KINDERGARTEN AND CHILD-CULTURE PAPERS. PLAN OF PUBLICATION. LETTER TO PRESIDENT OF THE AMERICAN FROEBEL UNION. DEAR MISS PEABODY: I propose to do more in 1880 than I have done as publisher since 1838,* in any one year for the elucidation of Child-Culture, and particularly of the Kindergarten as devised by Froebel, and developed by himself and others who have acted in his spirit and after his methods. The conviction expressed by me in printed report † and public addresses in 1854, that "the system of infant culture, presented in the International Exhibition of Educational Systems and Material at St. Martin's Hall, by Charles Hoffman of Hamburg, and illustrated by Madame Ronge in her Kindergarten in Tavistock Square, London, was by far the most original, attractive, and philosophical form of infant development the world has yet seen," has been deepened by much that I have since read and observed. But the suggestion in my Special Report as Commissioner of Education to the Senate in 1868, and again to the House of Representatives in 1870, on a System of Public Instruction for the District of Columbia, "that the first or lowest school in a graded system for cities should cover the play period of a child's life," and that "the great formative period of the human being's life" "in all that concerns habits of observation and early development, should be subjected to the training of the Kindergarten "-must be received now under at least the conditions of the original recommendation. A variety of agencies must be at work to train the teachers of each grade (and the Kindergartners with the rest) for their special duties, and to instruct and interest parents in the work of the school-room, and to give to them as such a direct right of inspection and suggestion as to the schools where their children are in attendance. I believe that parents as such have more rights, and rights which should be respected by their own direct representa In the Connecticut Common School Journal from 1838 to 1842, and from 1819 to 1854: Educational Tracts (monthly) from 1842 to 1845; the Journal of the Rhode Island Institate of Instruction from 1815 to 1848; and the American Journal of Education from 1855 to 1880. In every year of these periodicals are elaborate Papers, original and selected, on the Principles and Methods of early education applicable to children in home and school, + Report to the Governor of Connecticut on the International Exhibition of Educational Systems and Material at St. Martin's Hall, London, under the auspices of Prince Albert, and the Society of Arts, Commerce, and Manufactures. By Henry Barnard, delegate from Connecticut by appointment of the General Assembly. 1854. tion in all educational boards, than are now conceded to them in State and municipal school organizations. All schools not under progressive teachers, and not subjected to frequent, intelligent, and independent supervision are sure to fall into dull, mechanical routine; and the Kindergarten, of all other educational agencies, requires a tender, thoughtful, practical woman, more than a vivacious, and even regularly educated girl. The power of influencing and interesting mothers in their home work and securing their willing co-operation, is an essential qualifi cation of the Kindergartner. The selection of such cannot be safely left to school officers as now appointed, and who too often do not look beyond their neighbors, nephews, and nieces for can. didates. Until the principles of early child-culture are better understood, and school officers and teachers are more thoroughly trained in the best methods, the first establishment of Kindergar tens had better be left to those who are already sufficiently interested to make some sacrifice of time or means in their behalf; and when found in successful operation and conforming to certain requirements, they should be entitled to aid from public funds in proportion to attendance; and for such aid, be subject to official inspection. My desire is to help place this whole subject of the early development and training of the human being, especially of the claims and results of the Froebel Kindergarten in this work, clearly and fully before teachers, parents, and school officers; and in these efforts I solicit your advice and co-operation, and through you, of all who are laboring for the same object in the Home, the Kindergarten, and the Primary School. My first plan of publication was to issue these Child-Culture Papers in separate Numbers or Parts alternating with the regular Numbers of my Journal, but not necessarily connected with the latter. On further consideration I have concluded to incorporate them all with the discussion of other educational topics, and then to issue the whole in a volume of Contributions to the literature of the Kindergarten. You will greatly oblige me by suggesting additions or modifications to the accompanying scheme of treatment for the first portion of the volume (to page 400), as well as Papers with their authors on any topic in the wide range of child-culture for the concluding portion. May I look to you for an article in the next Number on the Progressive Development of Froebel's Kindergarten? HARTFORD, December, 1879. HENRY BARNARD. KINDERGARTEN AND CHILD CULTURE: Contributions to the Ad- Plan of Publication in Letter of the Editor, II. Kindergarten Development, Letter from Miss Elizabeth P. Peabody, . III. Progressive Steps in Child-Culture, ADDRESS BEFORE THE AMERICAN FROEBEL UNION, Book of the Law-Moses and the Prophets as Educators, PAGE. 1 1-4 1 5-16 5 17-48 17 17 19 19 21 Abbe de la Salle-Port Royalist-Rousseau, Relation to the then Existing Systems of Child-Culture, Practice at Athens and Sparta-Views of Plato, Plutarch, &c., Pestalozzi and other Swiss Educators-Fellenberg-Wehrli, Modifications in French, English and American Methods, hild-Cultur 47 3. The Kindergarten-Its genesis in Frobel's Experience and Study, 65 4. Publications by himself-Reminiscences of his Opinions, 77 5. List of Publications relating to Froebel's System, V. Contributions to the Spread of the Froebel Idea, I. THE CHILD AND CHILD-NATURE, by Baroness Marenholtz-Bulow, 1. THE CHILD-RELATIONS TO NATURE, HUMANITY, AND GOD, 3. GENERAL REQUISITES-FROEBEL'S THEORY OF EDUCATION, 7. THE MOTHER AND HER NURSERY SONGS, Abstract of Original Treatise with Extracts, III. FROEBEL'S SYSTEM AND THE DEMANDS OF THE AGE, 209 225-256 225 VI. Record of Special Institutions and Agencies, I. GERMANY-STATES AND MUNICIPALITIES, PAGE. 257 1. GENERAL EDUCATIONAL UNION-Prof. Von Fichte, President, Constitution-Abstract of Papers read, 2. DRESDEN AND OTHER LOCAL FROEBEL UNIONS, 3. HAMBURG-KINDERGARTEN WORK, 4. OTHER GERMAN CITIES, II. AUSTRIAN-HUNGARIAN MONARCHY, Regulations of the Minister of Public Instruction, III. FRANCE, Introduction-Notice of Cradle Institute-Infant Asylum, 257 257 273 281 283 285 285 289-304 289 301 Miss Progler's Report on the Organization of Infant Schools, 1877, The Petty School of 1600-Dame School of 1700-Monitorial, 1800, Dame School of Colonial Period-Home Treatment of Children, Unsatisfactory Results of Primary Instruction, 408 409 106 433 433 Views of Eminent Teachers and Educators, Cities in Ohio, St. Louis, Chicago, California, and other States, NOTE. To members of the AMERICAN FROEBEL UNION who remit $2.50 to Miss HENRY BARNARD, 28 Main Street, Hartford, Ct. |