD 41ODDIIOQDOO /9 Q □ oaaa o □ OQac as 113 cjc^aa c] □ C3 cz) a o a 1=1 oa □□ a C3 C3C3 aa Q o □ CDao □ DO a aa C30C c3oc: m a oc //////////// iM> ^Mm^ ^^i^i^:^^ xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx jCXKXXXXXX -JiL^XXXXXXX 37 X X X X X X X * * X 5K X )* « « * « * )K SIS SK * SK X * X _*,* * * « * iiiimiiiiniiiiiiiiiini Ull/ll/llll/llllllllll/ll lllllllllllllllll/IIIIJI/l IIIIII/IIIIIIIII/I//IJIIII iiiUNi/iiiiiiiii//miii 26 \"iiiiiiii'ii>im/ii wwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwww _im,\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 27}w\\\\w\\\\\\\\\\\ /VVyyw^Avv^\^ /vwywvvvv\^A /yW>AAAAA/W\A X X X X X X X x X X X X X xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx -XJ-XXXXXXXXXXX 3^pxxxxxxxxx 000000000 000000000 000000000 ^0000000 194 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. 25^^^^ ^^^ 47\ ooooo ooooo ooooo ooooo oo-ooo- -£^0000 ^g o-ooo 4" A 4 ooooo ^ For still older cbildren a moderate amount of perforating Tvith the pricking needle at dots on a printed outline is not only harmless but fascinating in a marked degree. In this class of work a much ■nider range of oesigns extending into life forms can be intro- duced, because of the difference in process in the nianufaetiu'e of cards which are for sale for this purjwse. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 195 Also iu this work original designs may be of the grade of work to the age and condition prepared by the teacher or even by the pupils as of each child mnst be left to the judgment of they may be traced from prints and transferred to cards by the use of impression paper. The foregoing figures show examples of this class of designs. In cardboard pricking and sewing as in all other kindergarten occupations the adjustment elemp:xtary color teaching the trained kiudergartner, and fortunatelj- this may safely be trusted to the corps of compe- tent teachers now in the work and to those be- ing prepared by the nonual kindergarten schools in this country. The educational phase of color has assumed such importance within the past decade that it must receive more than passing notice iu any treatise on the kindergarten gifts and occupa- tions, taken as a whole. As the color ques- tion presents itself quite prominently in the selection of the threads for embroidering and still more iu the use of colored papers, the editor feels that this is the proper place to introduce certain special suggestions on that subject. There is a fascination about the study of color which Increases as we become more and more familiar with the subject. AVe meet it at every turu in the natural world. It makes the loftiest hilltops radiant in early morning and paints its hues in wondrous Ijrilliancy on the evening sky. Art revels in color, and praise as we may the chisel of the sculptor and the cunning of the engraver, we find only cool comfort in colorless art. Consequently we are always seeking the best color effects. We want them in the arrangement of our lawns, the decora- tion of our houses, both within and without, iu our clothing, in public and private, wher- ever we admit color. Indeed a knowledge of color and its skillful use iu all the affairs of life ministers more eft'ectively to our best equip- ment and our enjoyment than does a knowl- edge of form. Nevertheless all attempts to place color study on a practical footing have failed until recently, because of the universal opinion among artists that art in color would be degraded by contact with scientific truths. And yet from Euclid down to the present generation of students the mathematicians have been occupied in discovering and perfecting instruments and a language of form by which the graceful outlines of architecture and orna- ment may be analyzed and recorded. But those who have labored in the kingdom of color have found it as impossible to accurately describe any given hue or tone of color in an accepted nomenclature as it was when the Queen of Sheba brought her roj-al gifts to Solomon. When Froebel prepared his material for the kindergarten, color was for the first time in- troduced into a system of elementary instruc- tion disconnected from drawing and painting, and it is worthy of note that the only system by which colors can now be intelligenth' desig- nated without actual samples was originated and developed in response to the demands of the kiudergartners of America for better material. In the kindergarten material first imported from Germany to the United States the first- gift balls were fairly good examples of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple or vio- let. But tlie colored papers used in the occu- pation material of that time were selected with- out order, scientific knowledge or fine color perceptions. The result was that the Ameri- can kiudergartners began to complain of the colors found in the papers and to suggest other colors either in addition to those in use or iu place of them. While many colors already in tlie market were added and some made to order in response to such criticisms and requests, no material advance was made in producing a logical assortment of colors in the i)apers for a number of years. But the difficulties thus ea.v\y encountered induced the editor of these notes to begin a series of experiments which has resulted, by the aid and cordial co-operation of many of his friends among scientists, artists and kiudergartners, in the scheme of color instruction now known as the Bradley System of Color Education. As this is quite fully set forth in other publi- cations it is unnecessary to use sufficient space here to explain it iu detail, and therefore only a brief outline of the fundamental principles on which it is based is presented. In form, the constant companion of color iu material ol)jects, we have the foot or me- ter by which we measure lengths and breadths, and the divided circle by which the directions 196 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. of lines may be noted, and with these two ac- cepted standards of measurements all surfaces and solids can be described. If all material forms were destroyed to-day any one of them could be reconstructed from suitable records preserved in terms of these standards, lint this has not been true regarding color, because of the lack of standards and means for measuring and recording color effects. In the solar spectrum we have the only known source to which we may look for permanent standards of color. In music we have certain standards of tones and a language accepted by general agreement which render it possible to transmit musical composi- tions from one country to another and from generation to generation. Every tone produced by a musical instrument is due to a given num- ber of vibrations or waves in some substance, which ■\-ibrations are ordinarily conveyed to the ear by waves in the air ; and by a record of these tones in terms of tlieir vibrations musical compositions are transmitted from age to age. It is supposed that light and color are trans- mitted by viln'ations or waves in an unknown something which we call ether and that differ- ent wave lengths produce various etfects in the eye whicli are conveyed to the brain as colors. Therefore when we select in the solar spectrum certain standards of color and de- termine the wave length of each, we have a series of definitely located "Spectrum Stand- ards " which are absolutely permanent. If we then produce the best possible imitation of these colors in pigments or other substances, we shall have standard Material Colors. The Material Colors will be very inferior to the Spectrum Colors in purity and brilliancy, but if they are to be used as standards each must be the same kind of color as the Spectrum Color which it represents ; for instance, the " orange " must be neither more red nor more yellow than the location in the spectrum which has been accepted as the standard orange. The training and habits of a good kindergart- ner will especially enable her to appreciate this necessity for exact standards in a color nomenclature as much as in form study. For example, the third-gift cube is a solid which has six plane faces, each of which is a quadrilateral having four right angles and four straight sides, each one inch long. Therefore a somewhat similar solid in which the angles are not right angles and the sides are unequal is not a cube. So it is necessary that there be definite terms regarding color in which accu- rate statements can be made and recorded before there can l)e any language on which to base intelligent discussion regarding the ques- tions involved in the consideration of color and its best uses. The Bradley Color Scheme is based on the determination of these stand- ards in the solar spectruni and the best mate- rial imitations of them to serve as Pigmentary Standards. Having selected these pigmentary or mate- rial standards there must be secured some means by which they can be combined in defi- nitely expressed proportions to produce all other colors, so that we may have an exact but simple and easily-understood nomencla- ture. There is but one de^•ice known at present which fulfills these conditions, and that is the " Maxwell Disks." If a live coal on the end of a stick is rapidly whirled in a circle, a ring of light is seen, because the light-impression which is made on the retina of the eye remains fixed while the stick is moving through an entire circle. On this principle, if a disk of cardboard is divided by a diameter and one of the semi-circles covered with white paper and the other with black paper, and the disk rapidly whirled on a pin at its center, the two half circles will no longer appear as distinctively white and black, but the whole surface will assume a uniform gray color. If the amount of white surface is in- creased to three quurters of the whole the gray will be much lighter, and if the black is increased the resulting color will he darker. So, also, if instead of the white and black semi-circles two standard colors, as red and orange, are combined in the same way, a new color between red and orange will result. As it is quite inconvenient to paste up a col- ored disk for each experiment, a celebrated English scientist named Maxwell conceived the idea of slitting each of two disks, from circumference to center, so that they could be joined, and by a movement on each other around the common center made to show any required amount of the surface of each. If two disks are joined in this way and laid on to a slightly-larger disk which is divided at the circumference into one hundred parts the amount of surface of each color which is ex- posed may be measured and recorded. Thus PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 197 if the red aud orange disks are joined so as to show three quarters red and one quarter orange, the color resulting by rotation would be recorded as Red 75, Orange 25, or using the initials of the colors, R. 75, O. 25, which becomes the definite symbol of that par- ticular orange hue of red. This brief expla- nation may serve to convey an idea of the scope of such a system of color study. On this scientific foundation a line of colored papers has beea prepared for the kindergarten. In the spectrum colors of the educational papers two hues between each two standards are provided, making eighteen of these full spectrum colors. If a color is in strong sun- light it becomes much lighter and is a tint of the color ; if in shadow it is darker and is called a shade. These two effects may be secured with the rotating disks by using a white disk with the color disk for the tints, and a black disk with the color for the shades. Thus these papers furnish a systematic line of scales or families of colors for color instruc- tion. A line of grays and another of broken or gray colors is added, so that there is no reasonable demand in primary education for other colors in papers. For class instruction the color wheel or color mixer is very valualile, but if such apparatus is not available a sim- ple modification of the larger apparatus in the form of a color-top furnishes much instruction and amusement. Some educators who have not fully under- stood this sul>ject have believed that the color- wheel and color top are too advanced in scientific principles to be profitable in the primary school grades, and necessarily frfun the same standpoint much less useful in the kindergarten. But actual test is better than theories, and a large number of kindergart- ners are already prepared to certify to the great value of the color wheel and color tops in their work. The following is but a simple illustration of many lines in which color in- struction can be imparted and color interest excited. In one of our large public kinder- gartens, as the teacher entered the room one morning, she saw an admiring group of chil- dren gathered around Bessie, whom she noticed had on a new dress. As the kindei'gartner approached, one child exclaimed excitedly, " See what a pretty dress Bessie has on. What color is it?" After various guesses, man}' of which were somewhat wild, as it was early in the year, some one made a reasonably good guess, and the teacher said, " Let us see what the color-wheel says. If Bessie will come aud stand by it we will see if we can make a color like her dress by whirling the color disks." The children were interested at once, and as Bessie stood by the color wheel, they were allowed to suggest their objections to the color made by the rotating disks. Mary said that it was too blue, and after a change had been made, Willie thought it was too green ; but at last a good result was obtained, as the happy exclamations of the little ones testified, and as the disks ceased rotating a complete chart of the true color was before the children. If a color wheel is not available the same exercises may be tried with a color top. In many of the gifts and occupations of the kindergarten, color is prominent, but it is specially so in all the work in papers. If col- ored papers are to be used they should not only be selected so as to do no harm, but the Modern Educational Colored Papers may be so used as to afford much instruction at the same time that manual exercises are being enjoyed. With colored papers, in the established standards and their modifications in (heir hues and tones, the kindergartners and primary school teachers are well equipped for color teaching, but with the addition of a color wheel or color mixer and a few color charts, which can be made from the paper at small cost, color teaching becomes simply a recreation to both teacher and pupils. The fact that there is so much color material used in the kinder- garten insures constant attention on the part of the children, and where there is interested attention there is rapid advance, so a child that has had two years in a true kinder- garten and one year in a connecting school will require very little more of colored papers, blocks and sticks of any kind, but will be amply able to proceed with the more abstract consid- eration of subjects brought to his attention. It is not expedient to present the subject of color teaching in detail within the reasonable limits of this book, and hence the editor ven- tures to note the contents of two books which he has prepared to explain his system of color instruction. 198 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. "Color in the Kindergarten," is a book of about sixty pages in paper covers which gives a somewhat detailed statement of the subject, under two principal heads : First, "The Theory of Color," and second, "Color Materials in the Kindergarten." In the first of these divisions the following sub-heads occur : The Tbeory of Sir Uavid Brewster ; The Young-He Imholtz Theory; The Stand- ards must lie Chosen from the Solar Spec- trum ; The Use of the Color Wheel; The Old Theories Tested l)y the "Wheel ; Concern- ing the Comi)lementary Colors ; How to Secure a Color Nomenclature ; Tints and Shades ; Scales of Color ; Classification of Harmonies ; Broken Colors ; The So-called Tertiary Colors ; How the Grays are Classified ; Simultaneous Contrast ; A Review of the Bradley Color Scheme ; Some Color Definitions. The second section, Color Material, contains tlie following divisions : The Prismatic Spectrum ; The Col- ored Papers ; The Rainy Day Spectrum ; Value of the Color Wheel ; Spectrum Hues ; Tints and Shades of Hues ; The First Gift ; Sewing ; Weaving ; Intertwining ; Parquetry ; Paper Cutting ; Paper Folding ; Concerning Water Colors ; Color Blindness. A book entitled " Elementary Color " con- tains one hundred and thirty pages freely illus- trated and a miniature color chart in pasted papers showing " Pure Spectrum Scales " and "Broken Spectrum Scales." This has an introduction by Prof. Henry Lefavour of AVil- liams College and completely sets forth the Bradley system of color instruction under the following principal heads : The Theory of Coloi- ; Color Definitions ; Practical Experi- ments Illustrating the Theorj' of Color ; Color Teaching in the Schoolroom ; Outline of Course in Color Instruction. Under this last head the following divisions are very briefly treated : The Solar Spectrum ; Pigmentary vSpectrum Colors ; Study of Tones ; Broken Colors ; Complete Chart of Pure Spectrum Scales in Five Tones ; Ad- vanced Study of Harmonies. This sytem of color instruction has been criticised as mechanical, scientific and inartistic by many artists of reputation who seem to agree that because definite formulas cannot be given for producing works of the highest rank in art all standards and facts regarding color are de- l)asing to the artistic instincts. If this claim is admitted to be sound in regard to color may we not also urge that the study of geometry is to be ignored liecause of its degrading effect on art in form, and that English grammar is out of date because it is not especially condu- cive to highest flights in poetry? But it is the belief of one who has known the kinder- gartners of America intimately for a quarter of a century that they will not disparage the value of the exact and methodical elements that are introduced l)y this color scheme into a most important feature of elementary work, in place of the entirely indefinite methods of the past. See additional chapter on Color, page 32. THE THIRTEENTH GIFT.* MATERIAL FOR CUTTING PAPKR AND MOUNTING PIECES TO PRODUCE FIGURES AND FORMS. The labor, or occupation alphabet presented the child produces, by cutting according to by Froebel in his system of education, cannot certain laws, highly interesting and beautiful spare the occupation, now introduced — the cut- fonns, their desire of destroying with the scis- ting of paper — the transunitation of the ma- sors will soon die out, and they, as well as terial by division of its parts, notn-ithstand- their parents, will be spared many an unpleas- ing the many apparently well-founded doubts, whether scissors should be placed in the hands of the child at such an early age. It will be well for such doubters to consider : Firstly, that tiie scissors which the chikkeu use have no shai-p points, but are rounded at their ends, by which the possibilities of doing harm with them are greatly reduced. Second!}', it is expected that the teacher employs all pos- sible means to watch and superintend the chil- dren with the utmost care during their occu- pation with the scissors. Thirdly, as it can never be prevented, that, at least, at times ant experience, incident upon this childish in- stinct, if it were left entirely unguided. Fi2. Fig. 8. Fig. 9. Fig. 10. As material for the cutting, we employ a square piece of paper of the size of one-six- teenth sheet, similar to the folding sheet. Such a sheet is broken diagonally, the right acute angle placed upon the left, so as to produce four triangles resting one upon another. Re- peating the same proceeding, so that by so do- ing the two upper triangles will be folded up- wards, the lower ones downwards in the halv- ing line, eight triangles resting one upon an- other, will be produced, which we use as our Fig. 5. Fig. 6. scissors, knives and similar dai:igerous objects may fall into the hands of children, it is of great importance to accustom them to such, by a regular course of instruction in their use, which, it may be expected, ^-ill certainly do something to prevent them from illegitimately applying them for mischievous purposes. By placing material before them from which * Many of the patterns given in this chapter should be reserved for primarj- grades if used at all. The mounting of such tiny pieces is vers' fatiguing and ner.'ous work for the children. See chapter on Free Cutting in present edition and plates showing children's work of the present day. The old plates are retained to show the extremes to which mounting ha-s been carried in the past. Fig. 13. Fig. 14. first fundamental form. TTiis fundamental form is held, in all exercises, so that the open 200 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. side, vjhere no plane connects ivith another is al- tvays turned toward the left. In order to accomplish a sufficient exactness in cutting, tlie uppermost triangle contains, (or if it does not, is to be provided witli) a kind of net as a guide in cutting. Dotted lines on the figures indicate this net work. The following selection presents, almost al- ways, two opposites and their combination, or leaves out one of the former, as is the case with the horizontal cut, wherever it docs not produce anything essentially new. J — ..-1.-- .--. yj i T ~\ ATn \ N Fiij. Fig. 26. Fig. 15. Fis;. 16. \ \ , i :N- Fig. 17. Fig. 18. Fig. 27. Fig. 28. ((. Vertical cuts, Figs. 2, 3, 4-5, 6, 7. /(. Horizontal cuts. Figs. 8, 9 — (above, and below) . c. Vertical and horizontal. Figs. 18, 19, 20—21, 22, 23. d. Obhque cuts. Figs. 34, 35—36, 37, 38. e. Obhque and vertical. Figs. 51, 52, 53, —54, 55, 56,-58, 59, 60. Fig. 21. Fig. 22. The activity itself is regulated according to the law of opposites. "We commence with the vertical cut, come to its opposite, the horizon- tal and Anally to the mediation of both, the oblique. Fig. 31. Fig. 32. Fig. 23. Fig. 24. Figs. 1-132 indicate the abundance of cuts which may be developed according to this method, and it is ad^^sable to arrange for the child a selection of the simpler elements into a school of cutting. F"ig. 33. Fig. 34. /. Oblique and horizontal. Figs. 65, 66, 67. g. Half oblong cuts, where the diagonals of standing and lying obiongs, formed of two net squares serve as guides — Figs. 117, 118, 119—121, 122, 123—125, 126, 127. Here ends the school of cutting, per se, for PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 201 the first fundamental form, the right-angled triangle. The given elements may be com- bined in the most manifold manner, as this has been sufficiently carried out in the forms given. The fundamental form used for Figs. 133- 167 is a sixfold equilateral triangle. It also is and patterns from Figs. 133-145, will suffice for this purpose. The same fundamental form is used for practicing and performing the cir- cular cuts, although the right angular funda- Fig. 35. Fig. 37. Fig. 38. produced from the folding sheet, by breaking it diagonally, hahiug the middle of the diag- onal, dividing again iu three equal parts the Fior. 47. angle situated on this point of hahing. The angles thus produced will be angles of sixty degrees. The leaf is folded iu the legs of these angles liy bending the one acute angle of the original triangle upwards, the other downwards. By cutting the protruding corners, we shall have the desired form of the six fold equilateral Fig. 49. triangle, in which the entirely open side serves Fig. 48. Fig. 50. Fig. 39. Fig. 40. Fig. 41. Fig. 42. as basis of the triangle. The net for guidance is formed by di%'ision of each side in four equal parts, uniting the points of division of the base, by parallel lines with the sides, and drawing of a vertical from the upper point of the triangle upon its base. It is the oblique line, particu- larly which is introduced here. The designs Fig. 51. Fig. 52. mental form may be used for the same purpose. Both find their application subsequently, in a sphere of development only, after the child by means of the use of the half and whole rings, and drawing, has become more familiar with the curved line. These exercises require great facility in handling the scissors besides, and are, therefore, onlj- to be inti-oduced with chil- dren who have been occupied in this depart- ment quite a while. For such it is a capital employment, and they will find a rich field for operation, and produce many an interest- ing and beautiful form in connection with it. The course of development is indicated in Fiss. 163-167. 202 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. j^. . L - - ]- . k Fig. 63. Fig. 54. Fig. 55. Fia,-. 56. Fig. 57. Fig. 5S. Fig. 59. Fig. fiO. Fig. 61. Fig. 62. Fig. 63. Fig. 64. Fig. 65. Fig. 66. Fig. 67. Fig. 68. Fig. 69. Fig. 70. Fig. 71. Fig. 72. Fig. 73. Fig. 74. Fig. 75. Fig. 7i;. Fig. 77. Fig. 78. Fig. 79. Fig. 80. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 203 Fig. 81. Fig. 82. Fig. 83. Fig. 84. Fis. 89. Fig. 90. Fig. 91. Fig. 92. Fig. 93. Fig. 94. Fig. 95. Fig. 96. Fig. 97. Fig. 98. Fig. 99. Fig. 100. Fig. 101. Fig. 102. Fig. 103. Fig. 104. Fig. 105. Fig. 106. Fig. 107. Fig. 108. 204 GOLDExV JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 109. Fiff. 110. Fig. 111. Fig. 112. Fig. 113. Fig. 114. Fig. 115. Fig. 116. Fig. 121. Fig. 122. Fig. 123. Fig. 124. Fig. 125. Fig. 12(1. Fig. 127. Fig. 128. Fig. 12.<-'. Fig. 130. Fig. lol. Fig. 132. Fig. 133. Fig. 134. Fig. 135. Fig. 136. Fig. 137. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 205 Fig. 138. Fisf. 139. Fiar. 140. Fisr. 141. Fiff. 142. Fig. 143. Fig. 144. Fiar. 145. Ficr. 146. Fig. 147. Fig. 148. Fig. 149. Fig. 150. Fig. 151. Fig. 152. Fig. 153. Fig. 154. Fig. 155. Fig. 156. Fig. 157. Fig. 158. Fig. 159 Fig. 160. Fig. 161. Fig. 162. Fig. 163. Fig. 164. Fig. 165. Fig. 166. Fig. 167. 206 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. After tlie cliilil Ims been sufficiently intro- duced into the cutting school, iu the manner indicated, after his fantasy has found a defi- nite guidance in the ever-repeated application of the law, which protects him against unbounded option and choice, it will be au easy task to him, and a profitable one to pass over to free invention, and to find in it a fountain of enjoy- ment, ever new, and inexhaustibly overflowing. To let the child, entirely without a guide, be the master of his own free will, and to keep all dis- cipline out of his way, is one of the most dan- gerous and most foolish principles to which a misunderstood love of children, alone could bring us. This absolute freedom condemns the children, too soon, to the most insupportable annoj'auce. All that is in the child should be brought out, by means of external infiuence. To limit this influence as much as possible is not to suspend it. Frojbel has limited it, in a most admirable way by placing this guidance into the child as early as possible ; that from one single incitement issues a mxmber of others, within tlie child, by accustoming him to a lawful and regulated acti\'ity from his earliest youth. "With the first vertical cut, which we made into the sheet, (Fig. 1), the whole course of development, as indicated in the series of flg- m-es up to Fig. 132 is given, and all subse- quent inventions are but simple, natural com- binations of the element presented in the '■'■school." Thus a logical connection prevails in these formations, as among all other means of education, hardly any but mathematics may afford. Whereas, the activity of the cutting itself, and the logical progress in it produces a most beneficial influence upon the intellect of the pupil, the results of it will awaken his sense of beauty, his taste for the symmetrical, and his appreciation of harmony in no less degree. The simplest cut already yields an abundance of various figures. If we make as in Fig. 5, two vertical cuts, and unfold all single parts we shall have a square with hollow middle, a small square, and finally the frame of a square. If we cut according to Fig. 6, we produce a large octagon, four small triangles, four strips of paper of a trapezimn form, nine figures altogether. All these parts are now symmetrically ar- ranged according to the law : union of opposites — here effected by the position or direction of the parts relative to the center — and after they have been arranged in this manner, the pupils will often express the desire to preserve them in this arrangement. This natural desire finds its gratification by MOUNTING THE FIGURES. As separation always requires its opposite, uniting, so the cutting requires mounting. The following figures present examples of the manner iu which the cutting is mounted : Fig. 5 a is Fig. 6 cut and mounted ; Fig. 9 a cor- responds to Fig. 9, and so on. With the simpler cuts, the chppings should be used, but a a Fig. 5 a. Fig. 'J a. if a main figure is complete and synnnetrical in itself, the addition of the clii>piugs would not be necessary. This occupation also, can lie made sub- servient to influence the intellectual develop- ment of the child by requiring him to point out different ways in which these forma may be ar- ranged and put together, (Fig. 37 o). ♦ ♦ Fig. 12 «. Fig. 20 «. In order to increase the interest of the chil- dren, to give a larger scope to their inventive power, and at the same time, to satisfy their taste and sense of color, they may have paper of various colors and be allowed to exchange their productions among one another. Both these occupations, cutting and mount- ing, are for the Kindergarten as well as higher grades of schools. For older pupils, the cut- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 207 f^^ Fi:S5^' ysKiK '^^& ■w«^ Fig. 19. Fig. 20. we introduce the reader to the course shown in the following figui'es, which are aiTanged so systematically that either as a whole cr with some omissions, it may be worked through with children from three to six years, as a braiding school. It begins with simple formulas and by Fig. 23. to one and two and then follows in Figs. 9-17 a series of mediative forms all uniting the opposites in regard to number. In all these patterns the squares or oblongs produced are arranged vertically under, or horizontally Fig. 2a Fi2. 26. beside, one another. Except in Fig. 3, the oblique line appears already beside the hori- zontal and vertical. Thus, this given oppo- site of form is prevailing in Figs. 18-32, and we apply here the same formulas in Figs. 3-17, with the difference, however, that we need only Fig. 28. oue formula, which in the second, third strip, Fio- 22 etc., always begins one strip later or earlier. ''' ' Thus in Fig. 18, the formula 2u 2d (as in Fig. means of the law of opposites is carried out to 4) is carried out. The dark and light strips of the most beautiful figures. the pattern run here from right above, to left Formula i, lu id, (Fig. 3), is first iutro- below. Oppositeof position to Fig. 18 is shown duced ; opposite in regard to number is 2u 2d, in Fig. 19 where both run the opposite way. (Fig. 4). In Fig. 5 the numbers one and Fig. 20 shows combination, and Fig. 21 double two are combined ; Fig. 6 is a combination of combination. In opposition to the connected 212 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. «l)lique lines, the broken line appears in Fig. 22. As the formula 2u 2d has furnislied us five patterns, so the formula of Fig. 5, lu 2d, fur- nishes the series, Figs. 23-27. Figs. 23 and 2-i are opposites as to direction. Fig. 25 shows the combination of these opposites. Figs. 26 cation of the same formula. In Fig. 37 the broken line appears again, but in opposition to Fig. 22 it changes its direction with each breali. In Figs. 38-42 the formulas of Figs. 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15 are carried out. The braiding school,pe)" se,is here concluded. Who- ever may think it too extensive may select from it Figs. 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 18, 19, 20, 23, 2G, 27, 28, 35 and 36. Fig. 29. Fig. 30. and 27, opposites to one another, are forms of mediation between Figs. 23 and 24. With them for the first time a middle presents itself. "WHiile in Figs. 23-28 the dark color is pre- vailing, Figs. 28-30 show us predominantly, the light strip, consequently the opposite in Fig. 31. color. In Figs. 31-33, formulas from Figs. 5-7 are employed. Fig. 31 requires an op- posite of direction, a pattern in which the strips run from left above to right below. Fig. 32 gives the comliination of both directions and Figs. 33 and 34 are at the same time opposites as to direction and color. Fig. 33. Fig. 34. It is obvious that each single formula can be used for a whole series of divers patterns, and the invention of these patterns is so easy that it will suffice if we introduce each new formula very briefly. Fig. 35 is a form of mediation for the for- mula 3u 3d ; Fig. 36 shows a different appli- -■:. .IB. .B Fig. 35. Fig. 36. But if any one would like still to enlarge upon it, she may do so by working out, for each single formula, the forms or iiatterns 18, 19, 20, 21, Hi and 27, and continue the school to the number 5. Tlie number of pat- terns will be made, thereby, ten times larger. Another change and enlargement of the Fig. 37. Fig. 38. school may be introduced by cutting the braiding strips, as well as tliose of the braiding sheet of different widths. We can thereby represent quite a number of patterns after the same formula, which are, however, essentially different. This is particularly to be recom- Fig. 39. Fig. 40. mended with very small children, who neces- sarily will have to be occupied longer with the simple formula lu id. But for more developed braiders, such change is of interest, because, PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 213 Fig. 43. Fig. 44. Fig. 49. Fig. 45. Fig. 46. ■ ■■■■■■■ I ■■■-■-■wj-r ■M.".' w ■■ ■ I i ■ I ■■VS«."r ■!\«BV.' ■.■.".SB.'. ■ .■.SB."-'-' ■.■^■...■B8.BB^..?S.^.' . .1 .. .. ... .. .. a. I ;v?b.'!bb'bb. .b^.^.^. ■.■.■B ■B.B ■ B.B" ZW Fig. 47. Fig. 48. Fig. 5"0. 214 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. by it a variety of forms may he produced which the braiding without braiding sheet. This is may be rendered still more attractive, by a va- done as follows : Cut two or more long strips riety of colors in the loose braiding strips. With patterns that have a middle, as Figs. 26 (Fig. 55), of a quarter sheet of col- ored paper, (green) and fold to half their length, (Fig. 60) cut then, of differently colored paper, (white), sliorter strips, also fold these to half their lengih. Put the green strips, side by side of one another, as shown in Fig. 58, so that the closed end of one strip lies above and that of the other below, (Fig. 58cf). Then take the white strip bend it around strip 1 , and lead it throng h strip 2, (Fig. 50). The second str i p is app lied in an op- jjosite way, lay i n g it a r on nd 2, and Fio;.55. Fig. 56. Fig. 57. Fig. 51. and 30 it is advisable to let the liraiding begin with the middle strip, and then to insert always one strip above, and one below it. It is not unavoida})ly necessary that the school should be finished from beginning to end, as given here. The pupil, having successfully produced some i)atterns, may be afforded an opportunitj' for developing his skill by his own ■ < ) 1 <; ■ < I < 1 < w { 1 Fig. 58. Fig. 59. Fig. 60. Fig. 52. Fig. 53. Fig. 54. produced invention, in trying to form, by braiding a cross, with hollow middle, (Fig. 43), a standing oblong, (Fig. 44), a long cross, (Fig. 45), a small window, (Fig. 47), etc. Figs. 48-51, present some patterns which may be used for wall-l)askets, lamp tidies, bookmarks, etc. Finally, Figs. 52-54, obliquely intertwined strips, representing the so-called free braiding. leading it through 1 . Employing four instead of two green strips, the bookmark, Fig. 60, will be the result. The protruding ends are e ither cut or seol loped. By introducing s t r i p s of differ entwidths, a va- riety of patterns can be H ?:= Fig. Gl. Fig. 62. ■I ■ tTmumjaj Fig. 63. Instead of paper, glazed muslin, leather, silk or ribbon, straw and the like may be used as material for braiding. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 215 EDITOR'S NOTES. The occupation of mat weaving is fully ex- plained in the foregoing pages, and the variety of material now prepared and for sale in the market is so great that almost anything which a teacher may require can be obtained without the "special cutting" which formerly was of ten- times deemed necessary. With the weaving material prepared in the modern educational colored papers the best possible exercises in color combinations are introduced, and l)y ju- dicious selections of mats and fringes on the part of the teacher the child may be acens- tonied to harmonious combinations of colors, and thus never acquire the preference for gaudy combinations which is usually attributed to chil- iiren and savages. Bright pure colors do not necessarily make "loud" combinations, and muddy colors are not essential to artistic etfects. For youngest cMldi'en a mat foui- inches square with a cut surface of three inches is very desirable, because little hands can manipu- late such mats to better advantage than the larger sizes. These small mats are cut with various numbers of strips from live to ten, thus providing for much practical use of numbers and a great variety of designs in the patterns of the weaving. The very elaborate and in- tricate wea^•ing designs which are possible with large mats and narrow strips are not adapted to younger children, and those who are ex- perienced enough to do this grade of work can be profitably employed in more advanced work, which may be less intricate and fatiguing and more educational. Free braiding is developed quite extensively by some teachers, while others make compara- tively little of it, but it is capable of varied and beautiful results. THE FIFTEENTH GIFT.* THE INTERLACING SLATS. Frcebel ill liis Gifts of the Kindergarten, does not present anytliing perfectly new. All his means of occupation are the result of care- ful observation of the playful child. But he has united them in one corresponding whole; he has invented a method, and by this method presented the possibility of producing an ex- haustless treasure of foi-mations which, each influencing the uiind of the pupil in its pecu- liar wa3', effect a development most harmoui- ous and thorough of all the mental facuuies. The use of slats for interlacing is an occupa- tion already known to our ancestors, and who has not practiced it to some extent in the days of childhood? But who has ever succeeded lu producing more than five or six figures with them? Who has ever derived, from such occupation, the least degree of that manual dexterity and mental development, inventive power and talent of combination, which it af- fords the pupils of the Kindergarten since Fra>bel's method has been applied to the material ? Our slats, ten inches long, one-fourth of an inch broad and one-sixteenth of an inch thick, Fiar. 1. ainining it, he perceives that it is flexible, that its length surpasses its breadth many times and again that its thickness is many times less than its breadth. Can the pupil name some objects between which and the slat, there is any similarity? The rafters under the roof of a house, and in the arms of a wind mill, and the laths of which fences, and certain kinds of gates and lattice work are made, are similar to the slat. The child ascertains that the slat has two long plane sides and two ends. He finds its Fig. 2. are made of birch or any tough wood, and a dozen of them are sullleient to produce quite a variety of figures. They form, as it were the transition from the plane of the tablet to the line of the sticks, (Ninth Gift) differing, how- ever, from both, in the fact that forms pro- duced by them are not bound to the plane, but contain in themselves a sufficient hold to be separated from it. The child first receives one single slat. Ex- * Some kindergartiiers use these slats for outliuiiig for outlining are now obtainable. middle or center point, can indicate the upper and lower side of the slat, its upper and lower end, and its right and left side. After these preliminaries, a second slat is given the child. On comparison the child finds them perfectly alike, and he is then led to find the positions which the two slats may occupy to each other. They can be laid parallel with each other, so as to touch one another with the whole length of their sides, or they may not touch at all. They can be placed in such positions that their ends touch in various ways, and can be laid crosswise, over or nnder one another. With an additional slat, the child now con- tinues these experiments. He can lay various figures with them, but there is no binding or connecting hold. Therefore, as soon as he at- tempts to lift his work from the table, it falls to pieces. By the use of fovr slats, he becomes enabled to produce something of a connected whole, but this only is clone, when each single slat comes in contact with at least three other slats. Two of these should be on one side, the third or middle one should rest on the other side of the connecting slat, so that here again the law rather than the smaller sticks, but enlarged sticks PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 217 of opposites and their mediation is followed and practically demonstrated in every figure. It is not easy to apply this law coustantlj' in the most appropriate manner. But this very necessity of painstaking, and the reason- ing, without which little success will be at- tained, is productive of rich fruit in the de- velopment of the pupil. The child now places the slat act, horizontal^ upon the table. Bb, is placed across it in a vertical direction ; cc, in a slanting direction under a and b, and del, is shoved under ««, and over bb, and under cc, as shown in Fig. ) . This gives a connected form, which will not Fig. 5. easily drop apart. The child investigates how each single slat is held and supported — he in- dicates the angles, which were created, and the figures which are bounded by the vaiious parts of the slats. To show how rich and manifold the material for observation and instruction given in this one figure is, we will mention that it contains twenty-four angles, of which eight are right, Fig. 6. Fig. eight acute, and eight obtuse — formed by oue vertical sl.at, bb, one horizontal «a, one slant- ing from left above to right below, cr, and another slanting from right above to left be- low, del. Each single slat touches each other slat once ; two of them, aa and bb, pass over two and under oue, aud the others, cc andf?d, pass under two and over one of the other slats, bj' which interlacing, three small figures are formed within the large figure, one of which is a figure with two right, one obtuse aud one acute angle, and four unequal sides, and two others, one of which is a right-angled triangle with two equal sides, aud the other is a right angled triangle with no equal sides. By dra-n-ing the slats of Fig. 1 apart, Fig. 2, an acute-angled triangle is produced — by draw- ing them together, Fig. 3 results, from which Fig. 8. Fig. 9 the acute-angled triangle. Fig. 4, can again be easily formed. Each of these figures presents abundant matter for investigation and instruc- tive conversation, as shown in connection with Fig. 1. The child now receives a Jifth slat. Sup- pose we have Fig. 2, consisting of four slats — ready before ns — we can, by adding the fifth slat, easily produce Fig. 8. Fig. 10. Fig. 11. If the five slats are disconnected, the child may lay two, vertically at some distance from each other, a third in a slanting position over them from right above to left below, and a fourth in an opposite direction, when the two latter will cross each other in their middle. By means of the fifth slat the interlacing then is carried out, by sliding it from right to left under the vertical over the crossing two, and again under the other vertical slat, and thereby the Fig. 5 made firm. By bending the vertical slats together, Fig. 6 is produced ; when the horizontal slat as- sumes a higher position, a five-angled figure appears — one of the slanting slats, however, 218- GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 12. Fig. 13. Fig. 22. Fig. 23. Fig. 14, Fig. 15. Fig. 24. Fig. 25. Fig. 16. Fig. 17. Fig. IS. Fig. 19. Fig. 26. Fig. 28. Fig. 27. Fig. 29. Fig. 20. Fig. 21. Fig. 30. Fig. 31. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. >19 has to change its position also, as shown iu The Figs. 17 and IS, (triangles) and Figs. 19 Fig. 7. In Fig. 8, the horizontal slat is moved and 23, (hexagons), deserve particnlar atten- downward. In Fig. 9, the original position tiou, because they afford valuable means for of the crossing slats is changed ; iu the triangle, mathematical observations. Fig. 10, still more, and in Figs. 11 aud 12, other changes of these slats are introduced. The addition of a sixth slat enables us still s Fig. 32. Fig. 33. further to form other figures from the previous ones — Fig. 17 can be produced from P'ig. 9, Fig. 18 from Figs. 10 or 11, Fig. 22 from Fig. 12, aud then a followiug series can be olitaiued by drawing ajiart and sho\-ing to- gether as heietofore. Let us begin thus : The child lays (Fig. 13) Fig. 34. Fig. 35. two slats horizontally upon the table — two slats verticallj' over them ; a large square is produced. A fifth slat horizontally across the middle of the two vertical slats, gives two paral- lelograms, and by connecting the sixth slat Fig. 38. Fig. 39. We find some few ex.amples of seven inter- twined slats, in (Figs. 25-28), of eight slats, (Figs. 29-36), of nine slats, (Figs. 37-40), aud of ten slats, (Figs. 41-43). All we have given in the above are mere hints to enable the teacher and pupil to find Fig. 40. more readily by indi^•idual application, the richness of figures to be formed with this oc- cupation material. It is particularly mathematical forms, reg- from above to below with the three horizontal slats so that the middle one is under aud the two outside slats over it, the child will have formed four small squares, of equal size. Fig. 41. ular polygons, (Figs. 28, 31, 40,42), contem- plation of divisions, produced by diagonals, etc., planes aud proportions of form, which, in forms ofknowledge, are brought before the 220 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. eye of the pupil, with great clearness and dis- tinctness, by the interlacing slats. In the meantime, it will afford pleasure to behold the forms of beauty, as given in Figs. 30, 33, 37; nor should the forms of life be forgotten, as they are easily produced by a larger number of slats, (Fig. 39 — a fan; Figs. 35 and 36 — fences) , by combining the work of sevp'-al pupils. The occupation with this material will fre- quently prove perplexing and troublesome to the pupil ; oftentimes he will try in vain to represent the object in his mind. Having almost successfully accompUshed the task, one of the slats will glide out from his structiu-e, and the whole will be a mass of ruins. It was the one slat, which, owing to its dereliction in jjerf ormiug its duty, destroyed the figure, and prevented all the others from performing theirs. Fig. 43. It will not be ditlicult for the thinking teacher to derive from such an occurrence, the opportunity to make an application to other The figures are not simply to be constructed conditions in life, even within the sphere of the and to be changed to others, but each of them young child, and his companions in and out of is to be submitted to a careful investigation school. The character of this occupation does Fig. 4-2. by the child, as to its angles, its constituent parts, and thch' qualities, and the senice each individual slat performs in the figure, as indi- cated with Fig. 1 . not admit of its introduction before the pupils have spent a consideralile time in the Kinder- garten, in which it is only begun, and coq tinued in the primary department. Note — This gift is used very little in the kindergarten. Such slats are valuable for use in simple con- struction work, for example in making a fan. Sometimes a tew slats are used in connection with the third or fourth gift. The fences in the sand box also require their use. They are used as the tools in pasting and in modeling. See use of slats as illustrated in Plate No. XVIII. THE SIXTEENTH GIFT.* THE SLAT "WITH MANY LINKS. This occupation material, which may be used at almost auy grade of development in the Kindergarten, the primary and higher school departments, is rich in its application, and may be employed in representing various kinds of lines and angles. In making simple geometrical figures the gift is invalualile and the forms of life and beauty which may be produced with it offer profitable exercise for the inventive powers of the child. A few figures here given may sug- gest the possibilities of this gift in the several classes of outlines to which it is adapted. Fig. 1. Fig. 2. "We have slats with four, sis, eight and six- teen links, which are introduced one after the other when opportunities offer. In putting the first in the hand of the child we would ask him to unfold all the links of the slat, and to place it upon the table so as to represent a vertical, horizontal and then an oblique line. brought to, or from each other, until we re- duce the angles to either a vertical line of two links' length, or a horizontal line of the length of four links. We may then form a square. Fig. 1. Push- ing two opposite corners of it toward each other, and bending the first link so as to cover Fiz. Fig. 6. with it the second, and, then joining the end of the foiu-th link to where the first and second are united, we shall form an equilateral tri- angle. Fig. 2. (Which other triangle can be formed with this slat, and how?) The capital letters V, "\V, N, M, Z, and the Fig. 7. Fig. 8. Fi, tV *'g- 22. Thia forms a small tnangle, which hangmg corners, J, g. 13 A sa. boat, Fig. wbl^n pressed open will form a small ;qnare, 14. A double canoe, F,g. 15. A httle work- pig. 23. Turning each corner of this square 234 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Fig. 20. Fig. 2L Fig. 22. Fig. 2" Fig. 2.5. Fig. 2: Fig. 29. Fig. 31. S^ Fig. 24. ^^\ ; ^^i X^^^^-:.'*; ""'^tw^M w 1 M Fig. 26. Fig. 28. Fig. 30. Fig. 32. bacli liaif way to its opposite coinev we have this form take the paper as in Fig. 19, open Fig. 24. From a similar fundamental form and press each corner to the center making the series of Figs. 26-34 originate. To make four small squares as in Fig. 25. From this PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 235 form the sequeDce is easily produced. If we finally take the paper as represented in Fig. 10, fold the lower right corner toward the mid- dle, also the left upper, then the two remain- ina; corners, we shall have four triangles cou- Fig. 33. Fig. 34. sisting of a double layer of paper, Fig. 35, which may be lifted up from the square ground and the upper layer again divided in triangles. Fig. 35. Fig. 36. Invert this figure and you will have four single squares, as shown in Fig. 36, which is the fundamental form of a series of forms of '-/\ ■:=_ y^Tiazsz % 1/ ■fe '< V 7 X \:/ M. Fig. 37. Fig. 38. beauty, shown in Figs, 37—46, the latter easily derived from this former under the guidance of the well-known law of opposites. Fig. 39. Fig. 40. The hints given in the above might be aug- mented to a considerable extent and still not exhaust the matter. They are given especially to stimulate teacher and child to individual, practical attempts in produciiio- forms by fold. Fig. 41. Fig. 42. ing. The best results of their activity can be improved by cutting out or coloring, which adds a new and interesting change to this oc- cupation. A change of the fundamental form in three directions yields various series of forms of beauty, which may be multi]:>lied ad infini- Fig. 43. Fig. 44. turn. Thereby, not only the idea of sequel in representations is given, but also the under- standing unlocked for the various orders in nature. Furthermore, this occuiiation gives the pupil such manual dexterity as scarcely any other does, and prepares the way to vai'ious female occui)ations, besides being immediately pre- paratory to all plastic work. Early training Fig. 45. Fig. m cleanliness and cave is also one of the re- sults of a protracted use of the folding i^aper. It is evident that only those children who have lieen a good while in the Kindergarten, can be employed in this department of occupation. The peculiar fitness of the folding paper for mathematical instruction beyond the Kinder- garten, must be apparent after we have shown how useful it can be made in this institution. 236 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION, EDITOR'S NOTES. The material for paper folding consists of square, rectangular, triangular and circular pieces of various colors. Begin the lessons with a talk on the material, telling the process by which paper is made, and asking the chil- dren to name different articles which aie made from it, and different things for which it is used. When the papers are given to the chil- dren and placed in the position directed, have them quietly wait until all are ready to begin work. See tliat they thoroughly understand the different positions, as front, back, right, left, front-right, back-left, front-left, and back- right. Bring out the ideas of edge, corner, vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines. In giv- ing dictations see that the children work by op- posites, and that they do not lift or turn the paper, as they should learn to fold in all direc- tions equally well. Let them name and use try can be evolved and this fact is pleasingly brought out in this occupation. For these ex- ercises the four-inch paper is most couvenient and a single fold on a diameter gives the semi- circle shown in Fig. 47. Fold again bringing the two ends of the diameter together, and the quarter circle shown in Fig. 48 is the result. Unfold and Fig. 49 shows the circle divided into four equal parts by two creases perpendicular to each other. Fold the edge of the circle over towards the center so as to make a crease join- ing the ends of two diameters, and repeat four times to produce Fig. 60. Unfold, and Fig. 51 Fig. 47. Fig. 48. the forms they make, taking a fresh square for each object. The folds are repeated every time, but each additional fold makes a new object, which, if named, helps the children to remem- ber the order of succession, especially if a story is added, and they can use the object. Arrange the folding according to the season of the year and the special subject of the week, and yet follow a sequence that the childi-en may see the development of one form from another. Fig. 49. Fig. 50. By the means of paper folding we are able to trace the evolution of the seventh gift tablets from the circular folding paper. As the ball is the most elementary form among solids, so the circle is the primary form in surfaces with its single dimension, the diameter. From the circle the several elementary forms in plain geome- Fig. 51. Fig. 52. is the result, showing by the creases a complete square with two diagonals. In these we have the square and half square, which is again di- ■s-ided into two other similar forms each one half the size of the first. Take another paper circle and again fold on one diameter, as in Fig. 47. The next operation is somewhat more difficult than any which have preceded it and is shown in Fig. 52. This operation consists in folding the semi-cucumference of the once folded circle into three equal parts. Fig. 52, and then, while Fig. 53. holding the circumference edges together closely making the folds to the center of the circle. In this operation accuracy may be facilitated by first folding the semi-circumference into halves as though the paper were to be folded into quarters as in Fig. 48 and then, instead of completing the radial fold, just pinch the fold at the center of the circle and thus indicate the PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 237 common point of meeting for the two folds in completing Fig. 52. Having completed Fig. 52, unfold, and Fig. 53 is the result. Now fold the that three folds will form a triangle as in Fig. 54. Unfold, and Fig. 55 is is result. In this we have the equilateral triangle a, b, c. The obtuse angle a, b, x, the scalene triangle a, b, d, or the smaller one b, x, d. The above evolution of the seventh gift forms from the circle, is the result of thought along this line by kindergartners in America, and has been extended to the evolution of solid forms from the sphere, which it is not in the province of these notes to discuss. This oc- cupation is one of the best for busy work in ^'o- 55. the primary department because of its practical Segments of the circle towards the center as application to form and ntmiber. Modern sug- was done in making the square but instead of gestious may be found in Paper and Scissors having the fold subtend ninety degrees let it in the Schoolroom by Emily A. AVeaver, and subtend one hundred and twenty degrees so also iu other books. Note. — Forms of life made from the circle are interesting to the children at an early stage of paper folding. For example, a circle doubled gives a rocking horse. The kindergartner may cut a rider and seat him on the rocker for a toy. A fan is also easily folded from the circle, a semicircle or a quadrant, making an open fan. A splint furnishes the handle. An umbrella, open or closed, may readily be made also. THE NINETEENTH GIFT* MATEEIAL FOR PEAS- WORK. We have already tried, in connection witli the Eighth Gift, (the laying sticlvs), to ren- der permanent the productions of- the pupils by stitching or pasting- them to stiff paper. We satisfied by so doing a desire of the child, Fig 1. Fig. 2. which grows stronger as the child grows older, the desire to produce by his own acti%'ity cer- tain lasting results. It is no longer the in- cipient instinct of activity which governs the Fig. 3. Fig. 4. child, the instinct which prompted him ap- parently without aim, to destroy everything and to reconstruct in order to again desti'oy. Fig. 5. Fig. fi. A higher pleasure of production has taken its place ; not satisfied by mere doing, but requir- ing for his satisfaction also, delight in the created object — if even unconsciously — the de- light of progress, which manifests itself in the production, and which can be observed only in and by tlie permanency of the object which enables us to compare it with objects previous- ly produced. To satisfy the claims of the pupils in this direction in a high degi-ee, the working with peas is eminently fitted, although considerable ©c @ a ^ ^ 4j) Fig. 7. Fig. 8. manual skill is required for it, not to be ex- pected in any child before the fifth year. The material consists of pieces of wire of the thick- ness of a hau--piu, of various sizes in length, Fig. 9. Fig. 10. and pointed at the ends. They again repre- sent lines. As means of combination, as em- bodied points of junction, peas are used, soaked about twelve hours in water and dried Fig. 11. Fig. 12. one hour pre^•^ous to being used. They are then just soft enough to allow the child to In- troduce the points of the wires into them and also hard enough to afford a sufBeient hold to the latter. * Peas work is trying work except in its simplest form. Such forms of life as tlie hat-pins, dumb-bells, drumsticks, which require but one or two sticks and a few peas are as far as many kindergartners proceed. A few simple tools and pieces of furniture may be outlined with peas and toothpicks. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 239 The first exercise is to combine two mres, duce six triangles of equal size, and repeat by means of one pea, into a sti'aight line, an with them all the exercises, gone through with obtuse, right and acute angle. What has been said in regard to laying of sticks in connection with Figs. 1-23 sticks of that gift will sei-ve here also. the tablets, and may enlarge upon them. Or the child may prepare fou)-, eight, sixteen right-angled triangles, or obtuse-angled, or acute- angled triangles and lay with them Figs. 1-12 for the course of drawing, and caiTy them out still further. Fig. 13. Fig. U. Of thi'ee wires, a longer line is formed ; angles, with one long, and one short side. The three wires are inti'oduced into one pea, Fig. 15. Fig. 16. so that they meet in one point ; two parallel lines may he continued by a third ; finally the equilateral triangle is produced. Fig. 18. After these hints it seems impossible not to occupy the child in an interesting and instruc- tive manner ; for the condition attached to each new gift of the Kindergarten is some special progress in its course. We produced outlines of many objects with the sticks ; all fonnatious, however, remained planes, whose sides were represented by sticks. Fig. 17. Then follows the square, parallelogi-am, rhomboid ; diagonals may be drawn and the foi-ms shown in Figs. 1-10 be produced. The possibility of representing the most mani- fold fonns of knowledge, of Ufe and of beauty is reached, and the forms produced may be used for other purposes. The child may pro- Fig. 19. Fig. 20. In the working with peas, the wires represent edges, the peas serve as corners, and tLese skeleton bodies are so much more instructive, as they allow the observation of the outer forms in their outUnes and the inner sti'ucture and being of the body, at the same time. The child unites two equilateral triangles by 240 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. three equally long wires, and forms thereby a prism, (Fig. 13); four equilateral triangles give the three-sided pyramid ; eight of them, the octahedron. (Figs. 14 and 15). From two equal squares, united by four wirea of the length of the sides, the skeleton cube, Fig. 16, is formed; if the uniting wires are longer than the sides of the square, the foui'-sided column (Fig. 17); if one of the squares is larger than the other, a topless pyra- mid will be produced, etc. Fig. 18, shows a combination of cubes. It is hardly possible that pupils of the Kindergarten should make any fmlher prog- Fig. 21. ress in the formation of these mathematical forms of crystallization, as the representation of the many-sided bodies, and especially this development of one from another, requires greater care and skill than should be expected at such an early period of life. It will be re- served for the primary, and even a higher grade of school, to proceed farther on the road indicated, and in this manner prepare the pupil for a clear understanding of regular bodies. This, however, does not exclude the con- struction by the more advanced pupils of the kindergarten, of simple objects, in their sur- roundings, such as benches, (Fig. 19), chairs, (Fig. 20), baskets, etc., or to try to invent other objects. Whoever has himself tried peas-work, will be convinced of its utility. Great care, and much patience, are needed to produce a somewhat complicated object ; but a successful structure repays the child for all painstaking and per- severance. By this exercise, the pupils im- prove in readiness of construction, and this is an important preparation for organization. More advanced pupils try also, successfully, to construct letters and numerals, with the material of this gift. Fig. 22. The bodies produced by peas work may be used as models in the modeling department. The one occupation is the complement of the other. The skeleton cube allows the observa- tion of the qualities of the solid cube, in greater distinctness. The image of the body becomes in this manner more perfect and clear, and above all, the child is led upon the road, on which alone he is enabled to come into possession of a true knowledge and correct estimate of things ; the road on which he learns, not only to observe the external appearance of things, but in the meantime, and always to look at theu' internal being. EDITOR'S NOTES. The outline solids made in the peas work are merely the forerunners of the wire models now so highly prized by all teachers of draw- ing, in illustrating the elementary principles of perception. As the more elaborate forms can only be made by the more advanced pupils of the kindergarten, they may be rendered valu- able in imparting these same principles to the kindergarten pupils in their drawing exercises, even though these pupils are not able to very correctly represent the forms in their drawing. Various substitutes for soaked peas have been suggested and tried, as cork cubes and clay pellets used while soft, but still good peas are usually preferred. Instead of wire, thin, round sticks are used, PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 241 ■which, when sharpened at the ends, are not so liable to split the peas. In the first lesson give one dry pea and ask the children to tell you of other things which are of the same shape. Lead them back to the ball and develop various exercises which will recall the ideas of movabiUty,smoothness, hard- ness, roundness and dryness, then give each child a pea which has been soaked in water, and lead the class to a comparison of size and hardness. Call attention to the crease which divides the pea into halves, and show how readily the outer covering may be taken off. Give a talk on peas, how they are planted, how they sleep, are fed and watered, how they are awakened, drawing out the ideas of the children by va- rious questions. Have them lay designs with peas in the sand or on the peg boards. Let them outUne walks and flower beds, with stars, crosses and crescents in them. After the pea has been carefully studied give the children a stick and let them put a pea on one end of it, telling what they have made, then one on the other end, letting them always name and use what they make. When the children are ready add more sticks and peas, and as nearly all things made are built on geometric forms it is well that the pupils should first learn to make the square, oblong and triangle, then they will be able to construct many objects. Numberless life fonns may be built from this gift, as a garden with the various imple- ments, or a house and many pieces of furni- tm-e, the children feeling amply rewarded ia the results for the care and patience needed to construct these articles. THE TWENTIETH GIFT. ]matp:rial for modeling. Modeling, or workiug in claj', held in high estimation by Frwbel, as an essential part of the whole of his means of education is, strange to say, much neglected in the Kindergarten. As the main objection to it named is that the children even with the greatest care, cannot prevent occasionally soiling their liands and their clothes. Others, again believe that an occupation, directlj" preparing for art, very rarely can be continued in life. They call it therefore, aimless pastime without favorable consequences, either for internal development or external happiness. If it must be admitted th.at the soiling of the hands and clothing cannot always be avoided, we hold that for this very reason, this occupation is a capital one, for it will give an opportunity to accustom the children to care, order and cleanliness, provided the teacher herself takes care to develop the sense of the pupils, for these virtues, in connection with this occupation ; as on all other oc- casions, she should strive to excite the sense of cleanliness as well as purity. Certainly, parts of the adhesive clay will stick to the little fingers and nails of the children, and their wooden knives, but, pray, what harm can grow out of this ? The child ma}' learn even from this fact. It may ))e remarked in con- nection with it, that the callous hand of the husbandman, the dirty blouse of the mechanic, oulj' show the occupation, and cannot take aught from the inner worth of a man. As re- gards the objection to this occupation as aim- less and without result, it should be considered that occupation with the beautiful, even in its crudest beginnings, always bears good fruit, l)ecause it prepares the individual for a true appreciation and noble enjoyment of the same. Just in this the significance of Froebel's educa- tional idea partly rests, that it strives to open every human heart for the beautiful and good — that it particularly is intended to elevate the social position of the laboring classes, by means of education not only in regard to knowledge and skill, but also, in regard to development of refinement and feeling. Representing, imitating, creating, or trans- forming in general, is the child's greatest en- joyment. Bread-crumbs are modeled by him into balls, or objects of more complicated form- and even when biting bits from his cooky, it is the child's desire to produce form. If a piece of wax, putty or other pliable matter, falls into his hands, it is kneaded until it as- sumes a form, of which they may assert that it represents a baby, — the dog Roamer, or what not ! Wet sand, they press into their little cooking utensils, when playing "house- keeping," and pass off the forms as puddings, tarts, etc ; in one word most children are born sculptors. Could this fact have escaped Fros- bel's keen observation ? He has provided the means to satisfy this desire of the child, to de- velop also this talent in its very awakening. According to Froebel's principle, the first exercises in modeling are representation of the fourteen stereometric fundamental forms of crystallization, which he presents in a box, by themselves, as models. Starting tromthe cube the e>/h'ii(h'r follows — then the sphere, pyramid with three, four and six sides, the 2rri.' or by means of his knife, the child changes the one round plane to three or four planes, and as many edges, producing thereby the prism aud the four-sided column. If we reduce the circular surface of one end of the cylinder to a point at its center, and bel's occupations is that for the development connect this point with the cii'cumference of the of regular fonns of bodies. The fundamental other end with a cui-ved siuface, we have a form, of course, is the sphere. The child rep- cone. If we change this new conical surface 244 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. to a number of plane triangles we shall have for a base a polygon and the curved surface reduced to several triangles. If we act in the same manner with the other end of the cylin- der, we may form a double cone, and from it we may produce a double pyramid. If again we take the cylinder and change its circular edges to a definite number of planes, we again have the sphere. Fig. 12. Fig. 13. Well fonned specimens may, to acquke greater durabiUty, be treated as indicated pre- viously. The production of forms and figures from soft and pliable material belongs, un- doubtedly, to the earliest and most natural occupations of the human race, and has served all plastic arts as a starting-point. The occu- pation of modeling, then, is eminently fit to carry into practice Froebel's idea that children, in their occupations, have to pass through all the general grades of development of human cultnre in a diminished scale. The natural talent of the future architect or sculptor, lying dormant in the child, must needs be called forth and developed by this occupation, as by a self- acting and inventing construction and forma- tion, all innate talents of the child are made to grow into visible reality. If we now cast a retrospective look upon the means of occupation in the Kindergarten we find that the material progresses from the solid and whole, in gradual steps to its parta, until it arrives at the image upon the plane, and its conditions as to line and point. For the heavy material, fit only to be placed upon the table in unchanged form (the building blocks) , a more flexible one is substituted in the following occupations : Wood is replaced hy paper. The paper ^^tone of the folding occu- pation, is replaced by the paper strip of the wea^^ng occupation, as line. The wooden stick, or very thin loire, is then introduced for the purpose of executing permanent figures in connection with peas, representing the pjoint. In place of this material the drawu line then appears, to which colors are added. Perforat- ing and embroidering introduces another addition to the material to create the images of fantasy, which, in the paper cutting and mounting, again receive new elements. The modeling in clay, or wax, affords the immediate plastic artistic occupation, with the most pliable material for the hand of the child. Song introduces into the realm of sound, when movement plays, gymnastics and dancing, help to educate the body, and insure a harmonious development of all its parts. In practicing the technical manual performances of the mechanic, such as boring, piercing, cutting, measuring, uniting, forming, drawing, paint- ing and modeling, a fouudation of all future occupation of artisan and artist — sj'nonymous in past centuries — is laid. For ornamentation especially, all elements are found in the occu- pations of the Kindergarten. The forms of beauty in the paper-folding, serve as series of rosettes and ornaments in relief, as archi- tecture might employ them, without change. The productions in the braiding department contain all conditions of artistic weaving, nor does the cutting of figures fail to afford richest material for ornamentation of various kinds. For every talent in man means of develop- ment are prox-ided in the Kindergarten ma- terial, opportunity for practice is constantly given, and each direction of the mind finds its starting-point in concrete things. No more complete satisfaction, therefore can be given to the claim of modern pedagogism, that all ideas should be founded on previous percep- tion derived from real objects, than is done in the genuine Kindergarten. Whosoever has acquired even a superficial idea only of the significance of Frajbel's means of occupation in the Kindergarten, will be ready to admit that the ordinary play- things of children cannot, by any means, as regards their usefulness, be compared with the occupation material in the Kindergarten. That the foiTner may, in a certain degree, be made helpful in the development of children, is not denied ; occasional good results with them, however, most always will be found to be owing to the child's own instinct rather than to the nature of the toy. Planless play- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 245 ino;, without guidance and supen-ision, cannot prepare a child for the earnest side of life as well as for the enjoyment of its harmless amusements and pleasuies. Like the plant, which, in the wilderness even, draws from the soil its nutrition, so the child's mind draws from its surroundings and the means, placed at its command, its educational food. But the rosebush, nursed and cared for in the garden by the skillful horticulturist produces flowers, far more perfect and beautiful than the wild growing sweet briar. Without care neither mind nor body of the child can be ex- pected to prosper. As the latter cannot, for a healthful development, use all kiuds of food without careful selection, so the mind for its higher cultivation requires a still more careful choice of the means for its development. The child's free choice is limited only in so far as it is ne(!essary to limit the amount of oc- cupation material in order to fit him for sys- tematic application. The child will find instinc- tively all that is requisite for his mental growth, if the propei- material only be presented and a guiding mind indicate its most appro- priate use in accordance with a certain law. Froebel's genius has admirably succeeded in inventing the proper mateiial as well as in pointing out its most successful application to prepare the child for all situations in future life, for all branches of occupation in the use- ful pursuits of mankind. When the Kindergarten was first established by him, it was prohibited in its original form and its inventor driven from place to place in his fatherland on account of his liberal educa- tional principles, which he wanted to have car- ried out in the Kindergarten. Tlie keen eye of monarchial government officials quickly saw that such institutions could not turn out will- ing subjects to tyrannical oppression, and the rulers ''by the grace of God," tolerated the Kin- dergarten, only when public opinion'declared too strongly in its favor. In pleading the cause of the Kindergarten on the soil of republican America, is it asking too much that all may help in extending to the future generation the benefits which may be derived from an institution so eminently fit to educate free citizens of a free country r EDITOR'S NOTES. In accordance with the general scheme of this book the few simple illustrations accom- panying the text of the original edition are reproduced. Owing to the influence of the kin- dergarten the advance in educational thought in America during the past thirty-five yesTrs, has been so gi-eat that no argument is now nec- essary to con\-ince progressive teachers that clay modeling should have a prominent place in primary instruction, and with the promotion of this occupation to the high place which it holds in the modern kindergarten, has come the pub- lication of suggestions and instructions for this work which are of great value, and are given more in detail than the space in this book will allow. Among these excellent hand-books perhaps none holds a higher place than "Clay Modeling in the Schoolroom" by Ellen Stephen Hildreth, who is a practical kindergartner and therefore handles her subject strictly according to kindergarten principles, although the work is carried somewhat further than may be possible during the kindergarten years. The methods of this author, as shown in an exhibit of kin- dergarten work sent from St. Louis to the Paris Exposition and afterward presented to Madam Marenholtz Von Bulow, received her unquali- fied endorsement which was expressed in a letter to Mrs. Hildreth at the time. In the opening sentences of the first chapter of "Clay Model- ing in the Schoolroom" the author says : "Modeling in clay is valuable educationally because it enables us to comprehend and re- Fig. 14. 'j)roduce ideas of form. AVith such knowledge we convert raw material to our use. It is also valuable as a stimulus to observation, develop, ing through reproduction the faculties of class- 246 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. iflcation and generalization. The art of model- ing deals with uuisersal types of form, modi- fied, blended and combined. These types are the curved solids, and in the following pages a definite method is given by which educators may utilize modeling in the discipline of the mind, at an age when sense impressions are strongest." Fig. 15. In accoi"dance with a definite scheme the lessons are based on seven geometrical forms, the Sphere, Oblate Spheroid, Prolate Spheroid, Ovoid, Cone, Cylinder, and Cube in the order named, which aie designated as Normal Types. This general classification is subdi%'ided into Fig. 17. several series, one for each Normal Type. In the first series, the first Normal Type is the Sphere, and the typical objects are sugar-bowl, Fig. 14, lunch-basket Fig. 15, and globe fish. Fig. IG. The second Normal Type in this series is the Hemisphere. Typical objects, toadstool, Fig. 17, Nelly Bly cap. Fig. 18. The third Normal Type, is a Circle. Typi- cal objects, sewing-basket. Fig. 19, bird's- nest, Fig. 20. A similar series is based on each of the above-named seven geometrical forms, and ex- plicit instructions given for the treatment of Fig. 18. each subject, with illustrations so that other forms and other typical objects can be handled intelligently fiom the directions furnished. For material the best artist's clay is most desirable and can be obtained from all dealers in kin- dergarten material or from potteries, if near at Fig. 19. hand. In such case ask for unmixed, washed clay. Clay prepared for firing is usually unfit for modeling. Mrs. Hildreth's instructions for preparing the clay are as follows : — "If the clay is dry, in lumps or powder, tie it up in a large cloth, as if it were a pudding. Place the cloth f uU of clay in a vessel, and pour Fig. 20. In water enough to cover the clay. After one or two hour's immersion take out the cloth full of clay, and, without untying, knead thoroughly until the mass seems plastic, and perfectly free from lumps. Open the cloth and examine it from time to time while kneading it. If too wet allow it to dry off, if too dry return to tho PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 247 water. When properly kneaded it ■will have a springy feeling under the fingers, and when rubbed smooth will glisten as if oily. It must not be wet enough to be sticky, or dry enough to feel hard to the touch. A little practice will enable the teacher to tell when it is just right. When worked into an elastic mass, replace in the empty pail the clay which is still in the cloth, and cover with several other folds of wet of fine box-wood modeling tools, but these are not necessary for elementary work, although a few simple tools or knives are quite desirable, and Figs. 21 and 22 illustrate two which seem to cover in very simple forms the princi- pal requisites. ^ c .^ Fig. 21. cloth. This keeps it in good condition. After each exercise any remnants or broken objects from previous exercises may be thoroughly wet and replaced in the cloth, at one side, in order that they may be softened and ro-kueaded. In this way no clay is wasted." The clay as sold is usually in five pound, dry or six pound moist bricks, or in a powder. The most convenient form is dust-tight paper boxes of powder containing five pounds each. Artists in plastic materials use a great variety Fig. 22. Fie. 21 is a spatula or knife with a blade sharpened on both edges and rounded on the end, and a handle terminating in a point which is very useful in many operations. Fio'. 22 is somewhat similar in shape but provided at the blade-end with a sen-ated edge for leveling down a flat surface of clay when it is required for a base or other i)urpose. In this tool the end of the handle is formed to a blunt rounded point which is very useful in many cases. Each of these tools is about six inches long and with them a very large variety of work can be done successfully THE KINDERGATEN GAMES. In the whole world of nature nothing de- velops without acti^•ity, consequently play or the exercising of the child's activity is the first means of development of the human mind, the means by wliich the child is to become ac- quainted with the outer world and his own pow- ers of body and mind. Watching the play of children Froebel found it was a spontaneous God-given acti\ity, by which they were surely but unconsciously educating themselves, getting their first knowledge of duty and the truths of life through play. The games which are the organized plays, and the very life of tlie kin- dergarten,give the child the means of ex})ression through the activities of the body, so that he can reproduce his iudi\ndual life, for while in the occupations and gifts the children reproduce with their hands, in the games they enter into the life and act out what they wish to repre- sent and for the time being are really these things, whether it be birds, trees, flowers, stars or water, thus developing and cultivating the imagination. Every way which exists of expressing the inner life through the outer enriches us, and in the games the cluld gives forth freely all which he has taken in, and having thus made the unity which he sees and comprehends he be- comes fnlly conscious of it, and his whole life, inner and outer, is lifted to a higher plane. By means of the directed games the surplus energy of the child may be guided, the basis for study laid and the foundation principles in chemistry, physics, geometry, construction and design fur- nished, thus utiUzing his activities for an educational purpose.* The community spirit is fostered as the child finds he is only one of many, and that each one has his part to do to make the many happy and useful. It is also an aid to self-government, for through play he learns that certain effects follow certain causes, and in all that he does the child feels constant freedom under law and soon finds the closer he follows tlie law the more freedom he has. Thus the will of the child is guided and strengthened, and principles of justice, honesty and kindness are inculcated. The games representing the trades show ideas of labor and trade and our dependence upon them. The child is in turn a shoemaker, * Read "The present point of view of the plays and games of the kindergarten," Mary Boomer Page, in "The Elementary' School Teacher," March, 1909. The lengths to which some kindergartners have extended the claims and value of geometrical ideas is clearly shown in the closing lines of tliis paragraph. The play spirit is being kept to the front and simple dramatizing which appeals to the imagination. 248 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. a farmer, a baker, a blacksmith, and is thus brought into relations with the universal ac- tivities of the race and gains a respect for those who do in reality what he does in play. Such play broadens a child's view of life and creates an intelligent interest in the lives of Each little pair of children's feet May help us to make our ring complete. So this is the way that we form our ring, Tra la la la la la." — Song Stories in the Kindergarten. Thus an unbroken circle is formed which has many classes of workers, as he sees the skill, its ethical significance in the fact that no indi- patience, and perseverance required on the vidual is more prominent than another, is but a part of these workers. Thus the intellectual part of a perfect whole, yet is responsible in nature is strengthened and developed and also the physical, as the games exercise and give more perfect control of the body, as well as grace and directness of movement. The physi- cal being is brought into activity, different sets of muscles being constantly used, until all parts of the body fire engaged in active play. Children need to be free iu thought and action, This song may be himself for that whole, followed by another, as :- " See the children on our ring. Joining in our soug ; They together form our ring, Standing straight and strong." —Song Stories in the Kindergarten. Then the kindergartner advances to the cen- and as the child imitates the activities about ter of the circle, or bows to some child to do so, him his eu^ironment cannot lie overrated. We while all sing: — should gain the same freedom in our bodies to express clearly and simply the more mature ideas in our minds, so that we may always meet the little child on his own plane and from there lead him step by ste]) to clearer sight and appreciatn^.n of the laws we wish to teach. Through the dramatic representation of sun, moon and stars and all plant and animal life the child is brought into sympathy and acquaint- ance with nature, and what he imitates he learns to uiiderstaud and love. Thus nature grows " Let us look at • So happy and gay, Let us look at What does she now play ? " The child in the center then imitates by ges- ture the game she desires to play, and at the close of the play she chooses another child to take her place in the center of the circle, and so on, each new leader upon her entrance to the center being greeted with the above song. This is l)ut a simple illustration of one way of dearer and the child's conception of all these opening the games and should not be followed newly-made friends more beautiful and vivid, literally, but be subject to the individu- awakening iu him a spiritual truth which leads ality of the teacher. The games should re- him to trace all life back to its source, making fleet the prevailing thought of the day or week this the means of spiritual culture. There is or season of the year, and the children should nothing that cannot be made real to the child be made familiar with the life and work of the through games, and any truth may be impressed things they represent by means of pictures and upon him that is a vital and necessary one. talks and they will readily give spontaneous ex- When the time for the games arrives the chil- pression to their conceptions of the subject, dren sit with folded hands listening for a chord At the indication of the slightest disturbing from the piano, which is a signal to stand, element, a chord from the piano will instantly Another chord is struck and the children see change the children into animals, birds, or a how quietly they can put their chairs up to the running stream, thus expressing nature and table. Still another chord, and they turn and restoring harmony at once, form in marching line, singing a simple melody. Let the games be spontaneous, merely allow as : — and guide the play spirit, keeping the child un- "We'll march and march and march around, conscious by making the thing he does promi- And marching gaily sing," etc., nent and not the child. If the child does not until they are in good line, then joining hands choose wisely, by questioning and careful sug- gestions the kindergartner can usually get him to select a more suitable game, and all Working together we gaily sing, ^^^_ games played can be woven into a whole Tra la la la la la. which gives afeeling of unity and completeness. Froebel was very informal in playing game.s, and would start a game bv saving, "Come, children, let ua dance and sing." See cliapter on tlie "Life of Froebel." Many kindergartners prefer the less formal method as conducive to a genuine play spirit. The children fall into a ring gradually as they do when playing at home or on the street. They learn self control better than by constantly following external signals. If a chord is struck, it should be preceded bv a run on the piano as a preparatory guide, and the chord should not be loud or sudden, as otherwise it tends to produce a startled movement. Sing :— " This is the way that we form our ring, Tra la la la tra la la la. A FEW SUGGESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING LITTLE CHILDREN TO SING. 1. Sing softly. "A voice that has acquired power at the expense of quality is sure to be abnormal." 2. Have two or three minutes' " daily drill with lips pursed well forward. Begin on E flat in the fourth space of the staff. Sing the descend- ing scale softly on the syllable hoo." Illustrate position of lips by blowing on the tip of the finger. Later use moo, loo, mo, etc. 3. Restrict compass in rote songs; keep within the staff. 4. Sing to the children, not with them. Let them sing to you. Often sing lullabies to them. Let them "make up" musical phrases. Com- pose "piano stories" based on the scale. Going upstairs; coming down, running, tired or heavy footsteps. 5. Train children to listen to different notes of the piano, to other musical sounds, as pitch- pipe, etc. Play "echo," the child repeating the teacher's call of two or three notes. 6. Sing quickly and cheerfully. Let voices skip. Do not drag. " Do not disturb the swing of the rhythm." 7. Have thought control expression. Sing the song as a whole story to the children. Do not analyze too much. Choose short songs with simple words and with repetitions. Speak words very distinctly in singing to the children. Let children sing after you, learning words and tune together, phrase by phrase, or line by line. Correct such mispronunciations as Christmus, childrun, etc. 8. Use the words of the songs during the day in conversation. 9. Do not sing too many of the same songs from year to year. You tire of them if the children do not. 10. Accustom children to sing alone, just as they speak individually. 1 1 . Require children to sit or stand well. 12. To make the lips mobile in speaking, imitate sounds of animals frequently; have simple phonic exercises, as making sounds of ch, sh, p, f, m, r, v, wh, th, playfully. 13. Practise occasionally pantomime speaking and singing, also humming. 14. Do not expect children to do too many things at once. Notice effect of movement, marching, carrying chairs, etc., upon the quahty of the voice. Children should not sing while playing active games. Those standing still may do so. 15. Read prefaces in all your song books. PART III. LIFE OF FRIEDRICH FROEBEL. By henry W. BLAKE, A.M. INTRODUCTION TO THE LIFE OF FROEBEL. One of the principal reasons for studying any subject is to gain tlic power of thiukiug ana- lytically about it. To do this it may be nec- essary to acquire many facts pertaining to that subject, but after all this preliminary work has been done the knowledge of those facts ■will prove of but comparatively little conse- quence unless we understand and appreciate their co-relation. Consequently the argument for a careful study of Fra'bel's life as essen- tial to the understanding cf the kindergarten system, both in its theory and practice, is based on the broad proposition that whoever aspires to understand any system of philoso- phy, ethics or education must be able to think analytically al)ont it. AVhile all earnest students of Fro-bel's sj-steni realize the more thoroughly they pursue it that they have a life work in hand, there are unquestionably certain methods of study that will become especially helpful when applied to tliis sul)ject, just as there are in all lines of mental inves- tigation. And now we come to the general principle that one cannot understand the philosophy of any man who is really great without becoming familiar with his career, with the procession of events which, taken together, have made up his life. The author once had the pleasure of listening to an address by a distinguished judge regard- ing the aims and methods of Bible study in which he maintained that primary investigation of historical facts is essential to the successful comprehension of any principles, doctrines, or theories which i)ertain to those facts. If we wish to put ourselves in touch with the teach- ings of Christ so that they shall become a lamp to our feet and a guide to our path, we must make ourselves familiar with His life, so that, as far as is possible, we may live as He lived, and feel as He felt. And the same may be said of other great men for whom no claim of di- vinity has ever been made, but who have been pioneers in the fields of spiritual, nteatal or material activity. It would seem, however, that tnis principle of facts Itefore theories has not been the prev- alent one on the part of students acd teachers. The judge just quoted admitted that it took him many years in his private study of the Bible to discover that this method is the nat- ural one, and there is reason to fear that the average teacher is very apt to give his pupils principles and theories without being careful to present to them the biographical facts which so often lie behind those principles and theo- ries. In other words, we are encouraged and compelled to read Caesar's commentaries, re- gardless of our preWous acquaintance with Ciesar. Coming to the particular application of the ai-gument, are we not forced to admit that the accurate acquaintance with the events of Fra^bel's life among students of the kinder- garten system has been left somewhat to acci- dent, such study being taken uji at any time in the course when it was most convenient for the teacher, and not alwaj's with the system- atic application which a'one insui'es the best results ? Friedrieh Fra?bel lived a peculiar life and inaugurated a peculiar educational system, and it is pre-eminently true that we must study that life In order to comprehend that system, to say nothing of acquiring the ability to teach it. If we admit the truth of this statement, it follows that the study of Fra'bel's life should begiu at the opening of the kindergarten course. If we are to undertake such study, the question arises. Into what periods does the life of Froebel naturally divide itself ? Speak- ing in a general way, the answer is : Into three periods, Froebel as a Student, as a Teacher, as a Kindergartner. Of course these periods overlai) each other in various ways. He was alwaj-s a student, from the earliest hours of his conscious existence in the lonely parson- age of Oberweisbach to his dying days at Marienthal. He became a teacher iong before his professional studies ended and continued 254 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. teaching till liis latest breath. The germ of the kincleigarteu idea came to him with the prattling speech of babyhood and to perfect it was the loving labor of the rest of his days. But for purposes of classification we may re- gard him as a student from his birth in 1782 to 1816 ; a teacher from 1816 to 1837 ; and a kindergartner from 1837 to 1852, a span which completes the seventy years of his life. If the division named above is correct it gives us our point of view from which to study Frcebel. We are to consider him as a stu- dent, as a teacher, as a kindergartner. We are to ask ourselves what his life iu these dif- ferent capacities contributed to the kindergar- ten, and the object of such an investigation is not to satisfy idle curiosity, but to put our- selves in a position where we can understand his educational system, otherwise we cannot make any just claim to comprehending it. In compiling this work the author has con- sulted the common authorities within reach of the American student aud also some that arc out of the usual course. The translation of Frcvbel's autobiographical letter to the Duke of Meiningen by Miss Lucy Wheelock of Boston, as published in Dr. Barnard's "Kindergarten and Child Culture Pai)ers," has been relied on to furnish the thread of the narrative from 1782 till 1815. The other translation of this letter by Emilie Michaelis and H. Keatley Moore, which forms a part of their "Autobio- graphy of Friedrich Fra'bel," published by C. W. Bardeen of Syracuse, N. Y., has been found valuable in throwing light on this same period, particularly through the foot notes. This book also contains a long extract from another letter of Fra'bel, written to Friedrich Kranse, the eminent philosopher, which is a ^e^^ew of his life from infancy down to the year 1828, so that by consulting these two letters we get an account in Fra-bel's own words of his career for forty-six years, or nearly till the time when he relinquished his principalship at Keilhau. For what happened iu Switzerland we are dependent on B.irop's article on "Critical Mo- ments in the Life of Frcebel," a different trans- lation of which appears in each of the books al- ready named. Then for the intervening pe- riod between the establishment of the first kindergarten at Blankenburg and the residence .at Liebenstein we depend largely on "Frcebel's Letters," edited by Arnold H. Heinemann and published by Lee & Shepard of Boston, and "The Story of My Life" by Georg Ebers, trans- lated by Mary J. Safford and published by D. Appleton & Co. of New York. These books do not give the continuous story of Froebel's wanderings and the gradual development of the one idea of his life from 1837 to 1849, but they do contain suggestions and pen-pictures by which it is possilile to piece out the narra- tive so that it can be readily understood and appreciated. There are other articles to be considered, most of them being translations from Dr. Wichard Lange's "For the Understanding of Frcebel," reproduced in the Barnard book. From 1849 to the time of Froebel's death the world for the most part relies on "Reminis- cences of Friedrich Frcebel" by Baroness Von Marenholtz-Bulow, translated by Mrs. Horace Maun and pulilished by Lee & Shepard, Bos- ton. A little pamphlet " Reminiscences of Friedrich Frojbel," by Frau Frwbel, published by the Chicago Kindergarten College, is also very helpful in supplementing the account of the Baroness, and for an account of the last days of the great apostle of tiie new education we are indebted to the translation of a pamphlet pub- lished l)y Middeudorf immediately after the death of his friend. "Frcebel and Education by Self- Activity," by H. C. Bowen, pubhshed by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, adds some- what to the story, and so does "Friedrich Frce- bel, How He Became an Educator," by Frau Elsie Von Calcar. This book was originally written in Dutch and then translated into Ger- man, although no English translation has ever been published. In compiling the concluding pages regarding the jn'ogress of the kindergar- ten movement since Fra^bel's death the author is indebted to "The Pratt Institute Monthly," "The Kindergarten News" and "The Kintler- garten Magazine" for data. To all authors and publishers who have helped him in any way he desires to make grateful acknowledgement. The pictures illustrating the narrative were made expressly for this book. The portrait of Frwbel is copied from a picture taken from the oil painting which hangs in the school- house at Oberweisbach by H. Euders, a mem- ber of the Royal Academy at Dresden, who painted it from an engraving on steel. The copy of the portrait is known as the "jubilee PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 255 picture," having been selected by a committee of gentlemen appointed to choose a picture to be published at the time of the celebration of Froebel's one hundredth birthday, in 1882. It is regarded as an excellent likeness by those people in Germanj' most competent to judge. The picture of Frwbel's birthplace, of the \'il- lage as seen from the top of the Memorial Tower, in which the church is such a promi- nent feature, and the view of the tower itself were taken by special representatives of the publishers of this book for reproduction here, and they give a clear and adequate idea of the surroundings of his early days. The pictures of the house at Marienthal, where Frojbel died, of the monument in the lit- tle wood adjoining that house and of the tomb- stone over the grave at Schweina were also taken for exclusive use here. In regard to the tombstone picture it is proper to say that because the photographs and woodcuts which have previously been brought from Europe by kindergartners and other tourists have shown such unmistakable proofs that they were made from drawings, and not from the tombstone and its natural surroundings, the publishers for- warded one of them to their agent in Germany with an inquiry about its authenticity. As a re- sult the picture was returned without comment, except the word "fantasm," penciled on the back. Concerning the picture here presented it is proper to say that owing to the crowded con- dition of the buryiug ground a photograph of the monument which is entirely satisfactory cannot be secured, and that in this direct front view the symbolical cylinder and cube neces- sarily appear like one shaft or two similar forms of the same size. This picture is doubtless as good as could l)e secured under the circum- stances, and bears e%adence that it is from an original photograph and not the copy of an imaginative drawing. The portrait of Frau Frffibel is from a photograph taken about a dozen j'ears ago, while she was still in active service as a training teacher at Hamburg. It was presented to Miss Louise M. Steinweg, now of Pittsburg, Pa., when she graduated from the training class, and was loaned by her to the publishers. The map used to illustrate the theater of Fra-bel's life has been redrawn to fit the limits of this book from German maps, which can he relied on for their accuracy. So far as the author is aware this is the first biography of Froebel undertaking to cover his whole life, single newspaper articles ex- cepted, which has been published from the pen of an American. It is the outcome of a course of lectures delivered in the winter and spring of 1895, to the kindergarten depart- ments of the Springfield (Mass.) Industrial Institute and the State Normal School at New Britain, Coun. The author has aimed to tell the story as clearly as possible, so that the student can get a distinct idea of what Froebel was doing during each year of his life, ^^■ithout any attempt to explain or inculcate the philosophy of the kindergarten. In putting to- gether the record free use has beeu made of every authority within reach that could throw any possible light on the story as a whole, or in its details. Now that the work is supposed to be done no one has a keener sense of its defects than the author, nor can any other person ap- preciate how much better it could be accom- plished were it to be done over again. Doubtless the comprehensive, erudite, and enlightening biography of Frosbel for Ameri- can readers, which they can thoroughly under- stand and delight in, is yet to be written. AVhen it is published the world will have a story of absorbing interest and convincing power. 256 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. b Berlin iVitrenberg • Leipzig Riesa* Naimibur^ pGorha ' Erfurt Jena, iMarienthal • Stadlllm I Grieshiem Keilhau • |lankenburg«- iGehrerJ/ jTSaalfeld Brietenbac] Neuhaus ^ ^ Oberweis))ac}i UJ ^ O » C«berg Bamberg O Baireulh * Central Germany COMPILED FOR PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD Milfon Bradley Go., Scalt of Miles. [Nuremberg' THE LIFE OF FROEBEL. 1782— 1792-IN HIS FATHER'S HOUSE. The story of Friedrich FrcEbel's life begins at the village of Oberweisbach iu Central Ger- many, where he was born, April 21, 1782. It is located in what is commonly called the Thuringian Forest, a section of country which is triangular in shape, nearly one hundred miles on its longest side and from twenty-five to eighty in breadth. This region is not wholly a forest, as the name implies, but is a mountainous district within the borders of which there are many charming and romantic places ; so lovely that the tourist is fully re- paid for the trouble it takes to reach them. One such visitor tells us that the forest, al- though penetrated at various points by rail- roads, is for the most part accessible only by carriage roads and footpaths. The places are still picturesque, the ruins primitive and the life of the people simple and unspoiled. Within the "Forest" are mountains, some bare or tilled in patches, others covered with trees which form deep forests in which are found deer, wild boar and many other kinds of game. Again there are valleys large and small, ^^llages and towns, castles and ruins, and all sorts and conditions of men. Within the limits of this territory Frcebel spent most of his seventy years. Oberweisbach is located in the southern part of this district, thi-ee thousand feet above the sea level, ten miles north of Lauscha, the nearest railroad station on the main line running through the Forest to Schwartzburg. It is a delightful place for a summer sojourn, but the winter weather is exceedingly cold and the neighboring mountain roads are often blockaded for weeks by snow. It has a popu- lation of nineteen hundred, and the history of the settlement runs back to 1540. The house where Froebel was born is situ- ated on the main street of the \'illage, next to the "Golden Anchor," which is the principal hotel, and nearly opposite the church. It is of generous proportions, both the main structure and the L being Uvo stories high, while the former is surmounted with a high gambrel roof containing a doulile row of donner win- dows. Over the front door is a tablet giving the date of Frcebel's birth and death. The house is still occupied by the ^-illage pastor, as it was a hundred years ago, who is presi- dent of the local Frwbel society and who takes pleasure in showing to American ^^sitor8 the room where the great educator was born, together with various Fro?bel relics. To our minds the photograph of this house shows a substantial, cheerful home, with the gardens, ^•illage guide-board, watering-trough, telegi'aph poles, and lamp-post in the fore- gi'ound. But Froebel's remembrance of it was very different. He describes it as being close- ly surrounded by other buildings, walls, hedges and fences, and also enclosed by a courtyard and by grass and vegetable gar- dens, his entrance to which was severely punished. The dwelling had no other outlook than right and left on houses, in front on a large chm'ch, and behind on the grassy base of a high mountain. Another writer describes Frcebel's youthful environment in this way : ' 'There was nothing in the dark lower part of the house, siuTOunded with Iniildiugs and walls, to captivate a child, and outside there was quite as little. There was no free prospect, which is so salutary for a child. In close proximity Ijefore the house stood the church, and Ijehind the house the ^-iew over the little kitchen garden was obsti'ucted by the steep rocky wall of a high hill. Only beyond the hill was a free outlook, and the boy did not fail to fre- quently raise his eyes to the blue heavens, which in the mountain regions are so clear and serene ; and this sight and the nishing wind from the hills through the little high-walled garden sometimes caused in him a kind of ecstasy which he remembered through life." 258 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Froebel's father was the village pastor, a learned, resolute, preoccupied, Lutheran clergyman. His mother, judging from the little that we can learn of her by inference, possessed a very mild and lovely character, rare insight, and sound, liberal ^^ews of life. He Ijelieved that he inherited from her his imaginative and artistic spirit. To these parents were born live sous, the eldest dying in infancy and the others growing to man's estate. Finedrich was the youngest, and after nursing him for nine months his invalid mother died. Writing of that event long after, the son says : "In that moment, when my dying mother kissed her highest benediction on brow and lips, the world took my tender being, so easily accessible to all influences, to lead me into the warfare of life, with all its miserj', its corruption and its deformity ; but the blessing of my dying mother remained with me, and the protecting angel who heard her last praj'er walked by and with me." It- is a pathetic story of those infantile years, which Frrebel tells himself, almost as much so as the early chapters of Da^^d Copper- field, in which Dickeus is supposed to recount the tale of his early life. Shut up in the gloomy parsonage most of the time and left to the care of the single housemaid and his own de\'ices, he seems to have lacked not ouly playfellows liut also playthings. Thus was his life in its beginning set to the strains of a minor key, and the refrain of its after years contained )>ut few livelier notes. But the solitude and want of companionship which fell to his lot during the time that he lived in his father's house developed and con- firmed in him a habit of self-inspection and a yearning after better things which subsequently bore wonderful fruit. He tells us that at one time duriug this period of his life he became greatly interested in watching some workmen who were repairing the neighijoriug church, and that a strong desire took hold of him to undertake the Iniilding of a church, and that he began to collect sticks and stones as heavy as he could carry for such a structm-e. His impulse was to use such pieces of fiu'nitm'e or other objects as he could secm-e with which to imitate the real builders. But his efforts ended in utter failure, and iu gi%nng an account of his experiment he says he remembers very well that even at that early age he thought that children ought to have suitable material and somebody to show them how to go to work with it, so that they might attain better results. In relating this anecdote Madam Kriege adds : ' 'Who can fail to see that in this incident, which made such a deep impression on the boy's mind, lay the germ of his endeavor, later in life, to debase the gifts and occupa- tions of the kindergarten?" In reviewing this condition of domestic affau-s at the Froebel parsonage we must not blame the father too severely. His people uimibered from three to five thousand souls, located in half a dozen groups and scattered over an area of several miles ; thej' had many pressing wants and the religious sendees which the pastor was called to attend were frequent and engrossing. It also happened that dm-ing Froebel's early childhood the associate charge of a large new chm-ch was given him iu addi- tion to his pre\ious duties, so that he was necessarily away from home much of the time. But the chief trouble that cast a cloud over the first twenty years of Frcebel's life lay in the fact that father and sou were so differently constituted that the former never understood the latter. On this poiut Frffil)el says : "Al- though my father was a stirring, active man, seldom sm-passed in his relations as country pastor, in education, learning and experience, yet I remained a stranger to him through his entire Ufe, owing to these separations caused by early circumstances." And yet Dr.Lange says that Froebel's father was "a man rich in insight, and truly re- ligious, and that he turned his attention with the greatest solicitude to the early edu- cation of this j'oungest son of his beloved, departed wife. He understood how to imfold his heart and mind in the promising lioy by a judicious training." While it is not for us to decide regarding the relative justice of the two quotations, we can easily see that the two essential elements which were lacking iu the first decade of Froebel's life were mother love and helpful play, just those elements of child life which he aften\ards strove so hard to develop and perpetuate in the kindergarten system. We are often told that in this im- perfect world there is no glory except it is wi'ought out thi'ough suffering, and it is proba- ble that if Friedrich Fro?bel had been born PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 259 into a happy home he could never have felt the need of the kindergarten, and would therefore never liave worked out the educational system which is the fruitage of a life filled -nith pri- vation and self-sacrificing experiment. Frrebel's own testimony on this point, out- lined in a speech which he made to the ladies of Hamburg, many years after, is worthy of note. In that speech he said : "Fate showed me the importance of an education conforma- ble to uatui'e by giving me bitter experiences and privations, while the early loss of my mother threw me upon self-education. What one has been obliged to contend with bitterly he wishes to soften to his fellow men. Thus the necessity of self-education led me to the education of my fellow men." AVhen Frtvliel was four years old a new ele- ment entered into the family life, that of the step-mother. Of this woman we are compelled to say that she fully lived up to the traditions of herposition, pro^-ing herself the typical step- mother as that person is portrayed in books of fiction and Ijrought out on the stage. What made matters worse than usual, however, was the apparent sinceritj' and lo\-e vnth which she ti'eated the boy during the first few months af- ter her marriage, only to rei)el him as soon as she had a son of her own, when she at once be- gan to call him by an appellation commonly ad- dressed to a servant. While he basked in the sunlight of her brief smile we are told that the household were surprised at the astonishing change that took place in the silent, taciturn child, who gained visibly everj- daj- in health, strength and acti\ity. But scarcely had the young mother begun to fondle her own liaby than it seemed to little Friedrich that she had become quite another person. His caresses were tiresome, his presence disagreeable. He must always go away, and if he remained she had neither ears nor eyes for him ; she saw only her nursling and had no heart, no interest for the bo}' who still so greatly needed the tender- ness of a cherishing mother. The result was that Friedrich became what is usually called a bad boy. Nobody, says one writer, seemed to understand him or cared to understand him. Motives for his actions were attributed to him which he never had, and unfortunately all this distrust and want of harmony had finally the effect of altering his naturally good disposition. He often concealed facts and even told untruths, because he knew that he would be punished for things that were not wrong in themselves. As the years passed matters seemed to get from bad to worse, so that his father came to regard him as a very bad boy. But the picture of his home life was not altogether a sad one. As soon as he was able to do anything he began to help his father in gardening and received in this waj' many last- ing impressions. His observation was directed to what was near to him in nature, and the plant world became to him, so far as he could see and touch it, an object of his thoughtful contemplation. His habit of nature study clung to him through life, and was made an essential part of the kindergarten system when it came to be estabUshed. The parsonage household was a bustling, energetic one. We are told by Fra'bel himself that both husband and wife dis- played great acti^■ity, loved order and sought in all imaginable ways to beautify their sur- roundings. The father believed in keeping up with the times, and for that purpose he took the latest publications and carefully considered all that was offered to him in them. This plan contributed not a little to the general Christian life th.at reigned in the household. All the members of it were assembled for devotions morning and evening each day of the week, and at such times the works of ZallLkafer, Hermes, Marezoll, Sturm and others were read aloud for the inspiration, unfolding and elevation of the spii-itual lif e of the family. "Thus," writes Fra?bel, "my life was early influenced by na- ture, by work and by religious perceptions, or as I prefer to say, the natural aud primitive tendencies of every human being were nurtured in the germ." All these things had their influence on the boy, aud he tells us that he was often deeply stii-red with the resolve to be truly noble and good. But he also adds: "As I hear from others, this firm resolution often contrasted with my outer life. I was full of youthful spirits and the joy of life, and did not always know how to moderate mj' activity', and through carelessness got into critical situations of all kinds, aud in my thoughtlessness destroyed ever3'thing around me that I ■wished to in- investigate." The father made some attempt to begin the boy's elementary education, but the re- 260 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. suits were not satisfactory and so he decided to send him to school. There were two schools iu the village, one for the boys and the other for the gii'ls. Both were connected with the church, and as its pastor the father could choose either for his son. He selected the girls' school, because he was not satisfied with the way the boys' teacher discharged his duties. Probably the best idea of Frcebel's first day at school can be given by quoting his own words in a letter written some sixty years later to Col. Von Arnswald : — "It was a Monday when my father took me to school himself. I was placed on the seat of honor by the side of the teacher, for the reason, I suppose, that I was the son of the pastor, or, it may be, because I was reputed a mischievous boy that ought not to sit with the girls. The smallest girls on the first form were seated just iu front of me. A verse from the Bible, treated in the sermon on the Sunday preceding, was spoken aloud by one of the older girls and repeated by all the Bmall girls in front. On this first clay of my attendance they repeated the words of the Lord : 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' The verse was explained to the older girls and also to me. But the little girls were not required to know it perfectly before Sunday. Meanwhile the verse was re- peated in parts again and again, in the high pitch of their childish voices, in chorus, and in the old chanting manner of village schools. I heard this verse repeated for a long time every morning of the six days of the week, until the sounds, the words and the sense had produced so strong an impression upon me as to make this verse the motto of my life in the truest sense of the word ; for it has resounded like the chant of a chorus of nuns in my ears all the days of my life. The older I grew the more thoroughly was I led to recognize the full im- portance and efficacy and the profound living truth of the maxim. It became the basis and the regulator of numerous understandings of mine, and proved its entire truthfulness." In his school Froebel read in the Bible with the older pupils and he also learned with them the sacred songs which were sung on Sundays in the church. Among these hymns he says there were two which shone on the clouded dawn of his early childhood like bright morning stars. "They became," he adds, "to me as my life songs, because in them I saw mirrored my own little life, and their meaning touched my heart so deeply that in later years I have many a time been strengthened and refreshed by what they imparted to my soul." These songs were, "Rise my heart and soul," and "It costethmuch to be a Christ." He mentions in this connec- tion that he followed his father's Sunday ser- mons with great attention, sitting apart from the rest of the congregation, in the vestry. During these years the problems of life sat heavily on those young shoulders and bewil- dered that youthful brain. For the most part he was kept closely at home, although he some- times rode about the parish with his father while the latter was making pastoral calls. It was his delight to mount the high hill back of the house that he might enlarge his actual hori- zon and relieve his spirit from the depressing confines of the narrow valley. Tradition says that on the spot where the Memorial Tower now stands he spent many hours in watching the sunset and in boyish musing. Year by year he became enamoured of all the different phases of nature which came within his ob- servation, and more fond of studying their development. As he grew into boyhood we are told that his mind was moved most deeply not by the many admonitions and the pious instructions which he received, but by the many interviews be- tween his father and members of the pastor's flock to which he listened. One writer states the case in this way : "A boy of between eight and eleven years, small and slight in stature, apparently busied with a book, or some kind of writing, seemed to the visitors at the par- sonage no hindrance. They had come to open their hearts to the highly honored and spiritual teacher and to ask his counsel in their distressed circumstances. But the child listened with all the sharp attention of an inquisitive, penetrat- ing mind, to which the world and all its com- plications was wholly strange. Each person served as a rent in the curtain which concealed life from him, a telescope through which he could study the world. "But it was the dark side of life that was thus revealed to him. It was the complaint of the sorely-tried motherover the ungrateful son, the acknowledgment of a hidden sin, a melancholy fall, it was the sting of conscience, fear, repent- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 261 ance, despair, -which alternately had the word, while the earnest, yes, severe teacher, now through the inexorable precepts of the divine law, then with the consolations of mercy, strove to work on the dejected minds. These conver- sations and other influences of that time re- vealed to him the inner life of men, ^ith its hidden springs and its concealed strife and pain, and he perceived more and more the con- nection between things and words and aims, without being able to discover in himself and around him anything satisfying, anytliing aton- ing, and although this fair soul had already felt an indefinable need of unity and harmony, yet he could no more unite them than he could the most incongruous opposites, the most irrecon- cilable eimiities." The boy was ten years old when his eldest brother, Christoph, a theological student at the University of Jena, came home for a visit, and great was his joy in seeing him. Together the brothers roamed the fields, the elder ap- pearing to the younger an angel of consolation who understood him and was ready to protect him from unjust treatment, because he saw through all the youthful faults the glimmer of the beautiful side of his misapprehended dnd suppressed character. To him he unfolded some of his mental troubles, asking him why it was that God did not make all the people men or all women, so that there nhould be no quarreling, his idea being that most of the con- tention in the world arises from the difierence which exists in the sexes. To direct his mind from the problem of human discord his brother showed him the processes of vegetation — the compensating nature of imperfections in male and female flowers, and how through the prin- ciple of growth harmonies of l)eauty and use are born out of the connection of opposites. As tlie i^lants and flowers of the parsonage garden had until now been Fricdrich's dearest playfellows, so the new revelation of the vege- table world which his brother disclosed to him in their talks attracted his interest and he be- sieged Christoph with all manner of questions. Just then the beautiful purple threads of the blossoming hazel claimed a considerable share of their attention and threw the boy into raptures. His brother gave him careful in- struction regarding the flowers and his visit proved a great and lasting l)euefit in calming the perturbed spirit of the child. But when he was gone the father's house seemed more desolate than ever to the little motherless boy who had a home there only in name, and a burn- ing desire took possession of his soul to get away, as his brothers had done, to find some other aljiding place with a more desirable en- vironment and better means for helpful growth 1792-1797-WITH HIS GUARDIAN. A VISITOR came to the parsonage at Ober- weisbach in the autumn of 1792 who took a deep interest in Friedrich Froebel. It was Herr Hoffman, his mother's brother, who was pastor at Stadt Ilm, a market town north of Froebel's home. This uncle resembled his sister in many ways and had never ceased to mourn her loss. He could not help noticing how unhappy and ill-suited to his surroundings Frcebel appeared, marking the contrast be- tween the step-mother and her predecessor. The uncle and nephew were mutually drawn together, and we are told that when at a cer- tain time during the visit Froebel fixed upon Herr Hoffman his soft and melancholy eyes, as if with longing, it suddenly seemed to him as if he saw the mother in the face of the child ; as if the soul of the loved sister had directed a prayer to him, through this glance, and he decided in his heart to give it a hearing. As a consequence, soon after returning home he made the father a proposition for the care and education of the boy, which was gladly and quickly accepted. In this way the uncle became Friedrich's guardian and he was also the custodian of certain funds left to Friedrich by his mother. Life at Stadt Ilm was very different from what it had been at Oberwiesbach. The little city lies in a broad valley, by a clear but nar- row stream. Herr Hoffman had lost his wife and child years before and his family consisted of himself and his aged mother-in-law. The parsonage was a spacious, airy house. There 262 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. was a garden adjoiuiug it where the boy spent many happy hours, and he was allowed to roam at will through the whole region, provided he never failed to be at home at the appointed time. Concerning these days he writes : — "As austerity reigned in my father's house, 80 here kindness and lieuevoleuce. I saw there, in respect to myself, distrust ; here, confidence ; there I felt constraint, here, freedom. While there I had been hardly at all among Ijoys of my own age ; here I found certainly as many as forty fellow-pupils, for I entered the higher class in the town school." This last-mentioned fact would seem to indicate that Froebel had made considerable progress in the school at Oberweisltach, although some of his biogra- phers would have us think that the training re- ceived there was of little benefit to him. He says, in his autol)iography, that in the new school reading, writing and arithmetic were well taught, and that the religious instruction was excellent. And he adds, "Mathematics lay near my nature. When I received private in- struction in this branch my advance steps were so marked that they bordered on the height of knowledge and ability possessed by my teacher, which was liy no means slight." Qui- pupil also informs us that Latin was mis- erably taught and still more sparingly learned, but that the time which he spent on it was not entirely lost, because he learned to understand that a course of instruction so carried on can bring forth no fruit in the jiupils. The recita- tions in geograpliy were parrot-like, the boys being allowed to use many words without re- ceiving any adequate knowledge of the subject or of its relations to the life of the world, al- though they could correctly name all the colored market towns and little boroughs on the local map. Frujbel was given private geographical lessons in regard to England, but as he could get no clear idea of its connection with his own country this special instruction did him but lit- tle good. There was also teaching in writing and spelling, and training in singing and piano- playing, but Fra'bel's verdict, rendered many years later, was that they amounted to but very little. He says that the element of generaliza- tion was entirely lacking, and while he praises the arithmetical instruction he immediately adds that notwithslanding the training which he re- ceived he Tvaa very much surprised and morti- fied to find •wnen he was ten years older, that he could not solve the problems given out to the boys in Pestalozzi's school. WTiat a pity it was that those instructors of Froebel did not teach him how to write clearly, the art and iiabit of expressing himself with pen and speech so that the world, or at least the educational part of it, might understand his language with- out profound study and the intervention of many interpreters ! Nevertheless, the boy gained freedom of mind and bodily sti'ength day by da}', and "drank fresh courage in long draughts." He explains that in his eit'orts to put himself oa common ground with the other boys the fre- quent reaction after play was often grievous, because his strength and activity were not developed according to his age, and his bold daring could never supply the quiet, \-igorous strength and the knowledge of its limit which his companions enjoyed. He was regarded by them as Ijciug very peculiar and the more he exerted himself to win them to him, so much the more striking his awkwardness appeared to them. He was very anxious to do everything they did, but his movements were so stiff and his demeanor so wooden, says one of his biogi'a- phers, that he would have been rejected by the band, had not one of the l)oys recognized his good qualities and resolved to give him aid and protection. For a time he could take no part in the games of the other boys, no matter how hard he tried, because the robust strength and activity of his companions, who had grown up in freedom, quickly overcame his despairing efforts. But eventually his perseverance con- quered, and the air, the active movements, the better care and the joyousness assisted not a little to improve his elasticity and health, and after a hard probation he received permission of the boys to plaj' with them. He was nuich .affected by the rehgious in- struction given in the school and its represen- tation of the character and the life of Christ. With all these.occupations and diversions some four years and a half passed, the chief advan- tage being "that he became a child again in a youthful world whose joys could warm and cheer his soul so that his heart could resume its natural elasticity." He was a different boy even when he went back to the parsonage at Oberweisbach, where he spent his vacations, entering heartily into all the acti^'ities of the household and taking special pleasm-e in study- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 263 ing the books and engl•a^^ngs in his father's library. Before lea^'ing Stadt Em he was coutirmed and admitted to the church by his uncle. Of this time he -m-ites : "The earnest days of preparation and the holy solenniity might pass away, but deep and lasting were the impressions of those beautiful hours in which all the threads of my life were compre- hended in a glorious center of peace and unity." Thus ended the second period of his career. While it afforded him many advantages it did not secure for him the preparation for practical life which is so much to be desired in every boy who has his way to make in the world. His uncle lived in a kind of an ideal life and in all his generous efforts for Frrebel's develop- ment it never for a moment occurred to him how little he was forming his pupil to become a useful citizen. On this point let us quote once more from Froebel's autobiography. "I was really as though placed in a garden where I could freely move about and where the glad sun shone on me and warmed me, but where there wei'e fruits that were hard to reach, which hung on trees that, considering my un- developed strength, were very hard to climb. In this meager way I was left to gather strength without leader or guide for an independent life — for work — for action. As my mind was satisfied only with the relative, the analogous, I received a very one-sided direction. I cre- ated a world for myself, which was very little like the world, and was comprehensible or intelligible only to me. I knew and under- stood very much for myself, but it was a heightened self-consciousness which had no value for others. I knew and comprehended absolutely nothing of the world, nothing of the social life for which I was destined." 1797-1799-THE FORESTER'S APPRENTICE. In the spring of 1797, at the age of fifteen, we find Froebel back again in his father's house, with a great question confronting him and the rest of the family, the choice of an occupation for life. It had seemed to him that he would like to be a preacher, but he dared not let his thoughts dwell on such a thing, because, according to his step-mother it had been "distinctly understood" for years that he must not go to the University for the reason that his two brothers, Christoph and Traugott, were abeady there, and the other brother, Christian, was expecting to follow them. This woman said that to undertake to send the fom-th son wonld certainly impover- ish the f amilj' finances to an extent which would be unbearable, and, moreover, that Friedrich was too stupid to have any more time or money wasted on his education. It is said, however, that her scruples about spending more money at the University faded out of si'ght when her first-born son came to be old enough to enter it. But it was determined that for Friedrich something commercial should be sought, and his father apphed to a neighboring revenue officer for a clerkship, but without success. There was also some talk of his entering into the ser\'ice of a wealthy family named Von Halzhausen, the same one in which he subse- quently became a tutor, but he was very much opposed to this plan and tells in his subsequent wi'itings "that he never felt in his heart such ^^olent feeUngs of horror against anything as he did in the thought of ha^^ng a position where he must brush clothes and shoes and serve at the table." Then the father consulted the boy's wishes and he expressed a desire for an outdoor life, because of his love of nature. About this time the elder Fra'bel became acquainted with a surveyor and assessor living at Neuhaus, a place lying south of Oberweisbach, who had a special reputation for his knowledge of geome- try. Of him one record says that he was "a nolile and earnest man, in ecclesiastical matters a congenial spirit." But it was a record that fell far short of the mark in the case of Froebel, who was apprenticed to him for two years, to learn geometry, sun'eying, the method of assessing taxes and the care of forests. The master. was weU versed in the duties of his profession, but he did not understand the art of teaching and could therefore impart very little instruction to others. Neither did he 264 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. have the time to do what he had inoniised for his apprentice, so engrossing were tlie demands of tlie practical work connected witli his dail}^ business. Moreover, he was often away from home for long periods, when the pupil was left entirely to himself with ample time to study the lilirary of hooks belonging to the house. Frwltel was not slow to improve this opportunity, giving much attention to works on geometry and forest affairs and the collect- ing and dr3ing of plants, as well as the drawing of maps of the district. He also made the acquaintance of a physician in the neighbor- ing market town who loaned him additional books on botany. During these years we are told that he lived in peace and quiet, protected from evil, in an ideal world which he himself had created and that lie obtained a closer knowledge of field, meadow and forest, for he saw nothing else but field, meadow and forest, through which he wandered by day and night. "He felt that in nature there must be a higher interest than to supi)ly us with certain material advantages and facilities, and he began also to perceive that in order to represent the ideal fai-mer something else was necessary than merely the proper management of the various objects of husband- ry. How greatly he -n-ished that all men who thus lived from, with and in nature could look on her with other eyes, and not make her tribu- tary as their slave — but accept her also as their friend, in a pure, lieautiful and elevated, God- glorifying life." "We are further told that in those days he was always dressed in green, the color of the fields, with yellow top-boots and a feather in his hat, and that no one who saw him wandering about the country could possibly have suspected the depth and earnestness of soul, tliirstiug for light and truth, which dwelt in this fantastic boy. During the latter part of his stay at Neuhaus a company of strolling actors gave a series of plays in a neighboring castle. Fra>bel at- tended their first presentation and was so much moved by it that he came again and again to see and hear them. These dramas seemed to offer to his fancy the long-denied element of poetry, and touched his susceptible mind all the more deeply because he recalled and lived over again the scenes of each play during the long walk home, beneath the stan-y heavens, which followed every performance. He vividly remembered, in later years, the enthusiasm which was awakened in his breast by the rendering of such plays as ' 'The Huntsmen" by Itfland. He invested all he saw and heard on that rural stage with lofty thoughts and purposes, and believed those actors happy who could, according to his view, work so powerfully for the improvement of mankind. He imagined that the profession of the stage was a noble calling and one that he would like well to follow. He wrote home to his father about his new aspirations and the latter re- plied by upbraiding him in good set tenns. This letter was a matter of genuine grief to him, because he tells us that he had come to regard his pati'onage of the theater a matter to be as much commended as his best church attendance. He even went so far, before receiving his father's letter, as to introduce himself to one of the actors that he might disclose his wish to join such a desirable profession. The biogra- pher tells us that the peculiar intei-view ended in this way : "The actor Ustened earnestly to Friedrich, but a melancholy smile plaj'ed around his mouth as he took his hand and answered him : 'You deceive yourself, young friend ; om- society is nothing of all that which you dream. We hold together only through hunger. Would to God that I had never trod the boards and could labor with my hands.' He then went on to depict all the misery of the Ufe behind the curtain, particularly for one, who like himself belonged to a cultured family and had taken it up through necessity." This ended Froebel's theatrical aspirations, but in order to mollify his father's anger he wi'ote to his brother Chris- toph the whole story and begged his intercession with their father. The apprenticeship ^ith the sun-eyor or for- ester, as he is commonly called, came to an end in the summer of 1799, and Frcebel and his master parted unpleasantly. He had proved himself valuable to this man, who on that ac- count wanted to keep him another year. But the boy felt that he must have time to follow out his studies more systematically than he could possibly do by remaining, and therefore started for home on foot as soon as his time had expired. This action so enraged the sur- veyor that he sent a letter to Frcebel's father complaining that the young man had been un- faithful in many ways and deserved censure. On his way home Frcebel stopped at the vil- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 265 lage where his brother Christoph had settled as a pastor and while the brothers were visiting together the forester's letter was forwarded to them from Olienveisbach. As a result Fried- rich related to Christoph all that had happened dining his stay at Neuhaus, naming the books he had studied, sho'O'ing the maps he had drawn and his collections of botanical specimens. As a result Christoph stood perfectly amazed while he heard of such inexcusable neglect on the part of the forester, and at once began to reproach Friedrich because he had not infonned his father of the great waste of time which had been going on diu-ing such an important appren- ticeship. But in reply the j^ounger brother re- minded him of the sentence pronounced on him by the father when he went to Neuhaus : ' 'We will not hear any complaints, we shall always consider you in the wrong." Christoph well knew the father's severity and was silent, but he took on himself at once the duty of pointing out to him the gross neglect of the forester and that Friedrich, considering the meager means at his command, had improved his time and made real progress in map drawing, mathe- matics and botany. Nevertheless, his reception at home was little calculated to inspire a young man with courage and hope for the future. The step-mother had lent a willing ear to the forester's letter and was prepared to estimate it at face value, and she saw in the rich and excellent collection of plants, dried ^-ith the utmost care, nothing but foolery. The world looked particularly dark to Froebel just then, the question what to do next being more perplexing than ever. 'What the result would have been had not an accident helped shape his future course in life no one can predict. His brother Traugott, who was studying medicine at Jena, wrote home for money, and as the matter was urgent and as Friedrich had nothing to do it was decided to make him the messenger to take it there. And so to Jena he went in the summer of 1799, and being once there remained as a student, thereby fulfiUiug his highest ambition and accomplishing the day dreams of all his con- scious years. 1799— iSoi— A STUDENT AT JENA. When Fra;bel reached the University town he persuaded his brother to write home that his time could be profitably employed there for the eight remaining weeks of the term in the study of topographical and local drawing. The request was granted, the reason being, in all probability, that the step-mother had very little idea of what she could do with the boy if he came home. The brothers returned to Ober- weisbach in September and Friedrich began at once to plead with his father for leave to be- come a regular student at Jena. The father said that he would gladly favor such a project, but that he did not see how the money could be provided for both Christian and Friedrich to take a prescribed course at the University, and that it would involve a good deal of sacrifice to carry Christian, who was two years the elder, through the studies which he had al- ready begun. But he told Friedrich to talk the matter over with his brothers and his guar- dian, which he did. As a result his darling wish was secured by an act of generous self- renunciation on the part of Christian. This brother was a young man of noble character ; he loved Friedrich sincerely and understood how much harder it would be for him to give up the life and subsequent career of a student than it would be if he himself should choose some vocation in what we are ac- customed to call practical life. It was evident that only one of the brothers could go to college and Christian resigned all his prospects in a professional way and decided to devote him- self to manufactui'ing interests. In this new departure he was successful, securing iu time a competency which he freely placed at the dis- posal of Friedrich in aid of educational schemes to which he also gave his personal service and that of his family for many years. Itwas therefore decided that Christian's offer should be accepted and that Friedrich should take his brother's place at Jena, the uncle as guardian haAiug consented to apply to the cost of his education there the money held in tnist as a legacy from his mother. Consequently we find him back at Jena in the last months of 1799, registered as a student of philosophy. 266 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. This labeling was e\-ideutly the work of Froe- bel's father, rather than by the direction of the pupil himself, for he saj-s that it appeared to him very strange, because he had only thought of practical knowledge as the object of his studj'. The lectures which he attended per- . tained to mathematics, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, mineralogy, botany, natural history, phj'sics, chemistry, the science of finance, care of forest trees, architecture, buililing and sur- veying. He also continued topographical drawing, but we are told that he learned noth- ing of philosophy, except what was imparted to him through the conversation of his friends. But the fact that he had been registered in the department of philosophy, he tells us, made on his dreamy, easily-moved and susceptible life a very great impression, and gave his studies an unexpected, higher meaning. Con- cerning the mathematical lectures he says : "The lectures of my excellent teacher had not the same value that they might and would have had, if I had seen in the sequence of the in- struction and in the progress of the same, more inner necessity and less arbitrariness." He found more satisfaction in the teaching which he received in botany, zoology and natu- ral history. lu the study of mineralogy, which he greatly loved, he discovered how little his eyes were opened and how feelily he had learned to see. He says that in the natural his- tory branches he had a sensible, loving and benevolent teacher and that through him his in- sight into nature was essentially quickened and his love for observing it made more active. It was this experience which led him in after life to give little children suitable directions and encoiu'agement in acquiring habits of close observation. Our young student lived very economically and in a secluded way at Jena, seldom appear- ing in pubhc places and Nisiting few other stu- dents except his brother. But we are told that he did attract the attention of several natural- ists because of his eagerness to advance in their line of study, and that he accepted their invitation to Join two societies which they were forming at that time. But here in Jena, being well started in his studies, he soon began to meet with fresh trouble, an element which was destined to en- ter into every period of his life. He had brought enough money with him to last for a consider- able time but after a while, at the request of his brother, he loaned him the greater part of his little store, on a promise that it would be repaid so that no inconvenience should result to him from the loan. This promise was not fulfilled, and some accounts say that Traugott, who was in his last year at the University, even departed from the city leaving the boy without support for the future or means to pay bills which were already overdue. At all events Friedrich found himself toward the end of his third half year, in the summer of 1^01, in debt thirty thalers, a little less than 125, to a res- taurant keeper, and having nothing to pay was thrown into the University prison where he languished for nine weeks. There are some things about this narrative which seem incredible. Previous to his im- prisonment the creditor had for a long time threatened to resort to extreme measures and had made a demand on the father, which the latter had met with a very positive denial. The reason for this refusal is said to be that the el- der F'rojbel allowed himself to be wholly domi- nated in the matter by his wife. After his con- finement had begun Friedrich wrote again to his father for help and also to his guardian, who still held a part of his money. But he received no aid from either quarter, the uncle declin- ing succor because of some section of the city ordinances which prevented him from interfer- ing in such an affair. It is supposed that he took this ground because he felt that the money lie had already advanced had been misapplied and that, under the circumstances, it was the fath- er's duty to take action and that by withholding help he could ultimately force hi& brother-in-law to meet the obligation and release his ward. Meanwhile Froebel spent the nine weeks of his prison life in the study of Latin, in wliich he felt himself to be deficient. He was finally released by deciding to give a note of hand for the amount involved, as his father's heir. This note his father cashed, on condition that he re- nounce all further claim to the parental estate. Being at liberty, he went home at once, thus gi\ing up his course after a residence at Jena of aljout eighteen months. It was in the spring- time when ho was just nineteen that he came back to the parsonage at OI)erweisbach and he wi'ites as follows: "Natiu'ally I entered the house with a heavy heart, a troubled mind and an oppressed spirit," He now began to apply PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 267 himself to literatm-e and wished to make a close review of all that he had learned and treasured. Happy in this occupation he shut himself up in his little chamber day after day, 'nith his books. The step-mother suggested to the father that it would lie well to surprise him at his work, be- ing suspicious that something was going on that ought to be stopped. And so the father en- tered the room suddenly one day, to find Fried- rich writing at a table, with a pile of papers be- fore him. He looked through several sheets and then angrily exclaimed: '"Now what non- sense is this? What an aimless destruction of paper!" And the record adds : '-No doulit all his papers would have been thrown into the fire and he banished from the place had not his brother Christoph been present and moderated the father's disjileasure. A little later Friedrich went to an estate in Hildburg owned by a rela- tive of his father, to become the steward's as- sistant, where he remained some months. The weeks which he had spent at home had revealed to him in a stronger light than ever before his father's excellent qualities, and he deeply regretted the estrangement between them. Days and nights he tells us that he was busy in his mind planning how to vrrite to his father in the wannest words what was passing within his heart, but when he sat down for that purpose his courage sank and tlie fear of arous- ing new and greater misapprehensions made hun lay his pen aside. A little later the father was taken sick and sent for Friedrich to help in regulating his affairs and correspondence. The old man died in Feb- ruary, 1802, and in writing of this event the son says: "My father carried his anxiety for my future in his heart till his last hour. May his glorified spirit, while I write this, look down on me with pleasure and benediction, and now be contented ■n'itli the sou who loved him so deeply." It was at Easter 1802, that the young man left the parsonage at Obei-weisbach, once more to seek his future in the wide world, and there is no record that he ever returned there for any pennancnt stay. Henceforth he was the master of his own actions. 1802—1S0S— BECOMES A TEACHER. Feoji Oberweisbach Fra'bel went fiistto the forest court near Bamberg, to take the place of court actuary or clerk. According to one translation this position was that of treasurer of the episcopal department of finance. He remained there for nearh' a year and then went to Bamberg, which had meanwhile been ceded to Bavaria. He made the change because he thought that the projected land survey under the new government would give him employ- ment. This change resulted in his doing some map drawing and surveying, but he did not get the government appointment for which he had hoped. Therefore he advertised in one of the papers for a position, at the same time sending the editor some of his architectiu'al and geomet- rical work for use as illustrations. This ad- vertisement brought him the offer of a private secretaryship to the president of Dewitz in Mecklenberg, who lived at Gross Milchow, which he accepted in February, 1804. His most important work there was to reduce to order, according to a plan laid out by the owner, some accounts that were badly tangled. But this occupation became distasteful after a little and the young man resolved to supple- ment his mathematical attainments by study- ing architecture, so as to make it his life work, provided the means could l)e secured. He had a friend who was a private tutor at Frankfort, and he determined to join him there for the purpose just named. Consequently he wrote to his eldest brother asking for assistance. In due time the answer came, but Fra'bel carried it around with him for hours without unsealing it, and for days he did not read it, because he felt, as he says, that there was little probability that his brother could help him in accomplish- ing the wish of his soul, and so feared to find in the letter the desti'uetion of his life. And he adds : "When after some days of alternation between hope and doubt I finally opened the letter I was not a little astonished that in the beginning of it the most heartfelt sympathy was expressed. The further contents moved me deeply. It contained the news of my uncle's death and the announcement that a legacy had fallen to me." 268 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. As a result he established himself at Frank- fort in the summer of 1805, expecting to devote all his energies to architecture. But this choice was not a lasting one. The student began to ask himself, ' 'How can you work through archi- tecture for the culture and ennobling of man?" In a few weeks he met the principal of a model or normal school which had lately been opened in the citj'. This man's name was Gruuerand he urged Frcebel very strongly to give up the idea of being an architect and to at once be- come a teacher in his school, a proposition made on the first evening of their acquaintance, because Froeliel sjwke so earnestly about the necessity of each person getting into the place in this world for which he is best fitted. We are told that in the midst of his spirited talk he felt the touch of a hand on his shoulder and that Dr. Gruner said : "iNIy friend, you should not be au architect, you should be a schoolmaster. There is a place open in our school ; if you agree to it the place is yours." Froebel accepted this summons as a call of Providence ; in August, 1805, he went to Yver- duu in Switzerland to see and hear Pestalozzi, who was then the great educational light of the day, the fountain-head of all new educational ideas. He tarried there as an obser\'er for two weeks. He attended the recitations and wrote out the account of what he saw, so that he might report it on his return to Frankfort, which oc- ciu-red in Octoljer. Then he began teaching in good earnest, according to the new plans, his branches being arithmetic, drawing, geometry and the German language. There weretwo hun- di'ed children in the school, with four regularly- appointed and nine private teachers. His first venture, he lieing then in his twenty-fom'th year, was ^^-ith a class of thh-ty or forty boys, between the ages of nine and eleven. Au extract from a letter written to his brother Christoph at this time shows conclusively the spirit with which he entered into the work : "I must tell you candidly that my duties in the school are prodigiously exacting. Even in the first hour they did not seem strange to me. It appeared to me as if I had already been a teacher and was born to it. I cannot sketch my strange observations in all their fullness. It is plain to me now that I was i-eally fitted for no other calling, and yet I must tell you that never in my life had I thought to become a teacher. In the hours of instruction I feel my- self as truly in my element as the fish in the water or the bird in the air. You cannot think how pleasantly the time passes. I love the children so heartily that I am continually long- ing to see them again. You should see me sometimes when I am busy ; jou would truly rejoice over my happiness. I have certainly this pure enjoyment of the consciousness of the high aims of my work, the cultivation of the human soul to thank, as well as the hearty love of the children with which they reward me." At another time, speaking of those days, he said: "I was inexpressibly happy — from the first moment I felt complete consecration. What many-sided efforts ! What abundant activity ! I must give adNnce, explanation, iutei-pretation, decision over so many things on which it had never been necessary for me to think definitely. I was alone in a sti-ange city. I sought my an- swer therefore where I had so often found it, in my own mind, in life and in natme. And from them came voices which revealed to me how ex- cellent for my own culture had been my toil- some development, for I received from out the depthsofthemind.of life and of natm-e, answers which were not only satisfactory, but which also, through their simplicity and undoubted accuracy, possessed a youthful newness and \'igor which produced a quickening and ani- mating effect." Wliile entertaining such ideas how could Froebel torment his pupils with the system of teaching which had so vexed and toi-tiu'ed him when a boy ? He was forced for himself and for them to break a new road, to create a new system of instruction. He was now in a position not only to make his experi- ments freely, but was uuder obligation to map out original pedagogical work. One of his first suggestions to his fellow teachers along this line of new educational en- deavor was that they should undertake weekly waUvS with the pupils, as a direct aid in pur- suing the particular study which was under consideration at the time. One teacher should take his class out with reference to botany, another for the investigation of zoology and a third as a help in acquiring knowledge of geog- raphy or for gaining new lessons in horticul- ture. In many respects he adopted the plans already proposed by Pestalozzi, but with im- portant variations. Pestalozzi held, for in- stance, that the study of geogi-aphy need not in the least be associated with the child's obse?"va- a D 2 a X <: M O > I Q CQ PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 269 tions, but should have for its starting-point the bottom of the sea. But Fra>l )el first talked witli his pupils about the house in which they found themselves, advancing from the house to the street and the cityiu general, and then out into the world at large. Regarding this method, he says: "I took everything according to nature and drew the picture immediately, diminished in size, on an even surface of ground or saud chosen for the purpose." Do we in these words catch the first suggestion of the sand modeling which forms such an important part of the geographical instruction of our day ? By way of further explanation, Fra'beladds : "When the picture was firmly grasped and imprinted we drew itiu school on a horizontal blackboard. It was first sketched l)y the teacher and pupil, then made an exercise for every scholar. Our representation of the earth's surface had at first a spherical form like the apparent horizon. " His method won the approbation of the teach- ers associated with him and also of the chil- dren's parents, o-ning to the excellent results shown at the first public examination of the school. In addition to his school duties he gave in- struction for two hours to three children in a private family named Von Holzhausen, who lived on the plains near Frankfort, spending a good deal of his time with his pupils in the open air and in gettmg acquainted with the plant world. In July, 1807, he left the school to become the regular teacher of the three boys just men- tioned, under the contract which stipulated that he need never l)e obliged to live with his pupils in the city, and also that they should be committed to his care without reservation. Of this period he writes : "My life at first with my pupils was very circumscribed. It consisted of li^^ng and walking in the open air. Cut off from the influence of a city education, I did not yet venture to introduce the simple life of nature into the sphere of education. My younger pupils themselves taught me and guided me to that. In the following year this life with my pupils was especially roused and animated, when the father assigned them a piece of field for a garden, which we cultivated in connnon. Their highest joy was to give their parents and me fruits from their garden. Oh, how their eyes glistened when tbey could do it ! Beautiful plants aud little shrabs from the field, the great garden of God, were planted aud cared for in the little gardens of the children." "Afterthattime my j-outhful life, as I mental- ly reviewed it, did not appear to me so entirely useless. I learned what a very ditferent thing is the care of a plant, whether one has seen and watched its natural life at the different epochs of its unfolding or if he has always stood far from nature. A little child that freely and voluntarily seeks flowers and cherishes and cares for them in order to wind them into a bouquet for parents or teachers cannot be a bad child or become al)ad man. Such a child can easily be led to the love and to a knowledge of liis father, God, who gives him such gifts." The abovepassageis worthy of a second read- ing, because it illustrates the fact that although Frwbel was at times very obscure in his attempts to give expression to his ideas he was, never- theless, able on occasions to clothe his thought with a clearness aud beauty which challenge admiration. In those days which Froebel spent with his pupils in the little country house that had been fitted up for them he sought always to coml)ine labor with instruction and when the boys were busy with hatchet and spade, with oar or fishing tackle, he made every occupation serviceable to awaken their desire for knowledge. And we are told that the regular and moderate method of living which they followed banished all the indolence and helpless dependence of the chil- di-en, so that in a short time they improved wonderfully in health and strength and the keenness with which they enjoyed life was greatly increased. When, however, autumn approached, with its dark days, long evenings and bad weather, con- siderable time was given to the practice of music aud drawing. But there were still un- occupied hours which in summer had been de- voted to rural occupations. How could they be spent pleasantly and profitably ? Eef erring to his experience at this tune, Froebel says : "When my pupils came to me vnth some new de- mand I asked myself, 'What did you do when a boy? What happened to you to quicken your impulse for acti%-ity aud representation? By what means was this impulse at that age most fitly satisfied ?' Then out of my earliest lioyhood something came to me which gave to me at that moment all that I needed. It was the simple art of imprinting, on smooth paper, 270 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. signs aud tonus by regular lines." He also re- membered how he had tried to keep himself busy with all kinds of liraided work from paper and binding trvine, and he resolved to try this occupation with the lioys. In carrying out this plan he was brought at once to a realizing sense of the crudeness with which the unpraeticed hand does its work, how poorly the will is master of the fluger-ends un- der such cii'cmnstances, and how Inaccuiately the eye obsei-ves. Consequently he designed a few preparatory exercises for training the hand and eye, so that the boys could under- take their pasteboard work. He began with the folding and the separating aud pasting of papers. He also let them work with twine, till they became experts in making nets and game bags, lu these occupations they had to In-ing into practice what they had learned in draw- ing, arithmetic and geometry. Later in the season they did some work in wood. Thus early in his career we catch the germ of the kindergarten thought which dominated Froebel's life in after years. AVe are also told that the little house where he and his young people worked is still preserved as a token of remembrance and contains a room in which everything is left just as it appeared in those days. The mother of the three boys preserved every memorial of Fra?bel with religions venera- tion during his lifetime, while he in turn held her in high esteem, so that for a long period a correspondence was kept up between them. After a year of this special work as a private tutor Froebel became anxious to secure a wider development for himself and his pupils than country Life afforded, and so, in the summer of 1808, he took them to Pestalozzi's school at Yverdun, where he remained with them for two years, acting meanwhile as pupil and teacher, being resolute in his determination to secure a pedagogical education. iSoS— iSio-RELATIONS WITH PESTALOZZI. The records of Fra?bers life at Yverdun are meager, much being left to the reader's imagi- nation. We know that he tried on his arrival to secure quarters for himself and his pupils in the main school building, or castle as it was sometimes called. Failing in this, the quartette obtained lodgings in an adjoining dwelliug, tak- ing their meals with the other students and sharing in their instruction. Frwbel tells us that during this period he was both teacher and scholar, educator and pupil. He made it his business to talk with Pestalozzi regarding every subject that came up from its first point of connection, so that he might understand it from the foundation. And he adds : ''I soon felt the need of unity of endeavor in means and end. Therefore I sought to gain the highest insight into everything. I was pupil in all subjects, numbers, form, singing, reading, drawing, lan- guage, geogi-aphy, natural science, dead lan- guages, etc. In what was offered for youthful life, for comprehensive teaching, for higher instruction I missed that satisfying of the human being, the essence of the subject. Pes- talozzi's ^^ew^ were very universal, and, as ex- perience taught, only awakening to those al- ready grounded in the right. In connection with the subjects taught, the instruction in language struck me first in its great imperfec- tion, arbitrariness aud lifelessness. During the time spent at Yverdun the discovery of a satisfying method of teaching the mother tongue occupied me especially. "I proceeded from the following considera- tions : Language is the image, the representa- tion of a world, and is related to the outer world through articulately formed tones ; if I wish properly to rejiresent a thing I must know the original according to its character. The outer world has objects ; I must also have a, decided form, a decided word for the object. The objects, however, show qualities ; lan- guage must, therefore, have quality words in its construction. These qualities are neces- sarily Iround np with the objects ; qualities of being, having and becoming." Continuing the story of his life at Yverdun, Frrebel says that he learned there to recognize boyish play in the free air, in its power, devel- oping and strengthening spirit, disposition and body. In the plays which were there carried on and with what was connected with them, he discovered the chief source of the moral strength of the young people in the institution. He says that at that time the higher symbolical meaning of play had not yet been opened to PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 271 him, BO that he could only regard it as a moral power for body and mind. The walks which the students took had an equally good influence with the plays, particularly those taken in the company of Pestalozzi. lu suumiing up the results secured by his stay at Yverduu Fra'bel writes : ' 'There is no question that Pestalozzi's public and especially his eveuing reflections, in which he liked to exert himself to awaken and unfold the ideal of nol ile manhood and true human love, oontriluited most essentially to the development of the inner life. On the whole, I spent ill Yverduu an inspiring, grand, and for my life, decisive time." From another account of this period we get, first a clear idea of whatFrwbel hoped and ex- pected to find in Pestalozzi's teachings, and then the particulars wherein he was disap- pointed. "If 1 comprehend what I sought and expected there," writes Fro-bel, referring to Yverduu, ''it was a roliust inner life, which should find utterance in many ways in creative acts ; a healthy and strong life of child and youth that should answer all the requii-emeuts for the development of body and soul. I thought that Pestalozzi must be the arteries and central point of all this vitality and effort, and out from this focus in all directions the life of the youth, as of the teacher, must be pene- trated. AVith such high-strung expectations I arrived at Yverduu, and I doubted not that I should find there the solution of all my questions." In a certain sense, this same narrative adds, Froebelwas not deceived in his expectations. Pestalozzi did indeed form the shining center of his circle and froni his warm heart radiated light and life. But after a little Fro?bel, who had nothing to do but observe, investigate and examine what was being done, began to dis- cover more and more weakness in the methods which were practiced, methods that produced desirable results only through the inspiring mind of Pestalozzi, results that could have been reached by other means quite as well, and perhaps better. Meanwhile the strength of Pestalozzi's self-sacrificing love atoned in many respects for his lack of clearness, dis- cretion and firmness. As Frffibel lingered at Yverdun month after month his aims became plainer to him and he gained a deeper perception of the early require- ments and laws of the child's development than Pestalozzi possessed. This fact, however, did not prevent him from esteeming the country fortunate where such a mau as Pestalozzi lived and worked, and he felt anxious to render hhn aU the honor which was his due and also to sound his praise in public. But he became thoroughly convinced that the foundations of popular education for real life must be fixed on some basis more natural, more anthropological than any which Pestalozzi could offer. AMien Froebel and his pupils left the school the management had reached a crisis, so that everj'thing fell into disordei-, and he was ol jliged to accept the con^'iction that the esteemed and amiable Pestalozzi was surrounded by false friends and badly supported, and that his work however excellent in itself, lacked a sufficient- ly healthful vitahty to set forth and jtrove itself a permanent reform in pojiuhir education. In dwelling on this part of Fra'bel's fife we have taken pains to record as fully as possible his impressions of Pestalozzi which were gained through two j'ears of daily intercourse with him, because many people of the present day, some of whom are regarded as eminent educators, persistently maintain that iu publishing to the world the kindergarten system of infantile education Frtt'bel really originated very little, and that all the ideas which he put forth that have since proved of any value were derived from Pestalozzi. While there is neither room nor disposition for us to argue this question here, we ad^-ise all students of the kindergarten system to undertake to settle it for themselves. Let them study, as they have opportunity, the philosophy of both men, as it is outlined in their writings, and trace out the results as they appear iu the educational field to-day. Then each one will be competent to decide whether through native ability and the practical train- ing of experience it was possible for Pestalozzi to transmit to FrQ?bel anything on which he could evolve what the world calls in oiu- day the Idndergarten system. The reader of these lines is asked always to bear iu mind that the pm-pose of the present narrative is to give the well-accepted facts of Froibel's life in the order iu which they oc- curred, with as little embellishment as possible. But if at this particular point we may be al- lowed an opinion as to what constitutes the radical and essential difference between the philosophy of Froebel and that of Pestalozzi, 272 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. it is the difference between self-activity and imi- tation. The latter is always preaching what we may term the gospel of imitation, always teach- ing the child to imitate what the teacher has done ; on the other hand the kindergarten sys- tem inculcates the gospel of originality by pre- senting certain basal principles which must be followed, but which when mastered by the pupil are sure to stimulate him to original work. Pestalozzi was helpful to Froebel at a time when he most needed pedagogical enlightenment, but to assert that Froebel is merely the inter- preter of Pestalozzi is to make a claim which is not to be Hghtly accepted without analytical and conclusive proof. Returning to Frankfort in 1810 Froebel con- tinued his engagement as private tutor in the Von Holzhausen family for a j'ear longer, and then resumed his University studies with much satisfaction to himself. 1811—1S13— FINAL UNIVERSITY STUDIES. In the summer of 1811, being twenty-nine years old, Frcebel entered the University at Gottiugen, more than ten years after he had re- linquished student life at Jena. At Gottiugen he at once devoted himself to the study of lan- guages, beginning with Hebrew and Arabic, with a Adew of also paying some attention to the Indian and Persian. He also devoted a certain amount of time to Greek and dipped into the old favorites, physics, chemistry, min- eralogy and natural history in general with re- newed ardor, and also astronomy. He enjoyed hunself greatly in the pursuit of knowledge un- der these new conditions and lived alone that nothing might interfere with his chosen work. It was his habit to walk aliout the beautiful sub- m'bs of the city during the latter part of the af- ternoon, "in order to be greeted by the friendlj' rays of the sinking sun," and these rambles were sometimes extended till near midnight. He had been at Gottiugen but a few weeks, however, when his chronic lack of funds be- came once more a serious matter aud he made up his mind that he must turn his attention to literary work as a help in his support. His apprehensions were relieved, however, by tka receipt of a legacy from his mother's sister which made it possible for him to continue his studies without interruption. He was particu- larly interested in the lectures on mineralogy, which gave him an insight into the fundamental forms of crystals and other minerals. For us to trace the fruits of this study in the kinder- garten system as Frrebel has handed it down to us is not difficult. Wliat he learned at Gottiugen stimulated his ambition to go to Berlin aud continue his in- vestigations of mineralogy, geology, crystallog- raphy and their laws, at the college of Prof. Weiss, who was a famous instructor in those branches. He also resolved to make the change because he hoped that Berlin would afford bet- ter opportunities for securing a place as tutor, as the legacy just mentioned would not support him for many months. Consequently he went to Berlin in October, 1812, at once devoting himself with undiminished enthusiasm to the subjects which he loved aud at the same time becoming instructor in a distinguished private school. The months of fall and winter passed quickly and in the early spring the throb of the war drum cut short, almost in the twinkling of an eye, his University course, as it has done that of many noble men in other lauds and times. Eight here, if we stop for a moment to re- view the yeai's which Froeliel sjient within col- lege walls we must admit that he acquired a good education, although it was gained under difficulties. Eighteen months at Jena, a year at Gottiugen, six months at Berlin, three Uni- versity years in all, spread over a period of fourteen, this was his peculiar college course, supplemented with a good many months of professional study. As a result he was thorough- ly grounded in mathematics, had an expert knowledge of natural history and a training in languages which was respectable. He seems to have been a faithful student, although there is little evidence that he was a brilliant scholar. In addition to the learning of the schools he also secured the practical experience of a drafts- man and surveyor, and taken together, the circumstances of his life, as thus far recorded, particularly fitted him to be the founder of the kindergarten system. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 273 1813-1814-A SOLDIER OF THE LEGION. In the spring of 1813, Freidrich Frcebel, a Btudent of the natural sciences in the Univer- sity of Berlin, aged thirty-one, enlisted at Dresden as a private in the Liitzow corps of the German army, under a call of the king for the nation to take up arms against Napoleon. In writing of that time GeorgEbers, the novelist, says, "The snowdrops which bloomed during the March days of 1813 ushered in the long- desired day of freedom, and the call 'to arms' found the loudest echo in the hearts of the students." At this point in the naiTative we may, per- haps, be pardoned for remarking that the critics of Froibel have always delighted to embellish certain allegations against him with such met- aphors of ridicule and invective as they could command. One of the principal charges is that of effeminacy, which, it must be confessed, is somewhat borne out by several of his pictures which are on the market and certain charac- teristics of dress which he affected. While his admirers might be glad to eliminate these matters from his private history, if they could, it is nevertheless true that the world will for- give a man for parting his hair in the middle, if his thoughts and acts are such as to render him immortal. That Frcebel had a realizing sense of wo- man's wonderful possibilities in the training of young children, which amounted to an inspira- tion, is not to be denied. That he delighted in gathering the mothers about him in constant attempts to give them some inkling of those possibilities and that he spent the strength of his last years in forming what we now call kin- dergarten training classes is well known to all who are familiar with his history. That the little children loved him and hung about him all his days is always admitted. But these things do not make a man effeminate. Some of them were characteristics of the Son of Man who dwelt in Palestine nearly two thousand years ago. There was no charge of effeminacy filed against Private Friedrich Frcebel while he wore the uniform of the Lutzow Jagers or lay in the trenches and coolly calculated the velocity of the bullets whizzing over his head from the annies of Napoleon, as to how much faster those which came from the muskets were flying than those discharged from the flintlocks. He put aside every ambition , took every risk of life and limb, health and happiness, for the honor of the flag which represented to him the head and front of ci\'ilization, the one country which was worth living or dying for, as destiny might decide. As to his motives in entering the army, he says : "It was the feehng and con- sciousness of the ideal Germany that I re- spected as something high and holy in my spirit. Moreover, the finnness with which I held to my educational career decided me. Although I could not really say that I had a fatherland, as I am not a Pi'ussian, it must happen that every boy, that every child who should later be instructed by me would have a fatherland and that fatherland now demanded protection when the child himself could not defend it. I could not possibly think how a young man, capable of bearing arms, could become the teacher of children whose country he had not defended with his life blood. The summons to war appeared to me a sign of the common need of man, of the country, of the time in which I lived, and I felt that it would be unworthy and unmanly not to struggle for the common neces- sity of the people among whom one lives, not to bear a part toward repelling a common danger. Every consideration was secondary to these considerations, even that which grew out of my bodily constitution, too feeble for such a life." Truly sentiments like these have been regarded in all ages as belonging to "the stuff that heroes are made of." Froebel joined the infantry division of the Lutzow corps, "Lutzow's Wild, Bold Troop," commonly known as the "Lutzow Jagers," and marched from Dresden, April 11, 1813. This volunteer organization had been formed dur- ing theprexdous month by Baron Von Lutzow, his instructions being "to harass the enemy by constant skirmishes and to encourage the smaller Geiman states to rise against the ty- rant Napoleon. The corps became celebrated for swift, dashing exploits in small bodies. Froebel seems to have been in the main body and to have seen but little of the more active duties of the regiment." 274 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Owing to the seclusion of his life in the University his comrades were in the beginning of the campaign all strangers to him, although many of them were Berlin students. At the end of the first morning's march the sergeant introduced him to a divinity student named Heinrich Langethal, born at Erfurt, Septem- ber 3, 1792. A little later Langethal in turn presented his friend, AVilhelm Middendorf, also a divinity student, and a life-long inti- macy began between the three, then and there. Sliddendorf was a Thuringian, having been born in Westphaha, September 20, 1 793. Aside from bis connection with Fra?bel his history was not eventful. Of him Dr. Ebers writes : — "The source of Middendorf 'a greatness in the sphere where life and his own choice had placed him may even be imputed to him as a fault. He, the most enthusiastic of all Froebel's disciples, remained to his life's end a lovable child, in whom the powers of a rich poetic soul surpassed those of the thoughtful, well-trained man. He would have been ill-adapted to any practical position, but no one could be better suited to enter into the soul-life of young hu- man beings and to cherish and ennoble them." Langethal finished his grammar school studies at Erfurt and then entered the LTni- versity at BerUn, where he proved himself a scholar of unusual talent. Midway in his ca- reer there the elevation of the Prussian nation led him into the war. He was advised that he must not write home to his father of his in- tention, because if the letter should be inter- cepted his act would be regarded as high treason by the French authorities who held sway at Erfurt. When asked how he would procure the uuifomi of the black Jagers,he answered : "The capeof my coat will supply the trousers. I can have a red collar put on my cloak, my coat can be dyed black and turned into a uni- form, and I have a hanger." He had a daunt- less spirit that knew no such word as failure. The first halt of the corps came at Meissen, at the close of a beautiful spring day, when the students who were in the command gathered together about a long table in an open space on the banks of the river Elbe, where they greeted and pledged each other with old Meissen wine. The three young meu just named lingered at the table till midnight, lay- ing the foundation of a friendship that has since become immortal, and the next morning they went together to examine the city's beau- tiful cathedral. To this circle Bauer, later an instructor in a Berlin grammar school, was subsequently admitted, and to those three men Frcebel limited all intimate association during the campaign. In the fragmentary autobiography which Frabel some years later prepared for the Duke of Meiningen he speaks of these days as fol- lows : "My principal care was to improve my- self in my present calling, and so one of my endeavors was to make clear to myself the inner necessity and the connection of demands of service and drill ; it came to me very soon and easily from the mathematical, physical side, aud strengthened me against many little reprimands which easily befell others when they thought this or that command could be omitted, as too trifling." Another writer puts the same idea in these words : ' 'The peculiarly regular aud orderly inclination of his mind made him so accurate in all points of his ser- vice that he never gave cause for the little un- pleasantnesses which befell mostraw recruits." These extracts become of importance when considered in tlie light of some modern criti- cism which confidently asserts that Fra?bel could not have made a good soldier because he had no natural aptitude for such service. It is evident that he tried to adapt himself to the needs of the hour aud his surroundings, no matter how great the personal inconvenience. That he was a good soldier, as a matter of fact, was fully attested by his promotion to be an officer in 1815, although he was not allowed the opportunity to act iu such a capacity. When the corps reached Havelburg there was a long halt, occasioned by an armistice, lasting from June 4 to August 10, during which the four friends sought to be together as nuich as possible. The life of the camp was especially pleasant to Frcpbel, he saj's, because it made many facts of history clear to him. He lived in nature as much as he could, and we are told that "outhe march, under the hottest July sun, when most of the men were trying to get rid of everything which they could do without, so as to make their knapsacks lighter, Fra*bel col- lected all kinds of stones, plants aud mosses for his study of nature and filled his knapsack with them. At the bivouac fire he brought out his treasures to sen'e as the subject of con- versation on natm-al history. " PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 275 There has always been some discussion as to how far F'rojbel sliared in the hostilities of this campaign. Boweu in his biography says that of actual fighting his regiment saw nothing, a statement that is e\'idently without founda- tion. Fra?bel modestly speaks of the "few battles in which we took part." There can be no question, however, that Froebel found time for the active cultivation of the practical study of natural historj' and the cementing of a friendship with Middendorf, Langethal and Bauer. At times the four friends indulged in pedagogical and philosophical discussions which were greatly to their mutual edification. "In this way," wi-ites Fr«bel, "we passed, at least I did, our war life as a dream. Now and then, at Leipzig, at Dalenburg, at Bremen, at Berlin, we seemed to wake up ; but soon sank back into feeble dreaminess again." The Lutzow corps marched through that section of Germany known as the Mark of Braudenbiug, of which Berlin is a part, going in tlie latter part of August, 1813, through Priegnitz, JNIacklenljurg, the districts of Bre- men, Hamburg andHolstein, and coming to the Rhine in the last days of the year. Napoleon abdicated in the spring of 1814, went to Elba as an exile April 20, and the peace of Paris was proclaimed May 30. Meanwhile Froebel's regiment was stationed in the Netherlands till July, when all the volunteers who did not care to serve longer were honorably discharged. Doubtless Frrebel was a better man and a bet- ter kindergartner because of his military ser^•ice. In later years he brought into the kindergarten the spirit of patriotism which will always be one of its prominent characteristics, wherever it is estal^lished. He also brought into it the stirring marches and lively music which the military camp suggests. And although the kin- dergarten must always be regarded as a mighty bulwark of the kingdom of peace, we may weU ask what would it be worth with these things taken out of it ? 1814—1S16— CURATOR AT BERLIN. When Fro?bel entered the army he received the promise of a position under the Prussian government at the close of the war, that of assistant in the miueralogical museimi at Ber- lin under Prof. "Weiss, who had been his in- structor, a post that was offered him through the influence of friends. Consequently his first thought on quitting the army was to secure for himself this coveted place, and so he set his face toward BerUn, arri^•ing there early in August, haNnug stopped ou the way at Lunen, Mainz, Frankfort and Rudolstadt, moved by a desu'e to visit once more the region of his buth. He began his duties as curator in the mu- seum at once. He was occupied most of each day in the care and arrangement of minerals in a room which was perfectly quiet and which he kept locked against all intruders. The in- vestigation and explanation of crystals also formed a part of his duties. Regarding this period of his life, he writes : "While engaged in this work I continually proved to be true what had long been a presentiment with me that even in these so-called lifeless stones and fragments of rock, torn from their original bed, there lay germs of transforming, develop- ing energy and acti%ity. Amidst the diversity of forms around me, I recognized under all kinds of various modifications one law of de- velopment. Therefore my rocks and crystals served me as a mirror wherein I might descry manlvind, and man's development and history. Geology and crystallography not only opened up for me a higher circle of knowledge and in- sight, but also showed me a higher good for my inquiry, my speculation and my endeavor." These discoveries made Fro-bel think for a time that he would like to fit himself to teach in some University, but he soon gave up the idea, belie\-ing that he was "generally deficient in the preparatory studies necessary for the higher branches of natural science." Another reason why he relinquished the desire for such a career resulted from his reflection that the amount of interest shown in their work by the University students of his day was too little to attract him to a professorship. On this theme he remarks : "The opportunities I had of observing the natural history students of that time, their very slight knowledge of their subject, their deficiency of perceptive power, their still greater want of the true scientific spuit, warned me back from such a plan." 276 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. During his service as a curator lie coutiuued itteudiug lectures on mineralogy, crystallog- rapliy, and geology and also on the history of ancient pliilosopiiy. Those were months of marked development for the young man, who still had the work of life before him. They made up the one brief period of his career when he was prosperous and at peace with the world, unless we except a few months passed at Marienthal, thirty-five years later. They served to so perfect his studies of natural his- tory that those studies bore excellent fruit when he came to present to the world the kinder- garten system of education. No one who had not first made the forms of crystallography aprofound study could have brought them into that system as an integral part of it in the way thatFroebel did. During the last months of his term as a sol- dier Frcel^el became separated from his friends, Laugethal, ISIiildeudorf aud Bauer, so that when he left the army he did not know where they were. All three of them, however, soon returned to Berlin, to resume their theological studies. Meanwhile Napoleon had ended his exile at Elba, resumed his former place as em- peror of France aud for a few short weeks men- aced Europe as of old. A new war cloud hung over Germany in the spring of 1815, and the four friends re-enlisted. "On account of our previous service" says Frcebel, "and by royal favor, we were at once promoted to officer's rank and each one was appointed to a regi- ment. There was such a throng of volunteers, however, that it was not necessary for any state officials to leave their posts or for stu- dents to interrupt their studies, and we there- fore received counter orders commanding us to stay at home." Middendorf came to room with Frcebel, pend- ing liis expected departure for the war, and in this way the two were brought into close com- panionship for several months. About this time both Langethal and Middendorf became tutors in private families, to secure means for continuing their studies, and they appealed to Frojbel to instruct them for two hours a week in the best methods of teaching arithmetic, which he gladly did. It was during his curatorship at Berlin that Frcebel first met Henrietta 'Wilhehiiine Hoff- meister, whom he subsequently married. She was the daughter of an official of the Pi'ussian war department, was born at Berlin, Septem- ber 20, 1780, had been a pupil of Schleier" macher and Fichte and was highly cultured. She had previously married an official connected with the war office named Klepper, but had separated from him because of his misconduct. She came to the museum on one occasion aud we are told that Froibel "was wonderfully sti-uck by her, especially because of the readi- ness with which she entered into his educational ideas." Langethal and Middeudorf were well acquainted with the family and had often spoken to him about her. Frcebel remained at Berlin till October,1816, when lie left suddenly and without giving his friends any definite idea of his future plans. He had, in 1815, declined the offer of a valuable post as mineralogist at Stockholm and he se- cured his discharge from the museum against the earnest remonstrauce of Prof. Weiss. The reason for his actiou soon became ap- parent, however. Christoph Fra?bel, his well- beloved elder brother, who has been so often mentioned in these pages, died of typhus fever in 1813, while nursing French soldiers in the hospitals. He was settled as a clergyman at Griesheim and left a widow aud three sons. The mother wrote toFriedrich Fra'bel in 1816, expressing her anxiety regarding the proper education of the boj's and ap[)ealing to him for advice. It was this letter that caused him to make the sudden resolve to give up his place in the museum. We are told that he had hardly finished reading it when his latent in- terest in the education of man suddenly mani- fested itself in all power aud energy and pushed him irresistably forward to take up again his natural vocation and lie a teacher. He deter- mined to devote himself to the education of his nephews, and as a preliminary step lie trav- eled from Berlin to Osterode, where his brother Christian had become a spinner and dyer of linen thread. There the brothers held a consul- tation aud it was decided that Friedrich should openaschool at Griesheim, the primary object being the training of Christoph's children, aud that Christian should also send his two sous to this school. Friedrich took the latter with Lim, the elder being eight aud his brother six years old, aud began his teaching November 16,1816, calling himself aud the five pupils ' 'The Univei- sal German Educational Institute," although they were housed in a peasant's cottage. < a 2 a a Q PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 1817— 1831-PRINCIPAL AT KEILHAU. 277 Frcebel tarried at Grieshcim but a few months. In the summer of 1817 his sister-in- law, owing to the death of her fatlier, decided, to move her family to Keilhau, where she bought a small farm. The school went with her and was re-opened June 24. The hamlet of Keilhau lies on the mountain side about five miles south-west of Rudolstadt, guarded by nature on three sides with protecting walls, which keep the wind from entering the -village. It is one of the most attractive spots in the Thuringian Forest, which is not a region of great height, but famous for its beautiful val- leys, offering a great variety of the most beau- tiful scenery to be found anywhere. The primitive condition of the village of Keil- hau, as late as 1815, seems strange enough to us. "Although not poor," says one writer, "the peasants had remained in the condition of the Middle Ages. Three houses retained the old form of Thuringian architecture and the date of 1532 was to be seen over the door of one of them. The church with its pretty tower was nevertheless more like a cellar than the house of God. In the midst of the vil- lage a water course marked the street and five springs kept the road wet all the time. There were only about one hundred inhabitants and the living of the peasants was very simple. As had been done five hundred years before, the mayor still counted off on a notched stick the number of measures of wheat which each man was bound to pay as corn tax or tithe. He also gave orally to the peasants any new regulations of the government, and in order to keep up a military appearance a day watch- man paraded the village with a broad halberd over his shoulder. The dress of the old man was what he had worn in his youth, and that of the women descended from the mother to daughter." The beginnings of the school at Keilhau were very humble. The teachers, Froebel and Mid- dendorf, during the summer of 1817, lived in a wretched little hut with neither door, flooring or stove, while Frabel was building a school- house. The quarters assigned him had for- merly served as a place for keeping hens. In July Langethal graduated from the Univer- sity at Berlin with the highest honors and in September he visited Keilhau to see his old comi'ades and take his brother to Silesia, where he had an engagement as tutor to the young nobility. Frojbel received him with the ut- most cordiality and the sight of the robust, merry boys who were lying on the floor that evening building forts and castles with the wooden blocks which Fra'bel had made for them, according to his own plan, excited the keenest interest. He had come to take his brother away ; but when he saw him among other happy companions of his own age com- plete the finest structure of all, a Gothic Ca- thedral, it seemed almost wrong to tear the child from this circle. The result of this visit was that Langethal decided to stay at Keilhau with his brother, so that there might be a trio of teachers, and a great gain he was to the insti- tution, where his life work was done. More pupils arrived when he did and the new build- ing was completed in November. When Frcebel first came to Griesheim he told his sister-in-law that he wished to be a father to her orphaned children, a statement which she interpreted to suggest an ultimate marriage between him and herself. He, how- ever, had never intended it in that sense, and after reaching Keilhau he offered himself by letter to Henrietta Hoffmeister of Berlin, ask- ing that she would give her life to the advance- ment of those educational ideas in which she had shown so deep an interest during their interview in the museum. She received his proposal favorably, but her father made ob- jection and refused to give her any dowry. The record says that "she had hved all her life in comfortable, almost affluent circumstances. But she relinquished everything, even the home of which she was the light and joy, a dear mother and greatly beloved father who adored her, to devote her whole life and being to the apostle of a new education, whose ideas and schemes had elevated her soul as with the Ught of di\ine insph-ation." When the widow of Christolph Froebel learned of the engagement she made over her property to Friedrich, and wenttohveat Valkstadt in June, 1818. The wedding occmTed September 20, the 278 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. bride being tliirty-eight tliat day, and the groom two years younger. She brought with her to Keilhau an adopted daughter, Ernestine Chrispine. "Never," says one writer, "has man found a better helpmate than this woman was to Fro?bel. She devoted herself to the as- sistance of the Keilhau teachers aud their edu- cational mission with her whole being ; made willingly any necessary sacrifice ; submitted willingly to every jirivation ; lived through days of most jnunful struggles with poverty and want, and did this all with a courage and devotion that was a shining example to all the women, who have since devoted their lives to the realization of Fra'bel's ideas." In order to do exact justice to Frau Froebel, wlio is so often and so deservedly praised, it may be necessary to add this quotation : "Frcebel's wife was revered and beloved in the highest degree by the whole pedagogical group and by Fra?l)el was ever treated with deepest tenderness and esteem. Eye witnesses assert, however, that although a very capable woman she was not perfectly quahfled to guide the helm of so large and composite a household with sufficient circumspection and tact, aud that in the idea of 'unity of life' which Froe- bel wished to realize there was at times some- thing wanting, in spite of the poetic, yes idyllic character of the lives of these amiable and noble-minded idealists, who were ready to be- come martyrs to their philanthi-opic and pure principles." What the privations endured during those years really were we can hardly conceive. Frce- bel says : "We had now a severe struggle for existence for the whole time, up to 1820. With all our efforts we nevei' could get the school- house enlarged ; other still more necessary buildings had to be erected first." As an illus- tration of the straits to which Froebel was sub- jected, it is stated by an associate, who had the incident from his own lips, that at one time during his early struggles to put the school on its feet he had to live for a week on two large loaves of bread, on which he first measured the daily portions with chalk marks, so that he should not cut off more than the allotted part. We arc told, moreover, that he was not afraid of long journeys on foot for the benefit of the cause, from which he often returned with bleeding feet, aud that many a night he slept in the open air to save traveling expenses and then gave the money to some poor child to support him in tiie school. Shortly after Frcebel's marriage the father of Middendorf died, and he, without any hesi- tation, devoted the whole of his inheritance to the institution. Early in the year 1820 Ohria- tian Froebel decided to give up his manufac- turing business at Osterode and join the com- munity with his wife aud three daughters, the two sons being already members of the school. He also invested all his property in the ven- ture. The completion of the schooLhouse was now pushed with zeal, a work that ended in 1822. The following year Johannas Arnold Barop, liorn at Dortmaud in 1802, a nephew of Middendorf aud a di^^nity student at HaUe, \isited Keilhau and decided to remain as a teacher, much to the disgust of his family. He eventually became the mainstay of the whole enterprise. At this time the Keilhau family began to enjoy greater comforts in hfe. It was found that "the wonderful enthusiasm of the teach- ers aud the wisdom of the educational methods employed, had, in a few years, made the aver- age pupil of the Keilhau school so greatly su- perior to the average pupil of all other educa- tional establistiments of the coimti-y, that the nundjer of pupils increased rapidly and money began to flow more freely into the households of all the teachers." It was in the summer of 1826 that both Middendorf aud Langethal were man-ied, the former choosing for his wife Albertine,the eld- est daughter of Christian Froibel, aud his com- rade taking Ernestine Chrispiue, the adopted daughter of Friedrich Frcebel's wife. Barop married Emihe, Christian Frcebel's second daughter, in 1828, and the third one in due season wedded another of the teachers. It will hardly be possible within the limits of this brief narrative to give the full history of Frojbel's career as principal of the Keilhau school. But in order to get a glimpse of the institution during its most prosperous days un- der the leadership of its f ouuder we must quote from the reminiscences of Col. Hermann Vou Aruswald, who was a pupil there for three years about 1824-26, as found in the intro- duction of "Frcebel's Letters." He says that when he reached the school Froebel took Mm iuimediately to the boys, with whom he was soon at home, so thoroughly, in fact, that it PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 279 made his mother feel quite sad to see how cheerful her boy was at parting, wheu tears filled her own eyes. The account goes on to explain that in the domestic life of the institution strict order had to be obsen'ed, and great care was taken to promote personal cleanliness, new comers be- ing examined every morning before breakfast to see that there was no lack in this respect. And woe to the boy who was reckoned defi- cient, because his allowance of milk for break- fast was cut off, and he had to be content with only a piece of bread. This reduction of ra- tions was almost the sole punishment that was deemed necessary. Whoever deserved correc- tion was sure to find at dinner or supper a piece of bread on his plate, which indicated that he must pass by all other dishes without tasting them. On one occasion Von Arnswald yielded to the temptation of eating a straw- berry, taken from the supper table before the meal was quite ready. Fra'bel saw the act and as a consequence the ominous piece of bread was put on his plate. The boy who did any damage at Keilhau must see to its being repaired personally, and the colonel remembers one luckless fellow who having carelessly or mischievously bioken a window had to take the frame on his back for five miles before he could get it mended. During the three years of Col. Von Arns- wald's stay at the school no doctor ever set foot there. The small injuries that occurred occa- sionally in the gymnasium were always cured by the boys' mutual helpfulness. One day when he was at the top of the climbing rope hia strength gave out and he slid so fast to the bottom that his hands were badly blistered and he could not dress without help for a month. During that time his chum cared for the wounded members, but nobody else noticed the mishap. Another peculiarity of this school was the absence of all vacations. No pupil ever went home for a while and then returned. But a tramp through the woods extending over several days was repeatedly made during the summer season. On such occasions coffee and cakes were served, and the birthdays of the teachers joyfully remembered. Ordinarily the pupils drank nothing but milk and water. The anniversary of the battle of Leipzig, the loss of which forced Napoleon to withdraw his armies from Germany, was always cele- brated on the 18th of October, the national sentiment being powerfully developed. A big fire was lighted on the mountain top that even- ing, "and when the flames raised their golden tongues skyward, popular and patriotic songs were sung, and we listened to the inspiring words of our teachers, every one of whom had fought through the wars of deliverance as a volunteer, all having been faithful comiades in the service of the great fatherland." When winter came it brought frequent sleigh rides on the ice, and the boys were some- times called out of bed for this pastime. On Christmas eve they were treated to poppy soup, which made them sleep soundly till five o'clock in the morning, when they were summoned to a short religious service, gifts were distributed and they were taken to church. Col. Von Arnswald sums up his story with these signifi- cant words : "I lived at Keilhau for three years. At the end of that time I went home to the house of my parents healthy in soul and body. After a life so natural and so completely se- cluded from all the injurious impressions of the outside world there could not have been any other result than perfect health." For fourteen years Froebel was at the head of the Keilhau school. The highest num- ber of pupils during that time seems to have been about sixty, and in 1829 it dwindled to five. As an educational experiment it was in great measure a real success, though it did not reach Fra?bel's ideal. All mental requirements were richly provided for, and his own ^•iew8 of education carried out as far as time would allow, considering the imperative necessity of preparing the boys for the University ; but the material wants were met with great difficulty and in the poorest fashion. "None of the no- ble men connected with the school had in the remotest degree," says one writer, "imagined what great sums were required for the found- ing and continuing of so extensive an institu- tion as they had iu vi^^w, and were expending little by little. It was very nearly true that they shared with each other, loN-ingly and trust- ingly, all they possessed, for it could be affirmed of them as of the first Christians 'No one said that anything was his own.'" The account goes on to relate, "It was in vain that every item of income was devoted to the common use and that e.ach one joyfully brought to the sacrifice all his goods and chat- 280 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. tels, Ms inheritance and earnings." Frcebel was too much of a philanthropist to derive very much gain from the pupils. He could not turn away an oiphan or the child of a widow merely because only half could be paid to him, so that the school, well filled though it was, yielded too little profit to enable it to sustain itself." Moreover, as Emily Shirreff points out in her biographical sketch, Froebel was by nature a man in whose hands material interests could not prosper. He had no prac- tical ability of any kind ; and being engrossed with the interest of carrying into effect the cherished views which had become a part of his very life, he was probably less fitted than ever to calculate and dwell upon i)rudential and economical considerations. Barop had constantly hoped for support from his well-to-do family, but they had never ap- proved of his connection with the school and finally withdrew from him altogether. Little by little all sources of help were exhausted, while the needs of the school continually grew. The credit of the managers began to sink, so that "malevolence followed in their track and suspicion stalked around them in all kinds of deformity." Some of their troubles arose from political causes. Among the patriots who had fought in the war and the generation of University students which came after them there was much enthusiasm for German unity and liberty, and here and there not a little wild socialistic talk. The Keilhau community had adopted the German dress, and both teachers and pupils allowed their hair to grow long, and for these reasons the Prussian govermnent became sus- picious of the school and in September, 1824, induced the local prince to appoint Superin- tendent Zeh to investigate the institute and make a report regarding it. This oflicial came to the school November 23, and again March 1st, 1825, and the very favoiable report which he made in detail is still presented, and a part of it is worth quoting. "I found here," said the inspector, "what is never and nowhere shown in real life, a timely and closely united family of some sixty members, living in quiet harmony, all showing that they gladly perform the duties of their various positions ; a family in which, because it is held together by the strong hand of mutual confidence, and because every member seeks the good of the whole, everything, as of itself, thrives in happiness and love." "With respect and hearty affection all turn to the principal; the little five years old children cling to his knees, while his friends and col- leagues hear and honor his advice with the con- fidence which his insight and experience and his indefatigable zeal for the good of the whole desen-e ; while he has bound himself to his fellow- workers, as the supports and pillars of his life work, which to him is ti-uly a 'holy work.' ' ' Self acti^•ity of mind is the first law of the institution ; therefore the kind of instruction given there does not make the young mind a strong box into which as early as possible all kinds of coin of the most different values and coinage, such as are now current in the world, are stuffed; but slowly, continuously, gradually and always inwardly, that is accord- ing to a connection founded upon the nature of the human mind, the instruction steadily goes on, without any tricks, from the simple to the complex, from the concrete to the abstract, so well-adapted to the child and his needs that he goes as readily to his learning as to his jilay . " This report was made to the local prince of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, and of course he could make no move against the school after such a report, had he wished to do so, therefore he directed the conununity to dress like other people and cut their hair, a very Solomon's judgment, says Bowen, foi- there was nothing else the matter with them. But the agitation which led to this report caused nearly all the patrons of the school to take their boys away from it. Moreover, for years trouble had been fermenting from within as well as without. One of the teachers, named Herzog, set himself in stubborn opposition to the principal and drew Froebel's sister-in-law and her sons to his side of the controversy ; the three nephews quarreled with their imcle and left in 1824; Herzog soon followed and industriously libelled the institute for some time. All of these causes placed the school under a temporary cloud. In writing on the "Critical Moments of Frcebel's Life" Barop describes the situation with a graphic pen. "The num- ber of our pupils, he remarks, "had diminished to five or six, and consequently the vanish- ing little revenue increased the burden of PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 281 debts to a height that made us dizzy. From all sides creditors rushed in, urged on by attor- neys, who washed their hands in our misery. Froebel vanished through the back door to the mountain wheu the duns appeared and it was left to Middeudorf to quiet most of them in a degree which only he can believe possible who has been acquainted with Middeudorf's influence over man." For a time relief from all these troubles was promised because of the expected help of the duke of Meiuingen. Several influential friends of the Keilhau work called his attention to it and as a result he sent for Froebel to explain a scheme for an educational institute to in- clude with the ordinary "literary" branches in- struction in carpentry, weaving, bookbind- ing and tilling the ground. Half the school hours were to l)e devoted to study and the other half were to be occupied by some sort of handi- work. This plan was the work of all the Keil- hau teachers and the duke was much pleased with it. He proposed to place the estate of Helba, with thirty acres of land and a yearly grant of some five hundred dollars, at Frcebel's disposal, as an aid in carrying out the scheme. These negotiations began in 1827, and it was then that Froebel wrote out the story of his life previous to 1816, for the iuformation of the duke. This record breaks ofl" abruptly and probably was never presented to the duke. Secret influences were set at work to change the duke's purpose regarding the new educa- tional plans and his right-hand man in such matters, fearing lest Fra-bel's influence should supplant his own, did all that he could to pre- vent the establishment of the industrial school. Consequently the duke proposed, in 1831, as a compromise, that Frcebel begin with an ex- perimental establishment of twenty-five pupils. Froebel felt that he had been betrayed and re- fused to except such an offer or to have any- thing more to do with the duke. Meanwhile Frcebel had formed a close friend- ship with the celebrated philosopher Carl Krause, under peculiar circumstances. In 1822 two articles by Froebel describing his work at Keilhau, which had been previously printed in another form, appeared in the "Isis," a noted scientific journal edited and published by Lorenz Oken. During the following year Krause contributed an article to the same pe- riodical criticising in some particulars what Froebel had written. The latter was too much occupied with his regular work to give the matter much attention at the time, but five years later, under date of March 24, 1828, he wrote Krause a long letter in reply, which was fol- lowed by atrip to Gottiugen by Fnebel and Middendorf in the fall of that year that they might become personally acquainted with Krause. Long discussions on education took place during this celebrated meeting and Kiause made Froebel familiar with the works of Co- menius, "and introduced him to the whole learned society of Gottiugen, where he made a great and somewhat peculiar impression." There can be no doubt but that his relations with Krause at this time had considerable to do in shaping Frcebel's future course in re- spect to the kindergarten. As soon as Froebel decided that he could no longer depend on the duke for any substantial help he went to Frankfort to discuss his diffi- culties with friends in that city and this step resulted in his practically relinquishing the control of affairs at Keilhau, although he spent many months of his subsequent life there. A brief review of Frcebel's writings while he was principal at Keilhau should naturally be included in the account of this period. His first published essay appeared in 1822, the title being, "On the Universal Gei-man Educational Institute of Rudolstadt," which was followed in 1823, by a "Continuation of the Account of the Universal German Educational Institute at Keilhau." The next year be printed a paper on "Christmas at Keilhau ;" "A Christmas Gift to the Parents of the Pupils at Keilhau, to the Friends and Members of the Institute." In 1826 "The Education of Man " was brought out, the full title beiug as follows : "The Edu- cation of Man, The Art of Education, In- struction and Training Aimed At in the Edu- cational Institute at Keilhau," written by its principal, F. W. A. Frcebel, Volume I; "To the Beginning of Boyhood, Keilhau, 1826." Published b}' the Institute. Sold in commission at Leipzig by C. F.Darffling, 497 pages. That same year Froebel undertook to edit and pub- lish, at Leipzig and Keilhau, "The Family Weekly Journal of Education." In speaking of these writings one editor of Frcebel's biogra- phy, Emilie Michaelis.says : "Froebel in his unbusinesslike way, published all these produc- tions privately. They came out, of course, un- 282 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. der every clisadvantyge, mid could only reach the hands of learned persons, and those to ■whom they were really of interest by merely a chance. Further, Frcebel, as has already abundantly appeared, was but a poor author. His stiff, turgid style makes his works in many places most difficult to understand, as the pre- sent translators have found to their cost, and he was therefore pratically unreadable to the general public. In his usual self-absoibed fashion lie did not perceive these deficiences of his, nor could he be made to see the folly of private publication. Indeed, on the contrary, he dreamed of fabulous sums which one day he was to realize from the sale of his works. It is needless to add that the event proved very much the reverse." Thus closes an important period of fourteen years in Frcebel's life, a formative, educating period, like all those which had gone before. For him to found the Keilhau school, an insti- tution which has to this day maintained an il- lustrious reputation, was indeed an honor. But Keilhau did more for him than he did for Keil- hau, it disciplined him for the immortal work of later years. Had he been successful as its principal he would have been content with the place for the rest of his days, and conse- quently the world would never have heard of the kindergarten. 1831— 1837— IN SWITZERLAND. It was in the month of May, 1831, that Frte- bel went to Frankfort, and there he chanced to meet the noted musician and naturalist Zavier Schnyder of Wartensee, in the canton of Lu- cerne. He told this new acquaintance of what he liad tried to do at Keilhau and how the work had resulted. He enlisted his sympathy and "exercised upon him that overpowering influ- ence which is the peculiar jji-oijerty of creative minds." Schnyder appreciated the man and his efforts and we are told that he fairly begged Frcebel to open a school in his castle at "War- tensee. The offer was accepted without debate and Froebel at once departed for Switzerland, taking Ferdinand Fra'bel, the oldest son of his brother Christian, with him, Middendorf as- suming the helm at Keilhau for the time being. The uncle and nephew located themselves in the castle so kindly placed at their disposal, with its splendid library, abundance of silver plate and elegant furniture, and began their school with a few peasant children from the immediate neigliborhood . But obstacles sprang np before these en- thusiasts had really secured a foothold in their new quarters. The opposition of the local clergy against the "heretics" and foreigners was from the first pronounced and aggressive. It prevented pupils coming to them from any distance and from families who were well-to-do, and so limited their income by the narrowest bounds. It also caused the people about them to harbor the continual susjiicion that they were ready to do something which would in- jure the community. Added to the hate of the priests, according to some writers, was the malevolence of Herzog,a native of that section, who had been deposed from his place as teacher at Keilhau some years previous, because he had shown himself to be a promoter of strife. Moreover, the teachers found their rooms in the castle very inconvenient for school purposes, but the owner would not consent to addition or alteration on any account. Such was their condition at the end of a few months, when Barop joined them, having tramped there from Keilhau, where their friends had become concerned about them and ap- pointed him a messenger to report how they were faring. He remained in Switzerland more than a year. Soon after his arrival the three friends were sitting in a hotel near Wartensee, talking about their difficulties with some strang- ers who happened to be there, and the con- versation was overheard by some business men from the neighboring town of Willisau, who became much interested in what was said. They went home and reported what Frcebel and his associates were trying to do in the interest of education, and soon an in\itation came from twenty families in "Willisau to re- move the school to that place. An associa- tion was formed to support it and a building which resembled a castle was secured for it, by consent of the authorities of the canton. Some forty pupils entered the school as soon as it was relocated and for a time ])rosperity seemed assured. But the fury of the priests blazed out afresh and the teachers went about in fear of their PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 283 lives. On one occasion during a church fes- tival a fanatical Capuchin monk made such a fierce speech against them that everybody present expected that a riot must result. While the tirade was going on Froebel stood in the crowd directly facing the monk, without mov- ing a muscle or changing a feature, and his two associates appeared equally oblivious to their danger. Strange to relate, no hand was raised against the heretics, and after the monk had disappeared they passed quietly through the threatening mob. Barop resolved to procure protection if it could be obtained, and laid the matter before the mayor, who advised that a public exami- nation of the pupils be held, as a means of winning popular esteem. It occurred on a beau- tiful autumnal day, being attended by a great crowd from different cantons, and a number of officials. It began at seven in the morn- ing and continued till seven in the evening, closing with games and gymnastic exercises by the whole school. It was a great success in every way, and as a result glowing speeches about the school were made in the council of the canton and that body voted to let the castle to Frffibel and his associates at a low rate and to expel from the canton the monk wlio had attacked them. A Uttle later, in 1833, Barop returned to Keilhau and became its principal. Gradually he raised the financial standing of the school, continuing there till his death, many years later, and handing it down to his son, the present principal. Just before Barop decided to return to Keil- hau a deputation of citizens came from Berne to invite Frwhel to organize an orphanage at Burgdorf, in addition to his work at AVillisau, and he accepted the task on condition that other pupils should be admitted besides 'orphans. Ikliddendorf came from Keilhau to take the place of Barop, locating at AVillisau with Ferdi- nand Froebel, while Friedrich Frcebel and his wife took up the new enterprise at Burgdorf. In connection with the regular instruction given at the orphanage FrcEbel was required to con- duct what was called a Repetitive Course for the teachers of the canton. They were given three months' leave of absence from their regular duties once in tn-o years, during which time they were gathered at Burgdorf for special study. Concerning this period in Frffibel's hfe Barop writes as follows : "Froebel had to pre- side over the debates and to conduct the studies which were pursued in common. His own ob- servations and the remarks of the teachers brought to him a new conviction that all school education was as yet witliout a proper foundation, and that, until the education of the nursery was reformed, nothing solid and worthy could be attained. The uecessitj' of training gifted, capable mothers occupied his soul, and the importance of the education of childhood's earliest years l)ecame more evident to him than ever. He determined to set forth fully his ideas on education, which the tyranny of a thousand opposing circumstances had always prevented him from working out in their com- pleteness ; or at all events to do this as regards the earliest years of man, and then to win over the world of women to the actual accomplish- ment of his plans." After a stay of three years at Burgdorf the health of Fran Fra'bel broke down and the doc- tors ordered her to seek another climate. In June, 1836, she and her husband went to Ber- lin, the immediate cause of the journey being the death of her mother and the necessity of adjusting some matters ]5ertaining to her inheri- tance. While he tarried at Berlin the funda- mental thought of all his educational efforts made a deeper impress than ever before on Fra?bersniiud. There it was that his hours of musing were occupied with the plan which was taking shape for the early education of little children. It was now clear to him that the earliest childhood is the most important time for human development, and that in the child's behalf play as his first activity, must be spirit- ualized and systematically treated. He naturally felt that his native Germany was the country in which to work out these ideas and he never returned to Switzerland. Langethal s\'ent from Keilhau to take Frojbel's place, and for a time he and Ferdinand Frffi- bel were directors of the Burgdorf school. Then Langethal left it to take charge of a girls' school at Berne, and not long after Ferdinand Frcebel died, being sincerely mourned by the whole community. The Willisau institute was given up also, Middendorf returning to his famity at Keilhau, and thus it happened that the educational experiment in Switzerland lasted only a few years and met with but limited success, compared with the mental and physi- cal effort that it cost. 284 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. 1S37— 1844— BLANKENBURG. After a few months, iu 1837, Froebel and Ms wife came to Keilhau once more, and there the idea of the kindergarten burst upon him. He wi-ote at once to Berlin for his first materials for the plays and occupations, and selected, with the help of his friend Barop, who was the principal of the Keilhau school, the neighboring village of Blaukenburg, a little south-west of Keilhau, fortlie launching of his new enterprise, a place which he felt, on ac- count of its healthy location, would make the best home for his invalid wife. In giving an account of these days Barop writes as follows : ""Wlien Froebel came back from Beilin the idea of an institution for little children was fully formed in him. I rented him a locality iu the neighboring Blankenburg. For a long time he could find no name for his cause. Middendorf and I were one day walk- ing to Blankenburg with him over the Steiger Pass. He kept on repeating, "Oh, if I could only find a name for my youngest child." Blankenburg lay at our feet and he walked moodily toward it. Suddenly he stood still as if riveted to the spot, and his eyes grew won- derfully bright. Then he shouted to the moun- tain so that it echoed to the four winds, 'Eu- reka, Kindergarten shall the institution be called.'" This was literally a "mountain mo- ment" in his life, a brief period of inspiration which counted for more than months of every- day existence. After finding the right name Froebel determined to make an effort to put the ■whole establishment at Blankenburg on a satis- factory financial basis and include in it a train- ing college in which women teachers should be shown how to deal with little children up to the age of seven. The house where Froebel lived and labored at Blankenburg remains to-day as it appeared then, a large, unattractive, three-story structure on the hillside. It is still used for school pur- poses and bears on the front a tablet of black and gold with these words : "Friedrich FroBbel Established His First Kindergarten Here on the 28th of June, 1840." This date is chosen because it was a festival day in all that region, commemorating the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of printing, which was cele- brated in common by the schools of Blanken- burg and Keilhau, Froebel being the orator of the day. As a matter of fact, however, he be- gan the kindergarten work soon after locating at Blankenburg. To Col. Von Arnswald we are indebted for a glimpse of the Blankenburg kindergarten as it appeared in 1839. "Arri^^ng at the place," he writes, "I found my Middendorf seated by the pump in the market-place, surrounded by a crowd of little children. Going near them I saw that he was engaged in mending the jacket of a boy. By his side sat a little girl busy with thread and needle upon another piece of clothing ; one boy had his feet in a bucket of water washing them carefully ; other girls and boys were standing around attentively looking upon the strange pictures of real life before them, and waiting for something to turn up to interest them personally. Our meeting was of the most cordial kind, but Middendorf did not interrupt the business in which he was engaged. 'Come, children,' he cried, 'let us go into the garden 1' and with loud cries of joy the crowd of little men followed the splendid looking, tall man with willing feet, running all around him." ' 'The garden was not a garden, however, but a barn with a small room and an entrance hall. In the entrance Middendorf welcomed the chil- dren and played with them an all-round game, ending in the flight of the little ones into the room where every one of them sat down in his place on the bench and took hold of his gift box. Then for half an hour they were all very busy with their blocks, and then the summons came, 'Come, children, let us spring and spring,' and when the game was finished they went away full of joy and life, every one pass- ing by his dear friend and teacher and gi^^ng him his little hand for a grateful goodbye." And then the colonel adds: "I shall never forget this image of the first kindergarten, so lovable and cheerful. I pi'eser\-ed it all in my memory and used it all as a pattern, when in time I had occasion to establish an educational gar- den in my own home." Nevertheless, Fra>bel and Middendorf had the greatest difficulty in persuading the Blank- enburg people to merely allow them to have any MONUMENT NEAR MARIENTHAL. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 285 intercourse with the little children, because the parents thought that the teaching a child to play would help to make him a sluggard and a loafer. But the two earnest pioneers persisted in their labor of love and succeeded in over- coming the local prejudice to a certain extent. Froebel had begun the publication of a Sunday paper the year before which he called "Seeds, Buds and Fruits out of Life, for the Educa- tion of United Families." It bore the motto, "Come, let us live with our children." But he did not confine his work to Blankcnburg or the immediate neighborhood. In January, 1839, we find him giving a kindergarten address at Dresden, where the Queen of Saxony was pres- ent, and a month later he gave another at Leip- zig. Soon after lie was called to Dresden to further explain the system and Middendorf and Adolf Frankenberg went with him. The visit evidently lasted some time and resulted in the establishment of a kindergarten in that city, which was taught by Frau Frankenberg, who thus became the first woman kiudergaitner, so far as we can learn. While Froibel was at Dresden his wife died, May 13, 1839. She was one of those rare women who served an idea at the greatest pos- sible sacrifice, that of her life. Although mourning her loss sincerely he did not pause in his work, but soon after, at Hamburg, re- peated what he had said at Dresden. Month by month the idea of the kindergarten grew clearer in Froebel's mind, so that in 18-10, at the Guttenberg festival, which the schools of Blankenburg and Keilhau celebrated in com- mon, he was able to present a new and more comprehensive plan than any which he had pre- viously entertained, one which he hoped tocaiTy out with the help of his fellow countrymen. On the first day of May he issued an appeal to the public to help him to estabhsh a kinder- garten training school, the special feature of his scheme being the proposition that each person interested in the enterprise should take oue or more shares in it, each share ha\-ing the value of ten dollars. His address at the fes- tival of June 28th was largely devoted to ad- vocating the plan and was directed chiefl}^ to the ladies who were present on that occasion. Some idea of this speech can be gained by the closing words : "Therefore, I dare," said he, "confidently to invite you who are here pre- sent, honorable, noble and discreet matrons and maidens, and through you and with you all women, young and old of our fatherland, to assist in your subscription in the founding of an educational system for the nurture of little chil- dren, which shall be named Kindergarten, on account of its inner life and aim, and German Kindergarten on account of its spirit. Do not be alarmed at the apparent cost of the shares ; for if in your housekeeping or by your industry you can spare only five pennies dailj% from the presumptive time of the first payment until the end, the ten dollars is paid at the last pay- ment. Do not let yourself be kept from the actual claims of the plan by the comtemptible objection 'Of what use to us is it all ?' ' ' Already the idea of furthering the proper education of the child through appropriate fos- tering of the instinct of activity, acts like light and wamith, imperceptibly and beneficently, on the well-being of families and citizens ; for good is not like a heavy stone which only acts and is perceived when it is pressed ; no, it is like water, air and light, which in^■isibly flows from oue place to another, awakening, water- ing, fertilizing, nourishing what is concealed from the searching eye of man — even slumbers in our own breasts, unsuspected by ourselves. Good is like a spark which shines far and points out the way. Therefore, let us all, each in his own way, advance what our hearts recognize as good, the care of j'oung children. "Do you ask for the profits of your invest- ment, the dividends on your shares ? Open j-our eyes impartially, your hearts also ; there is more in it than we have represented in the plan of the undertaking. Oh, is the beautiful any the less a gift and a real value in our life because it passes away easily ? Is the true auy the less a gift because it is unseen and only the spirit observes it ? And shall we count for nothing the reaction on the family and the happiness of the children in joy of heart and peace ot mind ? You can enjoy these great gifts in full measure ; for they are the fruit of your co-opera- tion, the fruits of the garden which you estab- lish and care for, the fruits of your property. Besides, is it not almost more than this to take the lead and stand as models for a whole coun- try, to advance the happiness of childhood and the well-being of families, of the whole nation ?" We are told that as a result of this speech Frce- bel's hearers were greatly moved and that they did not separate without pledging a goodly 286 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. sum to advaucc the spread of the German Kindergarten. This success was only temporary, for while Frcebel and Middendorf were able to overcome in a measure the local prejudice against their system of education for 3'ouug children the parents kept insisting that they were doing the educators a great favor in allowing them to spend their time on the children, and were far from thinking that kindergartnors ought to lie paid for the services rendered. Fra-bel was able to get the municipality to grant him the free use of a place in which to do work. But it soon became evident to him that he must seek a broader field and take up the task of educating the public sentiment in favor of the new educational system. Consequently the institution at Blaukenburg was given up in 1844 and Frfebel determined to travel about Germany and expound his views, taking with him his faithful and eloquent friend Midden- dorf. In order to kindle the sparks of appre- ciation glimmering here and there into a clear flame by the breath of his own never-failing enthusiasm, he proposed to visit all the large cities. But before setting out on this pil- grimage, in 1843, he published the "Mutter Unci Kose-Lieder," a book which was destined to become the most popular of all his works, the song and picture book for mothers and little children. "Traveling through the coun- try, "says Elizabeth Harrison, "Fro-bel listened to the cradle songs and stories which the Ger- man housewives told to their children. He noticed how the little children are constantly in motion, how they delight in movement, how they use their senses, how quickly they observe and how they invent and contrive. And he said to himself, 'I can convert the children's activities, energies, amusements, occupations, all that goes by the name of play, instrumental for my purpose, and transfer play into work. This work will be education in the true sense of the term. The conception I have gained from the children themselves ; they have taught me how I am to teach them.' " 1844— 1849— WANDERINGS ABOUT GERMANY. In the summer of 1844 Froebel and Midden- dorf started out on their missionary tours for the propagation of the kindergarten, which were destined to continue a number of years and ex- tend over a considerable area. They visited in succession Frankfort, Heidleberg, Darm- stadt, Cologne, Carlsruhe, and .Stuttgart. Dur- ing the following year FrcEbel made the ac- quaintance of Louise Levin who subsequently became his second wife. The history of this woman is an interesting story to all w'ho are in any way attracted to the kindergarten or its literature. Louise Levin was born at Marien- vorstadt, a suburli of Osterode, in the Harz mountains, April 15, 181.5. Her father was a tanner and across the street from his house lived Christian P^rffibel, brother of Friedrich, a spinner and dyer of linen thread and the owner of a factory. His children were the first play- mates of little Louise, outside of her own household. In her later years Fran Froebel has written a pamphlet entitled "Reminiscences of Friedrich Fra?bel," which includes an outline of the story of her early life. She says that Christian Froe- bel was a busy man in those days, but that he found time for mental culture as well as an earnest and loving discharge of his duties as husband and father. Also that he had suf- fered from the want of a thorough education and that it was his great desire to procure more for his children in that respect than he himself had enjoyed. Friedrich always had great influence in his brother's family, and the narrative relates that his nephews and nieces, as well as the older brothers and sisters of Louise, looked forward to his \'isits as a treat. It was at the house of his brother, in 1816, when she was eighteen months old, that Frcebel first met her. He had recently resigned his position as assistant superintendent of the min- eralogical museum at Berlin, and resolved to open a school at Griesheim. But he wanted more pupils than this one family afforded and so visited his brother at Osterode, to persuade him to let his two sons join their cousins at Griesheim. A little later the school was moved to Keiliiau, and in 1820 Christian Froebel and his family went there to live. Concerning this change Frau Froebel writes : "I was five years old when our dear, faithful friends removed from our neighborhood . Well do I remember my brothers' and sisters' sorrow at departing ; my grief was more speedily as- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 287 sauged by a legacy of all the toys left iu tlie forsaken nm-sery over the way . " She soon be- gan to exchange letters with Elsie Frrebel, who was two years older, although at first her baby hand had to be guided by that of a more ma- ture sister. We are told that they sent Uowers to each other, exchanged garden seeds, and in similar ways kept alive the friendship of former years. In due time the boys of the Fra'bel family paid a %'isit to the Levins, and Louise was much attracted to them, as they appeared greatly to be preferred to her ordinary boy playmates. Then her brothers were allowed an outing at Keilhau, and on their return they were constantly talking about the happy life of the boys who were at school there, and of the kindness of "Uncle Fra?bel," meaning Fried- rich, to them. They also brought back with them many things which the pupils there had given them as samples of their own handiwork, models of toys, furniture and machines, cut out from wood or cardboard and pasted together. Louise LeAnn endured many hardships in her early days. Her father died when she was thirteen, her two brothers were left widowers with children to care for within a few years after they were married, and her eldest sister lost her husband in the prime of life. All of these families looked to her for help in the midst of their troubles, and it was not till she was thirt}' years old that she was at liberty to leave the home circle. As for her educa- tion, she tells us that it was "neither better nor worse than that of most girls at that time, the chief female accomplishment of that day being skill in various domestic arts." Finding herself no longer indispensable to her relatives Louise Levin felt that she must make herself indispensable to some one, to fill a In-each and have an object in life. Fran Middendorf had lately been A-isiting her and invited her to come to Keilhau. With the words of invitation ringing in her ears she wrote a letter offering her services to the com- munity and received an immediate answer urg- ing her to lose no time, but to at once become a working member of the household. This was in June, 1845, and when Louise joined the family it included three daughters of Christian Froebel, Fran Middendorf, Frau Barop and Fraulein Elsie Froebel, her former coiTcspond- ent. Frcebel himself was then living in the neighborhood, but did not make his home in the school building. But he called to see Louise soon after her arrival, and gave her much friendly counsel, which she remembered well and rendered useful in her relations and duties to those around her. In 1846 Fiwbel and Middendorf made a journey similar to the one undertaken the pre- vious year, but it was apparently barren of re- sults, just as the former trip had been. Dis- couraged with the reception he met with from men and prof essional teachers iu general, Frce- bel henceforth more than ever addressed him- self to women, mothers and teachers, with in- creasing enthusiasm. In the summer of 1847 he gave an exhibition of games at a meeting at Quetz near Halle. As a result of this meet- ing one of his converts decided to add a kin- dergarten to her high school for girls at Ham- burg and toemploy Middendorf 's daughter Al- vine as the kindergartner. But before this plan could be carried out it was deemed best for her to take a course with Frosbel, and Louise Levin determined to join his training class at the same time. Consequently both of them be- came his pupils during the winter of 1847-1848. About this time Frabel drew up the pro- spectus of an institution which he proposed to form for the training of the masses and the educators of children. In this prospectus he says : "It is very desirable that young maidens entering the institution should have a good school education. They ought to be more than fifteen years old and healthy and full grown. The age from seventeen to twentj^ odd years seems best for this training. More important than school education, however, is the girlish love of childhood, an abihty to occupy herself with children, as well as a serene and joyful view of life in general. There ought also to be a love of play and occupation, a love and ca- pacity for singing. It goes without saying that purity of intentions and a lovely, womanly disposition are essential requisites. The fuller the educational accomplishments of a lady all the more rapid and satisfactory will be her progress in the science. "The means at the disposal of those willing to take the course are generally so limited as to compel a curtailment of the time of study to six months. Nothing but inexorable necessity could have enforced such a reduction of time, rendering next to impossible the acquisition of even such knowledge as is absolutely indis- 288 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. pensable. Every part of the course must be shortened too much in order to render it pos- sible to reach the eud at all. The entire scheme is made up with a consciousness that the pupils themselves must fill tbe gaps in their develop- ment and by incessant industry and sponta- neous labor work out and perfect the ideas and principles mentioned in the course. There is no possibility of reaching the goal desired in so short a time unless a pupii will give her whole mind, and give it determinedly and persever- ingly, to study. "But this is not sufficient unless the pupilhas also learned to observe and study the phenom- ena of her own life and activity, and thereby learned to observe and guide the life and ac- ti\'ity of children. In this direction the study of the kindergarten ought to be continuous. A complete education for bringing up and edu- cating children ought to make the pupil theo- retically and practically conversant with all the requirements of the child concerning its bodily (dietetic) and mental (pedagogic) needs from the cradle to school age. But this is not enough. The normal school pupil ought also to be en- abled to impart a good preparation for the first grade of the elementary classes in the public schools. It is not possible, however, to in- clude this branch in a short course of only six months. A second course is necessary to give time enough for that kind of teaching. In either case, however, success cannot be com- pleted, unless the pupil on entering the normal school is sutiiciently jirepared as regards her school education, her maturity of character and good judgment. Such efficient preliminary preparation will alone enable the pupil to avail herself of all the suggestions offered during the course, and, after lea^^ng the school, to con- tinue the study, reflect and labor for the pur- pose of finishing her own education." The idea of Fra'bcl suggesting the possibility of taking the kindergarten course in six months will doubtless seem an absurdity to many kin- dergartners to-day. But their adverse judg- ment will be somewhat modified when we come to review the proposed daily schedule given in the prospectus of his training school, which laid out work for the whole day, from seven in the morning until bedtime. First came the morning service and a religious lesson which attempted to trace the evolution fif religions ideas in the chilli and thereby to indicate a method of awakening truly religious sentiments in the little ones. At nine o'clock the regular school day opened. The hour from nine to ten o'clock was spent in teaching "the science of the phenom- ena and laws of the evolution of the child ; of the essential nature of the child and the re- quirements of his nursing and his education." During the two hours from ten to twelve o'clock the principles which had been taught theoreti- cally the preceding hour were practically de- monstrated. These demonstrations were sup- posed to embrace practical exercises in personal intercourse, appropriate language in talking with the children, accompanying the singing with the appropriate practice of the senses and limbs." The specific relations between these exercises and the unfolding of the soul life of the child as an individual and as a member of the social whole were successfully pointed out. The Mutter Und Kose-Lieder served as a text- book in these lessons. The afternoon lesson began at two o'clock. Till four o'clock the gifts and occupations were handled. Seven small text-books were used, and it was Frrebel's intention to make clear at every point the manifold relations between the occupations and his gifts and the labors of man in contact with the circumstances of nature and events in life. The hour from six until seven was spent in practicing the occupations and games that had been taken up during the day with the children wh.o came to the school for that purpose. After supper the pupils gave further attention to any of the day's exercises which tlicy felt they had not mastered, being helped by Frwbel and his assistants. Such was the prospectus for the normal kin- dergarten, as laid out on paper in 1847. The criticisms which its announcement caused re- sulted in some modifications, but in many re- spects it was the scheme actually carried out a little later. During the six months of the course Fra'bel devoted his whole time and en- ergy to his pupils, from seven o'clock in the morning until bedtime, never wearying of ex- plaining, lecturing, laboring and playing with them. And what, the reader naturally asks, was the compensation required for all this trial? Half a thaler each week, that is, about thirty- seven cents for each pupil. During all these years Frcebel's schemes were many, one being to found an institution for the support and education of orphans, with PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 289 a model kindergarten and a normal institute for children's nurses and kindergartners. Mean- while he kept up his travels, ^vith head-quarters at Keilhau. Wherever a festival could be ar- ranged in commemoration of Christmas or some other event, there was Frojliel to plan and lead the kindergarten games as a special attraction. We may not find it out of place right here to ask ourselves, How did Fra?bel look at this time in his life? The most definite description yet published occurs iu the "Story of My Life'" by Georg Fibers, the eminent novelist, as trans- lated by Mary J . Safford. Dr. Elmers was eleven years old when he entered the Keilhau school, in the spring of 1848, and he gives this pen picture of Frcebel : "When I came to Keilhau he was already sixty-sis years old, a man of lofty stature, with a face that seemed to be carved with a dull knife, out of brown wood. His long nose, strong chin, and large ears, be- hind which the long locks, parted in the middle, were smoothly brushed, would have ren- dered him positively ugly had not his 'Come let us live with our children' beamed so invitingly from his clear eyes. "People did not think whether he was hand- some or not ; his features bore the impress of his intellectural power so distinctly, that the first glance revealed the presence of a remarkable man. Yet I must confess — and his portrait agrees with my memory — that his face by no means suggested the idealist and man of feeling ; it seemed rather expressive of shrewdness, and to have been lined and worn by several con- flicts concerning the most diverse interests. But his voice and his glance were generally win- ning and his power over the heart of the child was Imiitless. A few words were sufficient to win the shyest boy whom he desired to attract ; and thus it happened that even when he had been with us only a few weeks he was never seen crossing the courtyard without having a group of the younger pupils hanging to his coat tails and clasping his hands and arms. Usually they were persuading him to tell stories and when he consented to do so the older pupils were sure to flock around him, and what fire, what animation the old man had retained !" This whole story is everywhere dotted with dark spots indicating privation on the part of Froebel. At one time he sold all of his house- hold furniture at public auction at Rudolstadt to help him in the cause to which he was so thoroughly devoted. "When he was in these difficulties," writes Frau Fro-bel, "he seemed to shrink within himself, he was so silent ; he no doubt felt the hardship of being without a settled home after all these years of toil." At Keilhau he lived iu the most modest style ; he endured physical discomfort with absolute in- difference, absorbed in one object. "New Year's eve" Frau Froebel continues, "was al- ways kept as a beautiful traditional festival at Keilhau. During the early part of the evening old and young joined in all kinds of games and home amusements and then a sinii)le praver was offered, with a retrospect of the j^ear, followed by a general shaking of hands and mutual good wishes for the New Year, as the bells rang out from the village church. At this moment, in the year 1848, Froebel appeared on the scene, and great was the joy of the assembled house- hold that he had kept his promise. A table covered with Christmas gifts was quickly ar- ranged for him in the blue room, and I remem- ber him chatting pleasantly about his recent wanderings ; telling those in Keilhau about the increased support his kindergarten cause was receiving in different places in Thuriugia. de- scribing new acquaintances he had made, until he at length withdrew in the early hours of the first morning of the New Year. Retiring to his own rooms he sat up imtil breakfast time inditing a letter 'To Womanhood,' as he after- wards told us." During the winter of 1848 Froebel went to Schalkau, in company with Louise Levin, who helped him iu the direction of the games. He lived at the schoolhouse and she was hospitably entertained by a neighbor. The afternoons were occupied with rehearsals and in the even- ing the schoolmasters of that section used to gather around Froebel to hear more about his educational views and talk over the arrange- ments for the festival which it was proposed to hold, some months later, but which was, how- ever, forbidden by the authorities. A similar ^^sit was made to Brunn, where the two kinder- garten missionaries were guests of the ^^car. In the sununer of 1848 Middendorf published his book entitled "The Iviudergarten" and dedi- cated it to the German parliament, which had just assembled at Frankfort, hoping to secure their earnest attention to the system. Froebel helped him in correcting the proof sheets of this book and meanwhile busied himself in pre- 290 GOLDExN JUBILEE EDITION. pariug for a public gathering at Rudolstadt, issuing invitations to many sclioolmasters and otlier prominent people from all parts of Ger- many. Places of entertainment bad to be provided for those who came from a distance and tlie children of the neighborhood were prac- ticed iu the games and taught paper folding, paj^er cutting and the lath interlacing by Frau- lein Levin, at the little Eichfeld schoolhouse. Meantime Frcebel attended a meeting at Os- chatz, where a resolution was unanimously passed "That the governments of Saxony and Meiningeu be respectfully urged to )nake the support of kindergartens obligatory in every parish within their dominions, as the best pos- sible foundation upon which to rear any sys- tem of public instruction." The Eudolstadt meeting came in June and lasted three daj's. Several members of the national legislature were present, having been sent there to inquire into Fra-bel's methods, as well as representatives of reigning families in the Thuriugiau states. Many distinguished men took part in the debates, which waxed warm. There was a strong element of oppo- sition in the assembly and Frcebel and his friends were often challenged. But they were able to defend their position with energy and skill, and on the whole their cause was greatly benefited. In speaking of this meeting Hausch- manu saj's : ' 'Although some people might have retained intellectual doubts about some de- tails of his method, no one went away from that meeting without warmly sympathizing with his work as a whole. No one could wring from him the undoubted honor of having brought to light some neglected truths respecting child- nature and of giving fresh means for its de^ velopmeut." After the Rudolstadt meeting Froebel's cor- respondence increased greatly and expressions of sympathy flowed iu upon him from every quarter and greatly encouraged him in the be- lief that a better day was about to dawn. He spent the following winter at Dresden, giving a course of lectures for kindergartners and us- ing the kindergarten of Adolph Frankeuberg and his wife as practice ground. He also gave a second course to ladies and gentlemen inter- ested iu his system, being guaranteed an ade- quate salary for his work. Meanwhile Frau- lein Levin had accepted a position as governess in a family at Reudsburg and they met at Bergedorf during the Christmas holidays, 1848, where they and Alviue Middendorf happened to be visiting. About this time Frcebel became attracted to the ^^llage of Liebenstein as a promising loca- tion for a permanent training school and dur- ing the Easter vacation he went there from Dresden to look for a house. Liebenstein is a summer resort for strangers who come from all parts of the counti'y to drink the waters and he felt that it would be a good place from which to extend his cause. He returned there iu May, "with a A-iew,"sa}'s Frau Frcebel, "to obtaining a lease of the country house, 'Marien- thal' from the Duke of Meiuiugeu." 1849— 1852— MARIENTHAL. Frcebel secured rooms in a Liebenstein farm- house through the kindness of Frau Muller, and he began to live there with his pupils and his grand-niece, Henrietta Breymann, (Frau Schrader) as housekeeper. She also helped teach some of the children who were beyond the kindergarten age. We come now to the period in Froebel's life when he ceased to fight his educational battles single-handed and in obscurity and was thereafter seconded in some measure liy the rich and the powerful. But for the aid of Baroness B. Von Marenholtz- Bulow and her friends it is doubtful if the name of Friedrich Frcebel would have come down to this generation as being of any im- portance. All of the reforms in this world are brought about bj' ^^sible means, and most of them have to make use of help from the in- fluential and the wealthy before lasting success is secured. How ccmld Columbus have carried out his d.arling scheme and thereby changed the world's history if Isabella had not pledged her jewels iu his favor? And how could Washing- ton, notwithstanding the valor and self sacri- fice of his countrymen, have brought the Amer- can Revolution to a triumphant issue in the way that he did if the standard of France had not been joined with the flag of our infant republic ? In this case it was not altogether because the Baroness secured for Frcebel and his training school a dc^lightfiil home at Marienthal for the rest of his life and fin-thered his plans in every PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 291 possible way among the nobility and scientific men of the day, or even because she gave her life with rare devotion and lack of selfishness to advancing the kindergarten cause in differ- ent European nations that her alliance proved of such great imjiortance to him. There was another service which she did for Froibel, she became his interpreter. B}^ reading her "Remi- niscences" one gets a clear and minute account of the last three years of his life, which serves as a key to the whole. Her account covers what in many respects is the most interesting part of his career. It was at the end of May, 1849, that the Baroness reached the village, where she had sojourned during previous summers. After the usual salutations and her question as to what was happening in the place that season she was told by her landlady that a few weeks before a man had settled down on a small farm near the springs and danced and played with the children and for that reason was called "the old fool." Going out to walk some days later she met him and she described his ap- pearance on that occasion as follows : "A tall, spare man with long gray hair, was leading a group of children between the ages of three and eight, most of them barefooted and scantily clothed, who marched two and two up a hill, where having marshalled them for play, he practiced with them a song belonging to it. The loving patience and abandon with which he did this, the whole bearing of the man while the children played various games under his direction were so mo\ing that tears came into my companion's ej'es as well as my own." An acquaintance followed which soon ripened into friendship, and through the intercession of the Baroness, Fra-bel obtained a lease of the castle of Marienthal as a seminary for his nor- mal classes. How this arrangement came to be made the Baroness explains as follows : "On a walk which 1 once took with him, we came to the neighborhood of Liebenstein, charmingly elevated among the green fields. Fra?bel stood still and said : 'Look around j'ou, Frau Maren- holtz. This would be a beautiful place for our institution, and even the name would suit it so well, Marienthal, the vale of the Marys, whom we wish to bring up as the mothers of hu- manity, as the first Mary brought up the Saviour of the world.' I remarked that he mi^ht petition the duke to grant him the build- ing, which was standing unused, and that I would try to help him through the Duchess Ida. By means of the continued pi'omptings of her brother on the part of the duchess this end was reached at the end of some months. And I had the pleasure of surprising Fra'bel with the official permission after he had almost given up all hope." In the month of July Diesterweg, a dis- tinguished German educator, came to Lieben- stein and was introduced to Firebel by the Baroness. He became much interested in the principles which lie at the foundation of Frre- bel's system and with the Baroness devoted considerable time during the summer to study- ing them. It was also in July, that Fraulein Levin secured a release from her engagement at Reudsburg and came to Liebenstein, where for a short time she shared with Fraulein Brey- manu the duties of housekeeping and instruct- ing the pupils, but the latter soon went to her home, being in delicate health. When Louise Le\'in arrived, to use Froebel's words to the Baroness, "she gave to his institution the stamp of family life," which in his view was of the highest importance to an enterprise of that kind. During the month of September Mid- deiidorf came from Keilhan to visit his friend, and while he was at Liebenstein a sufficient sum was raised, chiefly from among the no- bility, to establish a local kindergarten. A little later he was in^'ited, through the influ- ence of the Baroness to deliver two lectures before the court at Weimar, which materially advanced the kindergarten cause. In October Frwbel went to Hamburg for the winter, and Fraulein Levin remained at Liebenstein to con- tinue training the pujjils and to receive new ones, also taking charge of the kindergarten as a practice field for the jjupils. "Frwbel passed a busy \\inter in Hamburg, by the invitation of the Women's Union, where society was much divided on the sub- ject of the 'higher education of women,'" says Frau Frrebel, "and where he undoubtedly overtaxed his strength. On the other hand, he felt strengthened and upheld Ijj' the sym- pathy nud interest his views met with during ins lectures. With many aspects of the wo- man question agitating the public mind at that tmie Frcebel had but little symiiathj', but he had the great satisfaction of seeing the first Bm-ger-kindergarten opened under his foster- 292 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. ing care, as well as man}' private kindergar- tens." During the Christmas holidays he came back to Liebenstein and addressed the parents of tlie kindergarten children, also joining with tlie little ones in the customary celebration. AVliilo he was there the negotiations for the lease of ]\Iarienthal were completed and he Ix'gan the return -journey to Hamburg New Year's eve. Just as he was finishing his lec- tures there Louise Le^in moved the school from the farmhouse, where it had been quar- tered for a year, to Marienthal, and Frcebel himself went directly from Hamburg to Keil- liau, to talk with his friends there about his intended marriage with Louise Levin. This plan met with opposition because he could not give the required proof that he had sufHcient means to support a widow, in the event of his death. He also ^^sited Blankenburg and was l)resented with the title of honorary citizen, but when he asked that this might be trans- ferred to his future wife the people refused to grant the request. Frau Frrebel says that he accepted this rebuff with his customary pa- tience under trial and then went to Marienthal to resume his place in the school. He reached there with the first awakening touches of spring, and, to quote once more Frau Fra'bel,"We gaily decorated every door- way with an archway of green leaves to bid him welcome. I was painfully aware of the expression of weariness on his face. 'Oh ! I sliall quickly recover in this beautiful place' was his cheerful answer, 'city life with its ex- citements has worn me out, but in the rural seclusion of this place and the simplicity of life at home I am sure to get well agaiu.' " At this point, in order that we may get some idea of Slarieuthal and its surroundings, the reader will Ije interested in a description of that section as it appeared to an American kiuder- gartner two or three summers ago : "We fi- nally come out to the light again refreshed by our temporary absence from the outside world, and drive on to Liebenstein. Here we see the place that INIadam Von Bulow has made fa- mous ; here Franleiu Heevort shows us the diniug-room of the hotel where she once, as a child, met Fra'bel. The house and hotel bor- der tlie long narrow street, with the baths and springs at the upper end. We drink the spark- ling water, which is delicious, and think of this as another spot in the Thuringian Forest, where time might be pleasantly spent. We im- agine Fru?bel walking through this village with the children at his heels, and Madam Von Bu- low's account makes us wish we, too, could have followed them up to the lawn where they played their games. We refresh ourselves with some delicious German coffee, and drive to Marienthal. The path Fra'bel and his friend often walked lies across the fields beside us, and as we stop in front of the house we feel tlie reality of the hfe so devoted to an idea that the roots were firmly fixed in that lifetime. Through the courtesy of the owner of Marien- thal we see the house. Two stories and a roof of tiles, a middle dooi-way, and rows of win- dows face one. A square garden extends to the road from the house, and stretches to the right and around to the back. To the left is a courtyard, surrounded on three sides by barns and outhouses, the fourth side being open to the house. Many a primitive scene is being enacted here. All kinds of beasts and birds are -within the enclosure. Threshiug is going on, and the bright dress of the peasants at work enlivens the scene. We speak of Froebel's 'Song of the Barnyard Gate,' and wonder if he got his inspiration here. We go inside and see the room where Frojbel's second marriage took place and the room where he passed out of the life where 'we behold but darkly,' into one of light." In the year 1850, Liebenstein was one of the most fashionable resorts of Central Ger- many and many noted visitors came to Marien- thal, Fradiel being the wonder and talk of the town. The Baroness gives this description of one such visit, when she piloted a party of .which Dr. Gustav, editor of "The Europa," was a member : — "We had now arrived at the gate of Marien- thal and heard the voices of the children sing- ing in the kindergarten, whom Frojbel himself led in the afternoon, in order to give to his pupils instruction in the manner of conducting the movement plays. He was in the midst of the troop of little ones when we entered. 'This then, is the house of the prophet,' said some one in our party, as we entered the great court- yard of the Marienthalhouse, which stood back, two stories high, looking more like the dwell- ing house of a farm than like a castle, but pleasant and homelike in the midst of the old green trees that surrounded it. In the large PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 293 Bquare before the house door, to which stone steps led up, was a grass plot upon which was planted some shrubbery, and ou one side were very beautiful old lindens, which in flowering time spread their fragrance far and vdde. In their shade were some benches and tables on which in good summer weather Frtsbel was accustomed to give his morning lessons. "At the moment when we entered he stood in the midst of the courtyard surrounded by his pupils and a troop of little children, who had wound theniselves around him as their cen- tral point in the play 'Little thread, little thread, like a little wheel,' and were just be- ginning to unwind their skein again. AVitli glowing face and eyes beaming with happiness Frojbel greeted the company, immediately ask- ing whether they would like to see some of the movement plays before going up into the hall. The guests were quite willing. With truly childish delight he again conducted some of those ingenious plays, the first gymnastics of the childish limljs. These he copied from the traditional plays of children and the people, leaving out their rougher features in order to make them serve his educational idea ; partly to make children represent, somewhat dramati- cally, facts out of the life of nature and man." A long discussion relative to the principles involved in the play followed, and when it was ended and the children had sung their closing song they were led to the door by the young ladies who were playing with them. Frwbel then invited the company to follow him into the upper story of the house, where he lived. He crossed the great hall, situatedin the midst of the rooms, the four windows of which com- manded a view of delightful landscape extend- ing to the distant mountains of the Ebone. In the midst of the hall stood a long table cov- ered with Froebel's "gifts for play" and many specimens of children's work from various kindergartens. Early in August, 1850, a notable play festi- val was held at Marienthal, conducted bj' Frce- bel and Middendorf, in which three hundred children from all the surrounding villages par- ticipated, with their teachers. The multitude of spectators was ranged outside the square, in the shadow of the surrounding woods. A concluding address was given by Middendorf and the whole affair made a profound impres- sion on the community. In writing about it afterwards Froebel said : "Yes, it was a festi- val of the union of nature, man and God, and God's blessing rests on such a day, as the old peasant expressed it. How easily might such child and youth festivals be exalted to a uni- versal people's festival ! Should we not do everything to call such festivals into life, that so we may at last reach what the hearts of all desire, an all-sided 'unity of life?' " In this way the summer was spent. "Froe- bel loved to teach, "says his widow, "even whilst in the act of walking ; here he drew our atten- tion to the sti-atiflcation of the rocks, there to a tuft of moss, or to some other plant strug- gling for life upon a barren stone, steadily ex- panding by ■s-irtue of a principle of life within. His first lessons were generally given out of doors in the morning, as well as the first les- son in the afternoon during the summermonths. Toward evening groups of children put in an appearance in front of the house ; they came from the neighboring village of Schweina." The last daylight hours were passed in the games with these children and all of Froebel's time when he was not teaching was taken up with visitors. Consequently he overtaxed his strength with the work of the year and doubt- less shortened his days. But according to the Baroness he was well preserved, for she writes that no one who did not know the fact could believe that his age was sixty-eight. "The youth and freshness of intellect, which was so remarkable in him prevented one from think- ing of his actual age, whose infirmities had not yet appeared." The course of training ended in November and new pupils were immediately received. About this time Dr. Wichard Lange, who after- wards married Middendorf's daughter, came to Marienthal and a long discussion occurred between him and Fra'bel regarding the carry- ing on of the hitter's work in the future. Frffibel maintained that Dr. Lange was the best fitted person living, to take up his work when he should leave it and hand it down to coming generations. But Lange felt that no man could succeed Frcebel and that the chief apostles of the kindergarten must thereafter be women, and that he himself, while in hearty sympathy with Froebel and his system, must devote his faculties to teaching in the higher grades. This decision was a great disappointment to Froebel, although in all probability a wise one 294 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. on the part of Lange, who subsequently did the ■world and the cause a valuable service by pubMshing a book on ' ' The Understanding of Friedrich Frrebel." The T^nnter which followed was a quiet one. On Christmas eve the pupils decorated Fro?- bel's study, making it look as though the whole forest had moved in. Each member of the family was assigned a separate table covered with gifts and "Frajbel's fatherly words seemed to endow these presents with a higher meaning for us all." Ou New Year's eve the family was invited to Liebenstein to enjoy private theatricals. Fraulein Levin remained at Marienthal for two years as Froebel's assistant, and they were married July 9th, 1851. The groom was then at the height of his popularity as an educator, and success a» a kindergarten teacher, being sixty-nine years old. The Baroness thus de- scrilies her meeting with him a few days before the wedding : "I found Frcebel at his writing table in his study. He greeted me with an ex- pression of the profouudest satisfaction. It was clear how truly happy and pleased he was made by the new-found home which had already formed a cultivated family circle of young, bright pupils, in quiet undisturbed domesticity. The battle of life lay behind him, he had parted from the world which did not understand him, and whose applause he had never sought. He now found himself in rural surroundings, which he had always desired, and he could give himself up, unmolested by opposition and obstacles, to the further development of his idea and the improvement of the practical mean- ing of it, and could sow the seeds of his doc- trine in the reeei)tive minds of his female pu- pils. He was assisted and well taken care of by her whom he had chosen to be the com- panion of his last days. After a life of labors and cares, trouble and combat, he could to all appearances, reckon on a beautiful, peaceful evening of life, which would allow him to look with increasing clearness upon the development of his cause and fill up the gaps still existing in it." The wedding was a gay affair, in spite of the advanced age of the groom. On the previous evening the pupils brought their presents, with all kinds of play, songs, original poems and allegorical representations. The rooms were adorned with flowers, and Frcebel himself led off in some of the kindergarten plays, all present taking part. The next clay the bride and groom stood at a flower-decked altar while Pastor Ruckert, a brother of the poet, united them, taking occasion to speak in deep recognition of Frrebel's blessed work. Micldendorf was groomsman and the Baroness bridesmaid. When the ceremony was over we are told that Frcebel met the congratulations of his friends with streaming eyes and was as gay and as happy as a child, joining in the dancing until late in the evening, as did Micldendorf, re- gardless of their advanced age. As the com- pany dispersed he said : "Now we will go to work with new power," and the next morn- ing he met his classes as usual. Fran Frcebel speaks of her feelings at this time as follows : "I was at rest and happy in my work for him and for the object he had in view. In childlike ^veneration I had first of all tried to approach him in thought ; and in his ineffable goodness of heart for the weak Frce- bel had drawn out my trust ; at length there was on both sides a desire to be legally linked by the closest tie. His age dicVnot trouble me at all ; in mine eyes he was the greatest and best of men, and I only marveled how he could con- descend to care for a woman so much beneath his level in every respect. IMy one anxiety was to make sure that the rather unusual step of marriage at his age would not do harm to his work in the world. The wedding clay was truly a high festival of the soul for me. We called together a few friends and in their presence and that of our pupils Pastor Ruckert asked a blessing on our union. His words seemed as though they had been spoken out of mine own heart. We did not keep a honey- moon, we were so happy every day of our lives that we did not ynsh for anything more." The number of pupils was large that sum- mer and a gala clay was observed, when the kin- dergarten children assembled from all the neigh- boring villages on the grounds of the castle Altenstein, where Fran Fnjebel gave special in- structiou to the children of the ducal family. But early in August a blow was dealt the kin- dergarten cause by the Prussian government which ultimately caused the death of its founder. This was an edict prohibiting all public kin- dergartens throughout the country, occasioned by the published utterances of Karl Fra'bel, nephew of Friedrich, which were regarded as TOMBSTONE AT SCHWEINA. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 295 socialistic and even atheistic. Strenuous efforts were made by Frffibel and all his friends to con- vince the minister of state that a mistake had been made in confounding uncle and nephew. But these efforts were unavailing, although Frte- bel sent coj^ies to Berlin of every book and pamphlet he had ever written and the Baroness gave Frcebel's petition to the king personally. The government was obdurate and the edict was not revoked until 1bel yet lived. In 1854 she went to England and spent six months lecturing. She has left a record that there was then one kindergarten in that country, at Hampsted. How it came to be there and what was its fate are puzzles to all the modern investigators of English kin- dergarten history. During her sojourn the Baroness published a pamphlet in English on "Infant Gardens." From England she went to Paris, in 1855, and opened a vigorous cam- paign, diligently attempting to convert August Comte, among others. As a result of this visit we find A. Guyard, a noted French au- thor, writing her from Paris, a year or two later, as follows : — • "The more I listen to you in regard to Froebel's method, the more my interest in- creases, and the deeper grows my conviction that by this means a basis is laid for a new way to educate humanity. He is great, per- haps tlie greatest philosopher of our time, and has found in you what all philosophers need, a woman who understands him, who clothes him in flesh and blood and makes him alive." In 1857-8 the Baroness transferred her mis- sionary work to Belgium, where Madam Guil- laume's kindergarten was already flourishing, and persuaded the authorities to let her in- troduce Froebel's occupations in the primary schools. In 1859 she journeyed to Holland, "enlisting new disciples and encouraging those who had already embraced the new ideas, such as Madam Calcar." She pronounced the Holland kindergartens the best that she had seen, which was doubtless due to the influence of Madam Calcar. In 1860 she pushed for- ward iuto Switzerland, lecturing at Geneva, Neufchatel and Lausanne. The following year, the prohibition of Prussia kindergartens beiug removed largely through her personal efforts, she began giving courses of lectures at Berlin, remaining in this work for nine years. In 1870 she gave it up to Fran Schrader, and moved to Dresden as a new field for similar labors. In 1871 and 1872 she made a tour through the principal cities of Italy, with very encouraging results. In 1874 she returned to Dresden to spend the rest of her days, being to the last devoted to the cause she loved so well. At the Centenary of Frasbel's birth. 1882, she received a beautiful album, the joint gift of all the Italian kindergartens. Already her health had begun to fail and the latter years of her life were passed in blind- ness, so that she could not teach, but she some- times wrote for the public, through the kindly aid of her neice, who tenderly ministered to all her wants. Notwithstanding her work in foreign lands, the service which the Baroness rendered the world was mostly performed in her native Ger- many. In 1861 she was instrumental in start- ing a journal called "The Education of the Fu- ture," edited by Dr. Carl Schmidt, in which she published the essays on "The Child and Child Nature" which have since been revised and issued in book form. The translation of her "Reminiscences of Friedrich Froebel" by Mrs. Horace Mann first appeared in this country in 1877. An American kindergartner who visited the Baroness in 1869 says that on a certain occasion when the representative educators of several nationalities were dining together, she conversed with each and all of them with equal ease and freedom in their own languages. The account adds : "Her manners were unaffected, simple yet gracious, and her thoughtful attention toward her guests won their personal admiration, while her ani- mation and earnestness aroused the interest of all. Wherever the world will hear of Fried- rich Froebel's discovery of the kindergarten philosophy, the name of Bertha Von Maren- holtz-Bulow will arouse an equal amount of love and reverence in the hearts of those who love humanity and to whom the well-being of childhood is dear. Her quick intuitive inter- pretation of the hidden meaning of his words made her work and instructions of tlie great- est value to the world." Another American kindergartner w-ho visited the Baroness ten years later, in 1879, writes : "The value of her work for the kindergarten can never be estimated ; her heart and her house were alw'ays open to those who were in search for more knowledge in regard to Frffibel and the kindergarten. Intellectually she seemed to grasp the length and breadth of his science of development, and she was devoted to the idea that to her was the highest. She cher- ished many things that Froebel had made with his knife while developing his gifts. The tablets of the Seventh Gift were his latest work 302 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. and much experimented upon ; and these ex- perimented tablets she Icept and showed with deep interest. We can hardly realize how we could have liad the kindergarten as at pres- ent, without the very help which the Baron- ess Marenholtz-Bulow gave, and the value of her work will be more appreciated as the years go on." The one connecting link between the present and the past, so far as active service in the German kindergarten field is concerned, is Frau Henrietta Schrader, who is still at the head of the Pestalozzi-Froibel house in Berlin. Her maiden name was Henrietta Breymann and she is a daughter of the pastor at Wat- zum and a grand neice of Frojbel, the sister of her maternal grandfather being Frajbel's mother. In 1848 she spent the summer at Keilhau, with her younger sister, who had been admitted to the school in company with several other young girls. During the fol- lowing winter she studied with Frcebel at Dresden and afterwards kept house for him and helped teach the .children while he lived in the farmhouse at Liebenstein. At the end of the summer she returned home and became a teacher in her native \'illage. Subsequently she came back to Liebenstein and was a mem- ber of the last training class that Fra-bel ever taught. For a number of years she main- tained a kindergarten in connection with her school at Watzum, and in 1863-4 she went to Geneva, where the Baroness had aroused much enthusiasm for the work, and established with the help of friends, the well-kuown Jar- din d' En fan Is in the Chantpoulet quarter. Subsequently she returned to Watzum, leav- ing the kindergarten there in charge of the Baroness Adele von Portugall. Some 3'ears later Fraulein Breymann married and went to Berlin. ' 'Posser-sed now of ample leisure," we are told, "Madam Schraderthrew herself into the work with all of her remarkable energy and that knowledge which amounts to positive genius." She had been identified with the cause in Berlin for more than a gen- eration. She married a railroad magnate, a man of high social and educational standing, and they are still leaders in society, in spite of their advanced age. Frau Schrader has in her possession many manuscript papers of Frcebel, which have never j'et lieen pubhshed, a part of them having been given her by Frau Frcebel. Some of them are illustrated with pencil sketches. She speaks and writes English with ease. Regarding the German kindergartens of the present day about all that needs to be said here is that they are found in all the large cities, with occasionally one in the smaller places. On this point Hermann Poesche, the compiler of Frwbel's Letters, published in 1887, writes : "The Kindergarten Factory, as Fra-liel established it in Blankenburg, after his creative spirit, is now at work, at least in a merely imitative fashion, in almost every large town in Germany ; and what Frojbel's assistants had with great pains to produce with the labor of their hands is now made easily and in large quantities by machinery and then sold in the ordinary mercantile way." The reader who desires a detailed list of German kindergartens and training classes is referred to the book from which this quo- tation is taken. The English translation is published by Swan, Sonneschein & Co., Lon- don. The leaders in the German kindergarten work say that they are still hampered by the government regulations and for that reason the hope for the best development of the kin- dergarten rests with this country, just as it did in Frocbel's mind. An American training teacher sums up the differences between the two countries as follows, in a recently pub- lished article : — "And now I anticipate the question gener- ally asked, how does the woik in Germany compare with the American work ? It seems to me the two can hardly be compared, be- cause of the difference in environments and aim. In the work with the children we have much to learn from each other. If we could give them a little of the sunshine which ema- nates from light walls with their pictures, from the snowy white apron, which is so prominent a feature in the American kindergarten, if we could enclose them with the lightness of our singing, the grace and alertness of our motions, the real play-spirit of our games, if we could give them some of the sentiment, (of which we could spare a goodly amount) , and have breathed upon us in return their whole-souled interest, their practical common sense, their devotion in meeting all the needs of the child, we should both come nearer the ideal. PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 303 "There is still less ground for comparison ■when we consider the training classes. Our requirements for admission to the training class are much greater than theh's, our stan- dard higher. Many of the girls received there, without detriment to the class as a whole, would be a most dangerous element in an American training class, because of that sense of 'free and equal' in our atmosphere which would lead them to expect positions for which they were unfitted. "Here special classes with special aims are needed and I hope the day is not far distant when our college and kindergarten settlements may open their doors to these girls of fifteen or sixteen years whose advantages have been few, and give them a speci.il training which shall fit them to go out as children's nurses, in place of the ignorant women so generally employed to-day, who are not only ignorant of every law of child nature, of any need be- yond those of food and clothing, but also of the English language." Considerable has been done by his feUow countrymen to honor the memory of Froebel. In the hundredth anniversary of his birth, April 21, 1882, the monument which stands over tlie grave at Schweina was dedicated. It is a modification of the design originally suggested by Middendorf, of the cube, cylinder and sphere, with ornamental additions and a me- dalion of Fra'bel. On it is inscribed the motto "Come, let us live with our children," with the dates of the birth and death and the state- ment that this monument has been erected as an expression of thankfulness for the great friend of childhood and mankind. It is sur- rounded by an iron fence, and mounted on a substantial stone base. There is also another monument in the grove near Marienthal, which follows Middendorf's design more strictly and bears the same motto and dates, and a third one at Blankeuburg, placed there by contribu- tors from different parts of the world. Aside from the institute at Keilhau, pre- sided over by the younger Barop, the most elaborate memorial of Froebel's life and work is the tower located on the hill at Oben\eis- bach, overlooking the birthhouse, on the spot where it is said he was wont to linger to watch the setting of the sun. It is of lime- stone, about one hundred and twenty feet high, and was built in 1889 by the Thuringia Verein, at a cost of thirty thousand marks or about seven thousand dollars. And yet trav- elers who have gone over that whole section on foot tell us that there are not a few people living within ten miles of that village who have never heard of Friedrich Frffibel. The prescribed limits of this book will not allow us to devote much space to recounting the progress of the kindergarten in European countries outside of Germany. The visit of the Baroness to England in 1854 has already been mentioned and we are told that about the same time Madam Ronge also came from Germany and established a kindergarten of her own in Fitzroy Square. She took her training with Frcebel and Middendorf at Ham- burg in 1849. After a little time she gave up her kindergarten to Miss Praetorius, who had lately come to Loudon from Germany, trans- ferring her own work to Manchester, which subsequently resulted in the formation of the Manchester Kindergarten Association. The year 1861 showed a marked advance in the kindergarten movement throughout England. Frauleiu Eleonore Heei-wart came to Man- chester to take charge of the kindergarten con- nected with Miss Barton's school, which had been established through the influence of Madam Ronge. She was trained by Midden- dorf and had been teaching in various Ger- man kindergartens for several years. Re- maining at Manchester till 1804, she then went to Belfast, and two years later founded a kindergarten and training school of her own at Dublin. Having made that city her home till 1874, she decided to go back to Germany, but when she reached London she was per- suaded by the British and Foreign School So- ciety to take charge of their new Kindergarten Training College at Stockwell, a position which she filled till 1883, sending out meanwhile many graduates who have become successful kindergartners. Fraulein Heerwart decided to go to Blankenburg the year after the Frce- bel Centenary festivals to take part in found- ing the Memorial Kindergarten, and since then has resided in the mother country. Her \iu terost in the English work is by no means abated and she spends two summer months of each j'ear in England as principal examiner of the Frffibel Society, to test the kindergarten work of tlie Infant School Teachers who are appointed by the London School Board. 304 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. The baroness Adele de Portugall also came to England in 1861 and worked two j^ears at Manchester, before entering the long kinder- garten campaign on the continent which has done so much for the new education. It was in 1874 that Madam Emilie Michaelis, a pupil and friend of the Baroness, went to England, after some years of work iu Switzerland and Italy. She and her fellow-workers founded the Froebel society of London in November, and it was also in 1874 that the London School Board appointed the first lecturer to the Teachers of Infant Schools. In .January, 1875, Madam Michaelis became principal of the famous Croydon kindergarten. In 1879 the Frcebel Society established a Kindergarten Training College on Fitzroy Square, which was transferred to the Maria Grey Training Col- lege for Teachers in 1883. The Croydon Kindergarten and Preparatory School Com- pany was founded in 1880, and other similar organizations have since been formed for pro- moting kindergartens and training schools. In 1884 a very successful exposition of kinder- garten methods and work was carried on in London, in connection with the International Exhibition, under the auspices of the British and Foreign School Society, which had just opened a Training College for Infant School Teachers. In 1888 the National Fruebel LTnion was formed, its main object being to maintain throughout England the high standard of kin- dergarten training which had for a long time been demanded by the London Society. This organization has a joint board of examiners, chosen from the different societies composing it, who hold examinations in several English cities and grant "elementary" and "higher" certificates to the successful candidates. In these latter days the cause has advanced considerably in England, and there are some kindergartens supported at the public ex- pense. At a meeting held in London .June 5, 1895, Mr. H. C. Bowen, author of a book entitled "Froebel and Education Through Self- activity," made an address in which he said that the people who are interested in the kin- dergarten have been working many years to get Frffibelian methods rightly understood, and, if possible, adapted in England. He closed his remarks as follows : — "We are to have a Training College, which we hope will be of value not only to those who mean to be professional teachers, but also to those who need to know more about children than they do — I mean iKirents — to whom the Institute will be useful both directly and in- directly. We hope that it will give an oppor- tunity to those who have the charge of little children to learn how to develop and train their powers. There is nothing so pathetic, I think, as a young mother, who because she loved her child dearly thinks that this love alone will suffice as a guide to action. Something more is wanted, some knowledge, some little expe- rience ; and that, we hope, may be gained in our Training College. Those who go there will not necessarily be those who intend to be- come teachers, but those who have to do with children in any way whatever. In fact, we desire to help the public as a whole ; and we think one of the best wa^'s of doing so is to showthem how bestto deal with little children." A conference of the Froebel Society of Great Britain and Ireland was held at the College of Preceptors, Bloomsbury Square, London, September 12, 1895, when Madam Michaelis read a paper on "The Kindergarten Occupa- tions in Their Relation to Manual Work." She is principal of the new Frrebel Educa- tional Institute at West Kensington and has done the world a valuable service by trans- lating, in company with H. Keatley Moore, both the "Autobiography" and "Letters" of Frrebel, and adding to the original text many valuable notes. In one of these notes, writ- ten some j'ears ago, she says : After careful consideration we believe that the total number of fairly qualified trainers of kindergarten mistresses iu England may be taken at about fifty and the number of well-taught kinder- gartners at about two hundred. But as to the total number of institutions adopting the kin- dergarten name in our country, it is simply "legion." Every school has its kindergarten class, good, bad or indifferent. The English kindergarten periodical, a monthly magazine, iscalled "Hand and Eye," being edited by G. Brocklehurst, and is published in London by O. Newman & Co. Passing beyond Germany and England we find the kindergarten iu almost everj nation. Speaking of the spread of the kindergarten movement throughout the world, a writer in the "Pratt Institute Monthly" for November, 1895, says : — PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 30o "If Froebel were to come back to us to-day he would be astonished to see the growth of the idea that found birth in the little cottage at Blankenburg in the Thuriugian Forest in Germany. That little spark of divine fire has spread over all the world, and to-day the word kindergarten is familiar in almost every coun- try in the world. When not recognized by the government of a country, kindergartens have often been introduced through Christian missions. Missionaries find the kindergarten most helpful in reaching the children and through them the homes of those whom they wish to benefit. lu a letter from China we are told that Fra'bel's method must be valuable, as it is so entirely the opposite of the artificial methods of the Chinese. In Japan, in India, in the Sandwich Islands, in Austria, in Turkey, in Eussia, France, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden, has the kindergarten found a home. In Italy, England and Bel- gium it is recognized by the government, and in the latter country is a part of the school system." Coming now to the rise and progress of the kindergarten in America we must confine our- selves to narrow limits, although there is much that it would be a pleasant task to write. "If without the Baroness Marenholtz-Bulow, Froe- bel lacked a clear interpreter in Europe, cer- tainly without Miss Peabody and her sister, Mrs. Horace Mann, the kindergarten cause in America would not stand where it does to-day." This is the verdict of one of the leading kin- dergartners in this country who is thoroughly conversant with Miss Peabody's work. Eliza- beth Palmer Peabody was born at Billerica, Mass., May 16, 1804. Her sister Sophia married Nathaniel Hawthorne and her sister Mary became the wife of Horace Mann. Miss Peabody was a teacher, a lecturer, and an author, devoting her life to educational and philanthropic matters. Her attention was first directed to the kindergarten in 18.59, be- cause of the peculiar brightness of a little boy of her acquaintance, the sou of Carl Schurz, whose family were then living at Roxbury, Mass., and who, she was told, had been taught in a German kindergarten. Miss Peabody began at once to study the writings of Froe- bel and in 1860 she opened a kindergarten at No. 15 Pinckney street, Boston, in company with Miss Margaret D. Corlees. This experiment was carried on for several years, but was finally given up by Miss Pea- bodj', for reasons which were afterwards ex- plained bj' herself as follows : — "Ifeltthatmy kindergarten was not the right thing, for, although very popular, I found that it failed to produce the results promised by Frrebel, which I had seen exemplified in the httle Schurz child, and so, after a time I gave it up to my partner, telling her to go on with it till I could go over to Europe and find out •about it. This I did in 1867, taking eleven hundred dollars in gold which I had made by giving my course of lectures on the philosophy of history. I stayed a year and three months, saw the real kindergarten, and came back to devote myself to its introduction into America." Ret irning to this country. Miss Peabody re- solved to leave the practical work of estab- lishing kindergartens to others and devote her time to lecturing and -m-iting on the subject, in the hope of creating a general public senti- ment in America favorable to the kindergarten. While she was absent in Europe Madam Ma- tilda H. Kriege, and her daughter. Alma Kriege, undertook to carry on the kindergarten department of a German school in New York, but after a few mouths they were persuaded by Mrs. Mann, the sister of Miss Peabody, to remove their work to Boston. So it happened in September, 1868, that the kiudergartec which Miss Peabody and Miss Corlees had maintained for some years was transferred to Madam Kriege and her daughter, a new lo- cation being secured on Charles street and a training school opened in connection with it. Both teachers had received their training from the Baroness in Berlin and the elder one was a personal friend of Froibel. Both of them had lived for some years in this country be- fore taking their training and were therefore thoroughly famihar with English. Madam Kriege brought with her from Germany kinder- garten material and also a hand machine for cutting the wea^•ing mats. "S^Tiile in New York she induced Mr. E. Steiger to begin im- porting material, and on reaching Boston she sold the machine to Mr. J. L. Hammett, a dealer in school supplies, and led him to be- gin manufacturing the building gifts in a limit- ed way. Thus it was that the kindergarten gained a foothold in New England, for al- though the first normal class taught by the 306 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. Krieges graduated but two women, the seed was sowu for an abundant harvest iu the future. When Miss Peabody started out to conquer the country for the kindergarten she made Springfield, Mass., one of her lirst stopping- places, giving an evening lecture on the new education in the liall of the Elm Street School building. Mr. Milton Bradley was present on that occasion, and having heard Miss Pea- bodj''s presentation of the case, was subse- quently persuaded by Mr. Eldward Wiebe to publish "The Paradise of Childhood," which first appeared in 1869, and began in his fac- tory the making of kindergarlen material on a larger scale than Mr. Hammetthad found pos- sible as a merchant. At this point in the narrative mention should be made of Dr. Henry Barnard, for many years secretary of the Connecticut Board of Education and editor of "The Connecticut Common School" and "The American Journal of Education." In 1854 the General Assembly of Connecticut sent him to the International Educational Exposition and Congress, held at St. Martin's Hall, London, at which he was the sole representative from this country. He was then so impressed with Mr. Hoffman's exhibit of the apparatus devised by Froebel and the kindergarten conducted by Madam Ronge that he commended both in his official report to the govenor of Connecticut and also wrote an article on "Froebel's System of In- fant Gardens" for "The American Journal of Education" of July, 1856, which it is said con- tained the first mention of tiie kindergarten that ever appeared in an American periodical. From that time for a series of years Dr. Barnard continued to explain and agitate the kindergarten system, and in 1868 and 1870, as national commissioner of education, he rec- ommended to Congress that iu establishing a system of public schools for the District of Columbia the kindergarten should be given an important place. As soon as Miss Peabody took up the cause Dr Barnard became a co- laborer with her, and has never ceased to do what he could for its advancement. In IS^il he published "Kindergarten and Child Culture Papers" in a book of eight hundred pages, and at the present time, 1896, he is still li\ang in serene old age at Hartford, Conn. In 1870 Miss Peabody succeeded iu getting the city of Boston to establish a public kinder- garten, which was maintained for seven years with growing interest, and then given up be- cause the committee felt that it would cost too much to meet the demand which had sprung up for kindergartens in other parts of the city, and th.Tt to continue supporting a single one would be unfair. Meanwhile, in 1872, Madam Kriege and her daughter had gone back to Germany, although they afterwards returned to New York and had a kindergarten iu con- nection with a private school, ultimately set- tling once more in the land of Frrebel, where they still reside. Madam Kriege made a free rendering of "The Child, Its Nature and Re- lations," by the Baroness, and Miss Kriege compiled "Rhymes and Tales for the Kinder- garten and the Nursery," botii being valuable additions to the very limited kindergarten lit- erature of that day to lie found in this country. In 1877 Mrs. Quincy A. Shaw opened a sum- mer kindergarten at Brookline and another at Jamaica Plain at her own cost, continuing them through the year. Others were sooa added, and in 1883 Mrs. Shaw supported thirty-one kindergartens in Boston and \ncin- ity. Afterwards the number was reduced to fourteen and in 1892 the city assumed the whole responsibility of the work, till then so liberally sustained by Mrs. Shaw. During the later years of her life Miss Peabody was obliged to withdraw from active service be- cause of failing health, and she died at Ja- maica Plain, January 3, 1894. Mention should also be made here of Miss Emma Marwedel, one of the German kiuder- gartners who were persuaded by Jliss Pea- body to transfer their work to this country. She graduated from the Normal School at Berlin, went to Washington, D. C, in 1872, to open a training school, removing to Los Angeles, Cal., in 1876 for the same purpose. Two years later she went to Oakland, being one of the founders of the Central kindergar- ten. She gave the rest of her life to teaching and lecturing at the Berkeley Uni- versity, Oakland, and at Palo Alto. She wrote "Conscious Motherhood" and an "Illus- trated Botany." Her death occurred at San Francisco, November 17, 1893, at the age of seventy-five. Neither should the record be silent regarding the work of John Kraus and his wife, Maria Kraus-Boelte. He came to America in 1851 and was appointed an assis- PARADISE OF CHILDHOOD. 307 tant in the National Bureau of Education in 1867 and in this relation Dr. Barnard, who was at the head of the bui-eau, says that his efforts were unceasingly devoted to the kinder- garten cause. An elalaorate article by him on "The Rise and Progress of the Kindergarten" was published in the bureau report in 1871. Two years later he went to New York by in- vitation of Miss Henrietta B. Haines to help establish a training class, where he remained till his death, March 4, 1896. In 1872 Miss Haines went to Europe to secure the ser^•ices of Maria Boelte, who had been trained by Madam Froebel at Hamburg and had assisted Madam Konge in England and afterwards con- ducted a kindergarten of her own at Lubeck. She decided to come to New York and in a short time married Prof. Kraus, the two con- tinuing to work together in behalf of the cause as long as he lived. They published an elabo- rate work called "The Kindergarten Guide." Dr. W. N. Haihnann was one of the earliest writers on kindergarten matters in this coun- ti-y, his first book being "Kindergarten Cul- ture for the Family and School," which has been followed by a number of other works. For some years he edited "The New Educa- tion," the successor to Miss Peabody's "Kin- dergarten Messenger," and has also translated and annotated Froebel's "Education of Man." In 1884 the kindergarten department of the National Educational Association was estab- lished, largely through the efforts of Dr. Hail- mann, then superintendent of schools at La Porte, Ind. His wife, Mrs. Eudora L. Hail- mann, was for a long time at the head of a training class at La Porte, and now has a class at Washington. Dr. Haihnann is gov- ernment superintendent of Indian Schools. Coming back to New England for a moment it is well to note that Mrs. Louise Pollock, who lived at Weston, Mass., became inter- ested in the kindergarten as early as 1861, throngh her mother in Berlin, who sent her whatever had been published in Germany on that subject, and began to write about it in the newspapers. In 1862 she carried on a kindergarten at West Newton, in connection with the Classical Institute of which Mr. N. T. Allen was principal. In 1873 her daughter, Susan P. Pollock, who had meanwhile taken the ti'aining in Berlin, was appointed to teach a public kindergarten at Brighton. Shortly after that mother and daughter removed to Washington, D. C, the former having pre- viously spent some mouths of study in Ger- many. At the present time Miss Mary J. Garland, one of Madam Kriege's earliest graduates, is a leader in the work of kinder- garten instruction in Boston. Miss Rebecca J. Weston who was associated with her for many years died in 1895. Prof. Felix Adler and Rev. Dr. Heber New- ton were among the pioneers in New York, and in 1878 they undertook to bring the chil- dren of the working people under kindergarten influence. Prof. Adler established a free kin- dergarten in January, which became the foun- dation for a school having a full course up to fourteen years, the principles of the kinder- garten being preserved through all the grades. In March Dr. Newton opened the first mission kindergarten, which was connected with his church on Madison Avenue and has since been a model for similar church work all over the country. About the same time the city started a public kindergarten at the Normal College, which soon developed into a training department, and the Hebrew Free School As- sociation also took up the work. Some years later the Teachers College was established, an institution which from the outset made the kindergarten the basis of its work, and in 1890 was influential in forming the New York Kindergarten Association, which maintains several kindergartens. The Children's Aid Society has a kindergarten attached to each of its schools and there are a few supported by the school board. The names of Miss An- geline Brooks and Miss Caroline T. Haven are always prominently mentioned in connection with the New York work, the former having been for a long time connected with the Teachers College and the latter with the Ethi- cal Culture Schools. The same can be said of Miss Alice E. Fitts and Miss Hannah D. Mowry in reference to Brooklyn, because their influence in behalf of the Pratt Institute kin- dergarten department and throughout the city has been potent for years. St. Louis was early in the field for promo- ting the kindergarten. About 1873 Miss Susan E. Blow petitioned the school board for a room in which to make the first local experi- ment and she very soon opened a training school, giving her services without salary, 308 GOLDEN JUBILEE EDITION. which was continued for twelve years. Such beginnings stimul.ated the growth of pulilic kindergartens, which was judiciously fostered by Dr. William T. Harris, who was then su- perintendent of city schools. Aside from the public kindergartens there have been for a long time a number connected with private schools and some that are free to children be- low the school age, the latter being supported by charitable organizations. Miss Blow has pubhshed within a few years "Symbolic Edu- cation," a commentary on Froebel's "Mother Play" and also "The Mottoes and Commen- taries" and "The Songs and Music" of tlie "Mother Pl.ay," with the help of other authors. The Chicago Fra'l)el Association grew out of a small mothers' class that was formed in 1873, and some montlis later Mrs. John Og- den came there from Columbus, 0., to spend a year in the city conducting a kindergarten and training class. Mrs. Alice H. Putnam, Miss Sara Eddy and Miss Josephine Jarvis took up the work where she left it. Miss JarNns has since translated "The Education of Man" and Fra'bel's "Pedagogics of the Kin- dergarten." The first free kindergarten in Chicago was opened at the Moody Chanel on Chicago Avenue by Mrs. E. W. Blatchtord. In 1891 the school board voted to adopt all the kindergartens of the association that were located in the public school buildings. A distinctive feature of the Chicago work has been for years along the lines of the col- lege settlement idea, the beginning being made at Hull House bj' two young women who were familiar with the Toynbee Hall enterprise in London, with constantly extending results in different sections of the city. The Chicago Free Kindergarten Association, with head- quarters at Armour Institute and Miss Eva B. Whitmore as superintendent and Miss Anna E. Bryan principal of the training class, sup- ports twenty-flve kindergartens and the tu- ition is free. The Chicago Kindergarten Co' lege, of which Miss Elizabeth Harrison is principal and Mrs. J. N. Crouse director, is an influential factor in whatever pertains to kindergarten interests in Chicago, and so is the Kindergarten Institute, of which Mrs. Mary Boomer Page is the principal. The kindergarten movement in San Fran- cisco began in tlie Bible class of Mrs. Sarah B. Cooper, in October, 1879. She was able to influence public sentiment powerfully in favor of the cause by writing a series of arti- cles for the leading newspapers. Subscrip- tions poured in, the Golden Gate Association was formed, and a wonderful work began. The California record of Kate Douglas Wiggin (Mrs. Riggs) and her sister, Nora Archi- bald Smith, two of the most brilliant contribu- tors to kindergarten literature that America can boast, is too well-known to need extended re^^ew. In Philadelphia the work was liegun by the Sub-primary School Society, Miss Constance Mackenzie liecoming the first public super- visor. Mrs. M. L. Van Kirk has maintained a training class there for many years, sending out a multitude of graduates throughout the country. At Baltimore the Free Association supports a number of kindergartens and there is also in the city a flourishing training class. At Washington Mrs. Louise Pollock and her daughter. Miss Susan P. Pollock, began to hold up the kindergarten banner in 1873, and man}' others have since joined in the cam- paign, including Mrs. Louisa Mann, who is the wife of a nephew of Miss Peabody. Favor- able mention should also be made of Cincin- nati, Louisville, Albanj', Buffalo, Columbus, Indianapolis, Detroit, Milwaukee and Minne- apolis, because of their associations and train- ing classes. The kindergarten is also very in- fluential in some parts of Canada, particularly in the city of Toronto, under the lead of In- spector James L. Hughes, who is ably assisted by his wife, iNIrs. Ada Mareau Hughes. In 1889 the Legislature of the state of In- diana enacted a law which enabled all school boards of the state to make the kindergarten a part of their schools. Since that, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Iowa and several other states have passed similar laws. While the public have not taken advantage of the provisions of the laws in all cases as rapidly as the friends of the measures hoped, t'^e kindergarten sentiment is rapidly advan- cinp;, and a large number of the most thought- ful ])eople are urging their school boards to make the kindergarten a component part of their schools as rapidly as possible. At this point the record must close, an at- tempt having been made merely to outline the American work. To include the names of all earnest workers would require many pages.* * For later dc\-eloi3mt'nts, consult "Tlic Kindergarten in American Education," Nina C. \'anderwall£er. '^C 0837 (D I • 1; in'iMiflM"^ °'' CONGRESS 019 823 296 8