from the ,google ,print project47 ,music
 files created by ,linda ,cantoni4      
,transcriber's ,note3 ,this text uses   
the breve mark to show pronunciation4   
,as breves are not available in this    
character set1 the following markup has 
been used4 x represents the vowel in    
question4 7x4    ,,guide ,,to ,,the     
,,kindergarten ,,and ,,intermediate     
,,class1   ,,by  ,,elizabeth ,p4        
,,peabody2  ,,and  ,,moral ,,culture    
,,of ,,infancy1  ,,by  ,,mary ,,mann4   
,,revised ,,edition4          ,,new     
,,york3         ,e4 ,,steiger4          
#ahgg4  ,the present volume is a revised
 edition of the book which under the    
title  ,moral ,culture of ,infancy  and 
,kindergarten ,guide  has been in the   
market since #ahfj1 latterly published  
by ,,messrs4 ,j4 ,w4 ,,schermerhorn     
,,co4 of ,new ,york4      ,cambridge1   
,elizabeth ,p4 ,peabody4     ,october   
#ast1 #ahgg4       ,mary ,mann4         
,entered according to ,act of ,congress1
 in the year #ahfi1 by    ,j4 ,w4       

,,schermerhorn  ,,co41    in the        
,clerk's ,office of the ,district ,court
 of the ,united ,states   for the       
,southern ,district of ,new ,york4      
,,copyright1 #ahgg1 ,,by ,e4 ,,steiger4 
,,preface4                              
,,cambridge1 ,mass41 ,march #a1 #ahfi4  
,,since publishing the first edition of 
what ,i meant to be a ,guide to those   
who undertake to give ,kindergarten     
culture1 ,i have been in ,europe1 and   
made a special study of the             
,kindergartens established in ,hamburgh1
 ,berlin1 and ,dresden1 by ,froebel     
himself1 and his most distinguished     
scholars4  ,this study has more and more
 confirmed the conviction ,i derived    
from reading ,froebel's ,essay on the   
,education of the ,human ,race2 viz41   
that no greater benefit could be        
conferred on our country1 than the far  
and wide spread of ,kindergartens1 as an
 underpinning1 so to say1 of our noble  
public-school system1 giving adequate   
moral foundation1 thoroughness1 and     

practicality to the national education4 
,but ,i also learned that no book could 
be written that would make an expert    
,kindergartner4 ,it was the careful     
observations and earnest experiments of 
half a century1 that gave to ,froebel   
himself that profound knowledge of      
childhood which enabled him to formulate
 the principles1 deduce the rules1 and  
call forth the spirit of a genuine art  
of education4 ,but though no genius and 
industry less than his own could have   
originated this art1 any soundly        
cultured1 intelligent1 genial-tempered  
young woman1 who loves children1 can    
appreciate and practise it1 if--and only
 if--she is trained by a living teacher 
engaged in the work at the moment4      
,this1 ,i myself have proved            
experimentally also2 for my knowledge   
was first obtained only from books4 ,i  
had the best manuals and guides1 but did
 not know that they were intended merely
 for the convenience of already trained 
teachers2 and that they necessarily     

omitted the characteristic peculiarity  
of the method1 because written words    
cannot do justice to the fine steps by  
which the child is led to gradually     
carry its total spontaneity forwards1 on
 every plane of its little              
life1--artistic1 moral1 and             
intellectual4  ,for there is nothing    
merely mechanical and imitative in true 
,kindergarten culture3 the child acts   
from within outwards in every thing it  
does1 however seemingly trifling2 and1  
if we use the word artist in its most   
general sense1 becomes an artist from   
the beginning4 ,thus is prevented that  
too common divorce between the powers of
 thinking and acting1 whose harmony     
ensures ability in a strict proportion  
to intellectual capacity4 ,consciousness
 of aim1 and enjoyment of success1 at   
every step develop new ideas and power1 
and fulfil that law of nature by which  
thought tends to rush into act          
instantly1 as in childish play4 ,nothing
 is more melancholy in experience than  

to see people drifting instead of       
living2 but this general failure of     
human life is owing to the fact1 that   
the unassisted child is baffled in its  
will and balked of its desires1 by a    
want of that steadiness of aim1         
perseverance1 and knowledge of how to   
adapt means to ends1 which adult        
sympathy and wisdom should supply2 and  
from want of which it loses the original
 harmony of its being in the process of 
its growth4 ,kindergarten culture is the
 adult mind entering into the child's   
world1 and appreciating nature's        
intention as displayed in every impulse 
of spontaneous life2 and so directing it
 that the joy of success may be ensured 
at every step1 and artistic things be   
actually produced1 which gives the      
self-reliance and conscious intelligence
 that ought to discriminate human power 
from blind force4  ,the only mistake in 
idea which ,i see that ,i made in my    
,guide1 was making it the object of the 
teacher to cultivate the individualities

 of each pupil especially4 ,this is not 
even desirable1 and would require the   
intuitive genius of ,froebel in every   
single teacher4 ,in a true art of       
education1 individualities will be      
tenderly respected2 but it is not what  
is individual1 but what is common to all
 7or that universal of human nature     
which rises into the divine creative71  
which is to be cultivated especially4   
,every process of ,froebel's            
,kindergarten is good for all children1 
and1 interfering with nothing original1 
leaves their individualities free to    
express themselves sufficiently4 ,for   
individual varieties are irrefragable1  
and give piquancy and beauty to human   
life1 except they are pampered1--when   
they become deformities4 ,to follow     
universal laws in their orderly         
development1 ensures a necessary harmony
 with others1 while a margin is always  
to be left for invention1 which is what 
gives conscious freedom1 and makes      
obedience no longer blind and passive1  

but intelligent and active2 every       
healthy instinct and affection becoming 
at last spiritual law4  ,nevertheless1  
,i gladly meet the demand of the public 
for a second edition of the ,guide1     
because its defect is not in its spirit 
and general idea1 seeing that it has    
awakened an interest in ,kindergartens  
all over the ,united ,states1 as        
numerous letters from all parts have    
proved to me2 but in my having somewhat 
confused what belongs to the second and 
third stages of primary education1 with 
a preliminary process1 which it is      
necessary not only to begin with1 but to
 keep distinct for a considerable time1 
until the habit of mind is formed of    
asking clearly what is going to be done 
before attempting to do it4 ,what ,i    
missed cannot be supplied by any book2  
for this preliminary process can only be
 learned from the living teaching of the
 ,normal class4 ,i make some revisory   
notes1 also change some thirty pages1   
and gladly embrace the opportunity1     

which the popularity of my ,guide gives 
me1 to make known1 as far as it goes    
abroad1 that1 when ,i came home from    
,europe1 ,i found what ,i had seen to be
 the indispensable condition of an      
effective introduction of ,froebel's art
 into either the private or public      
education of ,america2 viz41 a          
training-school for ,kindergartners1    
actually established by ,madame ,kriege 
in ,boston 7#abg ,charles ,street71 in  
connection with a ,kindergarten to be   
taught by her daughter1 fresh from the  
school of ,berlin1 founded by the       
,baroness ,marienholtz1 a noble lady who
 has devoted her pen1 her fortune1 the  
prestige of her rank1 and even her      
personal services1 to the diffusion of  
,kindergarten culture on the continent  
of ,europe4  ,the so-called             
,kindergarten which ,i had established1 
was gladly given up to make room for    
this genuine one2 and ,i have the       
highest expectations from the ,normal   
training4 ,already several teachers1 who

 had made experiments of their own1     
which had taught them the need of this  
special instruction1 have engaged       
themselves as ,madame ,kriege's pupils2 
and the spread of the demand for        
,kindergartners will1 ,i think1 keep her
 ,normal class always full4 ,i cannot   
but hope that the time may come when the
 ,normal schools of all our ,states may 
be endowed with a professorship of      
,kindergarten culture adequately filled4
  ,omitting my own preface to my first  
edition1 ,i retain as explanation of the
 origin of the letters on moral culture1
 which make the last part of the ,guide1
 and give it its greatest value to      
mothers1 ,mrs4 ,mann's   ,,postscript4  
,i have been urged to publish these     
letters1 written twenty years ago1 as an
 appendix to a ,kindergarten ,guide1    
because the school herein described was 
a groping attempt at something of the   
same kind1 and had left very pleasant   
memories in the hearts of the children  
referred to--now no longer children1 but

 some of them men and women nobly and   
beautifully acting their parts on earth 
as parents2 and others1--having died    
martyrs' deaths for human freedom in the
 desolating war that now ravages our    
beloved country1--angels in heaven4  ,if
 an inborn love of children and of      
school-keeping are qualifications for   
judging of the best means of educating  
them1 ,i may claim to have known        
something of the theory and practice    
best adapted to that end4 ,my object was
 to put them in possession of all their 
faculties4 ,many improvements in        
methods1 and many facilities in means1  
have been added to the resources of     
teachers since these letters were       
written4 ,physical training is felt to  
be of the greatest importance1 in       
preference to the ancient mode of       
shutting children up many hours in close
 rooms1 and repressing all natural and  
joyous life4 ,the principle is          
discovered of educating by directing the
 activities4 ,hence the ,kindergarten4  

,m4 ,m4  ,,concord1 ,,mass41 #ahfc4     
,,contents4       ,,chap4               
,,page        ,i4 ,,kindergarten--,,what
 ,,is ,,it8            #i       ,,ii4   
,,rooms1 ,,etc4                         
#ai      ,,iii4 ,,music                 
#bb       ,,iv4 ,,plays1 ,,gymnastics1  
,,and ,,dancing      #bh        ,v4     
,,the ,,kindergartner                   
#ce       ,,vi4 ,,kindergarten          
,,occupations            #dc      ,,vii4
 ,,moral ,,and ,,religious ,,exercises  
#ed     ,,viii4 ,,object ,,lessons      
#eh       ,,ix4 ,,geometry              
#fe        ,x4 ,,reading                
#ga       ,,xi4 ,,grammar ,,and         
,,languages               #ih           
,,xii4 ,,geography                      
#ajc     ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,secret ,,of    
,,power                #ajd      ,,moral
 ,,culture ,,of ,,infancy               
#aje       ,,songs4     ,,american      
,,kindergarten4     ,,chapter ,i4       
,,kindergarten--,,what ,,is ,,it8       
,,what is a ,kindergarten8 ,i will reply

 by negatives4 ,it is not the           
old-fashioned infant-school4 ,that was a
 narrow institution1 comparatively2 the 
object being 7,i do not speak of        
,pestalozzi's own1 but that which we    
have had in this country and in         
,england7 to take the children of poor  
laborers1 and keep them out of the fire 
and the streets1 while their mothers    
went to their necessary labor4 ,very    
good things1 indeed1 in their way4      
,their principle of discipline was to   
circumvent the wills of children1 in    
every way that would enable their       
teachers to keep them within bounds1 and
 quiet4 ,it was certainly better that   
they should learn to sing by rote the   
,creed and the definitions of scientific
 terms1 and such like1 than to learn the
 profanity and obscenity of the streets1
 which was the alternative4 ,but no     
mother who wished for anything which    
might be called the development of her  
child would think of putting it into an 
infant-school1 especially if she lived  

in the country1 amid                the 
mighty sum         ,of things forever   
speaking1  where any old grey stone     
would altogether surpass1 as a          
stand-point1 the bench of the highest   
class of an infant-school4 ,in short1   
they did not state the problem of infant
 culture with any breadth1 and          
accomplished nothing of general interest
 on the subject4  ,neither is the       
primary public school a ,kindergarten1  
though it is but justice to the         
capabilities of that praiseworthy       
institution1 so important in default of 
a better1 to say that in one of them1 at
 the ,north ,end of ,boston1 an         
enterprising and genial teacher has     
introduced one feature of ,froebel's    
plan4 ,she has actually given to each of
 her little children a box of           
playthings1 wherewith to amuse itself   
according to its own sweet will1 at all 
times when not under direct             
instruction1--necessarily1 in her case1 
on condition of its being perfectly     

quiet2 and this one thing makes this    
primary school the best one in ,boston1 
both as respects the attainments of the 
scholars and their good behavior4       
,kindergarten means a garden of         
children1 and ,froebel1 the inventor of 
it1 or rather1 as he would prefer to    
express it1 the discoverer of the method
 of ,nature1 meant to symbolize by the  
name the spirit and plan of treatment4  
,how does the gardener treat his plants8
 ,he studies their individual natures1  
and puts them into such circumstances of
 soil and atmosphere as enable them to  
grow1 flower1 and bring forth           
fruit1--also to renew their             
manifestation year after year4 ,he does 
not expect to succeed unless he learns  
all their wants1 and the circumstances  
in which these wants will be supplied1  
and all their possibilities of beauty   
and use1 and the means of giving them   
opportunity to be perfected4 ,on the    
other hand1 while he knows that they    
must not be forced against their        

individual natures1 he does not leave   
them to grow wild1 but prunes           
redundancies1 removes destructive worms 
and bugs from their leaves and stems1   
and weeds from their                    
vicinity1--carefully watching to learn  
what peculiar insects affect what       
particular plants1 and how the former   
can be destroyed without injuring the   
vitality of the latter4 ,after all the  
most careful gardener can do1 he knows  
that the form of the plant is           
predetermined in the germ or seed1 and  
that the inward tendency must concur    
with a multitude of influences1 the most
 powerful and subtile of which is       
removed in place ninety-five millions of
 miles away4  ,in the ,kindergarten1    
children are treated on an analogous    
plan4 ,it presupposes gardeners of the  
mind1 who are quite aware that they have
 as little power to override the        
characteristic individuality of a child1
 or to predetermine this characteristic1
 as the gardener of plants to say that a

 lily shall be a rose4 ,but             
notwithstanding this limitation on one  
side1 and the necessity for a           
concurrence of the ,spirit on the       
other1--which is more independent of our
 modification than the remote sun1--yet 
they must feel responsible1 after all1  
for the perfection of the development1  
in so far as removing every impediment1 
preserving every condition1 and pruning 
every redundance4  ,this analogy of     
education to the gardener's art is so   
striking1 both as regards what we can   
and what we cannot do1 that ,froebel has
 put every educator into a most         
suggestive ,normal ,school1 by the very 
word which he has given to his          
seminary1--,kindergarten4  ,if every    
school-teacher in the land had a garden 
of flowers and fruits to cultivate1 it  
could hardly fail that he would learn to
 be wise in his vocation4 ,for suitable 
preparation1 the first1 second1 and     
third thing is1 to          ,come forth 
into the light of things1           ,let

 ,nature be your teacher4  ,the new     
education1 as the ,french call it1      
begins with children in the mother's    
arms4 ,froebel had the nurses bring to  
his establishment1 in ,hamburg1 children
 who could not talk1 who were not more  
than three months old1 and trained the  
nurses to work on his principles and by 
his methods4 ,this will hardly be done  
in this country1 at least at present2   
but to supply the place of such a class1
 a lady of ,boston has prepared and     
published1 under copyright1 ,froebel's  
,first ,gift1 consisting of six soft    
balls of the three primary and the three
 secondary colors1 which are sold in a  
box1 with a little manual for mothers1  
in which the true principle and plan of 
tending babies1 so as not to rasp their 
nerves1 but to amuse without wearying   
them1 is very happily suggested4 ,there 
is no mother or nurse who would not be  
assisted by this little manual          
essentially4 ,as it says in the         
beginning1--,tending babies is an art1  

and every art is founded on a science of
 observations2 for love is not wisdom1  
but love must act according to wisdom in
 order to succeed4 ,mothers and nurses1 
however tender and kind-hearted1 may1   
and oftenest do1 weary and vex the      
nerves of children1 in well-meant       
efforts to amuse them1 and weary        
themselves the while4 ,froebel's        
exercises1 founded on the observations  
of an intelligent sensibility1 are      
intended to amuse without wearying1 to  
educate without vexing4  ,froebel's     
,second ,gift for children1 adapted to  
the age from one to two or three years1 
with another little book of directions1 
has also been published by the same     
lady1 and is perhaps a still greater    
boon to every nursery2 for this is the  
age when many a child's temper is       
ruined1 and the inclination of the twig 
wrongly bent1 through sheer want of     
resource and idea1 on the part of nurses
 and mothers4  ,but it is to the next   
age--from three years old and           

upwards--that the ,kindergarten becomes 
the desideratum1 if not a necessity4    
,the isolated home1 made into a         
flower-vase by the application of the   
principles set forth in the ,gifts above
 mentioned1 may do for babies4 ,but     
every mother and nurse knows how hard it
 is to meet the demands of a child too  
young to be taught to read1 but whose   
opening intelligence and irrepressible  
bodily activity are so hard to be met by
 an adult1 however genial and active4   
,children generally take the temper of  
their whole lives from this period of   
their existence4 ,then the twig is bent1
 either towards that habit of           
self-defence which is an ever-renewing  
cause of selfishness1 or to the sun of  
love-in-exercise1 which is the          
exhaustless source of goodness and      
beauty4,a  ,the indispensable thing now 
is a sufficient society of children4 ,it
 is only in the society of equals that  
the social instinct can be gratified1   
and come into equilibrium with the      

instinct of self-preservation4          
,self-love1 and love of others1 are     
equally natural2 and before reason is   
developed1 and the proper spiritual life
 begins1 sweet and beautiful childhood  
may bloom out and imparadise our mortal 
life4 ,let us only give the social      
instinct of children its fair chance4   
,for this purpose1 a few will not do4   
,the children of one family are not     
enough1 and do not come along fast      
enough4 ,a large company should be      
gathered out of many families4 ,it will 
be found that the little things are at  
once taken out of themselves1 and become
 interested in each other4 ,in the      
variety1 affinities develop themselves  
very prettily1 and the rough points of  
rampant individualities wear off4 ,we   
have seen a highly-gifted child1 who1 at
 home1 was--to use a vulgar1 but        
expressive word--pesky and odious1 with 
the exacting demands of a powerful1 but 
untrained mind and heart1 become sweet  
as roses spontaneously1 amidst the      

rebound of a large1 well-ordered1 and   
carefully watched child-society4        
,anxious mothers have brought us        
children1 with a thousand deprecations  
and explanations of their characters1 as
 if they thought we were going to find  
them little monsters1 which their       
motherly hearts were persuaded they were
 not1 though they behaved like little   
sanchos at home1--and1 behold1 they were
 as harmonious1 from the very beginning1
 as if they had undergone the subduing  
influence of a lifetime4 ,we are quite  
sure that children begin with loving    
others quite as intensely as they love  
themselves1--forgetting themselves in   
their love of others1--if they only have
 as fair a chance of being benevolent   
and self-sacrificing as of being        
selfish4 ,sympathy is as much a natural 
instinct as self-love1 and no more or   
less innocent1 in a moral point of view4
 ,either principle alone makes an ugly  
and depraved form of natural character4 
,balanced1 they give the element of     

happiness1 and the conditions of        
spiritual goodness and truth1--making   
children fit temples for the ,holy      
,ghost to dwell in4  ,a ,kindergarten1  
then1 is children in society1--a        
commonwealth or republic of             
children1--whose laws are all part and  
parcel of the ,higher ,law alone4 ,it   
may be contrasted1 in every particular1 
with the old-fashioned school1 which is 
an absolute monarchy1 where the children
 are subjected to a lower expediency1   
having for its prime end quietness1 or  
such order as has reigned in ,warsaw    
since #ahca4  ,but let us not be        
misunderstood4 ,we are not of those who 
think that children1 in any condition   
whatever1 will inevitably develop into  
beauty and goodness4 ,human nature tends
 to revolve in a vicious circle1 around 
the idiosyncrasy2 and children must have
 over them1 in the person of a wise and 
careful teacher1 a power which shall    
deal with them as ,god deals with the   
mature1 presenting the claims of        

sympathy and truth whenever they        
presumptuously or unconsciously fall    
into selfishness4 ,we have the best     
conditions of moral culture in a company
 large enough for the exacting          
disposition of the solitary child to be 
balanced by the claims made by others on
 the common stock of enjoyment1--there  
being a reasonable oversight of older   
persons1 wide-awake to anticipate1      
prevent1 and adjust the rival           
pretensions which must always arise     
where there are finite beings with      
infinite desires1 while ,reason1 whose  
proper object is ,god1 is yet           
undeveloped4  ,let the teacher always   
take for granted that the law of love is
 quick within1 whatever are appearances1
 and the better self will generally     
respond4 ,in proportion as the child is 
young and unsophisticated1 will be the  
certainty of the response to a teacher  
of simple faith3          ,there are who
 ask not if thine eye            ,be on 
them1--who1 in love and truth1          

,where no misgiving is1 rely            
,upon the genial sense of youth4        
,and blest are they who in the main     
,this faith even now do entertain1      
,live in the spirit of this creed1      
,yet find another strength1 according to
 their need4  ,that other strength is to
 be found in recognition of the ,eternal
 laws of order1 and reverent application
 of them to human action4 ,but children 
must receive this from the              
,kindergartner1 who shall give them such
 help in embodying their ever-springing 
fancies as shall prevent the weight of  
chance desires1 and issue in a tangible 
success1 by entering into and carrying  
forward their total1 spontaneous        
activity1 without destroying its        
childishness4  ,one of the most         
important exercises for children in the 
,kindergarten is block building4 ,a box 
of eight little cubes is so managed that
 it will unfold in the child's mind the 
law of symmetry1 by means of series of  
forms which the children are led to make

 in a way rather difficult to describe  
here4 ,so quick are the fancies of      
children1 that the blocks will serve    
also as symbols of every thing in       
,nature and imagination4 ,we have seen  
an ingenious teacher assemble a class of
 children around her large table1 to    
each of whom she had given the blocks4  
,the first thing was to count them1 a   
great process of arithmetic to most of  
them4 ,then she made something and      
explained it4 ,it was perhaps a         
light-house1--and some blocks would     
represent rocks near it to be avoided1  
and ships sailing in the ocean2 or      
perhaps it was a hen-coop1 with chickens
 inside1 and a fox prowling about       
outside1 and a boy who was going to     
catch the fox and save the fowls4 ,then 
she told each child to make something1  
and when it was done hold up a hand4    
,the first one she asked to explain1 and
 then went round the class4 ,if one     
began to speak before another had ended1
 she would hold up her finger and       

say1--,it is not your turn4 ,in the     
course of the winter1 she taught1 over  
these blocks1 a great deal about the    
habits of animals4 ,she studied natural 
history in order to be perfectly        
accurate in her symbolic representation 
of the habitation of each animal1 and   
their enemies were also represented by  
blocks4 ,the children imitated these2   
and when they drew upon their           
imaginations for facts1 and made        
fantastic creations1 she would          
say1--,those1 ,i think1 were fairy hens 
7or whatever72 for it was her principle 
to accept everything1 and thus tempt out
 their invention4 ,the great value of   
this exercise is to get them into the   
habit of representing something they    
have thought by an outward symbol4 ,the 
explanations they are always eager to   
give1 teach them to express themselves  
in words4 ,full scope is given to       
invention1 whether in the direction of  
possibilities or of the impossibilities 
in which children's imaginations        

revel1--in either case the child being  
trained to the habit of embodiment of   
its thought4  ,froebel thought it very  
desirable to have a garden where the    
children could cultivate flowers4 ,he   
had one which he divided into lots for  
the several children1 reserving a       
portion for his own share in which they 
could assist him4 ,he thought it the    
happiest mode of calling their attention
 to the invisible ,god1 whose power must
 be waited upon1 after the conditions   
for growth are carefully arranged       
according to laws which they must       
observe4 ,where a garden is impossible1 
a flower-pot with a plant in it1 for    
each child to take care of1 would do    
very well4  ,but the best way to        
cultivate a sense of the presence of    
,god is to draw the attention to the    
conscience1 which is very active in     
children1 and which seems to them 7as we
 all can testify from our own           
remembrance7 another than themselves1   
and yet themselves4 ,we have heard a    

person say1 that in her childhood she   
was puzzled to know which was herself1  
the voice of her inclination or of her  
conscience1 for they were palpably two2 
and what a joyous thing it was when she 
was first convinced that one was the    
,spirit of ,god1 whom unlucky teaching  
had previously embodied in a form of    
terror on a distant judgment-seat4      
,children are consecrated as soon as    
they get the spiritual idea1 and it may 
be so presented that it shall make them 
happy as well as true4 ,but the adult   
who enters into such conversation with a
 child must be careful not to shock and 
profane1 instead of nurturing the soul4 
,it is possible to avoid both           
discouraging and flattering views1 and  
to give the most tender and elevating   
associations4  ,but children require not
 only an alternation of physical and    
mental amusements1 but some instruction 
to be passively received4 ,they delight 
in stories1 and a wise teacher can make 
this subservient to the highest uses by 

reading beautiful creations of the      
imagination4 ,not only such             
household-stories as ,sanford and       
,merton1 ,mrs4 ,farrar's ,robinson      
,crusoe1 and ,salzmann's ,elements of   
,morality1 but symbolization like the   
heroes of ,asgard1 the legends of the   
,middle ,ages1 classic and chivalric    
tales1 the legend of ,saint ,george1 and
 ,pilgrim's ,progress1 can in the mouth 
of a skilful reader be made subservient 
to moral culture4 ,the reading sessions 
should not exceed ten or fifteen        
minutes4  ,anything of the nature of    
scientific teaching should be done by   
presenting objects for examination and  
investigation4,b ,flowers and insects1  
shells1 etc41 are easily handled4 ,the  
observations should be drawn out of the 
children1 not made to them1 except as   
corrections of their mistakes4          
,experiments with the prism1 and in     
crystallization and transformation1 are 
useful and desirable to awaken taste for
 the sciences of ,nature4 ,in short1 the

 ,kindergarten should give the          
beginnings of everything4 ,what is well 
begun is half done4  ,we must say a word
 about the locality and circumstances of
 a ,kindergarten4 ,there is published in
 ,lausanne1 ,france1 a newspaper devoted
 to the interests of this mode of       
education1 in whose early numbers is    
described a ,kindergarten which seems to
 be of the nature of a boarding-school2 
at least1 the children are there all    
day4 ,each child has a garden1 and there
 is one besides where they work in      
common4 ,there are accommodations for   
keeping animals1 and miniature tools to 
do mechanical labor of various kinds4   
,in short1 it is a child's world4 ,but  
in this country1 especially in ,new     
,england1 parents would not consent to  
be so much separated from their         
children1 and a few hours of            
,kindergarten in the early part of the  
day will serve an excellent             
purpose1--using up the effervescent     
activity of children1 who may healthily 

be left to themselves the rest of the   
time1 to play or rest1 comparatively    
unwatched4  ,two rooms are              
indispensable1 if there is any variety  
of age4 ,it is desirable that one should
 be sequestrated to the quiet           
employments4 ,a pianoforte is desirable1
 to lead the singing1 and accompany the 
plays1 gymnastics1 frequent marchings1  
and dancing1 when that is taught1--which
 it should be4 ,but a hand-organ which  
plays fourteen tunes will help to supply
 the want of a piano1 and a guitar in   
the hands of a ready teacher will do    
better than nothing4  ,sometimes a      
genial mother and daughters might have a
 ,kindergarten1 and devote themselves   
and the house to it1 especially if they 
live in one of our beautiful            
country-towns or cities4 ,the habit1 in 
the city of ,new ,york1 of sending      
children to school in an omnibus1 hired 
to go round the city and pick them up1  
suggests the possibility of a           
,kindergarten in one of those beautiful 

residences up in town1 where there is a 
garden before or behind the house4 ,it  
is impossible to keep ,kindergarten by  
the way4 ,it must be the main business  
of those who undertake it2 for it is    
necessary that every individual child   
should be borne1 as it were1 on the     
heart of the gardeners1 in order that it
 be inspired with order1 truth1 and     
goodness4 ,to develop a child from      
within outwards1 we must plunge         
ourselves into its peculiarity of       
imagination and feeling4 ,no one person 
could possibly endure such absorption of
 life in labor unrelieved1 and          
consequently two or three should unite  
in the undertaking in order to be able  
to relieve each other from the enormous 
strain on life4 ,the compensations are1 
however1 great4 ,the charm of the       
various individuality1 and of the       
refreshing presence of conscience yet   
unprofaned1 is greater than can be found
 elsewhere in this work-day world4      
,those were not idle words which came   

from the lips of ,wisdom                
,incarnate3--,their angels do always    
behold the face of my ,father3 ,of such 
is the kingdom of heaven4  ,,footnotes3 
,a ,froebel's ,building ,blocks are in a
 ,series of six1 each one to be         
introduced after the previous one has   
been in a measure exhausted4 ,but there 
is a specific way in which they are to  
be used1 and exact directions for this  
are to be found in ,mrs4                
,,kraus-,,boelte',s ,kindergarden       
,guide4  ,b ,calkin's ,object ,lessons  
will give hints4     ,,chapter ,,ii4    
,,rooms1 ,,etc4   ,i ,,have made an     
article1 which ,i published in the      
,atlantic ,monthly of ,november1 #ahfb1 
my first chapter1 because ,i cannot1 in 
any better way1 answer the general      
question1--,what is a ,kindergarten8 ,i 
will now proceed to make a ,guide for   
the conduct of a ,kindergarten2 in which
 ,i shall freely make use of what       
,madame ,rong has said in her ,english  
,kindergarten1 and ,madame ,marienholtz 

in her ,jardin des ,enfans2 but ,i shall
 not confine myself to them1 for an     
,american ,kindergarten necessarily has 
its peculiarities4  ,in the first place1
 we must think of the accommodations4   
,these are not to be in the open air1 as
 has been supposed by many1 through     
misapprehension of the use of the word  
,kindergarten4 ,but it is desirable that
 there should be a good play-ground     
attached to the rooms2 and ,froebel     
thought it of very important religious  
influence that every child should have  
earth to cultivate1 if it were only a   
foot square4  ,two rooms are            
indispensable1 and if possible there    
should be three1 all of good size1 with 
good light and air3 one room for music  
and plays1 gymnastics1 dancing1 c42     
another for the quieter mechanical      
employments1--pricking1 weaving1 sewing1
 moulding1 folding1 paper-cutting1      
sticklaying1 and block-building2 and    
still another for drawing1 writing1     
object-teaching1 and learning to read4  

,it is desirable that every child should
 have a box1 if not a little desk1 in   
order to learn to keep things in order4 
,when this cannot be done1 the teachers 
must so arrange matters1 as to have     
everything ready for every change2 that 
no time may be lost and no confusion    
arise4 ,in my own ,kindergarten1 ,i     
arrange beforehand the chairs in the    
play-room in a solid square1 into which 
the children march at the commencement  
of the exercises4 ,sitting in them1 they
 sing their morning prayer or hymn1 hear
 the reading1 and take a singing lesson 
on the scale4 ,then they rise1 and1     
taking up their chairs1 march into the  
other room for their reading lessons1   
which are always in two classes1        
sometimes in three4 ,they bring their   
chairs back again for luncheon1 and then
 take them out for another lesson2 for  
in this room they have gymnastics1      
dancing1 and the play1 and need a clear 
space for all4 ,they come back with     
their chairs1 at the close of the       

exercises1 to sing songs together before
 they disperse4 ,two of my rooms are    
carpeted4 ,the other is smooth-floored  
for dancing1 playing1 and gymnastics4   
,and1 for the convenience of the        
gymnastics1 it is well to paint1 at     
convenient distances1 little feet in the
 first position1 as ,dr4 ,dio ,lewis has
 done in his gymnastic hall4  ,when     
,kindergarten accommodations can be     
built expressly1 ,i would suggest that  
there should be a house with glass walls
 and partitions1 at least above the     
wainscoting2 and that the wainscoting   
should be rather high and painted black1
 so that every child might have a piece 
of the blackboard2 for it is easier for 
a child to draw with a chalk on a       
blackboard than with a slate and pencil4
  ,a house of glass1 on the plan of the 
crystal palace1 would be no more        
expensive than if built of brick4 ,it   
would secure the light and sunshine1 and
 make it easy for the superintendent to 
overlook the whole4 ,it should be       

equably warmed throughout4 ,my own      
,kindergarten is not in a glass house1  
but is the lower floor of a house which 
has three rooms1 with a hall between two
 of the rooms2 a large china closet     
which ,i use for the children's         
dressing1 as well as to store many      
things2 and beyond the third room1 a    
bathing room1 with every convenience4   
,rooms1 hall1 closet1 and bathing room  
have all an east-south aspect1 and are  
amply lighted4 ,the room between the    
china closet and bathing room is longer 
than it is wide1 and has blackboard     
painted on three sides of it1 so that   
each child has a piece of blackboard4   
,it is possible to keep a ,kindergarten 
in two rooms1 but not possible to keep  
it in one1 if it is of any desirable    
size1 or there is any variety of age in 
the children4 ,a large play-ground and  
some garden is desirable4 ,i am so      
fortunate as to have these in my house  
in ,boston4  ,the tables for the        
children to sit at should be low2 and it

 is a good plan to have them painted in 
squares of an inch2 chequered1 or ruled 
by lines1 so that they may be able      
always to set their blocks down with    
perfect accuracy4  ,one of the rooms it 
would be well to provide with flat      
box-desks1 in which can be kept all the 
materials which each child uses1--slates
 and pencils1 blocks1 sticks1 weaving   
and sewing materials1--and the children 
should be required to keep these in     
order4  ,in my own ,kindergarten ,i     
provide all the materials for their work
 and instruction1 thus securing         
uniformity2 and it is better to do so   
always1 and to charge a price covering  
the expense4 ,it should be understood1  
from the first1 that ,kindergarten      
education is not cheap4  ,as a          
,kindergarten requires several persons  
to keep it properly1 a genial family1   
consisting of a mother and daughters1 of
 various accomplishments1 might devote  
their whole house to it1 preparing for  
the writing and drawing one large room  

with blackboards all round1 whose area  
could be used for the playing1          
gymnastics1 and dancing4  ,when this new
 culture shall be appreciated for its   
whole worth1 it will not be deemed      
extravagant for a whole family thus to  
devote their house1 as well as their    
time1 to make a ,kindergarten the       
temporary home of a large company of    
children4     ,,chapter ,,iii4  ,,music4
   ,,the first requisite to the         
,kindergarten is ,music4 ,the voice of  
melody commands the will of the child1  
or rather disarms the caprice1 which is 
the principle of disorder4 ,two hymns   
are given in this ,guide with which to  
commence school1--one being the ,lord's 
,prayer1 set to cheerful music4  ,but   
there should be regular scale singing1  
and if conducted by a teacher of tact1 a
 ten minutes lesson may be given every  
day1 and the interest be kept           
undiminished4 ,the first lesson should  
be preceded by the teacher's drawing on 
the blackboard a ladder of eight steps1 

and then saying to the pupils1 ,now     
listen to my voice1 and see how it goes 
up these steps4 ,she then sings the     
eight notes very clearly1 pointing to   
each step of the ladder2 and runs her   
voice1 with equal distinctness1 down the
 descending scale4 ,the children can    
then be asked to accompany the teacher  
in going up and down the ladder1 singing
 the numbers #a1 #b1 #c1 #d1 #e1 #f1 #g1
 #h1 instead of do1 re1 mi4 ,there will 
doubtless be enough discords to be      
palpable to all ears1 and these can be  
spoken of by the teacher1 and a         
proposition made that every one who     
thinks he can go up and down the ladder 
alone1 shall hold up a hand4 ,some may  
be able to do so1 but a majority will   
fail4 ,some will not try at all4  ,the  
teacher can then say1 ,now ,i am going  
to teach you all to do it1--one step at 
a time4 ,let us all sing one4 ,the piano
 is struck1 and teacher and pupils all  
sing one4 ,now let us go up a           
step1--one1 two4 ,let this be repeated  

several times4 ,then stop1 and say1 ,now
 ,i am going to strike one of these     
notes and see if you know it4 ,strike   
two1 and ask1 ,what is that1 #a or #b8  
,there may be difference of opinion2 in 
which case1 ask all to hold up their    
hands who think it is #b1 and then all  
who think it is #a4 ,tell which is      
right1 and say1 ,now let us all sing #b4
 ,then say1 ,now let us go down that    
step1--#b1 #a2 and now up again1--#a1   
#b2 now all hold up their hands who can 
sing #a1 #b1 #a8 ,select one after      
another to sing it alone with the piano1
 and after each has tried1 let all sing 
with the teacher #a1 #b1 #a1 before     
another is asked to sing it4 ,then let  
all sing #a1 #a1 #a2 #b1 #b1 #b2 #a1 #a1
 #a4 ,go on in this way till all the    
eight notes are learned4 ,they will be  
able to tell these notes1 when struck   
upon the piano1 much sooner than they   
will be able to strike them with their  
voices4 ,and other exercises1 every day 
calling upon them to name notes         

struck1--at first one note1 afterwards  
combinations of notes4  ,the following  
exercises were given in my ,kindergarten
 in one year1 which resulted in nearly  
all the children being able to sing them
 alone1 and tell any notes struck4      
#ast4--#a #b #a2 #a #a1 #b #b1 #a #a2 #a
 #a #a #a1 #b #b #b #b1 #a #a #a #a #b  
#a #b1 c4  #b;d4--#a #b #c1 #c #b #a2 #a
 #c #c #a1 #a #b #a1 #b #c #b1 #c #b #a4
  #c;d4--#a #b #c #d #e1 #e #d #c #b #a4
 #a #c #e1 #e #c #a1 #a #e #e #a4       
#dth4--#a #b #c #d #e #f2 #f #e #d #c #b
 #a2 #a #f1 #f #a2 #a #c #e #f4         
#eth4--#a #b #c #d #e #f #g1 #g #f #e #d
 #c #b #a2 #a #c #e #h1 #h #e #c #a4    
#fth4--#a #b #c #d #e #f #g #h1 #h #g #e
 #f #d #c #b #a2 #a #c #e #h4  ,this    
exercise can be varied by repeating each
 note one two1 three1 or four times4    
#gth4--#a #a #b1 #b #b #c1 #c #c #d1 #d 
#d #e1 #e #e #f1 #g #g #h1 #h #g #f #e  
#d #c #b #a4  #hth4--#a #a #b1 #c #c #d1
 #e #e #f1 #g #g #h2 #h #g #f #e #d #c  
#b #a4  #ith4--#a #b1 #a #b #a2 #b #c1  

#b #c #b2 #c #d1 #c #d #c2 #d #e1 #d #e 
#f2 #e #f1 #e #f #g2 #f #g1 #f #g #h2   
#h1 #g1 #f1 #e1 #d1 #c1 #b1 #a4         
#ajth4--#a #a1 #b #b1 #a2 #b #b1 #c #c1 
#b2 #c #c1 #d #d1 #c2 #d #d1 #e #e1 #d2 
c4  #aath4--#a #c2 #b #d2 #c #e2 #d #f2 
#e #g2 #f #h2 #h1 #f2 #g1 #e2 #f1 #d2   
#e1 #c2 #d1 #b2 #c1 #a4  #abth4--#a #c  
#e #h1 #h #e #c #a2 #a #d #f #h1 #h #f  
#d #a2 #a #h #h #a4  #acth4--#a #a1 #c  
#c2 #e #e1 #h #h2 #h #h1 #g #g1 #f #f1  
#e #e1 #d #d1 #c #c1 #b #b1 #a #a4      
#adth4--#a #b #c #b #a2 #b #c #d #c #b2 
#c #d #e #d #c2 #d #e #f #e #d2 #e #f #g
 #f #e2 #f #g #h #g #f2 #g #h #g #f #e  
#d #c #b #a4  #aeth4--#a #b #a #b #c #c2
 #b #c #b #c #d #d2 #c #d #c #d #e #e2  
#d #e #d #e #f #f2 #e #f #e #f #g #g2 #f
 #g #f #g #h #h2 #h #h #h #h2 #g #g #g  
#g2 #f #f #f #f2 #e #e #e #e2 #d #d #d  
#d2 #c #c #c #c2 #b #b #b #b2 l l l l2  
#a #h2 #h #a4  ,besides these ten       
minutes on the scale1 7which should not 
occur next to singing the hymn1 but     
after some other exercise has           

intervened17 it is an excellent plan to 
let the ,kindergarten close with singing
 songs by rote4 ,the words should be    
simple1 such as ,the ,cat and the       
,sparrow1 and other pretty melodies to  
be found in the ,pestalozzian ,singing  
,book and the many compilations prepared
 for children4 ,for it is well for the  
child not to go out of the natural      
octave1 and to have the words of songs  
adapted to the childish capacity4       
,besides this singing1 the piano-forte  
should be used to play marches1 as the  
children go from one room to another to 
their different exercises4 ,order is    
,heaven's first law1 and music is the   
heavenly voice of order1 which disposes 
to gentleness and regularity of motion4 
,as all the exercises change every      
quarter of an hour at least1 this brings
 the marching to music as often2 and it 
will last one or two minutes1 sometimes 
longer4 ,the children get accustomed to 
rise at the sound of the piano1 and it  
will be easy to make them silent during 

the music1 especially if it is hinted to
 them that soldiers always march in     
silence4 ,besides this1 the piano is    
necessary for the gymnastics1 and for   
the fanciful plays1 which are always to 
be accompanied by descriptive songs4  ,a
 few songs and plays are given in this  
,guide which1 if taken in turn1 will    
recur not oftener than once in ten days4
 ,we subjoin a description of the plays4
  ,i will finish this chapter by a      
translation from a notice of            
,enseignement ,musical1 d'aprs ,froebel1
 par ,fred4 ,stern1 prix1 #b francs3 ,en
 vente  ,bruxelles1 rue de ,vienne1 #af1
 et  ,paris1 rue ,fosss ,st4 ,victor1   
#ce4 ,a man to be complete1 should be   
master of linear and musical expression4
 ,most of our education aims only to    
give him lingual expression2 and drawing
 and music are considered               
accomplishments merely6 ,the divine art 
which enables us to reproduce the human 
figure illuminated with the expression  
of the spirit1 a mere accomplishment6,c 

,music1 the melodious expression of our 
most intimate thoughts1 the colored     
reflection of the heart1--a mere        
accomplishment6  ,life is sad1          
monotonous1 earthy1 without the arts4   
,if a woman of the middle and higher    
classes especially1 does not daily      
realize the higher life by knowledge of 
truth and love of beauty1 what shall    
save her from the frivolity and ennui   
that gnaws away the heart1 tarnishes the
 soul1 and brings misfortune to the     
fireside8 ,every woman should be an     
artist1 and make artists of her         
children1 if she would do a woman's     
whole duty4 ,especially should the      
mother teach her children to improvise  
music1 which can be done by pursuing    
this method4  ,he commences by the study
 of the three sounds constituting the   
major triad1 and1 as in the model gamut1
 or gamut of do1 there are three similar
 triads1 three perfect major chords1    
do-mi-sol1 fa-la-do1 and sol-si-re1 we  
begin naturally with the central chord1 

do-mi-sol1 which we name the master     
chord2 for1 in the model gamut of do1 it
 is around this1 as around a centre1    
that the two other triads balance       
themselves1 the lower fifth1 fa-la-do1  
and the higher fifth1 sol-si-re4 ,we can
 show the unity of plan between these   
three established notes1 in all the     
possible changes4 ,we thus introduce a  
fine variety into the exercises1 which  
permits the repetition of the same      
sounds and intervals1 without causing   
fatigue or weariness to the child4      
,scarcely have our pupils learned to    
sing or to repeat alone1 at will1 the   
three sounds do-mi-sol1 when we have    
them mark them with pencils on the staff
 7key of sol72 only as in the unity of  
tone there are yet the two other perfect
 chords1 fa-la-do and sol-si-re1 we let 
them write the three notes of the       
central chord with a red pencil1 and    
reserve the three sounds of the chord on
 the left1 7the lower or subdominant17  
to be written with a yellow pencil1 and 

the chord on the right1 7higher or      
dominant17 with a blue pencil4 ,on the  
other hand1 for the appellative chords  
7dissonant17 made by the combination of 
the chord sol-si-re1 with one1 two1 and 
even three notes of the chord fa-la-do1 
we use green pencils 7mixture of blue   
and yellow74 ,for we would keep the     
theory in mind by visible signs1 which  
act most powerfully upon the minds of   
children4  ,then we pass to perfect     
minor chords1 and terminate this first  
branch of our method by the study of the
 gamut4  ,our pupil knows as yet only a 
single tone1--the tone of do1 which we  
designate by the name of model          
tone2--but all musicians are aware that 
to know well one tone1 is to know them  
all1 since they are all calculated on   
the model tone with which we began4 ,the
 second part of our method will treat of
 the other tones1 but it will prove no  
serious difficulty to our pupil4  ,we   
have carefully avoided scientific terms1
 though doubtless1 by a learned         

terminology1 we should have struck      
superficial minds more4 ,but we address 
ourselves to the serious1 who know that 
it is better to know a thing in itself1 
7in what constitutes it essentially17   
without knowing its technology1 than to 
know obscure terms and be ignorant of   
the thing4  ,later1 we shall initiate   
our pupil into the language generally   
adopted by all treatises on harmony4 ,we
 wish that one day he may be a          
distinguished harmonist1 knowing musical
 grammar at the foundation4 ,it is      
strange that the study of grammar1 so   
vigorously recommended for all other    
languages1 is so entirely neglected in  
respect to musical language4 ,the study 
of harmony seems to be reserved         
exclusively to artists2 and even among  
them1 only the few who are occupied with
 composing devote themselves to it with 
any profoundness4 ,it is to this        
culpable negligence that we must        
attribute the difficulties of musical   
education4 ,where is the intelligent    

musician who would dare to deny the     
happy results inseparable from the most 
profound study of music8 ,the scholar   
would necessarily have to give much less
 time to know the art in the best       
manner1 which is now accessible only to 
remarkable persons of strong will4 ,the 
grammatical study of music should begin 
at the same time as all other studies1  
and soon music would become the language
 of all1 instead of being reserved      
exclusively to the privileged4          
,doubtless great reforms will be        
necessary to arrive at this result1 and 
the spirit of routine which unhappily   
reigns everywhere will render such      
reforms difficult4  ,however1 we found  
great hopes on the inevitable           
development of the method of ,froebel1  
for the principles he lays down are of  
general application4444  ,i am myself so
 profoundly impressed with the          
importance of little children's         
beginning music in this manner1 that1   
having found a teacher who is capable of

 it1 ,i intend1 another year1 to have   
extra hours for those who will commence 
instrumental music1 in my own           
,kindergarten2 so that each child can   
have a lesson every day1 and only play  
under the eye of the teacher until quite
 expert4        ,i do not cast out these
 pages about instrumental       music2  
but ,i will say1 for the comfort of     
those       ,kindergartners1 who cannot 
command an instrument1 that       in    
,german ,kindergartens ,i never found   
one4 ,all the       plays were done to  
vocal singing1 unaccompanied4           
,,footnote3  ,c ,there is no excuse for 
its being so considered in ,boston1 now 
that ,dr4 ,rimmer1 the remarkable       
sculptor of the ,falling ,gladiator1 has
 founded the true method of teaching to 
draw the human figure4 ,it is indeed a  
method which it is not probable any     
person of less profound knowledge of the
 human figure than himself1 7a practical
 surgeon as well as artist17 together   
with genius less bold and original1 can 

conduct as he does2 unless he shall     
train such teachers4     ,,chapter ,,iv4
  ,,plays1 ,,gymnastics1 ,,and          
,,dancing4   ,,in playing ,,the         
,,pigeon-,,house1 the teacher1 who      
should always play with the children1   
takes three quarters of the number1 and 
forms them into a circle1 while the     
other quarter remains in the middle1 to 
represent the pigeons4  ,the circle is  
the pigeon-house1 and sings the song1   
beginning with the words3          ,we  
open the pigeon-house again1  while1    
standing still1 they all hold up their  
joined hands1 so as to let all the      
pigeons out at the word open2 and1 as   
the circle goes round singing1          
,and let all the happy flutterers free1 
,they fly o'er the fields and grassy    
plain4           ,delighted with        
glorious liberty1  the pigeons run      
round1 waving their hands up and down to
 imitate flying4 ,at the word return1 in
 the line          ,and when they return
 from their joyous flight1  the joined  

hands of those in circle are lifted up  
again1 and the pigeons go in4 ,then the 
pigeon-house closes round them1 bowing  
their heads1 and singing1          ,we  
shut up the house and bid them          
good-night1  which is repeated while the
 circle swings off and again comes      
together bowing4  ,the play can be done 
over until all in turn have been        
pigeons4  ,in playing ,,hare ,,in ,,the 
,,hollow1 a fourth of the children sit  
in the middle1 on their hands and feet1 
while the rest1 in circle1 go round     
singing the three verses1 and when the  
words jump and spring1 in the last      
verse1 occur1 the circle stops1 and the 
joined hands are lifted up1 and all the 
children leap out and around1 on their  
hands and feet1 7not knees17--while the 
last lines are repeated twice4  ,in     
,,the ,,cuckoos1 a circle is formed1 or 
two concentric circles1 and four        
children are put in the four corners of 
the room to enact cuckoos4 ,the cuckoos 
sing cuckoo1 and those children in the  

circle answer2 and when the words of the
 song indicate that the cuckoos should  
join the children1 all four burst into  
the circle1 and those who are found at  
their right hands become cuckoos the    
next time4  ,almost like this last is   
the play of ,,the ,,bees2 one child     
being put in the corner as a drone1 and 
at the word ,beware1 the drone breaks   
into the circle4  ,,the ,,windmill is   
done by dividing the children into      
companies of four1 and letting them     
cross right hands and go round1 and then
 cross left hands and go round the      
opposite way4 ,by a change of the word  
windmill to water-wheel1 the same music 
will serve for another play1 in which   
there is a large circle formed1 and then
 four or six spokes are made by six     
crossing hands in the middle1 and then  
one or more children lengthening each   
spoke1 and joining it to the circle1    
which forms the rim of the wheel4 ,this 
is a more romping play than either of   
the foregoing1 as the different         

velocities of those who are at the      
centre and circumference make it nearly 
impossible to have the motions          
correspond in time2 but it is great fun1
 and serves for a change4  ,,the        
,,clappers ,,in ,,the ,,corn-,,mill is  
made by one or by two concentric        
circles1 going round as they sing the   
words2 and the beauty of it consists in 
their minding the pauses and clapping in
 time4 ,whenever there are concentric   
circles1 as is often necessary1 when    
there are many children1 the circles    
should move in different directions1 and
 all circular motions must be frequently
 reversed4  ,in ,,the ,,sawyers1 the    
children stand facing each other in     
couples1 in a circle1 and move their    
joined hands from shoulder to shoulder  
in time to the music of the first verse4
 ,in singing the second verse1 they skip
 round with their partners4  ,in ,,the  
,,wheel-,,barrow1 they are also arranged
 in couples1 back to front2 the front   
child leaning over to imitate the       

barrow1 and stretching his hands behind 
him1 which the child at his back takes  
as if to wheel4 ,when the words are     
repeated the children reverse4  ,in     
,,the ,,coopers1 the children1 who form 
the barrels or hogshead1 stand back to  
front in a circle1 each taking hold of  
the waist of the one before him4 ,the   
coopers walk round outside in time1 at  
every third step pounding on the        
shoulder of the child nearest him in the
 barrel4 ,when the word around comes1   
the barrel must begin to turn1 and the  
coopers stand still1 pounding on the    
shoulders of each child as he passes4   
,in ,,the ,,little ,,master ,,of        
,,gymnastics1 each child in turn stands 
in the middle of the circle1 and makes  
any motion he chooses1 which all the    
rest imitate4  ,,equal ,,treading is    
done in a circle1 or in two concentric  
circles4  ,in ,,we ,,like ,,to ,,go     
,a-,,roving1 the children march round   
freely within sound of the music1       
singing and keeping time carefully4  ,in

 ,,the ,,fishes1 the children are       
arranged as in the pigeon-house2 and at 
the words swimming1 above1 below1       
straight1 and bow1 the fishes must make 
corresponding motions1 while the circle 
that forms the pond goes round singing4 
,in ,,the ,,pendulum1 the children      
follow each other in a circle1 moving   
one arm before them1 like a pendulum1 in
 time to the music1 and with a strongly 
marked motion1 while they all sing the  
song4 ,when one arm is tired1 the other 
can be used for the pendulum4  ,let the 
children also follow one another in a   
circle to play ,,the ,,weathercock4     
,beforehand1 the points of the compass  
should be defined in the room1 and the  
children must point1 as they sing1      
,north1 ,south1 ,east1 ,west4  ,the     
prettiest of all the plays is ,,the     
,,peasant4 ,all join hands and sing1    
going round in time with the music1 when
 they come to the words1 ,look1 'tis    
so--so does the peasant1 they must make 
the corresponding motion4 ,in the first 

verse1 they make believe1 as the        
children say1 to hold up the apron with 
one hand1 and throw the seed with the   
other4 ,in the second verse1 they kneel 
on one knee at the same words1 and make 
believe hold the corn with one hand and 
cut with the other4 ,in the third verse1
 they put the doubled fists at the left 
shoulder1 and make the motion of        
thrashing4 ,in the fourth verse1 they   
make the motion of holding and shaking a
 sieve4 ,in the fifth1 they kneel on one
 knee and rest the head in the hand2 in 
the sixth1 they jump straight up and    
down1 turning to each point of the      
compass1 till the chorus1 la1 la1       
begins1 when each takes his next        
neighbor for a partner1 and they skip   
round the room4  ,some other plays1     
accompanied by musical words1 can be    
found in the guide-books of ,european   
,kindergartens2 and the music1 with     
,english words1 will be shortly         
published in this country by ,ditson1 of
 ,boston1 to meet the growing demand of 

,kindergartens4  ,but the above         
description of the plays gives no       
adequate idea of what can be made of    
them1 such as the ,kindergartner obtains
 at the ,normal class2 for they are much
 more than bodily exercises4 ,it is     
wonderful to see what is made of them1  
in such a ,kindergarten as that of      
,madame ,vogler in ,berlin1 where the   
conversations before beginning1 and in  
the pauses for rest1 call the children's
 attention to the facts and processes of
 nature and art1 symbolized by the      
plays4  ,the words and music are taught 
very carefully1 and the dancing is      
gentle1 so that there may be            
exhilaration without fatigue4  ,the     
object-lessons involved in the plays are
 those which especially belong to the   
,kindergarten1 because their aim is not 
so much to open the intellect to        
science1 as to give moral training4 ,the
 latter is ever to be kept in advance of
 the former2 for it is the tree of life1
 whose fruits--if they are first        

eaten--will render harmless and salutary
 those of the tree of knowledge4  ,i was
 not unaware of this when ,i began my   
own ,kindergarten2 and the very first   
thing ,i did1 was to give an object     
lesson1 which was1 as ,i afterwards     
found1 exactly in the spirit of         
,froebel4 ,when the children were       
assembled the first day1 in my very     
pleasant room1 looking full of          
expectation1 ,i went forward with a     
beautiful rose-tree in a little         
flower-pot1 and said1 ,come1 and ,i will
 show you what is beautiful4 ,it is a   
rose fully blown4 ,now say the          
words--all of you--after me2 and ,i said
 again1 ',it is a rose fully blown4'    
,they all repeated these words with glad
 voices1 and then each following        
sentence of that beautiful prose hymn of
 ,mrs4 ,barbauld4 ,i especially noted   
the smiling eyes and lips1 as they      
repeated1--  ,he who made the rose is   
more beautiful than the rose4  ,it is   
beautiful1 but ,he is beauty4  ,another 

day a basket of roses was handed round  
to the children2 and1 when each had one 
in hand1 this recitation was renewed4   
,after it was over1 ,i said1 ,what did  
,god make the rose for8 ,they all       
smiled1 as if conscious of knowing2 and 
one1 more courageous than the rest1     
said1 ,to give us pleasure2 followed by 
a dear little utilitarian1 who said1 ,to
 make rose-water4 ,i added1 ,yes2 and   
the rose-water gives us pleasure1 too1  
because it has a sweet smell1 and a     
sweet taste1 besides4 ,is not ,god very 
good to give us roses to look at and    
smell2 and to make into rose-water1     
after they are all faded and fallen to  
pieces8 ,what is the reason that ,god   
makes things to give us pleasure8 ,could
 we not have lived very comfortably     
without flowers8 ,they answered         
spontaneously1 ,because ,god loves us4  
,what else does the dear ,god give us to
 make us happy8 ,different children     
answered1 and spoke of different        
flowers1 and of other things which gave 

them pleasure1 and thus they were put   
into a grateful mood1 without a word    
said about the duty of gratitude to     
,god2 for love of ,god comes            
spontaneously1 when he is conceived     
aright1 and forecloses the thought of   
duty4 ,but duty to our fellow-creatures 
should always be suggested when the     
heart is overflowing with gratitude to  
the common ,father4 ,i went on asking   
such questions as ,do you love anybody8 
what do you do to make people happy that
 you love8 what would you like to do    
with your rose8 ,do sick people like to 
have flowers8 do you know any sick      
person8 do you like to do the same kind 
of things ,god does8 do you think ,god  
wants you to make your friends happy8   
and all happy whom he loves8 ,the roses 
were then gathered into a shallow basin 
of water1 to be preserved till school   
should be over1 and they could go and   
bestow them as they had severally       
suggested2 for it is important to make  
children do whatever of kindness they   

think of1 not idly sentimentalize4      
,other lessons1 on the material origin  
of the rose1 the planting1 the process  
of growth1 and even the making of       
rose-water1 opened up2 and ,mrs4        
,barbauld's prose hymns afforded other  
subjects for similar lessons1 as well as
 whatever other hymns they learned to   
recite or sing2 and ,i took great care  
that no hymns should be sung that did   
not admit of being made intelligible to 
their hearts and imaginations4  ,moral  
training is effected by taking care in  
the plays to keep the children in the   
mood of mutual accommodation1 by showing
 them how this is necessary for the     
beauty of the play4 ,there is also a    
great opportunity in the playing1 to    
check all selfish movements1 by appeals 
to sympathy and conscience1 which is the
 presentiment of reason1 and forefeeling
 of moral order1 for whose culture      
material order is indispensable2 and    
order must be kept by the child         
intentionally1 that it may cultivate the

 intellectual principle of which it is  
the manifestation4 ,some plan of play   
prevents the little creatures from      
hurting each other1 and fancy naturally 
furnishes the plan1--the mind unfolding 
itself in fancies1 which are easily     
quickened and led in harmless directions
 by an adult of any resource4 ,children 
delight to personate animals2 and a fine
 genius could not better employ itself  
than in inventing a great many more     
plays1 setting them to rhythmical words1
 describing what is to be done4         
,kindergarten plays are easy            
intellectual exercises2 for to do       
anything whatever with a thought        
beforehand1 develops the heart or       
quickens the intelligence2 and thought  
of this kind does not tax intellect1 or 
check physical development1 which last  
must never be sacrificed in the process 
of education4  ,there are enough        
instances of marvellous acquisition in  
infancy1 to show that imbibing with the 
mind is as natural as with the body1 if 

suitable beverage is put to the lips2   
but in most cases the mind's power is   
balanced by instincts of body1 which    
should have priority1 if they cannot    
certainly be in full harmony4 ,the mind 
can better afford to wait for the       
maturing of the body1 for it survives   
the body1 than the body can afford to   
wait for the mind2 for it is            
irretrievably stunted1 if the nervous   
energy is not free to stimulate its     
special organs1 at least equally with   
those of the mind4  ,there is not1      
however1 any need to sacrifice the      
culture of either mind or body1 but to  
harmonize them4 ,they can and ought to  
grow together4 ,they mutually help each 
other4     ,,chapter ,v4  ,,the         
,,kindergartner4   ,,the first requisite
 to a ,kindergarten is1 of course1 the  
,kindergartner1 fully intelligent of    
childhood1 and thoroughly trained       
herself in everything that the child is 
to do4  ,the first ,kindergartner was   
,froebel himself2 who1 in the course of 

a long life1 studied into the science of
 childhood1 and worked out a series of  
artistical exercises1 which aim to      
educate--that is1 draw forth---the      
powers of children from a more profound 
depth than ordinary education respects4 
,but instead of beginning with putting  
checks upon childish play1 he took the  
hint of his method from this spontaneous
 activity2 and began with genially      
directing it to a more certainly        
beautiful effect than it can attain when
 left to itself4 ,a large part of the   
art of primary school-teaching hitherto1
 has consisted in keeping children      
still1 and preventing them from playing4
  ,it was ,froebel's wisdom to accept   
the natural activity of childhood as a  
hint of the ,divine ,providence1 and to 
utilize its spontaneous play for        
education4 ,and it is this which takes  
away from his system that element of    
baneful antagonism which school         
discipline is so apt to excite1 and     
which it is such a misfortune should    

ever be excited between the young and   
old4 ,nothing is worse for the soul1 at 
any period of life1 than to be put upon 
self-defence2 for humility is the       
condition of the growth of mind as well 
as morals1 and ensures that natural     
self-respect shall not degenerate into a
 petty wilfulness and self-assertion4   
,the divine impulse of activity in      
children should not be directly opposed1
 but accepted and guided into beautiful 
production1 according to the laws of    
creative order1 which the adult has     
studied out in nature1 and genially     
presents in playing with the child4     
,but such playing is a great art1 and   
founded on the deepest science of       
nature1 within and without2 and         
therefore ,froebel never established a  
,kindergarten without previously        
preparing ,kindergartners by a normal   
training1 which his faithful disciples  
have scrupulously kept up4 ,and if only 
genius and love like his own could in   
one lifetime have discovered the science

 and worked out the processes of this   
culture1 yet hundreds of pupils of these
 normal classes have proved1 that any   
fairly gifted1 well-educated1           
genial-tempered young woman1 who will   
devote a reasonable time to training for
 it1 can become a competent             
,kindergartner4  ,nothing short of this 
will do2 for none of the manuals which  
have been written to guide already      
trained experts1 can supply the place of
 the living teacher4 ,written words will
 not describe the fine gradations of the
 work1 or give an idea of the           
conversation which is to be constantly  
had with the children4 ,it would be less
 absurd to suppose that a person could  
learn to make watches by reading a      
description of the manufacture in an    
encyclopdia1 than to suppose a person   
could learn to educate children by mere 
formulas4  ,indeed1 it is infinitely    
less absurd4 ,for a child is not finite 
mass to be moulded1 or a blank paper to 
be written upon1 at another's will4 ,it 

is a living subject1 whose own          
coperation--or at least willingness--is 
to be conciliated and made instrumental 
to the end in view4 ,would a ,cremona   
violin be put into the hands of a person
 ignorant of music1 to be tuned and made
 to discourse divine harmonies8 ,how is 
it1 then1 that the harp of a thousand   
strings--which ,god puts into the hands 
of every mother1 in perfect tune--is so 
recklessly committed1 first to ignorant 
girl-nurses1 and then to the least      
educated teachers8 ,looking at          
children's first schools1 it would seem 
that anybody is thought skilful enough  
to begin a child's education6 ,it takes 
a long apprenticeship to learn to play  
on the instrument with seven strings1 in
 order to bring out music4 ,but it is   
stupidly thought that anybody can play  
on the greater instrument1 whose strings
 thrill with pleasure or pain1 and      
discourse good or evil1 as they are     
touched wisely or unwisely6  ,froebel   
struck the key-note of the music of the 

spheres1 which human life is destined to
 become1 when he announced1 as a first  
principle1 that the well-thought-out    
wisdom of the ideal mother's love is the
 science of education2 and that this    
science of sciences is founded on       
self-knowledge2 by which he did not mean
 7any more than did ,socrates1 or that  
older sage who engraved know thyself    
upon the temple of ,delphi7 individual  
idiosyncrasy1 but the very self which   
,jesus ,christ said all men must become1
 when he set a little child in the      
midst1 and declared that no one could   
enter his kingdom1 that did not become  
as one2 and when1 another time1 he      
called and blessed little children1     
because1 as he said1 of such was the    
kingdom of heaven2 and again1 more      
significantly still1 when he warned from
 offending 7it might be better rendered 
perverting7 these little ones2 because1 
as he added1 their spirits do always    
behold the face of my ,father who is in 
heaven4 ,to know the soul before it has 

been warped by individual caprice and   
circumstance1 is the science of         
sciences1 on which is to be founded the 
art of arts2 viz41 that of educating the
 child so that its individuality may    
develop1 not destroy1 its sense of      
universal relations4 ,and here ,i must  
pause to say1 that it is simply         
astonishing that when most of us        
believe1 as our religion1 that ,jesus   
,christ embodied in himself the wisdom1 
as well as love1 and even power of      
,god1--without measure1--his words about
 children are passed over with so little
 inquiry into the depths of their       
meaning4 ,what can it mean--that their  
spirits always behold the face of the   
,father--short of the very philosophy of
 ,gioberti1--that the newly-created soul
 commences its consciousness in the     
eternal world1 with a reciprocal vision 
of ,god remembered in the heart through 
life1 and constituting the divine term  
of conscience1 which is the ,,constant1 
while the human term is of only fitful  

growth4 ,as ,wordsworth says1--         
,our ,life's ,star         ,hath had    
elsewhere its setting1           ,and   
cometh from afar6           ,not in     
entire forgetfulness           ,and not 
in utter nakedness1         ,but        
trailing clouds of glory do we come     
,from ,god who is our home4             
,heaven lies about us in our infancy6   
,shades of the prison-house begin to    
close           ,upon the growing boy1  
,but he beholds the light and whence it 
flows2           ,he sees it in his joy3
         ,the youth1 who daily from the 
,east         ,must travel1 still is    
nature's priest1           ,and by the  
vision splendid           ,is on his way
 attended4  ,but ,froebel does not1 like
 ,wordsworth1 make it strictly          
inevitable1 however it may have hitherto
 been common1 that          ,the man    
perceives it die away          ,and fade
 into the light of common day2  for he  
teaches that the parental sympathy and  
instruction of those adults who have    

attained          ,the faith that looks 
through death          ,in years that   
bring the philosophic mind  should      
intervene2 which is just ,kindergarten  
culture2 preserving the heart's vision  
of the truths that          ,we are     
toiling all our lives to find           
unshadowed2 while the organs of the     
human mind gradually bring to bear      
,god's manifestation in nature1 which1  
point by point1 forms the human         
understanding1 by making an intellectual
 consciousness of what the heart knows4 
,because the science of education is the
 analysis and gauging of love by        
intellect1 ,froebel sought the true form
 of the art of education in the method  
of the mother's love1 which he studied  
out with a philosophic earnestness4 ,not
 that any mother could tell him the     
secret4 ,it cannot be put into formulas1
 nor does it come by intuition into the 
scientific form in which a              
,kindergartner needs to have it4        
,froebel1 in watching the mother1 saw   

that she was led in a way she knew not4 
,but he divined the meaning of that way1
 and its issues1 and gives it to the    
,kindergartner4  ,the beginning of a    
child's life is its learning the fact   
and uses of its body4 ,here1 as         
everywhere1 human action blindly gropes 
for knowledge4 ,the child cannot even   
find the breast to suck1 but sucks what 
is nearest1 compelling the mother to    
give it the breast by automatic motions 
which she understands2 or by cries which
 awaken her heart4 ,gradually these     
reciprocal instincts open upon the child
 the first thing it knows2 namely1 that 
it is dependent for the means of life4  
,for a child knows1 in its heart1 for a 
long time before it reflects and gets   
the thought1 that not in itself1 but    
outside of itself1 is the source of its 
life4 ,of course1 it is bodily life     
merely that it seeks at first1 trying to
 incorporate the without with the within
 by eating every thing2 the organs for  
this action on the outward world being  

first developed4 ,but if it is regularly
 fed and kept comfortable1 the eye will 
be satisfied with seeing1 the ear with  
hearing1 the hand with handling4  ,now  
it is no less the instinct of the mother
 to make the baby's body the first      
plaything1 than to feel its own body is 
the first pleasure of the child4 ,to use
 its organs in play is the first action 
in which the voluntary combines with the
 instinctive animal impulse4  ,the first
 distinctive human intelligence a child 
expresses1 is the recognition of its    
mother's smile4 ,its higher life begins 
in the reciprocation of that smile4 ,no 
mere animal smiles6 ,the mother's heart 
also goes to meet the child's faith with
 vocal expressions of tender joy2 the   
heart of the child is awakened by tones 
which emparadise it1 and it answers by  
like tones4 ,there is nothing among the 
lower animals like this conversation of 
mother and child1 by looks and tones1   
emparadising both4 ,by and by1 it       
notices light and colors1 and begins to 

play with its hands and feet4  ,hence   
the most characteristic work of ,froebel
 is ,the ,mother's ,cosseting ,songs4   
,in this imperfect world1 mothers are   
not always true to ideal motherhood2 but
 ignorance1 and often indolence1 and    
other forms of self-indulgence1         
superinducing stupidity1--even a        
tyrannous sense of property in the      
child1 and sometimes mere timidity1     
interferes4 ,and1 in general1 ,froebel  
saw how little most mothers reflect on  
the great work they are doing when they 
play with their children4 ,he wished    
them to study into the laws they are    
obeying1 in order to discover their     
scope and meaning1 that they may be able
 to supplement with thought the         
short-comings of their too often spoilt 
instincts4 ,mothers taught him more than
 they knew themselves2 and he repaid the
 debt by telling them what they taught  
him in these ,cosseting ,songs1 which he
 gathered from many lips and brought    
together for the enriching of all4      

,first may be seen in the pictured      
illustrations which accompany the songs1
 that the plays are merely the          
sympathetic furtherance of the child's  
own motions4 ,the mother enjoys the     
sight of her baby kicking up its little 
legs1 fumbling its little hands1 and    
enjoying its bodily existence generally2
 and she sympathizingly intervenes1 and 
draws the child to forget itself in its 
heart-sense of her sympathetic presence4
 ,she feeds the instinctive putting     
forth of its own joy1 the first form of 
its faith1 with the expression of her   
joy2 and thus the heart grows with the  
body1 and the mind opens to expect      
boundless love1 which it reciprocates   
without reserve4 ,a healthy child       
,loves whate'er it looks upon4  ,if it  
is not happy and loving1 it is the      
condemnation of its environment4 ,some  
one in relation with it1 perhaps more   
than one1 has failed to show the        
necessary love2 and better were it for  
such1 as ,jesus ,christ has said that a 

millstone were hung about their necks1  
and they were cast into the uttermost   
depths of the sea4 ,if these words mean 
any thing1--and who will dare say they  
are mere rhetoric8--then let us take    
care that we do not rush into the work  
of education1 without being sure that we
 shall not do so immense a mischief2 and
 let mothers see to it1 that they do not
 put their children into the care of    
persons who do not combine love and     
knowledge of childhood in measures not  
to be expected of the common run of     
children's nurses and primary teachers4 
,not only because every mother is not an
 ideal mother1 but because sometimes    
children are consigned1 by inevitable   
circumstance1 to other nursing than a   
wise mother's1 such a manual as the     
,cosseting ,songs is indispensable to   
instruct nurses4  ,and nurses ought     
always to be instructed4 ,when ,froebel 
was in ,hamburg1 he received nurses into
 normal training4 ,both mothers and     
nurses brought their infants of six     

months old to his house1 and he taught  
them how to play with--without          
fatiguing--them1 by carefully respecting
 those indications of pleasure and pain 
which are the child's only means of     
communication4  ,and as lectures on     
child-nature are a part of the          
,kindergarten training1 those preparing 
to be children's nurses1 even to this   
day1 are admitted to the ,hamburg       
training-school1 which was not          
relinquished when ,froebel died1 but is 
now instructed by the best teachers of  
the ,volks-,kindergartens1 who go into  
it by turns4 ,it has its sessions in the
 evenings2 and the normal pupils pay for
 their instruction1 at least in part1 by
 assisting in the morning in the        
,volks-,kindergarten1 which forms also  
an important part of their training4    
,but at all events1 there can be no     
adequate ,kindergarten culture anywhere1
 unless a specific normal training is   
constantly kept up to supply the        
ever-increasing demand which tends to   

outgo the supply1 especially when nurses
 are admitted1 as at ,hamburg4  ,having 
thus indicated the source whence must be
 drawn the ,kindergarten culture1 it is 
not our purpose to attempt the          
impossible1 by stating it abstractly2   
for a series of abstractions is more apt
 to conceal than to reveal a living     
science4 ,no book can train a           
,kindergartner1 but only at best serve  
as a convenient reminder to educated    
experts1 and instruct parents that there
 is one necessary condition of their    
children's receiving the benefit of     
,kindergarten culture2 viz41 a          
thoroughly educated ,kindergartner4     
,and this may be obtained even in       
,america1 from a lady of the apostolic  
succession2 a pupil of the              
training-school of the ,baroness        
,marienholtz1 of ,berlin1 who has       
devoted her talents1 her fortune1 the   
prestige of her rank1 and her personal  
services1 to spread the art of her      
revered master on the continent of      

,europe4 ,miss ,kriege not only has     
studied a year in this training-school1 
but all the while frequented the        
,kindergarten of ,madame ,vogler1 as    
observer and assistant2 and1--together  
with her mother1 a lady who is the equal
 of the ,baroness ,marienholtz in every 
thing but the fortune which enables the 
latter to teach without price1--combines
 every qualification1 with enthusiasm1  
for the spread of a method of education 
that unquestionably has a great future  
in this country1 inasmuch as it makes a 
true base to the grand harmonies of our 
national constitution4  ,as one feature 
of the normal class is a series of      
lectures on the being of the child1     
which are given on one day of the week1 
it would be desirable that ,madame      
,kriege should admit mothers and sisters
 who have no intention of making        
teaching their vocation1 but who may    
thus understand and be able to          
co-operate in spirit with the           
,kindergartner1 in the education of the 

children2 for it is a great hindrance to
 the ,kindergarten when it is not       
understood at home4 ,all the educators  
of the child should understand each     
other1 and co-operate1 if the highest   
results are to be attained4             
,,chapter ,,vi4  ,,kindergarten         
,,occupations4   ,,there is a kind of   
thing done in ,kindergarten1 which      
retains the best characteristics of     
childish play1 and yet assumes the      
serious form of occupation4             
,fancy-work1 if ,froebel's method be    
strictly followed1 is the best          
initiation of industry2 for it can serve
 to a perfect intellectual training4    
,childish play has all the main         
characteristics of art1 inasmuch as it  
is the endeavor to conform the shows of 
things to the desires of the            
mind1--,bacon's definition of poetry4 ,a
 child at play is histrionic4 ,he       
personates characters1 with costume and 
mimic gesture4 ,he also undertakes to   
represent whatever thing interests his  

mind by embodiment of it in outward     
form4 ,advantage is taken of this1 by   
,froebel1 to initiate exquisite         
manipulation1 in several different      
materials2 a veritable artistic work1   
which trains the imagination to use1 and
 develops the understanding to the      
appreciation of beauty1 symmetry1 or    
order1--,heaven's first law4  ,froebel's
 first two ,gifts1 as they are called1  
are a box of colored worsted balls1 and 
a box containing the cube1 the sphere1  
and the cylinder4 ,these two ,gifts     
belong more especially to the nursery   
series1 and were published some years   
since in ,boston1 with little books of  
rhymes1 and suggestions for playing with
 babies4  ,but they can be used1 in some
 degree1 in the ,kindergarten3 the      
first1 to give lessons on the harmonies 
of colors2 and the second1 to call      
attention to fundamental differences of 
form4  ,it is possible1 however1 to omit
 these1 and begin a ,kindergarten with  
the ,third ,gift1 which is a little     

wooden box1 containing eight cubes of an
 inch dimension4  ,the first plays with 
these blocks1 especially if the children
 are very young1 will be to make what   
,froebel calls forms of life2 that is1  
chairs1 tables1 columns1 walls1 tanks1  
stables1 houses1 c4 ,everybody          
conversant with children knows how      
easily they will make believe1 as they  
call it1 all these different forms1 out 
of any materials whatever2 and are most 
amused1 when the materials to be        
transformed by their personifying and   
symbolizing fancy are few1 for so much  
do children enjoy the exercise of       
imagination1 that they find it more     
amusing to have simple forms1 which they
 can make believe1--first to be one     
thing1 and then another1--than to have  
elaborately carved columns1 and such    
like materials1 for building4 ,there is 
nothing in life more charming to a      
spectator1 than to see this shaping     
fancy of children1 making everything of 
nothing1 and scorning the bounds of     

probability1 and even of possibility4   
,it is a prophecy of the unending       
dominion which man was commanded1 at his
 creation1 to have over nature2 and     
gives meaning to the parable of the     
,lord ,god's bringing all creatures     
before ,adam1 that he might give them   
their names4  ,wordsworth felicitously  
describes1 in that ode which he calls   
,intimations of ,immortality in         
,childhood1 this victorious play of--   
,the seer blest1          ,on whom those
 truths do rest1          ,which we are 
toiling all our lives to find4          
,behold the child among his new-born    
blisses2          ,a six years' darling 
of a pigmy size2          ,see where1   
mid work of his own hand1 he lies1      
,fretted by sallies of his mother's     
kisses1          ,with light upon him   
from his father's eyes6          ,see at
 his feet some little plan or chart1    
,some fragment of his dream of human    
life1          ,shaped by himself with  
newly learned art1--            ,a      

wedding or a festival1            ,a    
mourning or a funeral2          ,and    
this hath now his heart1          ,and  
unto this he frames his song4           
,then he will fit his tongue            
,to dialogues of business1 love1 or     
strife2              ,but it will not be
 long              ,ere this be thrown  
aside1              ,and with new joy   
and pride1          ,the little actor   
cons another part2          ,filling    
from time to time his humourous stage   
,with all the persons down to palsied   
age          ,that life brings with her 
in her equipage4  ,that this is a       
literal picture1 every mother knows2    
and1 in this childish play1 there is all
 the subjective part of a genuine work  
of art2 the effort being to dramatize1  
or embody in form1 the inward fancy1 no 
less than in the case of the most mature
 and successful artist4 ,the child      
seizes whatever materials are at hand to
 give objectivity to what is within2 and
 he is only baffled in the effect1      

because he is not developed enough in   
understanding1 and has not knowledge    
enough to discover or appreciate means  
appropriate to his ends4 ,it is for the 
adult to show him that the universe is a
 magazine of materials given to the     
human race1 wherewith each is to build  
an image of ,god's creative wisdom1 into
 which he shall inwardly grow by the    
very act of accomplishing this destiny4 
,as the child is satisfied at first with
 a symbolical representation of his     
inward thought1 a row of chairs and     
footstools1 arranged in a line1 makes a 
railroad to his imagination2 and no less
 a row of cubes1 one being piled on     
another for the engine4  ,in using the  
blocks in a ,kindergarten1 the child at 
first is left to his own spontaneity1 as
 much as possible2 but the teacher is to
 suggest means of carrying out whatever 
plan or idea he has4 ,what is           
cultivating about the exercise is1 that 
the child makes or receives a plan1 and 
then executes it2 has a thought1 and    

embodies it in a form4  ,but something  
more can be done with the blocks4 ,they 
can be made symbolical of the personages
 and objects of a story4 ,thus even with
 the eight blocks1 five may be a flock  
of sheep1 one the shepherd1 one a wolf  
who is seen in the distance1 and who    
comes to steal a sheep1 and one the     
shepherd's dog who is to defend the     
sheep against the wolf4  ,when all the  
,gifts come to be used1 much more       
complicated dramas may be represented4  
,the teacher should set an example2 as1 
for instance1 thus3 ,i am going to build
 a light-house1 so2 7she piles up some  
blocks and leaves openings near the top1
 which she says are7 the lantern part   
where the lights are put2 near the      
light-house are a number of blocks1     
rather confusedly laid together1 of     
which she says1 ,these are rocks1 which 
are very dangerous for ships1 but which 
are scarcely ever seen1 because the     
water dashes over them1 especially when 
there is a storm1 or when the night is  

dark2 and that is the reason the        
light-house is put here4 ,whenever      
sailors see a light-house1 they know    
there is danger where it stands2 and so 
they steer their ships away from the    
place4 ,look here6 here is a ship 7and  
she constructs with other blocks        
something which she calls a ship1 or    
schooner1 or sloop1 representing        
respectively the number of masts which  
characterize each kind of vessel71 and  
there is a pilot standing upon it who   
has seen the light-house1 and is turning
 the ship another way4  ,having built   
her story1 she will now call upon the   
children to build something4 ,some will 
imitate her2 others will have plans of  
their own4 ,as soon as one has finished1
 he or she must hold up a hand2 and the 
teacher will call upon as many as there 
is time for1 to explain their           
constructions4 ,there is no better way  
for a teacher to learn what is in       
children1 their variety of mental       
temperament and imagination1 than by    

this playing with blocks4 ,some will be 
prosaic and merely imitative2 some will 
show the greatest confusion1 and the    
most fantastic operations of mind2      
others1 the most charming fancies2 and  
others1 inventive genius4 ,but there    
will always be improvement1 by          
continuing the exercise2 and it is a    
great means of development into         
self-subsistence and continuity of      
thought4  ,but to return to ,froebel's  
,third ,gift1 consisting of eight       
blocks4 ,in making things with the      
blocks1 a great deal is to be said about
 setting them accurately upon each      
other1 and upon the squares drawn on the
 table 7if it is so painted74 ,i was    
both amused and instructed1 when ,i was 
in ,hamburg1 by seeing a little table   
full of children taking a first lesson  
in making two chairs1 by piling three   
blocks on each other for the back1 and  
putting one in front for the seat2 the  
,kindergartner going round so seriously 
to see if each block was adjusted       

exactly1 and stood squarely4 ,when1 at  
length1 the chairs were done1 the       
children took hold of hands1 and        
recited1 simultaneously with the        
,kindergartner1 a verse of poetry2 and  
then sang it4 ,i could not understand   
the words2 but the conversation1 while  
they were making the chairs1 had helped 
the several children's fancy to seat    
their fathers1 mothers1 or grandparents1
 or some other favorite friends1 in     
them2 each child having been asked for  
whom he wished to make his chairs1 which
 developed a good deal of the domestic  
circumstances4 ,none of the class was   
more than four years old4 ,but the most 
important use of the eight blocks is to 
lead the children through a series of   
symmetrical forms1 which ,froebel calls 
forms of beauty4  ,as a preparation for 
this work1 the children are questioned1 
till they understand which is the right1
 and which the left side of the cube    
made by the eight blocks2 which the     
front1 and which the back side2 which   

the upper1 and which the under side2 and
 are able to describe a cube by its     
dimensions2 also to know how to divide  
the whole cube into two1 four1 or eight 
parts2 how to divide the length1 how the
 breadth1 and how the height1 into two  
parts1--lessons of analysis sufficiently
 amusing1 and giving precision to their 
use of words4  ,dividing the height1    
they get a simple fundamental form2 and 
the four blocks taken off can be        
arranged around the others              
symmetrically4  ,for instance3 tell     
them1 first1 to take an inch cube and   
place it in front of the square that the
 four lower blocks make1 so that        
one-half shall be on one block1 and the 
other half on the other2 then tell them 
to take another small cube1 and place it
 opposite1 in the same way1 one-half on 
one cube1 and the other half on the     
other4 ,already they will find the      
figure is symmetrical1 or1 as they may  
phrase it1 even4 ,then tell them to put 
a cube on the right hand of the         

fundamental figure in the same way as   
before1 and then another opposite on the
 left side2 and the figure will be still
 more symmetrical4  ,when this has been 
recognized all round1 tell them to move 
the front block just half a block to the
 right2 then the opposite one half a    
block to the left2 then the right-hand  
block half a block farther back2 and1 on
 the opposite side1 the left-hand block 
half a block towards the front4 ,this   
will make again a symmetrical form4     
,again1 they may be told to move the    
front block half a block farther to the 
right2 and then move the opposite one to
 the left1 and so on1--which will make  
another figure4 ,their attention must be
 drawn to the fact that always--if the  
symmetry is to be retained--all four of 
the movable blocks must be moved2       
demonstrating to the eyes1 by otherwise 
placing them1 that symmetry is more     
pleasing than confusion1 and order than 
disorder4  ,in going on1 through the    
large number of forms which are given in

 the manuals of ,madame ,rong and the   
,baroness ,marienholtz1 for the         
convenience of the ,kindergartners1 the 
children can be asked in turn to suggest
 rules for new figures1 and then        
directed how to apply the rule1 and     
adjust each of the four blocks to make a
 symmetry4 ,often1 a form of the series 
given1 is anticipated2 but1 if no       
suggestion is made by the children1 the 
,kindergartner must choose1 and ask if  
so and so would not be pretty4 ,but in  
no case must the engraved forms be given
 as a pattern4 ,imitation is mechanical1
 and children soon tire of working by   
patterns2 while to work from a rule1    
whether it is suggested by another1 or  
is one's own fancy1 will keep up the    
interest a long while1 and stimulate    
invention2 for it is real intellectual  
work1 though less abstract than         
geometry4  ,the great secret of the     
charm of working out symmetrical forms  
is1 that the mind is created to make1   
like the divine mind4 ,god geometrizes1 

says ,plato2 and therefore man          
geometrizes4 ,the generation of forms by
 crystallization1 and by vegetable and  
animal organization1 follows the law of 
polarity1 which is alike the law of the 
human and the mode of the divine        
creation4 ,it was amusing to hear a     
little child cry out1 ,i cannot find an 
opposite2 and1 when another said1 ,no   
matter1 take this1 reply1 ,but then it  
will not make anything4  ,in going      
through the series of forms1 made first 
by the eight blocks1 then by those of   
the ,fourth ,gift1 and afterwards by the
 larger number of the ,fifth and ,sixth 
,gifts1 the child comes1 by being led   
perpetually to put down opposites1 in   
order to make symmetry1 to learn the    
value of the law of polarization1 which 
obtains alike in thought1 and in the    
created universe4  ,but1 besides the    
boxes of solids1 there are boxes of     
triangles1 one of equilateral1 one of   
right angle1 and two of isosceles       
triangles--one acute and one            

obtuse--affording means for an infinity 
of forms of beauty2 so that this        
amusement of making symmetrical forms is
 not exhausted in the whole four years  
of the ,kindergarten course4  ,the same 
principle of polarity is brought out in 
the combination of colors1 as well as of
 forms4  ,in weaving bookmarks and mats1
 with strips of different colored       
papers1 the series of forms becomes more
 attractive by observing the harmonies  
of color4 ,the children are taught1 by  
the colored balls of the ,first ,gift1  
to distinguish the primary and secondary
 colors1 and to arrange them            
harmoniously4 ,children acquire very    
soon a very exquisite taste in color1   
and1 if carefully called to attend to   
harmonies1 detect an incongruity at     
once4  ,calkins1 of ,new ,york1 has     
published sheets of diagrams1 if they   
may be so called1 of the harmonies of   
colors4  ,the ,kindergartner1 while at  
the training-school1 gets a series of   
several hundred woven forms1 to relieve 

her from the fatigue of constantly      
inventing1 when she is full of care4    
,but children soon begin to invent of   
themselves1 and are recreated--not      
fatigued--by it4 ,this weaving may be   
turned to much account for innumerable  
ornamental articles which the children  
are delighted to make1 in order to have 
something of their own1 to give to their
 friends1 at ,christmas1 ,new ,year's1  
and birthdays4 ,our woodcut gives the   
beginning of the series of woven forms4 
,children of three years old can begin  
these2 and those of five will make      
beautiful things4 ,but a series of forms
 may perhaps be most easily begun by    
little children1 by sewing colored      
worsted threads into pricked paper4     
,one essential furniture of the         
,kindergarten is paper ruled in squares 
of a sixteenth of an inch1 which can be 
done wherever paper is ruled4 ,every    
child should have a piece of this paper1
 pricked in the crossings of the        
squares1 and be taught to use the needle

 and colored thread1 so as first to make
 parallel lines1 then diagonals1 then   
right angles1 then squares2 and then    
other more complex but still symmetrical
 figures4  ,this squared paper may also 
be used to teach pricking1 first at the 
crossings of the lines1 preparing sheets
 for sewing1 and then making a series by
 pricking symmetrical forms2 following  
the same general law as produced beauty 
with the blocks and triangular planes4  
,also1 simultaneously with these        
occupations1 the children should be     
induced to draw1 by means of this       
squared paper4 ,a very small child can  
be taught to use the pencil1 so far as  
to draw a line of an eighth of an inch  
over the blue line1 or the water-mark of
 the squared paper4 ,immediately these  
lines must be so drawn as to correspond 
and make forms2 and it is perfectly     
wonderful to the child himself1 to find 
how1 by following the rules given1 he   
goes straight on to make the most       
complicated forms and beautiful designs4

 ,when ,i was in ,dresden1 ,i bought of 
,madame ,marquadt hundreds of drawings  
made in series by children between three
 and seven years of age1 where no stroke
 was longer than an eighth of an inch4  
,i was told that every one was the      
invention of some child2 for only       
inventions were carefully preserved4    
,but another manipulation must not be   
forgotten2 viz41 the folding of paper4  
,here1 a square piece of paper1 of four 
or five inches1 is given to the child1  
who had previously been exercised in    
building with solids1 in making forms   
with sticks1 and in pea-work2 which last
 is done by having sharp-pointed sticks 
of various lengths1 and constructing    
squares1 triangles1 and the frames of   
chairs1 and other articles of furniture1
 uniting the sticks by means of dried   
peas1 soaked in water4 7,see woodcut47  
,as the sticks and peas were used to    
teach the properties of geometrical     
lines and points1 which they clumsily   
represent1 so the square of paper can be

 used to develop ideas of surface and   
geometrical planes2 without1 however1   
using any abstract geometrical language4
  ,folding paper develops the value of  
the law of polarity1 just as all other  
symmetrical work does2 but there is the 
additional charm to children1 of making1
 by means of this folded paper1 a       
multitude of forms of life as well as of
 beauty2 involving a great instruction4 
,for always the folding begins with     
nothing but a square piece of paper1    
which1 by following their thought1 is   
made into hundreds of beautiful forms2  
and thus they learn to respect in       
themselves the power of thought applied 
to work1 which is nothing less than     
creative4 ,by cutting off a piece of the
 folded paper1 while still it is folded1
 a new series of forms can be made1 of  
unimagined symmetrical forms1 which the 
children1 when they unfold the paper1   
are electrified to find they have       
caused2 and1 with the pieces cut out1   
they can also enrich the figures with   

new varieties of symmetrical beauty4  ,i
 have seen1 in one of the               
,kindergartens1 five hundred different  
figures made out of the simple square1  
variously folded and cut4 ,the attention
 of the children should be called to the
 fact of this endless capacity of       
development of the simplest and most    
uninteresting form1 by the exercise of  
human ingenuity1 acting according to    
law4 ,thus they will realize that beauty
 is not an outward thing1 but an inward 
power1 which they exert4  ,this cutting 
and folding of paper can only be learned
 in a ,kindergarten training-school4 ,it
 cannot be described in a book4         
,modelling is the highest form of       
manipulation of solids1 and one which is
 very fascinating to children1 who often
 make forms with mud and snow in their  
out-door play4  ,the material1 whether  
clay1 rice1 wax1 or whatever else may be
 employed1 must be previously prepared1 
and always kept in a plastic state4     
,clay is the least expensive material1  

but it must always be kept wet1 and it  
is cold to the hands4 ,wax1 prepared    
with oil1 is more expensive1 but far    
cleaner than clay2 and it has the       
advantage of preserving the forms       
moulded1 while the clay shrinks and     
cracks when it dries4  ,the material    
being prepared1 each child is supplied  
either with a small flat board1 slate1  
cloth1 or strong paper1 to cover the    
part of the table used2 a small blunt   
elastic knife1 and a portion of the     
plastic material4 ,the child is first   
left to pursue the bent of its own      
inclinations1 generally the roller and  
the ball are the first objects          
attempted4 ,in their formation the child
 finds great delight4 ,irregular forms  
are1 however1 the easiest4 ,the children
 are encouraged to imitate birds' nests1
 baskets1 candlesticks1 and various     
fruits3 apples1 pears1 strawberries1    
also some vegetables1 and especially    
flowers2--whenever it is possible let   
them have the natural objects before    

them4 ,afterwards models of animals     
couchant are given for imitation2 and   
they are encouraged to make parts of the
 human figure1--fingers1 hands1 ears1   
noses1 for which they have models in    
each other4 ,i have known a boy not     
twelve years old1 who would take an     
engraved head1 and mould one by it1 in  
which the likeness would be             
remarkable2--he used wax and a pin4  ,to
 make forms from the hint of an         
engraving1 is a little above imitation2 
and it is to be remembered that we do   
not wish the children to stop with      
imitations4 ,let them go on and invent  
forms1 beautiful vases1 pitchers1 c4    
,when they begin to make heads and human
 figures1 a teacher1 who understands the
 principles of drawing1 can bring to    
their notice the proportions of the     
human figure and face found in nature1  
which make ideal beauty4 ,many a        
heaven-destined sculptor will find      
himself out1 in the ,kindergarten4  ,in 
,germany1 at the quadrennial meetings of

 the ,froebel ,union1 it is the custom  
to carry specimens of the children's    
work in all these kinds4 ,a series of   
each kind is made up by taking the best 
work of all the children4 ,the six      
meetings which have already taken place1
 have all been signalized by impressing 
upon the commissioners of education of  
some ,state1 the value of ,froebel's    
culture to the interests of art1--fine  
and mechanical1--followed by its        
adoption4 ,and yet its value to art is  
of secondary importance to its influence
 on character1 which must needs be      
lifelong1--leading away from temptation1
 and delivering from evil1 the activity 
secured to the production of use and    
beauty4  ,in ,america1 where the        
excitements of opportunity are literally
 infinite1 the importance of training   
the speculative mind and immense energy 
of the people to law1 order1 beauty1 and
 love 7which are all one in the last    
analysis71 is incalculable2 and that it 
can be done most easily and certainly by

 beginning with the child's mind while  
he is still beholding the face of the   
,father in heaven with his heart1 no one
 who has ever faithfully tried          
,kindergarten culture will doubt4       
,,chapter ,,vii4  ,,moral ,,and         
,,religious ,,exercises4   ,,harmonious 
development is ,froebel's idea4 ,hence1 
although the physical should never be   
sacrificed1 and comes first into view1  
in the scheme of ,kindergarten culture1 
it is not to be exclusive4 ,children    
grow in stature and physical force1 all 
the better for having their hearts and  
minds opened in the beginning4 ,it is   
desirable to have a child become        
conscious of right and wrong1 in        
reference to eating and drinking1 quite 
early2 though temptation to excess      
should be removed1 as a general thing1  
by giving them simple wholesome food4   
,in any case where children may not go  
home at noon1 and there is a luncheon1  
some simple fruit1 like apples or       
grapes1 together with milk biscuits1 or 

plain bread and butter1 make the best   
repast1 satisfying hunger1 and not      
stimulating the palate unduly4 ,i am    
sometimes shocked at the kind of        
luncheon children bring to the          
,kindergarten1 it shows such lamentable 
ignorance of physiological laws4 ,the   
practical value of the beautiful symbol 
of the origin of evil1 which stands as  
the first word of the sacred volume1 is 
enhanced1 by its having the form in     
which temptation first assails the      
child4 ,no deeper interpretation of it  
is foreclosed by our presenting it at   
first1 to children1 just as it stands4  
,the forbidden fruit is that which will 
hurt the child2 i4 e41 give it the      
disease which by and by may make death a
 merciful release from pains intolerable
 to bear4 ,serpents have no higher      
function than eating2 but human beings  
live to know and love and do good1 and  
so ought not to eat everything that is  
pleasant to the eyes1--but to stop1 as  
,eve did not1 and inquire whether it is 

,god or the mere animal which is man's  
proper adviser4 ,our appetite is the    
serpent1 our thought is from ,god4 ,a   
child understands all this very early1  
if it is thus simply presented2 and it  
suggests the beginning of his moral     
life4 ,the lesson can soon be           
generalized4 ,whatever wrong things he  
is tempted to do1 whatever his          
conscience tells him not to do1 is      
forbidden fruit2 his desire to do it is 
the serpent1 and if he falls1 it is the 
old folly of ,eve1 who preferred the    
advice of the lower being to the command
 of ,god1 always given in the           
,conscience4  ,i have known a child1 to 
whom this story was early read and      
interpreted1 to whom it seemed to become
 a guard angelic over her life4 ,the    
moral nature responded to it at once1   
and a suggestion that a desire was      
perhaps the voice of the serpent1 was   
always quite enough to arouse the       
guardian angel--,conscience--to a watch 
and ward of the severest character4 ,it 

precluded the necessity of present      
punishment and the fear of future       
retribution1 7with which a child should 
never be terrified47  ,there is such a  
thing as making children1 ,i will not   
say too conscientious1 but too          
conscious2 and this is often done by    
well-meaning parents and teachers1 who  
make them look upon themselves          
personally as objects of ,god's pleasure
 or displeasure4 ,this will be avoided  
by using a symbol1 like the story of    
,adam and ,eve1 which touches the       
imagination1 and saves them from the    
reactions of personal pique4 ,a         
judicious teacher1 who knows how to     
paraphrase as she reads1 and to skip    
what is mere prosaic statement1 7and no 
one who cannot do this1 is fit to read  
to children17 can make use of many other
 passages of the ,old and ,new          
,testament1 and of ,pilgrim's ,progress1
 to give to children the whole doctrine 
of religious self-control1 and inspire  
them to the highest moral issues4       

,spiritual life1 strictly speaking1 can 
only be prepared for by the best        
education4 ,its characteristic and      
essence consists in that action of the  
heart and reason which does not come    
from human prompting4 ,but it can be    
prepared for1 by awakening in the child 
such an aspiration and felt necessity   
for virtue1 as well as general idea of  
,god1 as makes prayer to the ,father of 
,spirits spontaneous and inevitable4 ,i 
am in the habit of speaking of ,god to  
children as the ,giver of love and      
goodness1 and of the power of thought   
and action1 rather than as the ,creator 
of the outward world1 and have found    
that the tyrannizing unity of the soul's
 instinct did the rest4  ,in what is    
called religious education1 teachers    
often do great harm1 with the best      
intentions1 to finely strung moral      
organizations4 ,encouragement to good   
should altogether predominate over      
warning and fault-finding4 ,it is often 
better1 instead of blaming a child for  

short-coming1 or even wrong-doing1 to   
pity and sympathize1 and1 in a hopeful  
voice1 speak of it as something which   
the child did not mean to do1 or at     
least was sorry for as soon as done2    
suggesting at the same time1 perhaps1   
how it can be avoided another time4     
,above all things1 an invariable rule in
 moral education is not to throw a child
 upon self-defence4 ,the movement       
towards defending one's self and making 
excuses1 is worse than almost any act of
 overt wrong4 ,let the teacher always   
appear as the friend who is saving or   
helping the child out of evil1 rather   
than as the accuser1 judge1 or          
executioner4 ,another principle should  
be1 not to confound or put upon the same
 level the trespasses against the       
by-laws of the ,kindergarten1 made for  
the teacher's convenience1 and those    
against the moral laws of the universe4 
,the desirableness of the by-laws that  
we make for our convenience can be shown
 at times when the children are all     

calm1 and their attention can be drawn  
to the subject2 and if these regulations
 are broken1 all that is necessary will 
be to ask if it is kind and loving to do
 such things8 ,but it must never be     
forgotten that natural conscience always
 suffers when artificial duties are     
imposed4 ,hence the immoral effect of   
formality and superstition4  ,in a      
well-regulated ,kindergarten there      
should be no punishments1 but an        
understanding should be had with parents
 that sometimes the child is to be sent 
home for a day1 or at least for some    
hours4 ,the curtailment of the          
,kindergarten will generally prove an   
effectual restraint upon disorder1 and  
it will not be necessary to repeat the  
penalty in a school year4  ,but ,i shall
 say no more upon moral and religious   
exercises1 ,mrs4 ,mann having treated   
this part of the subject so             
exhaustively4 ,it is to be remembered1  
however1 that she had in her school     
children who had strayed much farther   

from the kingdom of heaven than those   
who will generally make up the          
,kindergarten4 ,but she shows the spirit
 that should pervade all that is done to
 children at all times4        ,i saw1  
in observing the ,kindergartens of      
,germany1 that       there was great    
moral education involved in the mutual  
consideration of each other1 which the  
children learn       to practise1 in    
order to make the plays beautiful2 and  
also in the constant idea kept before   
them1 of making       beautiful things  
for the purpose of giving pleasure to   
their parents and other friends1 by     
giving them away       on birthdays and 
,christmas and ,new-,year's ,days4      
,moral       education does not come by 
the hearing of the ear1 but       by    
generous life4     ,,chapter ,,viii4    
,,object ,,lessons4   ,i ,,now come to  
,object ,lessons1 which should begin    
simultaneously with all the above       
exercises2 for mental exercises are not 
only compatible with physical health1   

but necessary to it4 ,the brain is not  
to be overstrained in childhood1 but it 
is to be used4 ,where it is left to     
itself1 and remains uncultivated1 it    
shrinks1 and that is disease4 ,a child  
is not able to direct its own attention2
 it needs the help of the adult in the  
unfolding of the mind1 no less than in  
the care of its body4 ,lower orders of  
animals can educate themselves1 that is1
 develop in themselves their one power4 
,as the animals rise in the scale of    
being1 they are related more or less to 
their progenitors and posterity1 and    
require social aid4 ,but the human      
being1 whose beatitude is the communion 
of the just1 is so universally related1 
that he cannot go alone at all4 ,he is  
entirely dependent at first1 and never  
becomes independent of those around him1
 any further than he has been so        
educated and trained by his relations   
with them1 as to rise into union with   
,god4 ,and this restores him again to   
communion with his fellow-beings1 as a  

beneficent ,power among its peers4  ,the
 new method of education gives a gradual
 series of exercises1 continuing the    
method of ,nature4 ,it cultivates the   
senses1 by giving them the work of      
discriminating colors1 sounds1 c42      
sharpens perception by leading children 
to describe accurately the objects      
immediately around them4  ,objects      
themselves1 rather than the verbal      
descriptions of objects1 are presented  
to them4 ,the only way to make words    
expressive and intelligible1 is to      
associate them sensibly with the objects
 to which they relate4 ,children must be
 taught to translate things into words1 
before they can translate words into    
things4 ,words are secondary in nature2 
yet much teaching seems to proceed on   
the principle that these are primary1   
and so they become mere counters1 and   
children are brought to hating study1   
and the discourse of teachers1 instead  
of thirsting for them4 ,to look at      
objects of nature and art1 and state    

their colors1 forms1 and properties of  
various kinds1 is no painful strain upon
 the mind4 ,it is just what children    
spontaneously do when they are first    
learning to talk4 ,it is a continuation 
of learning to talk4 ,the object-teacher
 confines the child's attention to one  
thing1 till all that is obvious about it
 is described2 and then asks questions1 
bringing out much that children1 left to
 themselves1 would overlook1 suggesting 
words when necessary1 to enable them to 
give an account of what they see4 ,it is
 the action of the mind upon real       
things1 together with clothing          
perceptions in words1 which really      
cultivates2 while it is not the painful 
strain upon the brain which the study of
 a book is4 ,to translate things into   
words1 is a more agreeable and a very   
different process from translating words
 into things1 and the former exercise   
should precede the latter4 ,if the mind 
is thoroughly exercised in wording its  
perceptions1 words will in their turn   

suggest the things1 without painful     
effort1 and memory have the clearness   
and accuracy of perception4 ,on the     
other hand words will never be used     
without feeling and intelligence4 ,then1
 to read a book will be to know all of  
reality that is in it4  ,i am desirous  
to make a strong impression on this     
point1 because1 to many persons1 ,i find
 object-teaching seems the opposite of  
teaching6 ,they say that to play with   
things1 does not give habits of study4  
,they think that to commit to memory a  
page of description about a wild duck1  
for instance1 is better than to have the
 wild duck to look at1 leading the child
 to talk about it1 describe it1 and     
inquire into its ways and haunts6 ,they 
do not see that this study of the things
 themselves exercises the perception1   
and picturesque memory1 which is        
probably immortal1 certainly perennial1 
while the written description only      
exercises the verbal memory4 ,verbal    
memory is not to be despised2 but it is 

a consequence1 and should never be the  
substitute for picturesque memory4 ,it  
is the picturesque memory only which is 
creative4  ,there is another and        
profound reason why words should follow1
 and not precede things1 in a child's   
memory4 ,it will have a tendency to     
preclude the unconscious sophistry which
 takes the place of real logic in so    
many minds2 and at all events will give 
the power to detect sophistry2 for it   
necessitates the mind to demand an      
image1 or an idea1 for every word4 ,it  
gives the habit of thinking things and  
principles1 instead of thinking words   
merely2--of looking through rhetoric    
after truth and reality4 ,there is      
nothing perhaps which would conduce more
 to sound morality and earnestness of   
character1 in this country1 than that   
object-teaching1 as proposed in ,mr4    
,sheldon's ,,elementary ,,instruction1  
should pervade the primary schools4 ,it 
would require a volume to go into       
object-teaching1 in such detail as to   

serve as a manual for teachers2 and     
happily the work of ,mr4 ,sheldon's1    
just named1 precludes the necessity of  
my doing so4 ,it is published broadcast 
over our northern ,states2 and every    
teacher1 especially every ,kindergarten 
teacher1 should procure it1 and give    
days and nights to the study of it1     
until its methods and matter are        
completely mastered4 ,i have one or two 
exceptions to take1 in respect to it    
myself1 as will be seen in the sequel2  
yet ,i consider it not only an          
invaluable manual1 but that it goes far 
to supply the place of the training     
school for teachers on the ,pestalozzian
 plan1 for whose use ,i believe it was  
primarily intended4  ,object-teaching   
should precede as well as accompany the 
process of learning to read4 ,in        
,germany1 even outside of ,kindergarten1
 thinking schools have long preceded    
reading schools1 and yet learning to    
read ,german1 in which every sound is   
represented by a different letter1 and  

every letter has one sound1 cultivates  
the classifying powers1 as learning to  
read ,english cannot4 ,with children    
whose vernacular is ,english1 it is     
absolutely injurious to the mind to be  
taught to read the first thing4 ,i must 
speak of the reasons of this in another 
place1 my purpose here being to show    
that object-teaching is necessary1 in   
order to make word-teaching1 whether by 
teacher's discourse1 or by the reading  
of books1 a means of culture at any     
period4  ,every child should have the   
object to examine1 and in turn each     
should say what is spontaneous4 ,out of 
their answers series of questions will  
be suggested to the teacher1 who should 
also be prepared with her own series of 
questions1--questions full of answers4  
,the first generalization to which      
children should be led is into the      
animate and inanimate1--what lives and  
what exists without manifestation of    
life4 ,the next generalization will be  
into mineral1 vegetable1 animal1 and    

personal4  ,but you can begin with      
chairs1 tables1 paper1 cloth1 c41 coming
 as soon as possible to natural objects4
 ,mrs4 ,agassiz's ,first ,lesson in     
,natural ,history is an excellent hint4 
,sea anemones1 star-fishes1 clams1 and  
oysters are easily procured4 ,if sea    
anemones1 taken into a bottle of salt   
water1 clinging to stones1 look like    
mere mosses at first1 on the second day 
it is pretty certain1 that in their     
desire for food they will spread        
themselves out1 displaying their inward 
parts in the most beautiful manner4     
,every child in the class should have   
his turn at the object1 if there are not
 objects enough for each1--should tell  
what he sees1 and be helped to words to 
express himself4 ,this1 ,i must repeat1 
is the true way of learning the meaning 
of words2 and leaves impressions1 which 
no dictionary1 with its periphrases and 
mere approximations to synonymes can    
give4 ,let a child himself hammer out   
some substance with a mallet1 and he    

will never forget the meaning of        
malleable2 and so of other words4 ,as   
far as possible we should always use    
,saxon words1 but it is the words that  
come from the ,latin and ,greek1 which  
it is most necessary to teach the       
meaning of2 and they should be taught by
 things themselves1 which have them for 
names or qualities4  ,a good linguist   
will have an advantage here1 by being   
able to trace the words through the     
original language up to nature2 for     
every word is1 in the last analysis1    
either a picture1 whose original in     
nature is its definition1 or a poem1    
which can be recognized by the general  
imagination4 ,a child whose vernacular  
is ,english will easily see that a bit  
is something bitten off1 and so is      
smaller than the mouth2 but that morsel 
means a bit is not so obvious to one who
 does not know that morsus1 also1 is the
 perfect participle of the ,latin verb  
for bite4 ,that acute means sharp is    
plainer to a child who knows that acu is

 the ,latin for needle4  ,no time is    
lost which is given to this definition  
of words by the objects of nature and   
art1 from which1 or from whose          
attributes1 words are derived4 ,in words
 are fossilized the sciences1 that is1  
the knowledge mankind has already       
attained of nature2 and he who          
understands all the words in use1 would 
know all that is known1 nay1 much that  
has been once known and long forgotten4 
,but the study of objects not only gives
 significance to words1 it educates the 
senses1 and produces the habit of       
original attention and investigation of 
nature4 ,these do not come of           
themselves1 as we see in the instance of
 country children1 who are ignorant of  
what is around them1 because left to    
grow up among the objects of nature1    
without having their attention called to
 things in their minuti1 or their       
relations in extensu2 nor led to clothe 
with words their perceptions1           
impressions1 and reasonings4  ,besides  

,mr4 ,sheldon's ,elementary             
,instruction1 there is the ,child's     
,book of ,nature1 by ,worthington       
,hooker1 in three parts1 which will be a
 great help to an object-teacher4 ,it is
 published by the ,harpers1 and is the  
very best introduction of children to   
flowers4,d ,mrs4 ,mann's ,flower ,people
 is also full of facts1 carefully       
studied out4 ,this is a charming book   
for children to read in1 when they shall
 come to read4 ,it is a great pity that 
the latest edition1 published by        
,ticknor and ,fields in #ahfb1 is not   
illustrated by the flowers spoken of4   
,but perhaps these may be lithographed1 
and published in a card-case1 to        
accompany it4 ,both the science and     
cultivation of flowers comes very       
naturally into the ,kindergarten4  ,the 
greatest difficulty about               
object-teaching is1 that it requires    
personal training1 and wide-awake       
attention in teachers1 of a character   
much more thorough than they commonly   

have4 ,when it shall become general1 as 
it certainly must1 it will no longer be 
supposed that any ordinary person who   
can read and write1 and is obliged to do
 something for a living1 will be thought
 fit to keep a school for small         
children6 ,the present order of things  
will be reversed4 ,ordinary persons1    
with limited acquirements1 will be      
obliged to confine themselves to older  
pupils1 who are able to study books and 
only need to have some one to set their 
lessons and hear them recited2 while    
persons of originality and rich culture 
will be reserved to discover and bring  
out the various genius and faculty which
 ,god has sown broadcast in the field of
 the race1 and which now so often runs  
into the rank vegetation of vice1 or    
wastes into deserts of concentrated     
mediocrity4 ,then this season of        
education will command the largest      
remuneration1 as it will secure the     
finest powers to the work2 and because  
such work cannot be pursued by any one  

person for many years1 nor even for a   
short time without assistance1 relieving
 from the ceaseless attention that a    
company of small children requires1 for 
little children cannot be wound up to go
 like watches2 but to keep them in      
order1 the teacher must constantly meet 
their outbursting life with her own     
magnetic forces2 while their employments
 must be continually interchanged1 and  
mingled with their recreations4         
,children ought to continue these       
,kindergarten exercises from the age of 
three to nine2 and if faithfully taught1
 they could then go into what is called 
scholastic training1 in a state of mind 
to receive from it the highest          
advantages it is capable of giving2 free
 from the disadvantages which are now so
 obvious as to have raised1 in our      
practical country1 a party prejudiced   
against classical education altogether4 
,the preceding chapter and the one on   
,geometry1 which       succeeds1 are    
rather for the direction of children in 

the last than the first years of the    
,kindergarten2 for       they go over   
into the second stage of education4     
,object-lessons1 addressed more to the  
heart and       imagination1 grow       
directly out of the plays1 as we        
have seen4        ,and1 without any of  
the terms of ,geometry1 the             
sticklaying and the folding of paper    
give the child       geometrical facts  
in a practical way2 as well as          
counting1 and all of arithmetic that    
precedes       ,colburn's ,first        
,lessons1 some of which can be taught   
even before teaching to read4           
,,footnote3  ,d ,gray's ,how ,plants    
,grow1 is invaluable for a teacher4     
,,chapter ,,ix4  ,,geometry4   ,,rev4   
,,dr4 ,,hill1 the present ,president of 
,harvard ,college1 in his articles in   
,dr4 ,barnard's ,journal of ,education1 
has set forth the importance of         
,geometry in the earliest education1    
giving the ,science of ,form precedence 
to that of numbers4 ,of course he does  

not mean that logical demonstration is  
to form one of the exercises of little  
children6 but that observation of       
differences and resemblances of shape1  
and the combination of forms1 should be 
inwoven with the amusements of children4
 ,he invented a toy on the principle of 
the ,chinese tanagram1 7published by    
,hickling1 ,swan  ,co41 in ,boston17 to 
further an exercise which begins in the 
cradle with the examination of the hands
 and feet4  ,the blocks are the first   
materials4 ,take the cube and ask how   
many faces it has2 how many corners2 and
 whether one face is larger than another
 or equal2 and finally1 lead the child  
to describe a cube as a solid figure    
with six equal sides1 and eight corners4
 ,then take a solid triangle from the   
box and draw out by questions that it   
has five sides and six corners1 that    
three of its sides are equal1 and two   
others equal2 that the three larger     
sides are four-sided1 and the two       
smaller sides are three-sided2 and that 

the corners are sharper than those of a 
cube4  ,make analogous use of all the   
blocks1 and of the furniture of the     
room1 of the sphere and its parts1 the  
cylinder1 c4 ,do not require the        
definition-formulas at first1 but       
content yourself with opening the       
children's eyes to the facts which the  
formula afterwards shall declare4       
,paper-folding can be made subservient  
to another step1 just short of          
abstraction4  ,give each one of a class 
a square piece of paper1 and proceed    
thus3 ,what is the shape of this paper8 
,how many sides has it8 ,which is the   
longest side8 ,how many corners has it8 
,have in hand1 already cut1 several     
acute and obtuse angled triangles1 and  
showing them1 ask if the corners of the 
square are like these corners8 ,if they 
are as sharp as some of them2 or as     
blunt as some8 ,spreading out the       
triangle before them say1 which is the  
sharpest corner1 and which the bluntest8
 and let the children compare them with 

the corners of the square1 by laying    
them upon the square4 ,they will see    
that the square corners are neither     
blunt nor sharp1 but as they will       
perhaps say1 straight4 ,let them look   
round the room1 and on the furniture and
 window-sashes1 find these several kinds
 of corner4 ,at least they can always   
find right angles in the furniture4     
,then tell them there is another word   
for corners1 namely1 angles1 that a     
square corner is a right angle1 a sharp 
corner a sharp angle1 and a blunt corner
 a blunt angle4  ,if the teacher chooses
 she can go farther and tell them that  
acute is another word for sharp1 and    
obtuse another word for blunt2 7or these
 two ,latin words may be deferred till  
by and by1 one new word angle being     
enough to begin with47  ,you can then   
say1 ,now tell me how you describe a    
square1 supposing somebody should ask   
you that did not know2 and give them    
more or less help to say3 ,a square is a
 figure with four equal sides and four  

straight corners 7or right angles74 ,to 
prove to them that it is necessary to   
mention the right angles in describing a
 square1 you can make a rhombus1 and    
show them its different shape with its  
acute and obtuse angles4 ,having thus   
exhausted the description of a square1  
let every one double up his square1 and 
so get an oblong4 ,ask if this is a     
square8 ,what is it8 ,how does it differ
 from a square8 ,are all four sides     
different from each other8 ,which sides 
are alike8 ,how are the corners 7or     
angles78 ,in what1 then1 is it like a   
square8 ,in what does it differ8 ,bring 
out from the child at last the          
description of an oblong1 as a          
four-sided figure with straight corners 
7or right angles71 and its opposite     
sides equal4 ,contrast it with some     
parallelogram which is not a rectangle1 
and which you must have ready4 ,let them
 now fold their oblongs again1 and      
crease the folds2 then ask them to      
unfold and say what they have1 and they 

will find four squares4 ,ask them if    
every square can be folded so as to make
 two oblongs1 and then if every oblong  
can be so divided as to make two        
squares8 ,if they say yes to this last  
question1 give them a shorter oblong1   
which you must have ready1 and having   
made them notice that it is an oblong1  
by asking them to tell whether its      
opposite sides are equal1 and its angles
 right angles1 ask them to fold it1 and 
see if it will make two squares4 ,they  
will see that it will not4 ,then ask    
them if all oblongs are of the same     
shape2 and then if all squares are of   
the same shape8  ,the above foldings    
will be enough for a lesson1 and if the 
children are small it will be enough for
 two lessons4  ,beginning the next time1
 ask them what is the difference between
 an oblong and square8 and if they have 
forgotten1 do not tell them in words1   
but give them square papers and let them
 learn it over again as before1 by their
 own observations4 ,then give them again

 square pieces of paper1 and ask them to
 join the opposite corners1 and crease a
 fold diagonally 7but do not use the    
word diagonally74 ,then ask them what   
shape they have got8 ,they will reply1 a
 three-sided figure4 ,ask them how many 
corners or angles it has1 and then tell 
them that1 on account of its being      
three-cornered1 it is called a triangle4
 ,now let them compare the angles1 and  
they will find that there is one        
straight corner 7right angle7 and two   
sharp corners 7acute angles74 ,ask them 
if the sides are equal1 and they will   
find that two sides are equal and the   
other side longer4 ,set up the triangle 
on its base1 so that the equal sides may
 be in the attitude of the outstretched 
legs of a man2 call their attention to  
this by a question1 and then say1 on    
account of this shape this triangle is  
called equal-legged1 as well as         
right-angled--a right-angled            
equal-legged triangle4 ,by giving them  
examples to compare it with1 you can    

demonstrate to them that all            
right-angled triangles are not          
equal-legged1 and all equal-legged      
triangles are not right-angled4 ,show   
them an equal-legged right-angled       
triangle1 an equal-legged acute-angled  
triangle1 and an equal-legged           
obtuse-angled triangle1 and this        
discrimination will be obvious4 ,the    
word isosceles can be introduced1 if the
 teacher thinks best2 but ,i keep off   
the ,greek and ,latin terms as long as  
possible4  ,now tell the children to put
 together the other two corners of their
 triangles1 laying the sharp corners on 
each other1 and crossing the fold2      
unfolding their papers they will find   
four right-angled equal-legged triangles
 creased upon their square paper4 ,are  
all these of the same shape1 and of the 
same size8 ,now fold the unfolded square
 into oblongs1 and make a crease1 and   
they will find1 on unfolding again1 that
 they have six isosceles triangles1 two 
of them being twice as large as any one 

of the other four4 ,ask1 are all these  
triangles of equal size8 ,are all of    
them similar in shape8 leading them to  
discriminate the use in geometry of the 
words equal and similar4 ,can triangles 
be large and small without altering the 
shape8 ,then similar and equal mean     
differently8 ,are all squares similar8  
are all squares equal8 are all triangles
 equal8 are all triangles similar8 ,what
 is the difference between a square and 
oblong8 ,what is the difference between 
a square and a triangle8 ,what is the   
difference between a square and a       
rhombus8 ,what kind of corners has a    
rhombus8 ,in what is a square like a    
rhombus8 ,how do you describe a         
triangle8 ,what is the name of the      
triangles you have learnt about8 ,they  
will answer right-angled1 equal-legged  
triangles4 ,then give them each a       
hexagon1 and ask them what kind of      
corners it has8 ,whether any one is more
 blunt than another8 ,whether any side  
is greater than another8 ,how many sides

 has it8 ,and then draw out from them   
that a hexagon is a figure of six equal 
sides1 with six obtuse angles1 just     
equal to each other in their obtuseness4
 ,having done this1 direct the folding  
till they have divided the hexagon into 
six triangles1 meeting at the centre4   
,ask them if these are right-angled     
triangles1 and if they hesitate1 give   
them a square to measure with4 ,then ask
 them if they are equal-legged          
7isosceles7 triangles4 ,they may say    
yes1 in which case reply yes1 and more  
than equal-legged1 they are equal-sided4
 ,all three sides are equal1 and so they
 have a different name1--they are called
 equilateral4 ,ask1 what is the         
difference between equilateral and      
isosceles1 if you have given them these 
names1 and help them1 if necessary1 to  
the answer1 equilateral triangles have  
all the sides equal1 isosceles triangles
 have only two sides equal4 ,are        
equilateral triangles all similar1 that 
is1 of the same shape8 ,are isosceles   

triangles all similar8 and if they      
hesitate or say yes1 show two isosceles 
triangles1 one with the third side      
shorter1 and one with it longer than the
 other two sides4  ,now give to each    
child a square1 and tell them to fold it
 so as to make two equal triangles2 then
 to unfold it1 and fold it into two     
equal oblongs4 ,unfold it again1 and    
there will be seen1 beside the          
triangles1 two other figures1 which are 
neither squares1 oblongs1 or triangles1 
but a four-sided figure of which no two 
sides are equal1 and only two sides are 
parallel1 with two right angles1 one    
obtuse and one acute angle4 ,let all    
this be brought out of the children by  
questions4 ,as there is no common name  
for this figure1 name it trapezoid at   
once4 ,then let them fold the paper to  
make two parallelograms at right angles 
with the first two1 and they will have  
two equal squares1 and four equal       
isosceles triangles1 which are equal to 
the two squares4 ,now fold the paper    

into two triangles1 and you will have   
eight triangles meeting in the centre by
 their vertices1 all of which are       
right-angled and equal-legged4 ,ask them
 if they are equal-sided8 so as to keep 
them very clear of confounding the      
isosceles with the equilateral1 but use 
the ,english terms as often as the      
,latin and ,greek1 for the vernacular   
keeps the mind awake1 while the foreign 
technical puts it into a passiveness    
more or less sleepy4 ,then give all the 
children octagons1 and bring out from   
them its description by sides and       
angles2 and then fold it so as to make  
eight isosceles triangles4  ,another    
thing that can be taught by             
paper-folding is to divide polygons1    
regular or irregular1 into triangles1   
and thus let them learn that every      
polygon contains as many triangles as it
 has sides1 less two4  ,proportions can 
also be taught by letting them cut off  
triangles1 similar in shape to the      
wholes1 by creases parallel to the base4

 ,grund's ,plane ,geometry will help a  
teacher to lessons on proportion1 and   
can be almost wholly taught by this     
paper-folding4 ,also ,professor         
,davies's ,descriptive ,geometry1 and   
,hay's ,symmetrical ,drawing4  ,of      
course it will take a teacher who is    
familiar with geometry to do all that   
may be done by this amusement1 to       
habituate the mind to consider and      
compare forms1 and their relations to   
each other4 ,exercises on folding       
circles can be added4 ,it would take a  
volume to exhaust the subject4 ,enough  
has been said to give an idea to a      
capable teacher4 ,care must be taken    
that the consideration should be always 
of concrete not of abstract forms4 ,mr4 
,hill says his ,first ,lessons in       
,geometry were the amusements of his son
 of five years old4 ,pascal and         
,professor ,pierce found out such       
amusements for themselves1 which had the
 high end of preparing them for their   
great attainments in logical geometry4  

,sometimes surprising applications of   
,geometry1 thus practically appreciated1
 will be made by very small people4 ,a  
boy of eight years of age1 with whom ,i 
read over ,mr4 ,hill's ,geometry for    
,beginners for his amusement1 in two    
months after invented a self-moving     
carriage for his sister's dolly1 that   
would give it a ride of ten feet6 ,a    
neighboring carpenter made it from his  
drafted model4     ,,chapter ,x4        
,,reading4   ,,this art should be taught
 simultaneously with writing1 or1 more  
properly1 printing2 and ,i should       
certainly advise that it do not come    
till children are hard upon seven years 
old1 if they have entered the           
,kindergarten at three4 ,for it properly
 belongs to the second stage of         
education1 after the ,kindergarten      
exercises on the blocks1 sticks1 peas1  
c41 are entirely exhausted2 and the     
children have become very expert in     
sewing1 weaving1 pricking1 and drawing4 
,they will then have received a certain 

cultivation of intellect which will make
 it possible to teach ,reading on a     
philosophical method1 which will make   
the acquisition a real cultivation of   
mind1 instead of the distraction it now 
is to those whose vernacular is         
,english1 the pot pourri of languages1  
and whose orthography should be called  
,kakography1 it is so lawless4  ,though 
we repudiate phonography1 so far as to  
deprecate its being applied to the      
,english language1 and reducing all our 
libraries to a dead language as it were1
 we are not insensible to the truth that
 phonography is the true principle of   
writing2 and this method of ours takes  
advantage of it to a certain extent1 as 
we shall proceed to show3 for if we     
pronounce the vowel-characters as in the
 ,italian language1 and the letters c   
and g hard1 it is a fact that the       
largest number of syllables in ,english 
will be found strictly phonographic4 ,it
 was on this hint1 given by a great     
philologist1 that the ,first ,nursery   

,reading ,book was written1 which has no
 word in it that makes an exception to  
the letters so sounded4 ,in my own      
,kindergarten1 where ,i began to teach  
reading when ,i was yet ignorant of the 
necessity for the previous training of  
which ,i have just given account1 ,i    
began to teach on this method1 reading  
and writing at the same time2 thus3--   
,all the children were set before the   
black-board1 with their slates and      
pencils2 and ,i said1 ,what does the cat
 say8 ,the answer was immediately       
ready1--mieaou4 ,now this sound goes    
from the highest to the lowest of the   
,italian vowels1 beginning with the     
consonant m4  ,i said1 ,now we will     
learn to print 'mieaou4' ,how does it   
begin8 ,i answered myself1--shutting my 
lips1 and sounding m4 ,they all imitated
 the sound1 which1 being a semi-vowel1  
was continuous4  ,i said1 ,we will write
 m1 putting down three short            
perpendiculars1 and joining them on top 
by a horizontal2 and ,i made the letter 

myself1 according to this direction1 and
 they imitated with more or less        
success4  ,i then said1 mi1 sounding the
 i as in machine2 and adding1 ,now we   
must write i1--and that is one little   
short perpendicular with a dot over it4 
,i did it1 and they imitated4  ,then ,i 
said mie1 sounding e as in egg1 only    
making it long2 and this e is made by a 
curve and straight line1--at the same   
time making it on the black-board1 which
 they imitated4  ,then ,i said miea1    
sounding a as in ah2 and1 as ,i made it 
on the black-board1 ,i said1 ,we will   
make a little egg2 and over the egg we  
will make a dot1 and that is a snake's  
head2 and this is the body1 ,i          
continued1 as ,i made the curve that    
completed the a4 ,they imitated with    
indifferent success1 but ,i did not     
criticise their scrawls4  ,then ,i said1
 mi7eao1 and making the o1 they imitated
 it easily4  ,then ,i said1 mieaou1     
sounding the u not yu1 but like u in    
,peru2 and they imitated sound and      

character4  ,it proved quite an         
entertainment to repeat this lesson1    
till they were very expert4 ,the next   
day ,i made them tell me the sounds1 one
 by one1 as ,i had done to them2 and ,i 
wrote the letters4 ,i also would write  
it1 letter by letter2 and they would    
sound first1 m1 then the syllable mi1   
then mie1 then miea1 then mieao1 then   
mieaou4 ,when they were perfectly       
familiar with these sounds and          
characters1 ,i told them these letters  
were called vowels1 or vocals1 because  
they were the sounds of the voice4  ,in 
another lesson1 ,i asked them how they  
made the sound m1 and helped them to say
 that they did it by putting their lips 
together1 and sounding without opening  
them2 for ,i wanted the power of the    
character and not the name1--em2 and    
then ,i said1 ,now tell me how shall ,i 
write mama8 which they also wrote on    
their slates4  ,i then said that the    
lips made another motion when they began
 to say papa2 that they were put        

together and opened without any sound of
 the voice at all1--at the same time    
showing it myself on my own lips4 ,and  
,i told them to write the letter p by   
making a straight perpendicular line1   
twice as long as the lines that made m2 
and then1 at the upper right hand1      
drawing their upper lip1--also doing it 
myself for them to imitate4 ,i then told
 them to put on an a after it1 then     
another p1 and then another a2 and now  
they had papa4  ,i said1 ,you have now  
articulated with your lips two sounds1  
but you can make more articulations with
 your lips4 ,you can put your lips just 
as you do to make p2 and then1 if you   
sound a little1 you will make b2 and    
when you write b1 you can make a        
perpendicular line as you did to make p1
 but instead of putting an upper lip to 
it1 put an under lip on the lower       
right-hand side of it2 and ,i showed how
 to do it on the black-board1 and saw   
that they imitated it on the slate4     
,the next day ,i began with calling on  

them to write the vowels1 dictating by  
the sounds ,i had given them2 and then  
the lip letters1 m1 p1 and b4  ,i then  
said1 ,but there are two more           
articulations with lips--,put your upper
 teeth on your lower lip and breathe    
7articulating f at the same time74 ,they
 imitated1 and ,i said1 ,now make a     
perpendicular line and cross it1 and    
then make the top of the line bend over 
a little2 that is the letter f 7,i gave 
the power1 not name1 ef74 ,now put your 
lip as before and breathe again1 making 
a little sound1 and instead of f it will
 be v4 ,the letter v is printed by two  
short obliques meeting at the bottom4   
,now you can make all the lip letters1  
m1 p1 b1 f1 v4  ,for exercise in        
printing1 and to make sure of these     
letters and sounds1 ,i told them to     
write ma1 pa1 ba1 fa1 va1 always keeping
 the ,italian sounds of the vowel2 also1
 me1 pe1 be1 fe1 ve2 mi1 pi1 bi1 fi1 vi2
 mo1 po1 bo1 fo1 vo2 and mu1 pu1 bu1 fu1
 vu4  ,another lesson was the tooth     

letters d1 t1 s4 ,here the teeth must be
 set together1 and a sound made for d2  
and the lip put behind the perpendicular
 in printing it2 the teeth put together1
 the articulation t is made without     
putting any voice to it4 ,the teeth put 
together1 and a hissing sound makes s4  
,the letter can be described as a snake1
 the head on the right and the tail on  
the left of the curl3 z is still more   
easily made by three lines4  ,these     
letters can be made fast in the memory1 
by dictating di1 de1 da1 do1 du2 ti1 te1
 ta1 to1 tu2 si1 se1 sa1 so1 su2 and zi1
 ze1 za1 zo1 zu4  ,then attention is    
drawn to throat letters4 ,the easiest to
 make is h4 ,let them see that the sound
 is breathed out of their throats1 and  
do not give it the name of aitch4 ,they 
can write ha1 hi1 he1 ho1 and hu2 and   
then make the sound k1 and show them how
 it is written3 sometimes k1 sometimes  
q1 and sometimes c2 and do not call c   
see4 ,make them write ca1 co1 cu2 ka1   
ke1 ki1 ko1 ku2 and qua1 que1 qui1 quo4 

,show them how to write the sonorous    
throat letter in go1 ga1 gu4 ,it will be
 very easy for them to make the nose    
sound n1 and write the letter by two    
short perpendiculars1 joined on top by a
 horizontal line2 the tongue sound l and
 the rolling r are also easily sounded  
and written4 ,in a week's lessons1 or   
possibly a fortnight's1 these letters   
can all be learned2 but it is of no     
consequence if it takes a month4        
,another way of learning the letters is 
given on a subsequent page 7the #gith72 
but this has the advantage of being a   
little more scientific1 and exercising  
the classifying instinct1 which has been
 considerably developed by the exercises
 involved in the occupations4  ,on      
account of the irregularity of what is  
called ,english orthoepy and            
orthography1 the written language is a  
chaos--into which1 when the child's mind
 is introduced in the usual way1 all its
 natural attempts at classification are 
baffled4 ,the late ,horace ,mann1 in a  

lecture on the alphabet1 has with great 
humor and perspicacity shown this2 and  
he recommended that children should be  
taught to read by words purely4 ,but    
when some years afterwards his attention
 was drawn to the phonic method1 he     
accepted it fully2 and wrote for ,mrs4  
,mann the preface to her ,philadelphia  
edition of the ,primer of ,reading and  
,drawing4 ,this was not until after it  
had been tested in his own family and   
some others1 where ,i had introduced the
 phonic method4  ,on the details of my  
method ,i must enlarge all the more1    
because ,i find myself differing in some
 respects from ,mr4 ,sheldon's plan1    
which loses a large part of the         
advantages of the phonic method by not  
having one definite sound for each      
letter4 ,as ,i have taught on my plan   
successfully for fifteen years1 ,i am   
prepared to defend it at all points1    
from the ground of a various experience4
 ,but ,i can adduce also the highest    
philologic authority for my mode of     

sounding the alphabet1,e as well as an  
argument of common sense from the nature
 of the case4  ,the primal cause of the 
chaotic condition of ,english           
orthography1 is the fact that the ,roman
 alphabet1 which was a perfect          
phonography of the old ,latin language1 
lacked characters for four ,english     
vowels and four ,english consonants4    
,the ,latin monks had not the wit to    
invent new characters for these         
additional sounds2 but undertook to use 
the ,roman letters for them also4 ,hence
 for the vowel heard in the words irk1  
err1 work1 and urge1 they used          
indifferently all four characters2 for  
truly one would do as well as another4  
,but if they had put a dot into the     
middle of the o1 and added it to the    
alphabet1 it would have been better than
 either4 ,also1 if for the vowel sound  
of pun1 they had put a dot under the u2 
and for the vowel sound of man1 they had
 put a dot under the a2 and for the     
vowel sound of not1 a dot under the o2  

they would have had four more letters in
 their alphabet1 which would have       
completed the phonography of the        
,english vowels4 ,similar dots under d t
 s c would have made a phonography of   
consonants1 and avoided the awkward     
combinations of sh1 ch1 and the         
ambiguity of th1 which now stands for   
the differing initials of then and thin4
  ,but as they did not do this1 a       
certain divorce took place between the  
ideas of the sounds and the letters2 and
 hence the long uncertainty of the      
,english orthography1 and the           
stereotyped absurdities which now mark  
it4  ,it is so nearly impossible to     
remedy a difficulty which has passed    
into print so largely1 that we have to  
accept the evil1 and remedy as best we  
may the disadvantage it is to young     
minds to have all this confusion        
presented to them on the threshold of   
their literary education4,f  ,it was    
suggested to me by ,dr4 ,kraitsir1 that 
,i should take a volume of any book1 and

 count the times that each of the       
vowels1 and c and g1 were sounded as the
 ,romans sounded them1 and how many     
times they were sounded otherwise1 and  
thus see whether it was true1 as he     
said1 that these ,roman sounds were the 
most frequent1 even in the ,english     
language4 ,i did so on a few pages of   
,sir ,walter ,scott's novels1 and found 
that the letter i sounded as in ink #bdj
 times1 to one that it sounded as in    
bind2 and though the proportion was not 
quite so great with any other vowel1 yet
 there was a large majority for the     
,roman sound1 in each instance1 as well 
as for the hard sounds of c and g4      
,indeed ,i found g was hard1 even before
 e and i1 in the case of every ,saxon   
word2 and that all the soft gs1 which   
are not many1 were derived from the     
,norman-,french4  ,i then set myself to 
find what words in ,english were written
 entirely with the ,roman-sounding      
letters2 and1 to my surprise1 found a   
large number1--enough to fill a primary 

spelling-book2--while most of the       
syllables of the rest of the words in   
the language yielded on analysis the    
same sounds4 ,it immediately occurred to
 me to begin to teach children to read  
by these words1 whose analysis would    
always yield them the ,roman sounds1 and
 reserve1 till afterwards1 the words    
which are exceptions1 leaving the       
anomalies to be learnt by rote4  ,i     
tried my first experiment on a child a  
little more than four years old1 by     
printing on a black-board certain words1
 letter by letter1 until he had learned 
the whole alphabet1 both to know each   
character at sight1 and to print it on  
the black-board1 and it was a signal    
success4  ,for the convenience of those 
who do not know the old ,roman          
pronunciation of ,latin1 for which our  
alphabet is a perfect phonography1 ,i   
will give the sounds of the letters     
here4  ,in the case of the vowels 7voice
 letters71    i is pronounced    7ih    
as in ink1     7not eye47   e           

7eh    as in ell1     7not as in be47   
a                 7ah    as in arm1     
7not as in may47   o                 7oh
    as in old1   u                 7uh  
as in ruin1    7not as in unit47  in the
 case of the consonants1 giving the     
power of the letter by making them      
finals1 and obscuring the e as much as  
possible for the lip letters1 7eb1 7ef1 
7ep1 7ev1 while the semi-vowels m1 n1 l1
 r1 require not even the obscure 7e to  
their being sounded perfectly1 shutting 
the lips and sounding m1 opening them   
and shutting the palate to sound n1     
holding the tongue still to sound l1    
shaking it to sound r1 77el1 7em1 7en1  
7er27 the tooth letters 7ed1 7et1 7ess1 
7ezz--and the throat letters 7ec1 7ek1  
eq1,g eg1 and a breathing from the      
throat for h4 ,often children will come 
to the ,kindergarten knowing the        
letters1 in which case it is best to    
begin with the letters according to the 
organs1 as is suggested in my first     
chapter1 and when they give the old     

names--you can say1 ,no1 ,i do not want 
that name but the sound4  ,the whole    
alphabet in order will then be 7ah1 7eb1
 7ec1 7ed1 7eh1 7ef1 7eg1 h 7breathed71 
7ih1 7ej1 7ek1 7el1 7em1 7en1 7oh1 7ep1 
7eq1 7er1 7ess1 7et1 7uh 7oo7 7ev1 w    
7breathed7 7ex1 y1 just like 7ih1 and   
not called wye1 7ez4 ,also the sign  for
 the word and4  ,in the first part of   
this chapter1 ,i have detailed one      
method of beginning with a class1--that 
of giving the sounds of the letters     
first1 classed according to the organs4 
,but my common way is to begin with     
whole words1 which are more sure to     
interest a child4 ,a limited number of  
words arranged in sentences1 teaches    
them to know and write the whole        
alphabet4 ,for the convenience of       
teachers who may not have either my     
,first ,nursery ,reading-,book1 or ,mrs4
 ,mann's ,primer of ,reading and        
,drawing on hand1 ,i will give here some
 sentences that contain the whole       
alphabet1 which the teacher can teach by

 printing them on the black-board1 and  
letting the children imitate them with  
pencil on the slate1 or chalk on the    
black-board4  ,o puss1 puss1 pussy2 ,o  
kitty1 kitty1 kitty2 ,kitty sings miu1  
miu2 pussy sings mieaou2 pussy is old1  
pussy is cold2 put pussy into mamma's   
basket2 mamma is singing to papa2 papa  
is kissing mamma2 pussy1 go to kitty1   
go1 go1 go2 kitty is in mamma's basket2 
go into mamma's garden1 and pick roses1 
anemones1 tulips1 and pinks2 mamma's    
velvet dress fits well2 bells ring and  
cars go2 cars go very quickly2 hens sit2
 hens eggs2 eggs in lark's nest2 eggs in
 linnet's nest2 larks sing tralala1     
tralala2 fill mamma's basket full of    
roses1 anemones1 pinks1 tulips1         
crocuses2 ,lizzy is dizzy1 very dizzy2  
,helen is rosy red2 ,alexis sent his    
mamma a jar full of jelly2 ,barbara     
kisses ,cora2 ,dora is spinning yarn2   
,flora is spinning yarn2 ,gilbert sent  
,henry a jar of guava jelly2 ,isabella  
is kissing ,julia2 ,karlito sent a      

linnet's egg to ,lilian2 ,margaret picks
 roses2 ,nina picks tulips in ,olivia's 
garden2 ,penelope plants pinks in       
,ellen's garden2 ,rosalind sings to     
,quasi-modo2 ,susan puts eggs into      
mamma's basket2 ,tina brings roses to   
,vivian2 ,willy brings crocuses to      
mamma4  ,the above sentences1 written   
over and over again1 will teach all the 
letters2 others must be added1 but after
 certain letters are learnt1 it is      
useful1 and a pleasant variety1 for the 
children to write columns of words1 with
 only one letter differing2 thus1 old1  
cold1 fold1 gold1 hold1 sold1 told1     
wold2 ell1 bell1 dell1 fell1 hell1      
quell1 sell1 tell1 well2 art1 cart1     
dart1 hart1 mart1 part1 tart1 start2 in1
 binn1 din1 fin1 jin1 kin1 pin1 sin1    
tin1 win1 c41 c4  ,my ,first ,nursery   
,reading-,book is entirely made up of   
such columns1 after half a dozen pages  
of words in sentences2 and long before  
the children have written it half       
through1 they can pronounce the words on

 first sight1 though many of them are   
five and six syllables long4  ,and here 
,i must foreclose some criticisms which 
have been made on this book4            
,first1--that the sentences are not     
interesting or important4 ,that is of no
 moment4 ,children are interested in    
separate words2 especially if they are  
to write them as well as read them4 ,i  
have never seen children tired of the   
words1 and of making them4  ,some       
persons have disputed the pronunciation 
of some of the words4 ,there are1       
perhaps1 half a dozen inadvertencies in 
the book which can be corrected in a    
second edition4  ,i indicate no         
difference between the s when it is     
sounded sharp1 and when soft like z4    
,but ,i think this will never lead to   
any practical error2 because the        
language is vernacular1 and the child   
has a teacher4  ,i affirm that the      
article a is sounded ah in the spoken   
language1 when it is not accented4 ,also
 that in such words as deject1 reject1  

c41 the two e's sound alike1 like most  
unaccented e's in the language4  ,for a 
time1 there is no need for the children 
to have a book at all4 ,let them have a 
lesson fifteen minutes long in which    
they write the words after the dictation
 of the teacher4  ,let the written words
 remain on the black-board1 and after   
some other employments have intervened1 
let them read the words off the         
black-board4  ,when they have mastered  
all the letters1 it is a good plan to   
give them the book1 and let them find   
the words4 ,showing them a line1 ask    
them to look along and find a certain   
word4  ,they will be pleased to find    
that they can read in a book1 and will  
like to copy on their slates the columns
 of words1 which may be made another    
exercise of a quarter of an hour4 ,in my
 ,kindergarten1 they write the words1   
after the teacher1 on their blackboards2
 and afterwards write out of the printed
 books upon the slate4 ,i have hitherto 
had more time1 in proportion1 given to  

the reading than my own judgment quite  
approves2 because parents are so urgent1
 and measure their children's progress  
so exclusively by their power of        
reading2 and1 if they do not learn a    
great deal faster than children usually 
learn to read1 distrust the system1 and 
interfere4  ,even if this method did    
prove longer than other methods of      
learning to read1 ,i should wish to     
pursue it1 because to find that the same
 letter always represents the same      
sound1 cultivates the mind's power of   
classification1 and gives it confidence 
in its own little reasoning4 ,but ,i    
have found that it is a shorter1 not a  
longer1 process4 ,i have known a child  
of three years old1 who was found to    
know how to read1 when there was no     
thought of teaching him1 but his brother
 of five years old had been taught to   
read upon the black-board in his        
presence4 ,a child of seven years old   
learnt to read and write print          
beautifully1 in three months1 in lessons

 of ten minutes1 given only when she    
asked for them4 ,and in those cases     
there was not the additional advantage  
of a class4 ,several children in my own 
,kindergarten1 in my first season1 when 
,i never gave half an hour in the day to
 reading1 not only mastered my first    
,nursery ,reading-,book1 but got upon   
the anomalous words1 and learnt to read 
so far1 that the second season they     
could read fluently4 ,if as much time   
was given1 in the ,kindergarten1 to mere
 reading1 as is given in the public     
schools1 they would1 doubtless1 have    
learnt in three months1 but ,i would not
 give the time2 for ,i believe it is so 
much better for the whole nature1 i4 e41
 all the powers of sense and            
apprehension1 to be cultivated by       
examining objects4  ,i have also another
 difficulty to contend with4 ,children  
are taught their letters at home1 and   
the parents interfere to help1 and      
really hinder by bringing in the old    
sounds of the letters and the anomalous 

words1 before ,i am ready for them4     
,there is no objection to the children's
 having the ,first ,nursery-,book at    
home to use and copy on their slates1   
provided those at home will confine     
themselves to pronouncing the words to  
them instead of attempting to spell     
them4  ,the question1 however1 comes at 
last1 ,but how are they to attain the   
rest of the language8 ,before ,i had any
 experience1 ,i myself thought this was 
to be a great difficulty4 ,in the first 
instance1 after ,i had brought my little
 pupil to the point that he could print 
correctly any word that ,i pronounced to
 him1 and could read at sight any of my 
selected words1 ,i gave him a piece of  
poetry to read1 beginning--  ,sleep1    
baby1 sleep4  ,he read it slay-ape      
bahby1 slay-ape4  ,i said1 ,no1 that    
first word is sleep4 ,he was surprised1 
and wondered why it was written so4  ,i 
said1 ,perhaps they used to say slayape1
 but they say sleep now2 and in books   
there are a good many such words4 ,now  

,i will rub out sl 7,i pronounced this  
combination with one impulse of the     
voice7 and put a w1 and say1 now1 what  
is that8 ,o1 ,that is weep4 ,now ,i     
rubbed out the w1 and put d4 ,he        
immediately said1 ,that is deep4 ,i     
said1 ,now you write sleep1 and under it
 put weep1 deep1 peep1 keep1 steep1     
sweep1 creep4 ,he did so1 at once1 and  
then he took great pleasure in getting a
 paper and lead-pencil1 and writing the 
whole column1 which1 of course1 he never
 forgot4 ,i proceeded in the same       
manner1 till he had not only written all
 the song1 but all the analogues of each
 word1--and it was wonderful how soon he
 could read4 ,the scientific habit of   
mind which was attained by classing the 
words as he learned them1 has shown     
itself throughout his education4 ,he    
never learned a so-called               
spelling-lesson1 but he scarcely ever   
wrote a word wrongly spelled2 and it has
 been a uniform observation that        
children taught on this method always   

write without errors4 ,each variation   
from the standard so strongly fixed in  
their minds makes a great impression2   
and to write the words in groups1 makes 
these anomalies remembered in groups4   
,in my own ,kindergarten1 ,i give to my 
class ,mother ,goose's ,melodies4 ,they 
know many of them by heart2 but ,i make 
them sit in class1 and each1 in turn1   
read one word1 in order to teach them to
 keep the place1 and when they finish a 
verse1 ,i ask them to find some word1   
and often make it the nucleus of a group
 of words of the same kind1 to be       
written upon the black-board and slates 
as above4 ,but ,i think it is a good    
plan1 before giving a book1 to call     
their attention to the initial sounds of
 thin1 then1 shin1 chin1 and ask them   
what letter stands for these4 ,of course
 they will say they do not know4 ,then  
you can say ,there is none2 for the     
people who made these letters did not   
have these sounds in their language2 and
 so1 when they came to write ,english1  

they put a t and h together to stand for
 one sound2 and c and h for another2 and
 s and h for another4  ,lists of words  
should then be dictated and written3    
such as thin1 think1 thing1 thrift1     
thrill1 thick1 bath1 lath1 doth1 sloth1 
quoth1 pith1 smith1 fifth1 filth1 width1
 depth1 tenth1 truth1 thresh1 threshold1
 methodist1 synthetic1 pathetic1        
cathartic1 then1 them1 with1 this1      
hither1 thither1 nether1 tether1        
hitherto1 farthing1 withhold1 brethren1 
char1 chart1 charm1 chaff1 chant1 larch1
 march1 parch1 starch1 chest1 chess1    
chin1 chick1 chill1 chit1 chink1 chintz1
 rich1 chirrup1 inch1 pinch1 clinch1    
flinch1 winch1 finch1 filch1 milch1     
clinch1 trench1 bench1 wrench1 quench1  
shin1 ship1 sharp1 shark1 shed1 shell1  
shelf1 shaft1 shorn1 shred1 shrift1     
shrimp1 shrill1 flesh1 mesh1 fresh1     
dish1 fish1 wish1 harsh1 marsh1 sheriff1
 shiver1 relish1 cherish1 perish1       
freshet1 finish1 prudish1 bluish1       
garnish1 tarnish1 varnish1 blemish1     

refresh4 ,attention can then be called  
to the words beginning with wh1 which   
are pronounced 7as they were written in 
,saxon7 by uttering the h before the w2 
as when1 whet1 whelk1 whelp1 whelm1     
wherry1 whiz1 whig1 whip1 whiff1 whist1 
whisk1 whirl1 which1 whimper1 pronounced
 hwen1 hwet1 c4  ,i suppose ,i need not 
say that the consideration of one of the
 extra consonants will be enough for one
 lesson4  ,the next step is to learn the
 diphthongs1 that is1 the proper--which 
,i consider the only--diphthongs4 ,make 
the children pronounce oi1 and see that 
two sounds are slid together2 and then  
let them write on their slates1 in      
different columns1 boil1 coil1 foil1    
soil1 toil1 moil1 spoil1 coin1 join1    
groin1 point1 joint1 joist1 hoist1      
foist1 moist1 cloister1 surloin1        
exploit1 void1 c42 also boy1 coy1 joy1  
toy1 cloy1 loyal1 royal1 envoy1 enjoy1  
c4  ,then let them pronounce the        
diphthong ou1 and write in one column   
the words out1 our1 thou1 loud1 proud1  

cloud1 noun1 bound1 found1 hound1 mound1
 pound1 round1 sound1 wound1 bout1      
clout1 flout1 lout1 gout1 pout1 rout1   
sprout1 spout1 shout1 snout1 stout1     
mouth1 south1 couch1 crouch1 slouch1    
pouch1 vouch1 roundabout1 bounty1       
county1 amount1 abound1 scoundrel1      
discount1 expound1 about1 c42 and in    
another1 how1 cow1 bow1 mow1 now1 vow1  
owl1 scowl1 brow1 prow1 howl1 gown1     
brown1 crown1 drown1 cowl1 fowl1 crowd1 
clown1 frown1 vowel1 towel1 trowel1     
prowess4 ,call attention to the proper  
diphthong1 which we write with what we  
call i long1 7but it is no sound of 7ih 
at all17 and which the ,romans wrote as 
a diphthong with two letters1 ae and ai1
 pronouncing it as we do the i in ire4  
,then let them write in columns bind1   
find1 grind1 hind1 blind1 kind1 mind1   
rind1 wind1 violet1 dialect1 inquiry1   
horizon1 c4  ,this same diphthong is    
also written with the ,greek y1--in my1 
thy1 cry1 try1 fry1 wry1 fly1 ply1      
asylum1 dynasty1 petrify1 signify1      

vilify1 vivify1 simplify1 rectify1      
edify1 notify1 c4  ,call attention      
lastly1 to the diphthong yu1 written    
first with the letter u simply1 as in   
unit1 humid1 fuel1 cubic1 stupid1       
putrid1 mutual1 funeral1 singular1      
bitumen1 acumen1 nutriment2 and secondly
 with ew1 as few1 chew1 pew1 new1 mew1  
mewl1 eschew1 sinew2 thirdly with iew1  
as view2 fourthly with eu1 as in eulogy1
 ,european1 c42 sometimes with eau1 as  
in beauty and its compounds4  ,there is 
no propriety in calling au a diphthong1 
as it is one sound1 and not two sounds4 
,it is one of the extra vowels of the   
,english language1 written when short   
with o 7though it is no sound of o      
proper7 a1 aw1 and oa4  ,and now we come
 to the consideration of the extra      
vowels1 beginning with this sound heard 
short in not1 and long in the name of a 
carpenter's tool1 awl4  ,explain that   
there is no character for this vowel in 
the ,roman alphabet1 because the sound  
was not in the ,latin language1 and then

 proceed to show how it is written in   
various ways3 first with an o1 as in    
bob1 cob1 fob1 gob1 job1 mob1 nob1 rob1 
sob1 cock1 dock1 hock1 lock1 clock1     
flock1 mock1 pock1 frock1 rock1 crock1  
shock1 sock1 cod1 hod1 nod1 pod1 odd1   
shod1 rod1 sod1 trod1 doff1 off1 of1    
7pronounced ov17 cog1 dog1 fog1 hog1    
jog1 log1 nog1 doll1 loll1 poll1 on1    
don1 ton1 pond1 fond1 blond1 won1 fop1  
drop1 crop1 lop1 mop1 pop1 sop1 top1    
chop1 shop1 stop1 swop1 prop1 ox1 box1  
fox1 pox1 moth1 loth1 froth1 broth1 lot1
 cot1 dot1 got1 hot1 jot1 not1 pot1 rot1
 sot1 tot1 wot1 grot1 clot1 shot1 spot1 
boss1 cross1 dross1 floss1 loss1 moss1  
toss1 gloss1 cost1 frost1 lost1 tost1   
bond1 fond1 pond1 pomp1 romp4 ,then show
 that it is written sometimes with an a1
 as in all1 fall1 call1 hall1 gall1     
tall1 wall1 small1 stall1 ball1 thrall1 
squall1 squash1 squad1 squat1 quart1    
war1 dwarf1 scald1 bald1 salt1 halt1    
swab1 ward1 sward1 warn1 warp1 warm1    
wand1 want1 was1 wast1 wash1 swan1      

watch1 swamp1 waltz1 wasp2 sometimes    
with au1 as in daub1 fraud1 gaudy1      
fault1 vault1 paunch1 craunch1 laurel1  
haul1 caul1 maul1 augury1 autumnal2 and 
sometimes with aw1 as in caw1 daw1 draw1
 haw1 hawk1 jaw1 law1 maw1 paw1 claw1   
straw1 raw1 thaw1 squaw1 saw1 flaw1 awl1
 shawl1 bawl1 brawn1 drawn1 awning1     
tawny1 awkward1 tawdry1 sawyer1 mawkish1
 lawful2 also with oa in broad4         
,another extra vowel1 heard in the word 
man1 is written1 in default of a        
character for it1 with a1 as in cab1    
dab1 gab1 jab1 nab1 hack1 back1 jack1   
lack1 pack1 rack1 crack1 clack1 black1  
bad1 gad1 glad1 had1 lad1 mad1 pad1 sad1
 shad1 bag1 cag1 fag1 gag1 hag1 lag1    
nag1 rag1 crag1 shag1 sag1 tag1 wag1    
mall1 shall1 am1 dam1 flam1 ham1 sham1  
jam1 an1 ban1 can1 fan1 clan1 man1 pan1 
ran1 band1 hand1 land1 stand1 strand1   
grand1 brand1 cap1 flap1 gap1 chap1 lap1
 clap1 map1 nap1 pap1 sap1 tap1 at1 bat1
 cat1 fat1 gat1 hat1 that1 mat1 pat1    
rat1 brat1 sat1 spat1 sprat1 tat1 vat4  

,this same vowel is heard in the word   
plaid4  ,a third extra vowel is heard in
 pun1 and written generally with an u2  
as cub1 dub1 hub1 nub1 rub1 scrub1 drub1
 tub1 buck1 duck1 luck1 cluck1 muck1    
pluck1 suck1 stuck1 truck1 tuck1 chuck1 
bud1 cud1 dud1 mud1 suds1 stud1 scud1   
buff1 cuff1 luff1 bluff1 muff1 puff1    
stuff1 ruff1 scuff1 bug1 dug1 drug1 hug1
 jug1 lug1 slug1 shrug1 mug1 snug1 tug1 
cull1 dull1 gull1 hull1 mull1 null1     
scull1 gum1 hum1 drum1 glum1 plum1 mum1 
rum1 sum1 bun1 dun1 gun1 pun1 run1 sun1 
tun1 stun1 shun1 up1 cup1 sup1 bump1    
crump1 dumps1 gump1 hump1 jump1 lump1   
mumps1 pump1 rump1 us1 buss1 fuss1 muss1
 rush1 crush1 gush1 hush1 mush1 tush1   
bust1 dust1 gust1 just1 lust1 must1     
rust1 crust1 but1 cut1 gut1 hut1 jut1   
nut1 rut1 tut1 bunk1 funk1 sunk1 drunk1 
trunk1 hunt1 punt1 blunt1 grunt1 brunt1 
lunch1 bunch1 hunch1 munch1 punch1 bulk1
 sulk1 skulk1 gulp1 pulp1 gulf1 tuft1   
bung1 hung1 lung1 clung1 rung1 stung1   
swung1 strung1 musk1 rusk1 dusk1 tusk1  

busk1 mulct1 buskin1 musket1 runlet1    
bucket1 public4 ,this same sound is     
written with o in mother1 brother1 some1
 come1 c41 and ou in touch1 and in      
rough1 tough1 enough1 in which gh sounds
 like ff4  ,the fourth extra vowel in   
,english having no character for it is  
written1 first1 with i1 as irk1 shirk1  
dirk1 kirk1 mirk1 quirk1 bird1 gird1    
whirl1 quirl1 girl1 firm1 first1 chirp1 
shirt1 sir1 fir1 stir1 flirt1 spirt1    
squirt1 squirm1 girdle1 c4 ,secondly1   
with e1 as in err1 her1 herd1 term1     
fern1 pert1 wert1 overt1 clerk1 sperm1  
stern1 insert1 vermin1 perhaps1 perplex1
 persist1 expert1 divert1 superb1       
sterling1 verdict1 pervert1 ferment1    
fervent1 servant1 perfect1 serpent1     
partner1 sever1 several1 inter1         
internal1 fraternal1 paternal1 maternal1
 external1 infernal1 interdict1         
intermix1 infer2 and generally the final
 er1 as silver1 toper1 c4 ,thirdly1 this
 vowel is written with o1 as in work1   
worm1 word1 worst1 world1 worth2 and the

 final or1 as in arbor1 ardor1 vigor1 c4
 ,fourthly1 with an u1 as in urn1 burn1 
turn1 churn1 spurn1 cur1 fur1 blur1 bur1
 purr1 spur1 curb1 suburb1 surd1 curd1  
surf1 scurf1 turf1 turk1 lurk1 curl1    
furl1 hurl1 hurdle2 and the finals ur1  
or1 and ture1 as arbor1 honor1 perjure1 
injure1 c4  ,another anomaly of ,english
 orthography is the silent e1 at the end
 of so many words2 as doe1 foe1 hoe1    
roe1 toe1 cue1 clue1 blue1 glue1 flue1  
give1 live1 lucre1 axle1 noble1 ogle1   
reptile1 fertile1 sterile1 sextile1     
flexible1 futile1 missile1 famine1      
jasmine1 destine1 pristine1 frigate1    
senate1 reptile1 legate1 pensive1       
missive1 active1 captive1 festive1      
motive1 sportive1 illusive1 defective1  
objective1 elective1 invective1         
perspective1 defensive1 expensive1      
preventive1 retentive1 progressive1     
vindictive1 restrictive1 instinctive1   
descriptive1 explosive1 corrosive1      
delusive1 exclusive1 inclusive1         
preclusive1 intensive1 palliative1      

narrative1 relative1 privative1         
lucrative1 intuitive1 infinitive1       
explicative1 figurative1 imitative1     
indicative1 superlative1 diminutive1    
retrospective1 barnacle1 spectacle1     
miracle1 pinnacle1 article1 particle1   
ventricle1 edible1 credible1 flexible1  
audible1 enoble1 ignoble1 sensible1     
senile1 juvenile1 feminine1 eglantine1  
multiple1 dissemble1 assemble1          
quadrille1 clandestine1 intestine1      
determine1 illumine1 calibre1 ferule1   
marble1 pebble1 treble1 tremble1 nibble1
 quibble1 scribble1 nimble1 meddle1     
peddle1 kindle1 spindle1 fiddle1 riddle1
 griddle1 quiddle1 middle1 twinkle1     
gargle1 single1 mingle1 sparkle1        
speckle1 sickle1 tickle1 trickle1       
dimple1 simple1 pimple1 ripple1 triple1 
pickle1 grizzle1 little1 brittle1       
spittle1 whittle1 nettle1 settle1       
kettle1 startle1 tinkle1 sprinkle1      
valise1 marine1 ravine1 machine1        
,alexandrine1 creditable1 and other     
words having the final syllable ble4    

,this silent e final is found also in   
words which have the diphthong i2 as    
bide1 glide1 hide1 chide1 ride1 side1   
slide1 tide1 wide1 bride1 fife1 life1   
wife1 rife1 strife1 bribe1 jibe1 dike1  
like1 bile1 file1 mile1 pile1 tile1     
vile1 wile1 smile1 while1 style1 dime1  
time1 mime1 chime1 rime1 prime1 crime1  
dine1 fine1 thine1 line1 nine1 mine1    
pine1 spine1 shine1 wine1 swine1 twine1 
vine1 kine1 chine1 pipe1 wipe1 ripe1    
gripe1 snipe1 tripe1 stripe1 type1 vie1 
dire1 fire1 hire1 mire1 shire1 sire1    
tire1 lyre1 wire1 spire1 squire1 tribe1 
scribe1 bribe1 jibe1 bite1 kite1 mite1  
smite1 kite1 write1 white1 trite1 wise1 
lithe1 blithe1 writhe1 strive1 thrive1  
drive1 wive1 alive1 size1 prize1        
agonize1 paralyze1 sympathize1          
symbolize1 c4  ,e may also be considered
 silent1 it is so obscure1 in many words
 ending in el and en2 as harden1 bidden1
 golden1 garden1 sicken1 quicken1       
thicken1 stricken1 broken1 spoken1      
token1 swollen1 stolen1 open1 kitten1   

mitten1 smitten1 bitten1 given1 molten1 
driven1 woven1 frozen1 mizzen1 dizzen1  
tinsel1 morsel1 swivel1 drivel1 novel1  
model1 level1 bevel1 eleven1 seven1 c4  
,u and e are both silent in the words   
rogue1 brogue1 fugue1 eclogue1 prologue1
 apologue1 epilogue1 intrigue1 fatigue1 
synagogue1 demagogue1 pedagogue1        
decalogue1 catalogue1 mystagogue1       
picturesque1 burlesque1 grotesque1      
pique1 casique4  ,u is silent in guess1 
guest1 guard1 gaunt1 flaunt1 taunt1     
daunt1 avaunt1 launch1 staunch1 laundry1
 laundress1 liquor1 piquet1 coquette1   
paroquet1 exchequer1 palanquin1         
guarantee1 gauntlet1 saunter1 guilt1    
guitar1 built1 build1 biscuit1 four1    
pour1 court1 gourd1 mould1 bourn1 soul1 
moult1 shoulder1 poultry1 coulter2 and w
 final1 when preceded by vowels1 except 
when ow stands for ou diphthong1 is     
silent4  ,i is silent in fruit1 suit1   
recruit1 bruise1 cruise1 heifer1        
surfeit1 forfeit1 counterfeit1 ,madeira1
 and y in they1 prey1 whey1 obey1       

heyday1 convey1 survey1 purvey4  ,w is  
silent in bow1 low1 mow1 row1 sow1 tow1 
slow1 blow1 glow1 flow1 snow1 row1 crow1
 grow1 throw1 bowl1 own1 blown1 flown1  
grown1 sown1 mown1 growth1 owner1       
toward1 below1 lower1 disown1 arrow1    
barrow1 farrow1 harrow1 marrow1 fallow1 
gallows1 hallow1 shallow1 sallow1       
tallow1 bellow1 fellow1 yellow1 shadow1 
burrow1 furrow1 billow1 pillow1 willow1 
widow1 minnow1 winnow1 follow1 hollow1  
morrow1 sorrow4  ,a is silent in boat1  
coat1 goat1 doat1 moat1 groat1 bloat1   
throat1 loath1 oath1 boast1 coast1      
roast1 coax1 hoax1 oak1 soak1 cloak1    
coach1 poach1 roach1 broach1 goad1 load1
 coal1 foal1 goal1 shoal1 oaf1 loaf1    
foam1 loam1 roam1 loan1 moan1 groan1    
soap1 oar1 boar1 soar1 board1 hoard1    
hoarse1 hoary1 cocoa1 gloaming1         
encroach1 reproach1 approach4  ,the     
silent consonants are k before          
n--7doubtless pronounced in ,saxon      
times17 in knit1 knee1 knell1 kneel1    
knave1 knife1 knack1 know1 knead1       

knives1 knock1 knuckle4  ,also1 g before
 n1 as gnat1 gnaw1 gnarl1 gnome1 gnash1 
reign1 deign1 sign1 consign1 assign1    
design1 condign1 benign1 impugn1 oppugn1
 arraign1 campaign4  ,also1 g before m1 
as phlegm1 paradigm1 c4  ,also1 ch in   
schism and drachm4  ,also1 l before m1  
k1 v1 f1 and d--as in alms1 balm1 calm1 
qualm1 calf1 half1 talk1 balk1 stalk1   
chalk1 walk1 folks1 salve1 halves1      
calves1 could1 would1 should1 almond1   
salmon4  ,also1 p before s1 and sh1 as  
in pshaw1 pseudo1 psalm1 psalter4       
,also1 b before t1 as debt1 doubt1      
subtle1 indebted1 undoubted1 c4  ,and b 
after m is silent1 as lamb1 jamb1 climb1
 tomb1 womb1 numb1 thumb1 crumb1 dumb1  
plumb1 comb1 hecatomb1 catacomb1        
currycomb1 coxcomb1 succumb4  ,also1 n  
after m1 as column1 solemn1 autumn1     
condemn1 hymn1 c4  ,and d before t in   
stadtholder4  ,k is often unnecessarily 
used after c1 and t before ch4  ,t after
 s is silent in listen1 glisten1 hasten1
 chasten1 christen1 fasten1 moisten1    

thistle1 whistle1 bristle1 castle1      
nestle1 pestle1 gristle1 jostle1 justle1
 hustle1 bustle1 rustle1 epistle1       
apostle1 mistletoe1 forecastle4  ,c     
after s is silent in scion1 scent1      
scythe1 muscle1 sceptre1 science1       
sciatica1 sciolism1 scissure1 scission1 
scissors1 scenery1 transcend1 descend1  
descent1 viscid1 crescent1 proboscis1   
fascinate1 viscera1 ascetic1            
excrescence1 corpuscle1 acquiesce1      
coalesce1 rescission1 abscission1       
putrescence1 ascendency1 susceptible1   
irascible1 viscidity1 eviscerate1       
lascivious1 resuscitate1 scimitar1      
scintillate1 phosphoresce1 deliquesce1  
effloresce1 effervesce1 transcendent1   
condescend1 condescension1              
convalescence1 concupiscence1           
reminiscence1 acquiescent1 iridescent1  
arborescent1 susceptibility1            
scenography1 sciography4  ,the initial h
 is often silent1 as in hour1 herbage1  
huge1 honest1 honor1 humor2 also1 after 
r1 rhomboid1 rheum1 rhyme1 myrrh1 ghost1

 aghast1 catarrh1 rhubarb1 catarrhal1   
rheumatic1 dishabille1 rhapsody1        
posthumous1 hemorrhage1 c4  ,w is silent
 before r in wry1 write1 writhe1 wrath1 
wreath1 wreathe1 wrong1 wretch1 wright1 
wrist1 wriggle1 wrinkle2 and before h in
 who1 whose1 whom1 whoop1 whole4  ,what 
is especially puzzling about the        
,english orthography1 is the unnecessary
 use of the same letter for different   
sounds4 ,thus s does not always sound   
s--but sometimes sounds like z4 7,if all
 the sounds z were written z1 it would  
make our language look as full of z's as
 the ,polish47  ,after all the sonorous 
labials1 gutturals1 and dentals1 we     
cannot help sounding z--as cabs1 hods1  
rags1 etc42 also1 before m1 as heroism1 
paroxysm1 somnambulism1 materialism1 c42
 in monosyllables ending with a single  
s1 as is1 was1 as1 has1 his1 hers1 ours1
 theirs2 also1 in daisy1 reside1 desire1
 noisy1 bosom1 visage1 closet1 resign1  
music1 prison1 reason1 pansy1 tansy1    
disown1 preside1 pleasant1 peasant1     

prosaic1 present1 presence1 ,tuesday1   
measles1 cosmos1 pleasure1 measure1     
treasure1 leisure1 disclosure1          
enclosure1 composure1 kerseymere1       
resolute1 devisor1 revisal1 reprisal1   
basilisk1 deposit1 courtesan1 raspberry1
 residue1 venison1 disaster1 division1  
plausible1 feasible1 basilicon1         
presbytery1 resolute1 deposit1          
president1 visionary1 perquisite1       
exquisite1 composite1 resentment1       
carousal1 espousal1 disposal4  ,instead 
of c or k we have in many words ch--as  
,christ1 chasm1 chyle1 conch1 chrome1   
ache1 scheme1 school1 chaos1 epoch1     
chorus1 chronic1 echo1 anchor1 tetrarch1
 trochee1 archives1 scholar1 schooner1  
monarch1 hierarch1 chronicle1 chrysalis1
 technical1 mechanic1 patriarch1        
pentateuch1 bacchanal1 saccharine1      
chamomile1 eucharist1 character1        
archetype1 orchestra1 catechize1        
catechism1 alchemy1 chemistry1 schedule1
 paschal1 chaldee1 stomach1 lilach1     
sumach1 chimera1 heptarchy1 lachrymal4  

,all the above words are from the       
,greek1 and so are those in which f is  
written with ph1 as sylph1 lymph1       
sphere1 sphinx1 graphic1 phalanx1       
phantom1 orphan1 dolphin1 camphor1      
pamphlet1 sulphur1 zephyr1 hyphen1      
trophy1 philter1 phaeton1 spheroid1     
alphabet1 emphasis1 prophesy1 prophecy1 
caliphate1 sophistry1 c4  ,the sound of 
s is substituted for the ,latin guttural
 7hard c7 in acid1 placid1 facile1      
tacit1 process1 precinct1 docile1       
recipe1 illicit1 cinder1 fleecy1 census1
 pencil1 precept1 accede1 recede1       
concede1 cite1 pacify1 lacerate1        
macerate1 taciturn1 oscillate1 precede1 
implicit1 explicit1 decimal1 precipice1 
specify1 specimen1 abbacy1 imbecile1    
indocile1 solicit1 felicity1 atrocity1  
ferocity1 rapacity1 tenacity1 veracity1 
vivacity1 voracity1 audacity1 precocity1
 simplicity1 lubricity1 rusticity1      
municipal1 medicinal1 rhinoceros1       
publicity1 diocesan1 mendacity1         
mendicity1 duplicity1 elasticity1       

pertinacity1 incapacity1 electricity1   
multiplicity1 authenticity1 duodecimo1  
anticipates1 necessary1 countenance1    
abstinence1 and all other words which   
end in ce4,h  ,the sound of j is        
substituted for that of g 7the sonorous 
guttural7 in germ1 genus1 genius1 angel1
 gentile1 pigeon1 dungeon1 surgeon1     
sturgeon1 bludgeon1 curmudgeon1         
sergeant1 pageant1 vengeance1 stingy1   
dingy1 c41 manger1 danger1 stranger1    
religion1 badger1 budget1 gibbet1       
giblets1 allegiance1 plagiarism1 gibe1  
7sometimes and better jibe27 all words  
ending in ge1 as bilge1 huge1 barge1    
large1 and all ending in dge1 as wedge1 
ledge1 pledge1 hedge1 sledge1 fledge1   
ridge1 bridge1 midge1 drudge1 judge1    
lodge2 all words ending gious1 as       
prodigious1 egregious1 sacrilegious1 c42
 or in geous1 as courageous1 c42 or in  
age1 as cottage1 plumage1 foliage1 c4   
,the extra consonant which we sometimes 
write sh1 is written variously2 #ast1   
simply with s1 as in sugar1 sensual1 and

 sure1 and its compounds2 #b;dly1 with  
ss1 in cassia2 #c;dly1 with ci1 in      
magician1 logician1 patrician1 optician1
 musician1 academician1 geometrician1   
mathematician2 and in a multitude of    
words ending in ious1 as specious1      
gracious1 spacious1 avaricious1         
auspicious1 pertinacious1 judicious1    
suspicious1 loquacious1 audacious1      
sagacious1 fallacious1 capacious1       
rapacious1 tenacious1 delicious1        
malicious1 pertinacious1 officious1     
capricious1 ferocious1 atrocious1       
precocious1 voracious1 veracious1 and   
perhaps some others2 also1 in words     
ending with al1 as official1 judicial1  
provincial1 commercial1 artificial1     
beneficial2 and in sociable1 associate1 
appreciable and appreciate1 enunciate1  
dissociate1 excruciate1 depreciate1     
emaciate1 denunciate1 renunciate1       
prescient1 omniscient2 #dthly1 with ce1 
in cetaceous1 filaceous1 herbaceous1    
caduceous1 cretaceous1 testaceous1      
crustaceous1 argillaceous1 gallinaceous2

 #ethly1 with ti1 in factious1          
fractious1 captious1 vexatious1         
facetious1 licentious1 factitious1      
propitious1 flagitious1 nutritious1     
expeditious1 superstitious1             
adventitious2 vitiate1 expatiate1       
ingratiate1 insatiate1 initiate2        
partial1 martial1 nuptial1 initial1     
essential1 substantial1 credential1     
potential1 prudential1 solstitial1      
impartial1 penitential1 equinoctial1    
influential1 reverential1 pestilential1 
providential1 circumstantial1 ratio1 and
 all words ending in tion1 as ration1   
nation1 station1 notion1 diction1       
fiction1 friction1 fraction1 potion1    
action1 junction1 suction1 section1     
mention1 libation1 vacation1 vocation1  
location1 exhalation1 installation1     
implication1 flagellation1 appellation1 
revelation1 education1 c42 #fthly1 with 
ch1 as chicanery1 seneschal4  ,in many  
words is a superfluous t1 as in hitch1  
ditch1 pitch1 witch1 switch1 stitch1    
flitch1 stretch1 sketch1 etch1 fetch1   

wretch1 notch1 botch1 hotch1 potch1     
watch1 latch1 match1 batch1 catch1      
hatch1 patch1 hutch4  ,in some words is 
a superfluous d1 as badge1 ledge1       
sledge4  ,and a superfluous k is very   
common4  ,some of the above             
substitutions are perhaps natural       
enough1 in consequence of the fact of   
extra sounds1 having no special         
characters for them in the alphabet1    
which was phonography for the ,latin    
language only4 ,but there are the same  
perplexing changes with respect to the  
regular vowels4  ,thus1 in the case of  
e1 when it is long1 as in fte1--we find 
it written in five ways1--ay1 ai1 ea1   
ey1 and simply a4  ,as #ast1 aye1 day1  
bay1 fay1 gay1 hay1 pay1 may1 nay1 say1 
ray1 dray1 bray1 gray1 fray1 play1 pray1
 array1 assay1 allay1 display1 portray1 
dismay1 mislay4  #b;d4 ,aid1 braid1     
laid1 maid1 paid1 afraid1 staid1 bait1  
gait1 wait1 bail1 fail1 hail1 jail1     
mail1 nail1 pail1 quail1 rail1 sail1    
tail1 wail1 frail1 flail1 snail1 trail1 

avail1 entail1 assail1 fain1 gain1 lain1
 main1 pain1 rain1 vain1 wain1 train1   
grain1 brain1 stain1 sprain1 swain1     
drain1 dainty1 portrait1 saint1 faint1  
paint1 quaint1 plaint1 aim1 claim1 maim1
 tailor1 jailer1 traitor1 sailor1       
raiment1 caitiff1 plaintiff1 prevail1   
contain1 chilblain1 sustain1 upbraid1   
declaim1 exclaim1 proclaim4  #c;d4      
,break1 steak1 great4  #dthly4 ,they1   
convey1 survey1 c4  #ethly4 ,any1 many1 
legation1 asparagus1 virago1 volcano1   
verbatim1 arcanum1 potato1 octavo1      
tornado1 and words ending in ace1 ade1  
afe1 age1 ake1 ale1 ame1 ane1 ape1 ase1 
ate1 athe1 ave1 ary1 aste1 aze1 base1   
case1 face1 grace1 lace1 mace1 pace1    
ace1 bade1 fade1 shade1 made1 wade1     
safe1 chafe1 cage1 sage1 rage1 gage1    
stage1 page1 wage1 plumage1 foliage1    
cottage1 bake1 cake1 lake1 make1 quake1 
rake1 take1 sake1 brake1 flake1 bale1   
dale1 gale1 hale1 male1 pale1 sale1     
tale1 whale1 vale1 bane1 cane1 fane1    
lane1 mane1 pane1 sane1 wane1 vane1     

bathe1 lathe1 swathe1 cave1 gave1 lave1 
nave1 pave1 rave1 drave1 grave1 shave1  
stave1 crave1 ate1 bate1 fate1 date1    
gate1 hate1 late1 mate1 pate1 rate1     
sate1 crate1 prate1 plate1 state1 skate1
 slate1 waste1 baste1 haste1 paste1     
chaste1 taste1 came1 blame1 dame1 fame1 
frame1 game1 lame1 flame1 name1 same1   
tame1 frame1 shame1 cape1 gape1 nape1   
rape1 grape1 drape1 crape1 blaze1 daze1 
gaze1 haze1 maze1 raze1 craze1 graze1   
glaze1 honorary1 actuary1 tributary1    
sedentary1 primary1 salutary1 solitary1 
burglary1 contrary1 c4  ,so for the     
sound of i long1 as in marine1 we have  
sometimes e1 sometimes ee1 sometimes ea1
 sometimes ie1 as--  #ast4--,he1 she1   
we1 me1 mete1 glebe1 theme1 breve1 veto1
 hero1 zero1 negro1 ether1 theist1      
deist1 edict1 fever1 lever1 metre1      
zenith1 extreme1 supreme1 impede1       
serene1 convene1 gangrene1 austere1     
cohere1 adhere1 revere1 severe1         
interfere1 persevere1 secret1 complete1 
concrete1 secrete1 obsolete1 theorem1   

torpedo1 inherent4  #b;d4--,fee1 bee1   
lee1 glee1 flee1 free1 tree1 see1 three1
 eel1 feel1 keel1 reel1 peel1 wheel1    
deem1 seem1 keen1 green1 queen1 teens1  
ween1 deed1 feed1 heed1 meed1 need1     
reed1 seed1 bleed1 creed1 leek1 meek1   
sleek1 seek1 week1 cheek1 beef1 reef1   
keep1 sweep1 weep1 deep1 peep1 sleep1   
beech1 speech1 leech1 spleen1 compeer1  
between1 beseech1 discreet1 steeple1    
vaneer1 career1 tureen1 moreen1 careen1 
redeem1 agreed1 settee1 razee1 degree1  
agree1 decree1 grandee1 linseed1        
peevish1 esteem1 devotee1 legatee1      
referee1 repartee1 patentee1 absentee1  
privateer1 muleteer1 overseer1          
volunteer1 chanticleer1 domineer1       
gazetteer1 genteel1 indiscreet1         
steelyard1 thirteen1 c4  #c;d4--,pea1   
tea1 yea1 flee1 plea1 bohea2 each1      
beach1 breach1 bleach1 teach1 meach1    
peach2 bleak1 sneak1 streak1 speak1     
squeak1 beak1 peak1 creak1 teak1 creak1 
freak1 tweak1 weak1 bead1 lead1 read1   
plead1 deaf1 leaf1 sheaf1 beam1 ream1   

dream1 cream1 stream1 team1 steam1 seam1
 deal1 heal1 leal1 meal1 peal1 seal1    
steal1 veal1 zeal1 bean1 dean1 lean1    
mean1 wean1 yean2 heap1 cheap1 leap1    
reap2 ear1 fear1 hear1 blear1 clear1    
smear1 near1 spear1 rear1 drear1 year1  
beard1 east1 beast1 feast1 least1 yeast1
 eat1 beat1 feat1 heat1 meat1 neat1     
peat1 seat1 wheat1 bleat1 cheat1 treat1 
heath1 sheathe1 breathe1 heave1 weave1  
leave1 treacle1 eagle1 eaglet1          
squeamish1 dreary1 weary1 creature1     
impeach1 anneal1 appeal1 reveal1 endear1
 appear1 arrear1 besmear1 defeat1       
release1 increase1 decrease1 beneath1   
repeat1 entreat1 retreat1 bereave1      
bequeath1 cochineal1 eatable1 easterly1 
deanery4  #dth4 ,where the e is silent2 
either1 neither1 seizure1 surfeit1      
inveigle1 forfeit1 mullein1 fief1 chief1
 thief1 brief1 grief1 field1 shield1    
wield1 yield1 fiend1 priest1 belief1    
sieve1 grieve1 belief1 achieve1         
retrieve1 relieve1 aggrieve1 cashier1   
brigadier1 grenadier1 cannonier1        

cavalier1 cordelier2 also receive1      
conceive1 perceive1 deceive1 deceit1    
conceit4  ,the sound of u is also       
written oe1 o1 ew1 oo1 and ou 7silent   
o71 shoe1 canoe1 woman1 chew1 brew1     
screw1 threw1 shrew1 sew1 dew1 few1 jew1
 mew1 new1 pew1 coo1 too1 loo1 woo1     
tattoo1 bamboo1 hindoo1 food1 good1     
hood1 mood1 rood1 stood1 wood1 book1    
cook1 hook1 look1 nook1 rook1 took1     
cool1 drool1 fool1 stool1 wool1 spool1  
boom1 broom1 doom1 bloom1 groom1 loom1  
gloom1 room1 boon1 spoon1 coon1 swoon1  
loon1 shalloon1 moon1 picaroon1 noon1   
soon1 poltroon1 cocoon1 platoon1        
festoon1 monsoon1 baboon1 coop1 droop1  
hoop1 loop1 poop1 stoop1 boor1 moor1    
poor1 goose1 moose1 noose1 boot1 coot1  
foot1 hoot1 loot1 moot1 root1 soot1     
booty1 roof1 behoof1 aloof1 reproof1    
proof1 groove1 soothe1 smooth1 tooth1   
booth1 boost1 roost1 pantaloon4  ,it is 
also written with a silent o1 as in     
tour1 croup1 group1 youth1 wound1       
souvenir1 surtout1 cartouche1 contour1  

amour1 uncouth1 accoutre1 moustache1    
tambourine4  ,i have said that ,i give  
to my scholars ,mother ,goose1 as soon  
as they have mastered my first ,nursery 
,reading-,book4 ,but this is for        
recreation2 while all the important work
 is making the groups of exceptional    
words upon their slates1 at my          
dictation4 ,sometimes these can be      
written on the blackboard1 and copied   
into little books1 by the children4     
,when there are several ways of writing 
the same sound1 ,i make several columns1
 and put at the head of each a word     
thus3--           i1    e1  ee1     ie1 
pin1  me1  see1  grieve2  and then1     
mentioning different words1 ask in which
 column they are to be put8 ,the        
children are greatly interested in this 
exercise2 and the effect of it is1 to   
make them know the precise spelling of  
the words4 ,when a column is finished1  
they are called on to read the words1   
and sometimes to repeat the group by    
heart4  ,i have not put all the words in

 the language in my groups2 but enough  
for the purpose1--they can be filled up 
from the teacher's and children's       
memories4  ,the greater the anomaly1 the
 more easily it is remembered1 because  
the specimens are few1 and the anomaly  
amuses4  ,thus1 ,i sometimes begin      
7after ,i have shown them how to write  
the extra vowels and consonants1 and the
 diphthongs17 with the word phthisic2   
asking them all to write it on their    
slates as they think it should be2 and  
then writing it myself1 as it is1 on the
 board4 ,so ,i ask them to write        
through1 which they will write thru4 ,i 
then surprise them by writing it on the 
black-board1 and putting in the silent  
vowel and consonants4 ,then ,i ask them 
to write bough2 and then though1 and    
dough2 then trough1 which they will     
write troth2 then laugh1 draught1 tough1
 which they will write with f for the   
gh4 ,in reviewing the lesson the next   
day1 all these words can be written in  
their manuscript books1 with a          

lead-pencil4 ,the book1 which is the    
best one to follow ,mother ,goose1 and  
perhaps might precede it1 is ,mrs4      
,mann's ,primer of ,reading and         
,drawing4 ,this begins with about twenty
 pages of words that can be read at once
 by those who have used the ,first      
,nursery ,reading-,book1 because the    
,roman alphabet is a phonography for it 
all4 ,mrs4 ,mann's book is full of      
sentences that have beautiful meanings1 
and it contains some attractive stories4
 ,it has been out of print a long time2 
but a new edition is about being put to 
press4  ,but any book can be used by a  
person of judgment4 ,the mother of the  
,wesleys always taught her children to  
read in the ,bible from the beginning4  
,in good reading1 words are not only to 
be pronounced1 but to be read with      
expression2 and this end is gained by   
its coming after object-learning4       
,unless a child conceives what a word   
means1 he cannot have the appropriate   
emotion1 and without the emotion he     

cannot read with expression4 ,in        
hurrying children on to read faster than
 they can understand and feel1 permanent
 bad habits are acquired1 and especially
 the habit of reading without           
sufficiently filling the lungs with     
breath2 and this not only makes         
disagreeable reading for the hearer2 but
 is very injurious to the health of the 
reader4  ,dr4 ,h4 ,f4 ,briggs1 of ,new  
,york1 who teaches elocution as a means 
of health1 proposes that there should be
 exercises of vocalizing1--uttering each
 vowel sound to express all kinds of    
emotion which the special vowel will    
express1 and in all quantities and      
accents4 ,children are all naturally    
histrionic and will be amused in doing  
this4 ,the vowel sounds educate emotions
 in those who utter them1 and awaken    
them in those who hear4 ,when pronounced
 with feeling1 they come from the chest 
and abdomen and not from the head       
merely1 and so give a general internal  
exercise that is healthy4 ,bronson's    

,elocutionist will give a teacher much  
assistance in this branch1 though he has
 not worked out the thing so completely 
as ,dr4 ,briggs has done4  ,it is proper
 to remark to those who measure the     
success of a school by the rapidity with
 which it teaches a child to read1 that 
the thorough attainment of the art here 
proposed1 requires time4 ,but when      
attained1 much is gained besides the    
mere reading1--namely1 development of   
body1 mind1 and heart4  ,besides1 to    
those who are hereafter to be taught    
other languages it will be found of     
great advantage to have associated the  
vowel sounds of ark1 ebb1 ill1 old1 and 
rue1 with the characters a1 e1 i1 o1 u1 
respectively4 ,see for the proof of     
this1 some articles on ,kraitsir's      
,significance of the ,alphabet1         
published in ,the ,north ,american      
,review for #ahdi4        ,the ,first   
,nursery ,reading ,book and ,mrs4       
,,mann',s       ,primer of ,reading and 
,drawing being out of print1       ,mr4 

,e4 ,,steiger is about to print their   
substance       together with the       
foregoing chapter as ,preface to a      
,primer of ,reading and ,writing1 for   
the ,intermediate       ,class4         
,,footnotes3  ,e ,see the ,north        
,american ,review of ,january and       
,april--articles ,kraitsir's            
,significance of the ,alphabet1 from the
 pen of an eminent philologist2 also    
,kraitsir's ,nature of ,language and    
,language of ,nature1 published in      
#ahea1 by ,george ,p4 ,putnam in ,new   
,york4  ,f ,the only possible advantage 
the present spelling has1 is the help it
 gives to ,etymologists1 but it also    
often confuses them4 ,a perfect         
alphabet1 that is1 an alphabet with     
eight more characters than the ,roman1  
would have been the right thing to have 
had in the right place and time4  ,g k1 
q1 and y were not ,roman letters but    
,greek ones1 k being introduced into the
 ,latin originally as an abbreviation of
 ca and q as an abbreviation of cu4 ,j  

and x were introduced into our alphabet 
by the first printers1 but we have      
appropriated j to a new sound1 not in   
the ,latin language2 and we have two    
sounds for x1 7as printed ,latin has71  
one being gs and the other cs4 ,the     
,latins at first wrote lex legs1 and vox
 vocs1 as we see by the variations of   
these nouns for case4  ,h ,nearly every 
one of these words are derived from the 
,latin1 but they come into the ,english 
language from the ,norman-,french in    
which they were already corrupted4 ,all 
nouns in ce are from ,latin nouns in    
tia1 and ought to have been written with
 se instead of ce1 except peace and     
voice which come from the ,latin pace   
and voce4     ,,chapter ,,xii4          
,,grammar ,,and ,,languages4   ,,mrs4   
,,mann has suggested1 in the last part  
of this volume1 the first exercises in  
grammar4 ,but grammar is the most       
abstract of sciences4 ,there are at     
present few children sent to            
,kindergartens1 who are not too young   

for the abstracting processes of        
classing words into parts of speech4    
,but it is a lesson of orthography1 to  
lead the children to make the few       
changes which there are in ,english     
words1 to denote grammatical            
modifications4 ,for instance1 let them  
write cat1 and then say--,if you are    
talking about more than one cat1 what do
 you say8 ,they will say cats4 ,let them
 write at the head of two columns--cat  
and cats4 ,after some exercises on words
 adding s only1 tell them to write box1 
and ask1 ,what if there are more than   
one8 ,then go on and get groups of other
 irregularities1 as changing f into ves1
 y into ies1 c4 ,having gone over the   
nouns1 and told all their changes1 for  
number1 also letting the children write 
a list of the nouns that do not change  
for number1 go into verbs1 and give the 
few personal terminations thus3 tell the
 children to write1 ,i cry4 ,then say1  
,would you say ,george cry8 ,no1 they   
will reply1 ,george cries4 ,i say1 ,i   

have a book2 but should ,i say1 ,george 
have a book8 ,they will say1--,no2      
,george has a book4 ,also by asking     
questions whose answers shall give the  
comparison of adjectives1 these can be  
written2 and finally the past tense and 
past participles of irregular verbs4 ,in
 my own ,kindergarten ,i have given to  
about half a dozen children who know how
 to read fluently1 and can print very   
prettily1 a little ,,latin4 ,it is but a
 quarter of an hour's lesson1 and is    
conducted in this wise3--,write down am4
 ,now1 that means love in ,latin2 but if
 you want to say he loves you1 add at1  
which makes amat4 ,write down ar4 ,that 
means plough2 if you want to write he   
ploughs you write what8 ,a bright child 
said arat4 ,now write down cant4 ,that  
means sing4 ,now if you want to say he  
sings1 you add what8 at1 then it is     
cantat4 ,but if you want to say to love 
you must add are to am4 ,they all said  
amare4 ,now1 if you want to say to      
plough8 arare2 and to sing1 cantare4    

,now make the whole sentence1 he loves  
to sing4 ,what is it he loves8 ,they all
 wrote amat cantare4 ,now write he loves
 to plough4 ,they wrote amat arare4 ,i  
took the hint from ,harkness's edition  
of ,arnold's ,first ,lessons1 and gave  
them six variations on the four regular 
conjugations1 the infinitive and the    
third person singular of the present    
imperfect and future indicative1 and    
,latinized their own names2 and they    
were greatly entertained to improvise   
sentences1 the most complicated of which
 was1 ,o ,helena1 ,anna loves to dance1 
,maria loves to sing4 ,i give them no   
grammatical terms1 but only ,english    
meanings1 and shall not give any cases  
but the nominative and vocative at      
present2 but ,i think ,i shall teach    
them to vary verbs throughout all the   
conjugations4 ,it is perfectly easy to  
give so much of ,latin grammar to       
children in the ,kindergarten1 because  
it will not involve the use of a book4  
,they can have a manuscript book into   

which they can write their words and    
sentences1 in print-letters4  ,french1  
so far as it can be taught by merely    
conversing with the children1 is        
legitimate in the ,kindergarten2 also   
any other modern language4 ,but let     
there be no books used1 nor should      
,french be written by the children1 for 
it will confuse their ,english spelling1
 and not1 like ,latin words1 aid it4 ,in
 my ,kindergarten1 about a quarter of an
 hour a day is given to making ,french  
phrases by all but the smallest         
children4 ,they have also been greatly  
interested in learning the ,french words
 of a play1 which is a useful exercise  
in pronunciation4 ,i will give the words
 here3--  ,l',,esturgeon 7,sturgeon74   
,commre ,perche1           ,je vous     
salue6         ,comment vous            
portez-vous8  ,,la ,,perche 7,perch74   
,je me porte trs bien1 et vous8         
,quelle est l'heure pour le ragot       
,fait de sole et de morue8  ,,la ,,sole 
,,et ,,la ,,morue 7,sole and ,cod74     

,commre ,perche1 je vous salue2         
,nous autres ne serons pas un ragot4    
,l',,esturgeon4            ,commre      
,baleine1         ,comment vous         
portez-vous8  ,,la ,,baleine 7,whale74  
,trs bien1 et vous8  ,l',,esturgeon4    
,pouvez-vous sauter en haut             
,comme moi1         ,au dessus de l'eau8
  ,,la ,,baleine4            ,je ne puis
 sauter si haut2         ,mais je       
saurais faire jeter de l'eau4           
,l',,esturgeon4          ,commre        
,hareng1 je vous salue1         ,dites  
moi1 je prie1 o allez-vous8  ,,la       
,,hareng 7,herring74          ,je vais  
chez moi1 chercher les jeunes1          
,alors nous irons  l'ocan4              
,l',,esturgeon4          ,commre        
,brochet1 je vous salue6         ,commre
 ,brochet1 que mangez-vous8  ,,le       
,,brochet 7,pike74          ,je mange   
des truites           ,pour mon djeuner1
         ,et des perlans           ,pour
 mon diner4  ,l',,esturgeon4            
,commre truite1           ,je vous      

salue6         ,dites moi1 je vous prie1
           ,qu'avez-vous8  ,,la ,,truite
 7,trout74          ,ah1 par exemple1   
,j'ai bien grand peur2         ,voil le 
brocheton         ,mme si de bonne      
heure6  ,l',,esturgeon4          ,commre
 ,requin1           ,je vous salue6     
,que faites-vous l           ,auprs du  
bateau4  ,,le ,,requin 7,shark74        
,je veux manger           ,le petit     
garon1         ,qui pche dans l'eau4    
,pour l'perlan4  ,l',,eperlan 7,smelt74 
,petit garon1             ,je vous      
salue6           ,voil la ,requin       
,prs de moi1 et prs de vous4  7,tous les
 poissons se plongent47  ,the play      
consists in each fish being represented 
by a child2 and the little boy also4 ,as
 the ,sturgeon asks her questions1 she  
jumps up and down1 and as the fishes    
answer1 they jump up and down1 till all 
are in motion4 ,but1 before it is       
played1 the whole must be learnt1--which
 is nearly a winter's work4        ,in  
the ,kindergarten connected with ,madame

 ,kriege's       ,normal class in       
,boston1 ,german is taught at the same  
time with ,english2 or at least as soon 
as the children       can read ,english 
with tolerable fluency4        ,and     
,mrs4 ,kriege would doubtless1 if       
desired1 teach the       ,normal        
scholars ,german2 but to learn ,german  
they would       need to remain in the  
training-school more than six           
months1 the time she decides to be the  
least possible       for preparation to 
be a ,kindergartner4     ,,chapter      
,,xiii4  ,,geography4   ,,mr4 ,,sheldon1
 in his ,elementary ,instruction1 has   
shown the way in which we may begin to  
teach geography without books4 ,to      
proceed in that way1 up to the point of 
drawing all maps1 is feasible in a      
,kindergarten1 if the children stay long
 enough4 ,my children learn a great deal
 about the geographical locality of     
animals1 from the natural history       
lessons given over the blocks4 ,a       
,picturesque ,geography1 compiled by    

,mrs4 ,mann1 from the most brilliant    
descriptions of travellers1 may by and  
by be printed1 and it would be a good   
book to read to children4 ,it should be 
read slowly1 requiring them to tell what
 it makes them see in their fancy4 ,this
 comprises a great deal of physical     
geography1 and is a desirable precursor 
of political geography1 which will be   
studied to most advantage by and by1    
with history4 7,but history is          
altogether beyond the ,kindergarten47   
,as soon as children know how to read1  
we advise that they be taught topography
 by ,mr4 ,theodore ,fay's atlas1        
according to his method1--which secures 
that they learn the maps by looking at  
the places as represented1 and not by   
words1 which can be learned without     
conveying the image1 or an idea2 and are
 easily forgotten4     ,,chapter ,,xiv4 
,,the ,,secret ,,of ,,power4   ,,in the 
foregoing pages ,i have done what ,i    
can1 to make a ,kindergarten ,guide2 not
 only for the use of those who undertake

 the new education1 but in order to give
 parents a definite idea of the value of
 the new education to their children1   
and how they may aid rather than hinder 
its legitimate effect4 ,parents who live
 in places so isolated as to make a     
,kindergarten impossible1 may also get  
some hints how to supply the want in    
some measure1 by becoming themselves the
 playmates of their children4  ,i think 
it will be readily inferred1 from what  
,i have said1 that the secret of power  
and success is gradualism4 ,any child   
can learn anything1 if time and         
opportunity is given to go step by step4
 ,then learning becomes as easy and     
agreeable as eating and drinking4 ,every
 degree of knowledge1 also1 must be     
practically used as soon as attained4   
,it then becomes a power2 makes the     
child a power in nature2 and prepares   
him1 when his spirit shall come into    
union with the ,god of ,nature1 and     
,father of ,human ,spirits1 to become a 
power over ,nature--for the glory of    

,god and relief of man's estate4        
,,moral ,,culture ,,of ,,infancy4       
,,letter ,i4  ,,my ,,dear ,,anna1--,i   
had heard of your intention of keeping  
school before you wrote to me1 and had  
rejoiced for the good cause as only one 
can do who knows your peculiar          
qualifications for it4 ,i have been full
 of the purpose of answering your       
letter1 to tell you how joyfully ,i look
 forward to the realization of some of  
my wishes through your help1 such as    
that of perfecting some beautiful plan  
of education1 which you and ,i1 with our
 faith in perfectibility1 might invent1 
but which ,i could not make alone4 ,when
 we parted many years since1 in one of  
those beautiful porticos of the temple  
of knowledge1 where we had together been
 warmed by the fires of genius1 and     
where our sympathy 7perhaps ,i should   
say yours7 had rekindled a certain torch
 of enthusiasm that had been long       
quenched by adversity--7,i sadly fear it
 is smouldering again under the ashes of

 freshly-buried hope7--,i little        
expected to meet you again in my        
favorite walk1 made fragrant by the     
breath of little children4 ,if we had   
chanced to meet often enough since then1
 we should have found much to reunite   
us1 for my best teachers have been      
certain wise mothers2--indeed1 the only 
schools in which ,i have found the      
instruction ,i needed1 have been the    
nurseries and firesides to which ,i have
 been admitted1 often through my loving 
interest in the little flowers that     
bloomed around them4 ,i could tell you1 
if ,i dared1 how many times ,i have     
wished ,i could be queen of such        
kingdoms1 for the sake of the younger   
subjects of those realms1 for ,i have   
learned quite as much from the mistakes 
as from the wisdom ,i have witnessed4   
,my desire to gather all ,i could1 from 
the efforts and experience of others1   
once tempted me on an exploring         
expedition through our much vaunted     
,primary ,schools4 ,what would you say  

if ,i were to tell you that ,i met with 
but one spirit kindred to my own in the 
whole circuit8 ,among all the hard1     
knotty women1 young and old1 whom ,i    
found presiding over youthful destinies 
in this extensive organization1 ,i found
 one lovely young creature who loved all
 her scholars1 and who1 by the power of 
this love1 contrived partially to       
mitigate the horrors of benches without 
backs1 long rote spelling-lessons1      
crowded and ill-ventilated rooms1       
tedious periods of idleness in which    
little darlings had to sit up straight  
and not speak or fidget 7which last ,i  
consider one of the prerogatives of     
childhood74 ,her face radiated sunshine1
 her voice was music itself1 and yet    
firm1 and she often varied her routine  
of exercises1 prescribed by the primary 
school committee1 with a pleasant little
 story to illustrate some principle she 
wished the children to act upon4 ,she   
was the only one who had interpolated a 
regular entertaining lesson into the    

routine1 and this she effected by       
nipping some of the prescribed lessons  
five minutes each1 so as to save twenty 
for her little treatise upon some       
interesting subject of natural history4 
,i quite agreed with her that it was a  
species of petty larceny for which she  
would be acquitted in the courts above4 
,i could describe sad1 heart-breaking   
scenes of youthful misery and terror1   
injustice and daily cruelty in these    
schools4 ,in several cases my           
indignation was so much aroused that ,i 
was obliged to leave the room to avoid  
showing my excited feelings4 ,my        
sympathy for suppressed yawns1 limbs    
suddenly outstretched1 or wry faces made
 behind the teachers' backs2 tearful    
eyes1 sleepy little heads nodding on fat
 shoulders1 was so great1 that ,i often 
smiled upon them when the teacher did   
not see me4 ,i returned to my own little
 free republic1 after spending one of my
 vacation weeks thus1 more resolved than
 ever not to coerce babes into the paths

 of knowledge4 ,many a spine had its    
first bend there1 ,i doubt not1 and many
 a child learned to hate school in such 
scenes of discomfort4 ,i have no doubt  
there were among the teachers many      
conscientious ones who did as well as   
they knew how under such a system4 ,if  
such schools could be presided over by  
genius1 and such geniuses could be left 
to their own judgment about what to     
teach and how to teach it1 the          
experience of ,mr4 ,alcott in his first 
,infant ,school among the poor of the   
,north ,end proves that primary         
,education can be made for all1 what we 
can make it who have the advantage of   
teaching in our own parlors4  ,it is    
astonishing to me that greater          
improvements have not already been made 
in this public school education4 ,often 
when ,i am sitting in my pleasant       
school-room with these favored children 
of wealthy parents around me1 my        
thoughts recur to those crowded rooms1  
and the only remedy ,i see is1 that     

school committees shall be formed of    
women4 ,i believe many of the women ,i  
saw teaching in those primary schools   
would do better if left to their own    
instincts about the children4 ,they have
 no liberty whatever1 except such stolen
 liberty as ,i mentioned in the case of 
,miss ,e4 ,what do men know about the   
needs of little children just out of    
nurseries8 ,if ,i were one of the school
 committee1 with carte blanche1 ,i would
 have stir-the-mush or                  
puss-in-the-corner among the exercises1 
with singing every hour1 and marching   
and clapping of hands4 ,and ,i would    
have well-ventilated rooms instead of   
such hot1 suffocating places1 warmed by 
large iron stoves4  ,and as ,i see the  
poor and neglected children in the      
streets1 or in their own wretched       
houses1 and how they live and grovel in 
low practices1 gradually losing the     
sweet innocence of infantile expression1
 and becoming coarse and violent1 even  
brutal1 ,i wonder still more at the     

torpidity of society upon this subject4 
,nothing is such a proof of its         
selfishness as this neglect4 ,nothing   
makes me feel so keenly the need of a   
new organization of things4 ,i do not   
like the thought of merging the sacred  
family relation in communities where all
 live together in public as it were1 but
 it seems as if something might be done 
for the children of the needy that is   
not yet done4 ,these poor city children 
are sequestered even from the influences
 of ,nature4 ,how strange that the more 
favored individuals should not seek     
every means to give them what culture   
they can have amid these brick walls4   
,so much might be done by the help of   
the salient imagination of childhood1   
that we should be helped more than half 
way by blessed ,nature herself4 ,i often
 take an unfashionable walk inside the  
,mall on ,sunday afternoon1 when the    
,irish people bring their babes to play 
upon the green4 ,i think it is the best 
institution in the city1 and it would be

 a good idea to appoint a ,commissioner 
in each ward to bring all the street    
children there every day and watch them 
while they play1 and see that all have  
fair play4 ,if school committees were   
formed of women1 ,i think such an office
 might be created4  ,what faith we need 
to forgive heaven for the things that   
are6 ,how much that is1 is not right1 ,i
 am sometimes tempted to exclaim4 ,i    
have no idea1 however1 that ,pope meant 
anything but the eternal ,,is1 when he  
wrote ,whatever is1 is right4 ,it would 
have been better for superficial        
thinkers1 if he had never said it       
however1 for ,i often hear it quoted to 
defend what ,i consider the marring1 not
 the making of ,god's plans4 ,i have no 
doubt there is a remedy for every       
individual case of misery in this world1
 if eyes were only open to see it1 but  
this couching process is the needful    
thing1 and that ,god has left us to     
think out for ourselves4 ,we know that  
there are millions who live and die in  

ignorance of all that makes ,god ,god1  
or a ,father4 ,to these he is only the  
being that created them1 and they may   
well ask1 ,why did he make us8 to       
suffer8 to sin8--for they are conscious 
only of the irregularities of that      
creation by which they are tortured4    
,they never see the wonderful adaptation
 of things to each other2--they know    
nothing of the harmonies of their being 
with the being of others1 or with       
,nature4 ,the sort of education they get
 in cities1 where life is stirring      
briskly around them1 and each one seems 
scrambling to get the best morsel for   
himself1 only makes them worse1 unless  
something is done to evoke order for    
them out of this chaos4 ,their belief in
 ,deity is a superstitious feeling about
 some supernatural power that exercises 
dominion over them1 and subjects them to
 an imperious necessity4 ,in the agony  
of death they cry aloud for fear2 for   
they know they have made their          
fellow-men suffer1 and death is a mirror

 that holds them up to themselves4      
,conscience breathes upon the glass1 and
 in the dissolving picture its          
countenance is recognized1--but this is 
a base fear1 and cannot be called an    
aspiration4 ,to make sure the           
foundations of faith in ,god1 one must  
know what ,god has done for him4 ,man   
must be made acquainted with his own    
nature before ,god's benevolence can be 
realized4 ,if ,i did not think ignorance
 was at the root of all human evil1 ,i  
should not have any hope2 but though its
 kingdom is very large1 no despot can be
 so easily driven from the throne4 ,i   
hope all this does not seem irrelevant  
to the matter we are discussing2 it     
brings me nearer to the point ,i wished 
to reach4 ,i believe in that redemption 
which knowledge and principle combined  
bring to the soul that has slumbered in 
darkness4 ,its recuperative power is its
 most glorious attribute4 ,the tendency 
of the character is so often imparted in
 earliest youth1 that if this is right1 

if the first impressions of life and its
 author are the true ones1 the rest of  
the education may almost with impunity  
be left to what is called chance4 ,but  
if a child lives to the age of eight or 
ten years1 without a ray of light which 
will explain his existence and position 
to himself2 or lead him through ,nature 
up to ,god2 it must be difficult to     
inspire him afterwards with the true    
filial feeling toward his heavenly      
parent4 ,and if1 by a longer period of  
darkness1 he has found that in a certain
 sense he can live without ,god in the  
world1 he will stand a poor chance of   
realizing that he cannot do so in       
ordinary life after the period of       
impressible youth is past4 ,i believe   
the soul will to all eternity have      
renewed chances to redeem itself2 but ,i
 cannot easily give up this first life4 
,when ,i think of the beautiful         
adaptations of the world to our wants2  
of the exquisite gratification the      
knowledge of these brings to the mind2  

of the harmonies of our existence with  
all other existences2 and of the power  
of virtue to triumph over the earthward 
tendencies of this double human nature1 
and to sacrifice the present to the     
future good2--when ,i think of what the 
perfect man can be1--,i cannot be       
reconciled that one should live and not 
have the keys to unlock this part of the
 universe4 ,childhood is in our power4  
,the helpless little beings must be     
taken care of4 ,the world waits upon the
 babe1 as has truly been said2 and is   
not this one of those beautiful         
provisions of ,nature which show us how 
,there's a divinity that shapes our     
ends1          ,rough-hew them as we    
will6  ,the child is father of the man1 
indeed2 and while the heart bounds      
lightly1 let us teach this youthful     
father the religion of ,nature1 which he
 can understand4 ,when he comes to riper
 years he will be ready to comprehend   
the religion of the ,spirit1 without    
danger of superstition or bigotry4  ,one

 obstacle to such instruction in        
,christendom is1 doubtless1 the very    
prevalent feeling that the study of     
,nature leads to scepticism about       
revealed religion4 ,this injury has been
 done to religion's self by the fact    
that a few learned men have been        
scoffers at ,christianity1 or rather at 
what has been accepted as ,christianity1
 and it is the association of their     
names which is the foundation of the    
prejudice4 ,the discrepancy also between
 the discoveries of science and the     
imagery of the ,hebrew poets who sang   
about creation1 is another cause2 but   
since ,mr4 ,silliman has ventured to say
 that there probably were a great many  
deluges1 the ice of that difficulty has 
been cracked in our community4  ,i see  
no reason why simple religious lessons1 
like those ,mr4 ,waterston gives in his 
,sunday-school1 may not be given in the 
public schools4 ,you will say1 we must  
have ,mr4 ,waterston to do it1 7and that
 is true indeed1 now17 but when the     

public mind is ready for such           
instruction1 such teachers will come up 
to supply the demand4  ,my first        
introduction to natural science was in  
listening to instruction of this kind   
given to children older than myself1    
under the sanction of a mother's        
authority4 ,they were lessons in        
,astronomy and ,chemistry1 given before 
there were any elementary books upon    
such subjects2 and they so kindled my   
imagination1 when a very young child1   
and gave me such a realizing sense of   
the presence of ,god around me1 whom ,i 
had already known as a ,heavenly        
,father1 who took care of me and of all 
men1 by night as well as by day1 that   
from that time ,i never lost the child's
 sense of nearness1 or felt any of those
 fears of the supernatural which haunt  
the imagination of uninstructed         
childhood4 ,and yet ,i was in the habit 
of listening to the stories of an old   
crone who believed in the witches of    
,salem1 where she had always resided1 as

 firmly as she believed in the ,god that
 made her4 ,when ,i first heard the     
remark that the study of ,nature tended 
to make men atheistic1 ,i resented it   
with indignation1 though but a child4   
,this1 then1 is the kind of teaching    
that ,i think adapted to childhood4 ,it 
need not be exclusive1 but let it       
predominate4 ,other faculties1 beside   
the emotions of wonder and veneration1  
may be cultivated side by side with     
these4 ,memory1 comparison1 judgment1   
and calculation may be strengthened by a
 judicious and well-proportioned        
teaching of the elements of languages   
and numbers1 thus insuring the tools for
 future acquisition4 ,but this is not   
direct food for the soul4 ,the young    
heart is full of love for its parents1  
of delight at the knowledge of new      
things1 and these affections may be     
guided into adoration of ,supreme       
,intelligence2 this love of knowledge   
turned to its source1 as easily and     
naturally as the stream flows from the  

mountain to the sea4  ,side by side with
 this higher cultivation ,i would teach 
the eye1 the hand1 and the ear to       
practise1 and to work readily4 ,the     
pencil should ever be in the hand1 the  
picture before the eye1--especially when
 the objects of ,nature cannot be1 and  
sweet sounds in the ear4 ,the love of   
activity is sufficient aid without the  
debasing influence of emulation4 ,facts 
are divine teaching1 and a clear        
perception of them the basis of all     
theories2 therefore they should be      
clearly and sharply presented and       
discriminated4 ,when children are led to
 see their own ignorance1 let them      
understand that we1 who appear to them  
the concentration of all wisdom1        
7,pallas-,minervas1 as one of my little 
readers of ,homer called me one day71   
are also ignorant in presence of the    
universe1 which is full of things to be 
known1 and they will not be discouraged1
 but only more eager to learn what they 
can of these worlds of knowledge2 and   

will think of those still to be         
conquered rather than of any little     
acquirements of their own1 thus escaping
 the dangers both of despondency and    
vanity4 ,let children lead this happy   
life till they are eight or nine1 and   
let it be so full and blessed by love1  
sympathy1 and the play of the creative  
imagination1 that it will lift them over
 the rough places for many more years1  
while they shall build stone walls and  
towers of facts1 as starting-places for 
future flights4 ,it is the observation  
of every experienced heart that the most
 hardened sinner may be more easily     
redeemed1 if he can be reminded of an   
infancy of purity and golden sunshine4  
,if true1 it is an argument for         
prolonging that infancy as far as       
possible1 that the recollection of it1  
if unfortunately dimmed1 may the more   
surely revive in those deep moments of  
existence1 when the soul is thrown back 
upon itself for support and consolation2
 whether they be moments of guilt or of 

sorrow1 of disappointed ambition or     
disappointed hope1 of wounded pride1 or 
wounded faith4  ,i am aware that the    
public schools are the hope of our land 
and its glory1 and schools are the best 
world for children to grow up in when   
properly regulated2 but ,i wish they    
need not be so large1 so that there need
 be but one sovereign in each4 ,still   
more desirable is it1 however1 that none
 but living souls should ever have the  
privilege of unlocking the treasures of 
knowledge and thought for children4 ,it 
is not enough to have deep and varied   
acquirements1 but there must be a native
 delight in communicating1 and a        
sympathy--a living sympathy--with every 
human being4 ,these alone will awaken   
the love of excellence and call forth   
the powers of the mind4 ,no one should  
ever have the care of children who does 
not love them because they are children1
 or who can ever feel the undertaking an
 irksome task4 ,i always regret to see  
the occupation entered upon as a last   

resort for a livelihood1 or by those    
whose spirits can no longer respond to  
the touch of childhood4 ,it must be a   
strong spirit that1 in such instances1  
can rise again to meet the bounding     
hopes of fresh being4 ,it is like going 
back to principles1 when our experience 
fails to answer our just demands for    
highest happiness4 ,in the faith of     
childhood1 which knows no doubt1 we can 
see that one experience is not the test 
of what our birthright is2 and while we 
do not neglect the warnings we have had1
 we must never think that our single    
experience has exhausted the source     
whence truth flows4  ,i believe1 too1   
that the germ of everything is in the   
human soul2 and this faith seems to me  
essential to a teacher4 ,education is   
not the creation1 but only the bringing 
forth of these germs1 and that alone is 
a true education which brings them forth
 in fair proportions4 ,to make children 
learn something tangible1 if ,i may so  
speak1 and to keep them quiet1 are the  

usual aims of a teacher1 and success in 
these is the usual test of his value2   
but they seem to me not to be his       
highest merit4 ,i have often waited     
long1 and ,i have learned to wait       
patiently1 for anything like results4   
,there is a certain harmonious play of  
the faculties1 to the production of     
which ,i direct my efforts1 and which ,i
 watch for with intense interest in my  
children1 7for they seem to me mine17   
and this can never be cultivated if one 
is bound by any formulas4 ,i consider   
myself fortunate that my own mind has   
always enjoyed its birthright of        
freedom2 that no iron habits have bound 
me to any mechanical system4 ,my        
advantage is a negative one1 perhaps1   
for ,i never had much training of an    
intellectual kind1 my physical education
 being the chief object in my childhood4
 ,i was at least saved from such        
formality as enabled the teacher of a   
distinguished school to say in my       
presence1 that the less boys understood 

or were interested in their lessons1 the
 better the discipline of study4 ,this  
was surely making the process as        
mechanical a one as the motions of a    
trip-hammer4 ,but there you have an     
immense advantage over me4 ,you have    
been well trained1 and yet measured by  
no ,procrustean bed1 for your most      
living teacher never wore any fetters   
herself1 and could not impose any4 ,am  
,i not right8 ,your summer retreat has  
been twice blessed in having such       
advantages of highest education1 added  
to the influences of ,nature1 which you 
so dearly love4 ,you are bound to open  
your eyes as beamingly as she does1 upon
 all who come under their glance1 to    
show your gratitude for such teachings4 
,i well remember your frequent          
descriptions of those large orbs that   
presided over the most interesting part 
of your youthful training4 ,i have seen 
those eloquent eyes myself1 and can     
conceive their power when animated with 
the inspiring pleasure of pouring the   

treasures of thought into a receiving   
soil4 ,and you are not the only one whom
 ,i have heard discourse of this source 
of inspiration4 ,your best study1 too1  
was in the season when the reins are    
generally relaxed4 ,the time when ,i    
received most benefit from study1       
solitary and unaided1 and even stolen as
 it was1 7for the family decree was     
that1 ,i being an invalid1 must not     
study17 was when ,i pursued my lessons  
in an orchard1 and generally in a tree1 
or sitting in the baby's                
breakfast-chair1 in the midst of a      
shallow1 rushing river1 under a sweeping
 willow4 ,i was brought up so much out  
of doors1 that walls were oppressive to 
me4 ,indeed1 ,i look back upon it as the
 only time of my childhood when any     
variety of influences acted upon me at  
once2 and one which ,i ought not to omit
 to mention1 was a much admired friend1 
who knew how to point out to me1 leaf   
and flower in hand1 what riches of      
knowledge were stored up in ,nature for 

her children4 ,i do not know but what my
 love of these hidden treasures was     
stimulated by the fear of being deprived
 of them4 ,owing to this fear ,i        
probably arrived earlier in life at that
 point which ,i have always contended   
was the great point in education1--the  
time when one takes it into one's own   
hands4 ,but ,i do not think that your   
two outward advantages of motherhood and
 education1 constitute all your         
qualifications for the task you have    
undertaken4 ,i know what soil was warmed
 into fruitfulness by the rays shed from
 the sun of genius4 ,now1 you are bound 
to fulfil my hopes1 and if my own path  
is not smoothed by your help1 ,i shall  
call you to account for my              
disappointment4 ,i will give you my     
small experience1 and tell you how ,i   
found out methods1 because they were not
 practised upon me2 and ,i bid forth    
your power of deducing theories and     
improvements that will cheer us both    
onward4 ,for want of more interested    

auditors1 ,i often pour out my plans for
 educing order out of the little chaoses
 committed to my care1 to ears that     
stretch to their utmost for politeness' 
sake1 and for my sake1 perhaps2 but not 
for the thing ,i wish to impart4        
,,letter ,,ii4  ,,my ,,dear ,,anna1--,i 
will begin by telling you that ,i can do
 the thing better than ,i can describe  
it4 ,you must let me tell you stories   
out of my school-room to illustrate the 
wisdom of my proceedings4 ,i can hardly 
tell you my enjoyment of the fresh      
affections of children1 of their love of
 knowledge 7of new things1 as it always 
is to them71 of their ready apprehension
 of principles1 of their quick response 
to truth1 their activity and buoyancy1  
their individuality1 their promise4     
,sometimes ,i look forward for them1 and
 tremble at what awaits them1 when ,i   
see tendencies to evil or weakness4 ,i  
know that every ill in their various    
paths may be made stepping-stones to    
highest good2 but the doubt whether they

 will be made so1 the certainty of the  
long and sharp pains of conflict1 the   
dying down of hope1 7that happily1 ,i   
know1 can yet rise ,phoenix-like from   
its own ashes17 these1 and many perils  
by the way1 that my brooding heart      
points out to me1 often oppress me1 and 
,i could wish them spared4 ,when it is  
remembered how man has marred the work  
of ,god1 how different his part ought to
 be from what it is1 and how long it    
must be before the individuals of the   
race can work themselves free from the  
crust of evil that has grown over the   
whole1 ,i think ,i may be pardoned for  
these heart aches2 but ,i know they are 
not my highest moments4 ,it has been    
deeply said that pain is the secret of  
,nature4 ,i have that within me which   
responds to it4 ,i must feel it for     
others as well as for myself1 and shall 
constantly do so when my faith is       
perfected4 ,i am grateful that ,i exist1
 for ,i can look upon what we call this 
life as only the beginning of a long    

career1 in which ,i shall ever look back
 and rejoice that ,i have been a human  
being1 whatever may be the ills that ,i 
suffer from just now4 ,the consciousness
 of the capacities of expanding         
intellect and of glorious affections1   
assure me that the destiny of the soul  
will compensate for the heritage of woe1
 which this life is to many of us4 ,thus
 ,i try to look beyond the conflicts ,i 
see in the future of these little beings
 who now dance joyfully around me4  ,you
 will wonder1 perhaps1 that one can     
conceive such a personal interest in the
 children of others2 but it will come to
 you in time4 ,you have truly said1 that
 it needs all the tenderness of a       
mother1 and her vital self-forgetting   
interest in the result1 to enable her to
 find the true path of ,nature from the 
beginning1 and remove all obstacles to  
free unfolding4 ,but many a mother      
sacrifices her elder children1 as it    
were1 to this discovery4 ,as the germ of
 the maternal sentiment is in all women1

 relations may be established between   
teacher and child that may take the     
place of the natural one1 so far as to  
answer all the purposes required4 ,such 
a relation is the only foundation upon  
which a true education can go on4 ,it   
leaves no room for a division of        
interests between child and teacher1    
which division alone has the power      
forever to destroy all the best benefits
 of the communication of mind1 and is   
generally1 indeed1 an effectual barrier 
against any communication at all4 ,such 
a relation as ,i would have does away   
with every feeling of reserve that might
 check the full and free expression of  
thought and feeling4 ,a young child     
should turn to its teacher1 as well as  
to its mother1 with the undoubting      
confidence that there is a wealth of    
love equal to all occasions4 ,when my   
little scholars call me mother1 which   
they often do from inadvertence1 ,i feel
 most that ,i am in the true relation to
 them4 ,i have in some instances been   

preferred before the mother1 because ,i 
was the fountain of knowledge and even  
of tenderness to starved and neglected  
little souls4 ,a very sensitive child of
 seven years old1 who always said can't1
 when any task1 even the simplest1 was  
set before her1 but who was1            
nevertheless1 so morbidly conscientious 
that she was miserable not to be able to
 accomplish anything that she thought   
her duty1 took an opportunity one day1  
when she was alone with me1 to make me  
the confidant of her domestic sorrows1  
asking me to promise ,i would not tell  
mother4 ,this was rather dangerous      
ground2 but ,i knew something of the    
domestic life of the family1 and that   
the tender mother of it was often       
exasperated almost to madness by the    
cruel tyranny and exactions of the      
father1 and ,i promised4 ,then1 with    
burning cheeks and trembling voice she  
told me that they did not love her at   
home2 that her father despised her2 that
 her mother urged her beyond her        

strength to meet his requirements2 that 
her eldest sister treated her with      
harshness and ridicule because she was  
so stupid1 and that her younger sisters 
did not like to play with her because   
she was cross4 ,i saw at a glance why   
she always said and felt can't1 and ,i  
stood awe-struck before the endowment of
 conscience in the child which had stood
 the test of such trials as these1 and  
made duty the central point of her      
being1 for that ,i had already known to 
be the case4 ,i sympathized with her1 as
 you may well imagine4 ,i told her what 
,i knew of the virtues of her mother1   
whom she tenderly loved1 and whose love 
for herself she felt1 but could not     
enjoy1 because its natural expression   
was lost in the impatient endeavor to   
hold her up to her father's unreasonable
 requisitions4 ,from that hour she was  
my child1 and could work happily in my  
presence4 ,i told her that ,i knew she  
always wished to do right1 and that ,i  
should always be satisfied with whatever

 she could accomplish2 that if ,i       
required too much of her1 she only need 
to say so2 that she must not try to do  
anything more than was pleasant and     
comfortable1 for only thus could she    
preserve her powers of mind1 which were 
good1 and which would work well if they 
could work happily4 ,through my         
influence she passed much time away from
 her ungenial home1 with friends in     
whose society she could be happy and    
unrestrained1 and the burden was        
lightened so far that she was in the end
 able to justify herself1 and take a    
happier place in the family circle2 but 
she was irretrievably injured both      
mentally and morally1 learning to become
 indifferent where she could not assert 
herself1 and the battle of life will1 ,i
 fear1 ever be a hard one to her4  ,in  
such cases one feels the true spirit of 
adoption1 and this should be the        
standard for the general relation4 ,i do
 not feel satisfied till the most timid 
and reserved are confiding to me1 smile 

when they meet my eye1 and come to me in
 the hour of trouble2 nor till the most 
perverse and reckless take my reproofs  
in sorrow and not in anger1 and return  
to me for sympathy when they are good4  
,nor am ,i willing to have anything to  
do with the education of a child whose  
parents ,i am unable to convince of my  
vital interest in its welfare1 and into 
whose heart ,i cannot find an entering  
place1 while at the same time ,i speak  
candidly of faults2 for there is a sort 
of magnetism in the coperation of mother
 and teacher2 and its subtle influence1 
or the reverse1 is distilled into every 
detail of the relation4 ,sometimes ,i   
find parents who do not know enough of  
their children to interfere at all1 and 
then ,i am willing to do what ,i can to 
supply the deficiency4 ,the school      
should only be the larger family for    
them1 and the lessons learned should be 
the least good they receive from the    
daily routine4 ,still worse off are     
those who are educated at home by       

servants who rule in nurseries1 and so  
long as they keep the children quiet are
 not questioned much as to the means by 
which they do it4 ,quite aggravated     
cases of oppression have come under my  
observation1 which ,i have discovered by
 noticing the sway held over children by
 these hirelings1 who bring them to and 
from school4 ,i think ,i should never   
risk this evil in a family of my own4   
,to seize every opportunity to unfold   
thought in a natural way1 to consider   
duty1 to awaken and keep alive          
conscience1 and cultivate a mutual      
confidence and forbearance between the  
young1 should be the aim in such a      
little world as a school4 ,the flow of  
happy spirits should be unchecked1 and  
no deep memory of faults should remain  
with a child1 unless they are of the    
deepest dye1 such as falsehood and      
selfishness4 ,a serious invasion of each
 other's rights should be made a        
prominent subject of blame1 but the only
 retribution of which a child should be 

made to have a permanent consciousness1 
is that of the injury1 or the danger of 
injury to itself1 and ,i firmly believe 
if this can be made apparent to a child1
 it may be the strongest possible motive
 to keep it in the path of rectitude4   
,it seems to me indeed the only         
legitimate motive to present to a human 
soul4 ,i do not mean a selfish regard to
 the welfare even of one's own soul1 but
 that regard which includes the welfare 
of others as well as of one's own4 ,i do
 not like to say to a child1 do not so  
because if you do ,i cannot love you1   
for that is an outside motive1 but      
rather because you cannot grow any      
better if you do so and then you cannot 
respect yourself or be worthy of any    
one's love4 ,do not grieve dear mother  
by doing wrong1 for then she cannot be  
happy4 ,are you not afraid if you do so1
 that by and by you can do something    
more naughty8 ,is there not something in
 you1 that makes you feel very          
uncomfortable when you have done wrong8 

,that is the way ,god has made us1 so   
that we may grow better and not worse4  
,i have arrested very naughty doings by 
such remarks1 where defiance of human   
authority was very strong and           
determined4 ,i have awakened a similar  
fear in many a child by relating what a 
dread ,i had in my own childhood of     
growing worse4 ,nothing is easier than  
to make a child false by frightening it 
or blaming it too much2 but nothing will
 make a child so ingenuous as to        
convince it that you are interested in  
its progress1 and would like to help it 
cure its own faults4 ,but we must often 
wait long before a child is capable of  
taking this view so fully as to be      
influenced by it1 in opposition to the  
dictates of passion and the weakness or 
immaturity of intellect2 experience     
teaches us that the volatile1 the       
obstinate1 the self-indulgent1 the      
crafty1 and even the indolent must be   
influenced by the apprehension of a     
nearer penalty or the power of a more   

direct authority than that can always be
 understood to be4 ,self-control is     
often the first virtue to be cultivated1
 and a fear of present evil must        
sometimes be the instrument of its      
cultivation4 ,a distinguished and most  
successful superintendent of an insane  
hospital once assured me1 that in the   
majority of cases1 self-control was all 
that was needed as a remedy for         
insanity4 ,i asked him if he had ever   
known of insane children8 ,he said he   
had known many2 and that it usually     
appeared in the form of                 
unmanageableness4 ,if we concede that   
all evil in our race is partial insanity
 7and if we believe in the soul1 we must
 finally think that the crust of        
organization into which it is built for 
a time is the only obstacle to its right
 action1 and to put one parenthesis     
within another1 which ,i know is not    
canonical1 does not this point to the   
duty of providing against evil          
organizations871 why should we not treat

 all evil as insanity should be treated1
 and believe that if the power of       
self-government is cultivated1 the soul 
will take care of itself8 ,in this      
connection ,i always take health into   
consideration2 for one wise mother of my
 acquaintance suggested a new idea to me
 by once telling me that for certain    
faults in her children she always gave  
medicine1 being convinced that the      
difficulty lay in the stomach4  ,i am   
always very careful to disarm all fear  
before ,i use any authority4 ,i find    
much timidity in children1 as if they   
had been harshly dealt with4 ,i have    
seen fearful looks of terror in little  
faces when ,i have approached them to   
enforce a request1 and in such cases ,i 
either take them gently in my arms or   
draw them close to me with a caressing  
motion1 which is sometimes all the      
punishment they need1 if you will allow 
me such an ,irishism4 ,they are at the  
same time convinced of my earnestness1  
and disarmed of all opposition1 and when

 ,i approach another time1 if occasion  
requires1 ,i can lead them to another   
seat or even out of the room1 and enjoin
 obedience without exciting either fear 
or opposition4 ,i never threaten any    
penalties1 but execute my own           
requisitions decidedly at the moment1   
because this is the right thing to be   
done4 ,i think it is not well to        
threaten for next time2 and where       
punishments are mild1 such as changing a
 child's seat1 or putting it into a room
 alone1 or going to its mother and      
talking the matter over in presence of  
the child1 a repetition of the offence  
may be avoided4 ,i have one child in my 
school who would crouch down upon the   
floor1 if opposed1 or required to do any
 thing she did not wish to1 and go into 
a sort of hysteric1 protesting that she 
was dying4 ,i laughed at her a little at
 first1 but ,i soon saw she was very    
obstinate and very passionate1 and      
several times on such occasions ,i took 
her up in my arms1 though she was pretty

 heavy1 and carried her to a bed1 where 
,i laid her down and left her to enjoy  
her performance alone4 ,after a while   
she would sneak down into the           
school-room again looking very much     
ashamed1 but ,i took no notice of this1 
and after two or three experiments she  
was entirely cured4 ,i learned afterward
 that she had practised this device     
successfully upon a doting mother and   
her nursery-maid1 who really feared she 
would die4 ,they were much obliged to me
 for having the courage to meet it      
resolutely4 ,she has become a charming  
little scholar1 for she is as full of   
talent and affection as of self-will1   
and has been sent1 by my urgent         
entreaty1 to learn calisthenic          
exercises1 where she expends the extra  
fluid which1 when bottled up by         
inaction1 works mischief in her4 ,she   
was formerly unable to tie her own      
bonnet or draw on her own gloves1 but in
 six months she has so changed that she 
can dress other children as well as     

herself1 and climbs the banisters and   
perches herself fearlessly upon the tops
 of the doors1 greatly to the terror of 
other little children of luxury like    
herself4  ,we should never prevaricate  
or in any way deceive a child for the   
sake of an immediate result1 for that is
 not being true to principle1 but we may
 be allowed sometimes1 in our characters
 of mothers and teachers1 to act as that
 near ,providence1 which the mother has 
so happily been said to be4 ,in ,god's  
government1 some penalty1 though often a
 hidden one1 is the consequence of every
 transgression of law2 and do we not in 
a small measure act to the child as his 
representatives8 ,it is a dangerous     
power to have dominion over another     
soul1 even for a time2 but since it is  
actually given to us1 are we not bound  
to make use of it1 conscientiously and  
tenderly1 but still to make use of it8  
,i once knew a father who thought1      
because he was not himself perfect1 that
 he had no right to exact obedience from

 his children4 ,his retribution for this
 morbid conscientiousness was most      
deplorable4 ,one child became insane    
from want of self-control1 which he     
would not allow her to be taught2 and   
another failed to have any sentiment of 
duty toward ,god or man1 but passed many
 years of life without apparently       
knowing that any duty was required of   
him4 ,worldly prosperity in his case    
only increased the evil1 for he was     
never obliged to make an exertion for   
himself or others4 ,i have never heard  
that he was vicious1 but he could not   
live even with the parent who had       
allowed him to grow up unrestrained4    
,the parents surely are designed to     
represent to the child the ,heavenly    
,father whom they cannot see1 and who   
must later become an object of faith    
through that beautiful analogy of       
parental love and care4  ,i agree too   
with one of the best and wisest1 who has
 said that it is not necessary to reward
 children for doing right1 since ,god   

has so made man that doing right is1    
like loving1 its own reward4 ,only those
 who have thought deeply can make such  
discriminations as these1 yet to what   
noble mind1 when the thing is once said1
 does it not seem base to give an       
outward reward for a lofty action8 ,and 
is it not a brotherly act to help our   
fellow-pilgrims on their way1 by giving 
a friendly warning when a               
stumbling-block is in the path8 ,i think
 children can be made to understand that
 a judicious punishment is a friendly   
warning1 if not the first time we       
administer it1 then the second1 or the  
third1 or even the fiftieth time2 for as
 we should forgive1 so we should warn   
our brother1 not seven times1 but       
seventy times seven4 ,i learn to feel   
that if ,i am actuated by the right     
motive in my dealings with their souls1 
7and one learns to be very conscientious
 in meddling with them17 my pupils will 
find it out sooner or later2 and then   
they will see all that ,i have done1 as 

well as all that ,i may do1 in a new    
light4  ,i have a bright little fellow  
in my school who had acquired a sad     
habit of sucking his thumb4 ,i thought  
he actually began to grow thin upon it4 
,i had checked him many times1 and he   
was good about it1 but the habit was too
 strong for him4 ,one day ,i drew on a  
little conversation about helping each  
other out of difficulties1 which all    
agreed to2 and all professed themselves 
willing to be helped and to listen to   
warnings4 ,i then said there was one in 
the school whom ,i wished to cure of a  
bad habit1 and ,i had a plan for doing  
it1 but its success must depend upon    
whether he was willing1 and upon whether
 the rest would be really friendly and  
not laugh at him1 or tease him1 but help
 him in every way they could4 ,they were
 very desirous to know who and what it  
was1 and very sure they would do all    
that was desired4 ,i then spoke to      
little ,w----1 who was only six1 or at  
most1 seven years old1 and asked him if 

he was willing to let me tie that hand  
behind him that he might be cured of    
sucking his thumb2 for ,i knew of no    
other way4 ,i told him it would try his 
patience2 for it was his right hand1 and
 he would have to be dependent upon     
others for many things1 and often would 
find it very inconvenient and annoying4 
,after ,i had impressed him fully with  
the importance of the matter1 he        
consented1 and the rest of the children 
promised to be attentive to his wants4  
,i never tied the hand behind him till  
he put the thumb into his mouth2 but it 
had to be done every day for a          
fortnight4 ,he bore it1 and all the     
inconveniences1 like a hero1 and not one
 child forgot to be considerate and     
helpful4 ,he was cured of the trick1 and
 he has been an object of great interest
 among his companions ever since1       
because they helped to do him good4     
,perhaps1 dear ,a----1 you will think ,i
 dwell longer than necessary upon this  
subject1 knowing as we do that the usual

 fault of schools is too much penalty1  
and too much low motive2 but you and ,i 
are surrounded by those who are         
inclined1 by their tendency of thought1 
to forget practical wisdom2 who1 in     
their lively sense that immortality     
begins now1 and is not a distant        
good1--a sort of reward for well-doing1 
are in danger of forgetting that we are 
to be educated by circumstances1 and    
that circumstances will educate us1     
whether we direct them or not1 in this  
beginning of our long career4 ,those who
 have most faith in the soul and its    
ultimate power to work itself free from 
all impediments1 are most apt to despise
 all the minor aids that may help its   
first steps4  ,then there is another    
class of persons1 who do not believe in 
the soul enough to think education of   
any use4 ,they cannot very well tell you
 what they do believe2 in truth they    
have no faith in anything1 but finding  
it hard to control circumstances1 and   
seeing instances of great failure where 

there have been most appliances1 7they  
do not consider whether these appliances
 were wisely administered17 they give   
all up to chance1 and believing neither 
in innate ideas nor in the use of means1
 rest satisfied with a low standard of  
action1 and go through life without ever
 having a glimpse of anything better    
than themselves4 ,indeed1 if they see   
anything better1 they understand it so  
little1 that they think it must be a    
delusive appearance1 and that an earnest
 view of any subject is extravagance1 or
 even insanity4 ,but ,i do not think so 
great a want of faith is very common4   
,this is too long a letter1 so good-by  
for the present4 ,when ,i think you are 
rested from this1 ,i will write again4  
,m4   ,,letter ,,iii4  ,,my ,,dear      
,,anna1--,let me introduce you to my    
little family4 ,it consists of twenty   
children1 some of whom have been under  
my care for three years4 ,these latter  
are eight in number1 and from nine to   
twelve years of age2 then ,i have six   

who are not seven years old1 who know   
how to read pretty well1 but who study  
no lessons more difficult than a simple 
bit of poetry1 the names of a few places
 on the map1 a list of words from the   
black-board of the parts of a flower1 or
 an interlined ,latin fable1 which ,i   
give them thus early1 because ,latin is 
one of the elements of our language1 and
 its forms are so definite that it gives
 definiteness to ideas4 ,these children 
print1 write1 draw from outlined forms  
and blocks1 as well as from their own   
fancies1 and listen to all sorts of     
information which ,i give them orally1  
and which they recount to me again when 
questioned4 ,i tell a great many stories
 over maps1 which are1 in my dominions1 
not only lines running hither and       
thither with a few names interspersed1  
but real mountains1 rivers1 lakes1 and  
seas1 which ,i clothe with verdure1 and 
people with all kinds of animate forms1 
such as beasts1 birds1 fishes1 and      
,william ,tells1 or other interesting   

individuals and tribes4 ,i have a book1 
called ,wonders of the ,world1 which is 
my ,aladdin's lamp1 and when ,i take it 
down1 little hands are clapped and      
bright eyes glisten4  ,but ,i must not  
forget to mention my other six1 who are 
sweet little buds of promise as one can 
well imagine2 who love to hear stories  
about all living things1 from oysters up
 through the more intelligent shell-fish
 that have heads as well as a foot1 to  
small pink pigs and their mothers1      
butterflies1 birds1 dogs1 horses1 cows1 
and fellow-children2 and to learn that  
their stockings are made of wool that   
grew on the back of a lamb1 their shoes 
of the skin of a calf1 their ribbons    
from the cocoons of a moth1 the table of
 a tree1 c41 c4 ,these little people    
were committed to my keeping directly   
out of their mothers' or their nurses'  
arms4 ,i am always diffident about      
taking the place of the former1 but     
rejoice to rescue babes from the care of
 the latter4  ,the first thing to be    

taught these1 is how to live happily    
with each other2 the next1 how to use   
language4 ,it is not necessary to wait  
till they can read before we begin this 
last instruction4 ,they love dearly to  
repeat the words of simple poetry or of 
poetic prose1 7,mrs4 ,barbauld is my    
classic for babes17 and it is curious to
 see how synthetical are their first    
mental operations1 and how difficult    
they find it to disentangle the words of
 a short sentence1 which evidently has  
hitherto been but one word of many      
syllables4 ,names of things can be made 
to stand forth distinctly before other  
words1 because the objects of the senses
 do2 but when ,i first ask children of  
three or four years old to make         
sentences and put in the and and1 their 
pleasure in recognizing the single word 
is even greater1 and they will amuse    
themselves a great deal with the        
exercise1 running to me to whisper1 just
 now ,i said the2 or1 ,charley said and4
 ,if the printed word is pointed out at 

the same time1 it is still more         
interesting1 because then it becomes an 
object of the senses1 a real thing1 just
 as much as the book it is printed in4  
,you know ,i take the royal road to the 
attainment of this art1 and teach words 
first1 not letters4 ,i find this a much 
better as well as happier way1 for a    
word is a whole host of thoughts to a   
young child1 and three words in a row a 
whole gallery of pictures4 ,bird1 nest1 
tree6 ,if a child has ever played in a  
meadow1 or even in a garden1 or sat on a
 grassy bank under the window1 or has   
seen pigeons fly down into a city       
street1 what subject of endless         
conversation does this combination of   
things present6 ,the book that contains 
such words1 and perhaps a story1 of     
which they form a part1 is itself an    
illuminated volume1 and is immediately  
invested with a charm it cannot lose1   
for what child 7or man7 was ever tired  
of the thought of a bird1 or a tree1 to 
say nothing of that more rare and       

mysterious object1 a nest8 ,the warbled 
song1 the downy breast1 the sheltering  
wing1 the snug retreat1 have such an    
analogy with the mother's carol or      
lullaby1 the brooding bosom1 and the    
beloved arms1 a child's dearest home1   
that every sentiment is enlisted1 and a 
thousand things1 never to be forgotten1 
may be said4 ,there is no need of       
pictures on such a page as this4 ,i well
 remember the shining pages of my       
childhood's books1--a lustre never      
emitted by white paper alone4 ,i doubt  
not the ancient fancy of illuminating   
the works of great minds with gilded and
 scarlet letters grew out of some such  
early association with printed1 or      
rather written thoughts2--for printing  
was not known then4  ,i believe you do  
not approve of this method of teaching  
to read2 but ,i cannot help thinking a  
variety of experience like mine would   
make you a convert to my mode4 ,i claim 
to have discovered it1 and the bright   
little six years old rogue1 upon whom ,i

 tried my first experiment1 learned to  
read in six weeks1 and every word was an
 experience to him1 for ,i made up the  
lessons as we went on from day to day   
right out of his little life4 ,he would 
scream with delight to see what he      
called his words on the sheet upon which
 ,i daily printed a new lesson4 ,i have 
no doubt every name of a thing looked to
 him like the thing itself1 for his     
imagination was a very transmuting one4 
,you would have been as amused at his   
antics over the word and as ,i was4 ,i  
only introduced such oysters of words   
occasionally into my gallery of         
pictures1 but he never forgot any such  
useful members of society1 though ,i    
think he could not have made pictures of
 them4 ,one great point is1 that        
children are always happy to read in    
this way2 and to work their little      
brains against their will1 seems to me  
cruel4 ,it is quite an effort for them  
to learn to observe closely enough to   
distinguish such small particulars even 

as words1 with which they have such     
vivid associations1 and altogether an   
unnatural one to learn arbitrary signs1 
to which nothing already known can be   
attached4 ,until ,i was convinced that  
this was the best method1 ,i always     
found myself instinctively helping      
innocent children along1 through their  
first steps in reading1 by means which1 
at the time1 ,i half thought were       
tricks1 and unsafe indulgences4 ,i      
feared that ,i was depriving them of    
some desirable and wholesome discipline1
 such as we often hear of in our extreme
 youth from nursery-maids1 who tell     
stories of parents who whip their       
children every morning that they may be 
good all day4 ,but ,i will never again  
force helpless little ones1 of three or 
four years old1 to learn the alphabet   
and the abs1 until every letter is      
interesting to them from the position it
 holds in some symbolic word4  ,when    
letters are learned in the ordinary way1
 they are often associated with some    

image1 as a stands for apple1 b for boy1
 c for cat2 and these associations may  
be so many hindrances 7certainly in the 
case of the vowels7 to the next step in 
the process1 because they must all be   
unlearned before the letters can be     
applied to other words4 ,in our language
 there are so many silent letters in    
words1 so many sounds for each vowel1   
and the alphabetic sound of the         
consonants is so different from their   
sound in words1 that ,i do not care how 
late the analysis is put off4  ,after a 
while1 ,i string columns of little words
 together1 in which the vowel has the   
same sound1 as can1 man1 pan1 tan1 and  
let these be the first spelling-lessons2
 but ,i prefer1 even to this mode1 that 
of letting children write from dictation
 the words they are familiar with on a  
page4 ,one dear little boy came to      
school three months before he wished to 
read1 or to look at a book1 except for  
the pictures4 ,at last he came into the 
class without an invitation1 and has    

learned very fast1 and can read better  
than some children who have read longer4
 ,he is a perfect little dumpling1 as   
gay and happy as a lark all day1 and ,i 
would not for the world make it a task  
for him to use his brain1 thus risking  
the diminution of his rotundity4 ,he is 
as wise as a judge1 though he has not   
lost his baby looks2 and he might be    
made to reason subtly at an early age ,i
 doubt not2 but ,i hope all such powers 
will be allowed to slumber peacefully as
 yet4 ,he is in the mean time learning  
to read slowly2 to print1 to draw       
houses1 to repeat poetry1 to sing songs 
about birds1 bees1 and lambs1 and to    
have as much fun between these exercises
 as ,i can furnish him with1--the latter
 in another apartment1 of course4 ,i    
have taken no pains to teach him his    
letters4 ,i have a great repugnance to  
letters1 with their many different      
sounds1 so puzzling to the brain2--but  
one day1 finding he knew some of them1  
,i pointed to g1 and asked him if he    

knew the name of it4 ,he said grass1    
which was the first word in which he had
 seen g4 ,so w he first called water1   
for the same reason4 ,i gave him their  
sounds1 but not their alphabetical      
names4 ,i was obliged to give him two   
sounds for g1 one hard1 one soft1 and he
 soon knew all the consonants by their  
powers4 ,i hope he will not ask me      
anything about the vowels at present4,i 
,i also cut out the words children first
 learn1 as soon as they can put together
 a few in short sentences1 and let them 
arrange them to correspond with the     
sentences in the book4 ,i have devoted  
one copy of my ,primer to this purpose1 
and keep the words thus separated1 and  
pasted upon card-board1 for such use4   
,i know all children learn to read1 and 
some children learn rapidly1 but ,i am  
always interested to know at what cost4 
,it is a very important question1 ,i    
assure you4 ,one may not realize1 at the
 time1 the evils consequent upon the    
difficulties first encountered4 ,the    

actual injury to the brain stands first 
among these4 ,we grown people know the  
painful sensation consequent upon too   
long and too fixed attention to one     
subject1 even in the arranging of piles 
of pamphlets which we are endeavoring to
 classify4 ,the brain whirls and        
experiences chills1 and the whole body  
feels it4 ,so with children1 when made  
to read too long1 before the eye has    
learned to discriminate words easily4   
,the child is told that it is naughty1  
if it does not continue as long as the  
teacher's or the mother's patience holds
 out 7as soon as that is exhausted1 the 
lesson is sure to be over74 ,how false  
this is6 ,a little child should never be
 required to do anything intellectual as
 a duty4 ,it should not be required even
 to love as a duty1 much less to think4 
,both should be made inevitable by the  
interest inspired2 its mental efforts   
should only be sports4 ,its habits of   
self-control1 its kindness1 its         
affection1 should be cultivated1 and    

this rather by example than by precept4 
,when mothers do not succeed in teaching
 their children to read1 because they   
have not the resolution to force them to
 it1 they often say to me1 ,do teach the
 child to read1 it will be a great      
resource2 ,i reply1 if ,i think they    
will believe me1 that their instincts   
have perhaps been wiser than their      
understanding2 but if ,i see that they  
are unreasonable1 ,i reply that ,i will 
try1 reserving to myself the privilege  
of trying just as much as ,i please1 and
 no more4 ,i can generally make the     
effort to read a voluntary one1 if ,i do
 not find any previous painful          
associations to do away4 ,if ,i do1 ,i  
wait patiently till ,i can replace them 
by others1 and in the mean time make    
books vocal of such enchanting things   
that the desire will bubble up in the   
little mind1 through all the rubbish    
that has gathered over it4 ,the pleasure
 of reading together from a black-board1
 on which the letters should be printed 

with great exactness and perfection of  
form1 in order to resemble those in the 
book1 often gives this desire4  ,one    
little fellow1 whose perceptive powers  
are sharper than those of my dumpling1  
reflects upon himself more1 and although
 equally fat1 appears1 from a certain   
anxious expression on his face1 to have 
had some trials4 ,he says his sister    
sometimes hurts his feelings4 ,he thinks
 some words are beautiful and full of   
pictures4 ,he tells very small fibs1    
such as ,mother says ,i must read those 
words1 and those4 ,do not suppose ,i let
 this fibbing pass4 ,i make a great     
point of not believing it1 and of       
comparing it with truth1 and of proving 
to him that his mother knows nothing    
about it4  ,another little darling1 who 
cannot speak plain1 says1 ,oh1 is 'at   
feathers8 ,why6 is it feathers8 ,oh1 now
 tell me where wings is6 ,oh6 is 'at    
wings8 ,oh6 ,i want to kiss oo4  ,i hear
 these little ones read four or five    
times a day4 ,the lesson occupies about 

fifteen minutes each time4 ,all study   
together1 as they call it4 ,i put my    
pointer on the book of each in turn1    
making it a habit that they shall not   
look off the book for the space of three
 minutes1 perhaps1 during which each    
reads4 ,they keep within a few sentences
 of each other1 near enough to think    
they read together1 as ,i detain them   
long upon the repetition of all they    
know2 but ,i see very clearly which will
 start off soon and outstrip the rest4  
,i say nothing of which reads the best1 
but sometimes make such remarks as1     
,l---- will learn to read very fast1 ,i 
think1 he is so attentive4 ,this makes  
,l---- all the more attentive1 and helps
 the others to make the effort2 for with
 these four1 to be able to read is the  
most charming of prospects4 ,i am       
determined that no touch of weariness   
shall break the charm4 ,in three months 
they will be able to read the two first 
stories in the ,primer1 which occupy    
about two pages4 ,their eyes will by    

that time become so accustomed to       
analyzing the looks of the words1 that  
they will be able to print them without 
the book1 and soon new words will be    
learned very rapidly4 ,i stave off the  
spelling as long as possible1 but you   
may be sure that these children will    
spell well by and by4 ,i am convinced of
 this by experience1 for the next class 
above these in age have begun within a  
few weeks to write stories of their own1
 composing instead of copying them from 
books1 as they have done for two years1 
and ,i am myself quite astonished at    
their spelling4 ,they have never spelled
 a word they did not understand1 and    
their spelling in composition is better 
than that of some children still older  
who learned to spell elsewhere1 and who 
hate spelling-books4  ,one of my        
exercises in thinking is to ask the     
children to tell me the names of all the
 actions they can think of2 and to help 
them ,i say1 for instance1 ,what can the
 bird do8 ,what can the fly do8 ,how    

many things can the fly do8 ,another is 
to ask them what things are made of1 and
 where they are found1 ,are they        
vegetables1 or are they from animals1 or
 are they minerals8 ,they are vastly    
entertained by this1 and one little     
fellow became so much excited1 and      
wearied himself so much with his        
investigations at home1 that his mother 
begged me to suspend the exercise for a 
time4 ,jemmy's head is a little too big 
for his body2 and the look of research  
in his great eyes gives evidence of     
precocity1 the thing of all others to be
 shunned4 ,his mother has put thick     
boots upon him lately1 and turned him   
out into the snow1 and he looks like a  
butterfly in boots1 with his ethereal   
head and spiritual orbs4  ,i have but   
one child under my care that ,i call a  
prodigy2 and my influence has not yet   
been strong enough to check her ardor as
 it ought to be checked4 ,she is sent to
 school because she is happier at school
 than in the nursery1 to which rich     

people's children are so often banished4
 7,i never intend to have a nursery in  
my house47 ,this child has been with me 
three years1 and is but six now4 ,she   
might be made one of those wonders of   
learning that occasionally astonish the 
world1 if the plan of her education had 
not been to supply as little food as    
possible for her cravings4 ,fortunately 
she did not ask to read for a long time1
 but ,i have not a scholar so           
perseveringly industrious1 so absorbed  
in whatever she is doing1 so full of    
nervous energy4 ,she is as conscientious
 as she is intellectual4 ,i have never  
had to repeat a request to her1 or to   
subject her to a rule4 ,she always sees 
and does the fitting and the lovely     
thing4 ,before she learned to read she  
would sit for the hour together with a  
book in hand1 7upside down1 perhaps17   
and improvisate stories wonderful to    
hear1 in which the characters preserved 
their individuality1 and the            
descriptions of nature were as vivid as 

those of a poet of many years4 ,she was 
quite lost to outward things while      
improvisating thus4 ,one day after      
school1 the maid who came for her not   
having arrived1 she threw herself on the
 floor1 and began a story about a       
naughty child4 ,i cannot now remember   
all the very words1 for it was a year   
ago2 but the qualities of the heroine   
were a combination of all the faults she
 knew anything about4 ,if people were   
ill1 she always made a noise2 she would 
shut the door hard if told that it would
 make people's heads ache4 ,she hid     
other people's things1 and would not    
tell where she had put them4 ,she was   
very cross to her little brother1 and   
often hurt the baby4 ,she cut valuable  
things with the scissors1 tore up her   
books1 and left the pieces of paper on  
the parlor carpet4 ,one day it rained   
very hard1 and her mother told her not  
to go out1 lest she should take cold4   
,she was always disobedient1 so she went
 up-stairs and put on a very nice dress 

and her best bonnet1 with blue ribbons1 
and thin stockings and shoes1 and       
nothing to keep herself warm1 but went  
out in the rain1 and paddled and paddled
 about1 and wet her dress1 and spoilt   
the blue ribbons on her bonnet2 and when
 she came in she was very1 very sick    
indeed1 and had a dreadful fever1 and   
people slammed the doors and made a     
great noise1 and she had dreadful1 oh1  
dreadful pains in her head and her side1
 and she could not eat or drink         
anything2 and at last she died and did  
not go to heaven6 ,she stopped1         
completely out of breath4 ,after a few  
moments' pause1 ,i said1 ,oh1 ,i am     
sorry for the poor little girl that was 
punished so much4 ,was she so very      
naughty she could not go to heaven8     
,she made no reply for some time1 and   
then recommenced in a low1 solemn voice3
 ,when she was lying in her bed1 she was
 very sorry she had not obeyed her      
mother1 and a heavenly angel came down  
out of the heavenly sky and took her up 

into heaven4 ,after a short pause she   
burst out again very                    
energetically--,then how she ramped6    
,she trampled on the clouds1 and put her
 foot in the sun1 moon1 and stars6 ,i   
made no further comment4 ,i rarely      
interrupted her utterances1 for they    
never were addressed to any one1 and    
seldom indulged in1 unless she thought  
herself alone4 ,they were picturesque   
and symbolical1 but never vague4 ,the   
moral was always very apparent4 ,but her
 imagination sometimes clothes objects  
with a light of its own4 ,i was leading 
her up-stairs the other day1 and as we  
stepped into the hall1 we saw a large   
spider running before us4 ,she dropped  
my hand and bounded forward1 ,oh1 you   
beautiful1 smiling creature6 was her    
exclamation4  ,would not a bird have    
been her passport into paradise at that 
moment8  ,another of these children was 
walking in the mall with me one day1    
when the sun was shining with an        
afternoon light upon the bare trees1    

over rather a dreary landscape of snow  
and ice4 ,oh1 the trees look like golden
 twigs1 said my little poetess1 so full 
of joy that ,i could hardly hold her4   
,this1 dear ,a----1 is the              
time when meadow1 grove1 and stream1    
,the earth and every common sight1      
,to us do seem1         ,apparelled in  
celestial light1         ,the glory and 
the freshness of a dream4  ,to return a 
moment to my little prodigy4 ,when she  
did not for a long time ask to read1 she
 wished to print1 and it must have been 
this practice which gradually so        
accustomed her eye to the shapes of     
words1 that when she suddenly conceived 
the desire to read1 she remembered them 
with marvellous rapidity4 ,everything   
else was abandoned for the time1 and in 
the course of two or three weeks she    
could read very well4 ,i had often seen 
her take up the books which contained   
the stories she liked1 and ,i supposed1 
at first1 that she must have learned to 
read them herself in some unaccountable 

way4 ,she had often repeated such       
stories from the book from beginning to 
end1 word for word4 ,but ,i found it was
 not the case1--that she had never      
actually read them before4 ,however1 ,i 
never could trace the steps4 ,spelling  
she does not find easy4 ,even now1      
several months after she has been able  
to read currently1 if1 when she comes to
 a new word1 ,i propose to her to spell 
it1 she will mention the letters 7,i    
never taught her their names1 but she   
doubtless learned them while printing so
 industriously71 and then say again1    
,what is it8 as if that had not helped  
her at all4 ,but she never forgets a    
word after it is once told her4 ,she    
joins in an exercise ,i frequently      
practise with older scholars1 of        
spelling a few lines of the reading     
lesson1 but she is not so ready as the  
others1 although none read better1 and  
few as well4 ,she now composes stories  
on the slate instead of improvisating   
aloud so much2 and ,i am surprised to   

find how many words she spells aright4  
,but ,i try no experiments upon her1 as 
my plan is to clip her wings4 ,if she   
was enshrined in as rotund a body as    
some of the other children1 ,i might    
venture a little1 but she already looks 
too ethereal2--one sees at a glance that
 the sword of her fervent little spirit 
might easily be made to cut its sheath4 
,children love to use their fingers1 and
 ,i give them a slate when they come to 
school1 and teach them to print1 which  
accelerates the learning to read4 ,i    
encourage them also to draw from        
beautiful outlines1 from things they see
 in the room1 and also from their own   
fancies4 ,i draw upon the black-board   
before them1 very slowly1 giving        
directions for imitation4 ,i never      
criticise their productions1 whether    
successful or not4 ,i often see a       
promise in the freedom of a stroke1 or  
in the child's appreciation of his own  
drawing1 which an unpractised eye could 
scarcely detect4 ,if a little child     

brings me a slate with three marks drawn
 upon it which he calls a horse1 or a   
dog1 can ,i be so unsympathizing as to  
question it8 ,perhaps ,i add ears1 legs 
or a tail1 and my little disciple does  
not know the next moment whether he or  
,i completed the picture1 but the next  
specimen of his art will probably have  
at least one of these appendages4  ,i   
drew on the black-board to-day1 a square
 house1 with a door in the middle of the
 front1 a window on each side the door1 
and one in each chamber over the        
parlors4 ,two chimneys surmounted the   
house1 and the windows were divided each
 into six panes of glass4 ,these things 
,i mentioned as ,i drew them4 ,it was   
not many minutes before ,i was called to
 look at two houses of four times the   
size of mine1 with the additional       
embellishments of stairs to go up into  
the chambers1 one of the windows open   
7which ,i thought decidedly the stroke  
of genius in this artist71 smoke from   
the chimneys1 steps to the doors 7my    

house had been left hanging in mid air71
 pumps with individuals1 ,i cannot call 
them men1 suspended to their handles1   
and various other hieroglyphics which ,i
 could not stay to hear explained4      
,these limners are four years old1 their
 faith in themselves and others yet     
unshaken1 and ,i should be the last one 
to suggest that stairs could not be seen
 through the walls of a house1 or that  
men were not lines and dots1 or birds as
 large as houses1 for ,i have known     
children to cry at such criticisms1 and 
to be quite checked in their artistic   
exploits by a laugh4  ,after such rude  
practice as this1 the child1 by         
imperceptible advances1 begins at last  
to see things more as they are1 and then
 a little criticism is safe1 but it must
 still be guarded1 sympathizing1 and    
helpful4 ,the next thing to be          
inculcated after this is that objects   
must not be drawn just as they are1 but 
only as they appear4 ,i made this remark
 to a child of seven to-day for the     

first time4 ,he had learned too much to 
make similar mistakes to those of the   
little people lately mentioned1 but in  
attempting to copy the drawing of a     
stool1 he could not comprehend how the  
rungs that joined the legs of the stool 
could be drawn so as to look right1     
because one of them could not really be 
made to pass behind the leg4 ,i pointed 
to a chair and told him to suppose he   
was drawing it upon the wall near which 
it stood1 for his paper represented that
 wall1 though for convenience sake it   
was laid flat upon the table4 ,i asked  
him if he could see the whole of the    
legs farthest from him1 and if the rungs
 of those legs did not pass behind the  
front legs4 ,he saw it clearly4 ,then ,i
 told him we must draw things as they   
appeared1 not as they really were4      
,nothing must be drawn which cannot be  
seen1 although we know more is there    
than we can see without going behind it4
 ,he was delighted with this discovery4 
,now he understood about the rungs of   

the stool1 and also why two legs        
appeared longer than the other two4 ,the
 stool was finished intelligently1      
though not with elegance1 and the paper 
was sprinkled with attempts at various  
chairs which he could see from his seat1
 some of which really looked as if one  
could sit down in them1 and not as if   
they were flattened out and hanging     
against the wall4 ,some of the legs     
would have gone through the floor1 to be
 sure1 if they had been real chairs1 in 
order to afford a comfortable and even  
seat1 but ,i saw that the idea was      
seized1 which was quite enough for my   
unexacting demands4 ,a child much       
younger and less practised1 drew the    
same stool right1 without a word from   
me1 and probably would be completely    
puzzled were ,i to give her the same    
explanation1 for art speaks to her      
without articulate voice4 ,i have one   
little girl with eyes which she seems   
scarcely yet to have used4 ,i took a    
great deal of pains to teach her to draw

 a little upon the black-board last     
winter1 but if ,i drew a perpendicular1 
she thought she imitated me by drawing a
 horizontal line4 ,i endeavored to wake 
up the love and perception of form by   
hanging upon the board various          
exquisitely shaped vases and leaves1 but
 neither these nor rectangular forms    
aroused her imitative powers4 ,i never  
ceased to make these trials1 for ,i     
remembered that a genius in that line   
once said to me1 the art of seeing must 
precede the art of drawing4 ,during the 
long vacation she resided in the        
country1 and nature must have opened her
 eyes1 for since she came back to school
 7about two months ago71 she has        
actually been able to imitate quite     
intelligibly some of those very forms1  
and prefers some of them to others4 ,i  
assure you ,i enjoy her imperfect       
performances far more than ,i do the    
successful efforts of many others4 ,a   
,german friend gave me a book the other 
day which promises to pour a flood of   

light upon what ,i now look upon as my  
benighted efforts to simplify to        
children the art of drawing4 ,it is the 
method of a man of genius1 discovered   
after much groping4 ,he1 too1 had wooden
 models made1 and stood by them1 and    
pointed out to his pupils which part to 
draw first1 as ,i have done1 but at last
 he has reduced the whole thing to a few
 lessons upon some rectilinear blocks1 a
 niche1 a cylinder1 a grindstone1 and a 
ball4 ,i am revelling in the perfect    
adaptation ,i see in it to the end      
proposed1 which is practical teaching of
 perspective without a word being said  
about vanishing points1 aerial          
perspective1 or any of those            
technicalities which weary my           
unmathematical brain1 and which ,i have 
faithfully administered to myself from  
time to time4,j  ,to vary the           
occupations of my cherubs1 ,i let them  
write ,foster's prepared copies with a  
pencil1 which helps very much to        
regulate the motions of the hand1 as    

there is a great interest felt in       
tracing each mark upon the blue line4   
,they also look at pictures in books and
 on the wall1 where ,i hang all the     
pretty things ,i can find1 and tell me  
what is in them2 and sometimes amuse    
themselves at a table of shells1 where  
,i hear them recounting in low voices   
the histories ,i have given them of     
these little tenants of the seas4 ,when 
,i kept caterpillars1 or rather raised  
butterflies1 they never were tired of   
watching the chrysalides1 hoping to see 
the expected butterflies4 ,after these  
came forth in their glory1 we were all  
poisoned by handling the cocoons1 and   
since that experience of itching hands1 
and arms1 and swollen eyes1 ,i have been
 afraid to venture upon that branch of  
natural history4 ,shells are the most   
convenient natural objects for children 
to handle4 ,we talk over flowers often1 
and ,i teach the names of their         
different parts1 and encourage the      
children to make collections of leaves1 

and learn the names of their shapes1    
preparatory to learning the art of      
analyzing them thoroughly4 ,for this    
purpose ,i have drawn all the shapes ,i 
can find named in botanies1 into a book1
 from which ,i teach them4 ,flowers are 
better for teaching beauty than botany1 
to little children1 as they object      
particularly to tearing them to pieces4 
,i have not said one word about my      
little ,robin1 who stands most of the   
time at the window watching the horses  
in the stable opposite1 the scene being 
often spiritualized by the descent of a 
flight of pigeons1 which he generally   
apprises us of by a shout4 ,occasionally
 he turns round and sits down1 and      
watches inside proceedings1 and when an 
interesting story about living things is
 in progress1 ,i sometimes find him in  
my lap1 or behind me in the chair ,i am 
sitting in4 ,his eyes are blue1 and his 
long golden straight hair hangs down    
from his tall forehead like a cleft     
banner of light4 ,robin will not look   

inside of a book yet4 ,he is like a     
caged bird in the city where he is      
imprisoned in winter4 ,in summer he     
lives out of doors1 and rides on        
horseback on his father's knee1 and     
holds the reins in driving4 ,his mother 
says horses are the predominating idea1 
and also sentiment of his life1 at      
present1 and this stable-peep into their
 city life is duly recounted every day  
at home4 ,i often mourn over my lost    
residence by the ,common1 where the     
children who looked out of window could 
see trees and a lovely landscape1 but   
you must not think ,i allow my scholars 
to be pent up five hours in the house4  
,twice a day1 ,i array them all1 summer 
and winter1 and take them to our city   
paradise1 which happily is very near4   
,there we actually see a squirrel once  
in a while4 ,one day we saw a butterfly 
emerging from its chrysalis1 and always 
the sparkling water and waving trees4   
,and we have clear space and fresh air  
for half an hour4 ,if you will not tell1

 ,i will confess that ,i have sometimes 
coasted down the least public side of   
,fox-hill with a babe in my lap1 and ,i 
find ,i have not forgotten how to       
slide1--an accomplishment in which ,i   
excelled in my youth4 ,in wet weather1  
,i put on some of the out-door garments1
 open a window1 and have a merry dance  
or play4 ,the material for the early    
cultivation ,i would give is all nature1
 and art taken picturesquely4 ,the      
nomenclatures of science are not for    
children1 but its beauties and wonders  
are1 and may be culled for them by a    
skilful hand till they have had a peep  
at the wide range of the universe4 ,i   
believe you think it best not to open   
these store-houses until the mind is    
capable of comprehending them more      
fully1 but ,i cannot think so1 dear     
,anna4 ,children's love of nature       
forbids me to think so4 ,i once opened a
 little soul's eyes with a bunch of     
flowers4 ,it was a child who had never  
been to school before1 but who had not  

been cultivated at home1 because her    
mother had suffered from being          
over-educated1 and wished to try the    
experiment of nature1 as she called     
it1--by which she meant1 ,i perceived1  
total neglect4 ,she had allowed her1    
therefore1 to grow up in the nursery and
 in the care of servants1 both of which 
,i consider as far from nature's        
teachings as possible4  ,the child was  
afraid of me and of the children4 ,she  
looked at us for about three weeks with 
a fixed gaze as if we were not living   
beings1 but perhaps walking pictures1   
her features only occasionally relaxing1
 ,i should rather say puckering into a  
woful wail1 which expressed utter       
desolation and want of comprehension of 
our natures4 ,she was impervious to all 
my blandishments1 which ,i lavished more
 bountifully than usual to meet the     
case4 ,when spoken to1 she answered in a
 monosyllable1 or not at all4 ,when she 
wanted anything1 she spoke one word to  
convey the idea1 as a savage would1 7she

 was five years old71 and these         
utterances were never voluntary4 ,she   
liked to sit close by her brother1 who  
was two years older than herself1 and   
who treated her with great tenderness   
and gentleness1 though every            
manifestation from her was of the       
roughest kind4 ,i was sure1 however1    
that ,i did not see the whole1 for his  
manner of taking her hand and saying    
little sister was so peculiar1 that ,i  
did not doubt she was genial to him when
 not in this purgatory of people4  ,one 
day ,i had a beautiful bunch of flowers 
from a greenhouse on my table4 ,this    
child's grandfather owned a greenhouse1 
but perhaps she had never been allowed  
to handle the flowers1 which were       
altogether too precious for children1   
and wild pinks and violets had not been 
accessible to her4 ,i had been trying   
many days in vain to interest her about 
a bee of which ,i had a picture4 ,i had 
told her the bee made honey out of      
flowers4 ,on that day ,i drew the       

tumbler that contained these splendid   
denizens of the greenhouse to the edge  
of the table1 and said1--  ,did you ever
 see a little bee making honey8  ,no4   
,did you ever go into the country in    
summer when the grass is all green8     
,no4--7,i knew she had47  ,did you ever 
see pretty flowers growing8  ,no4  ,i   
will tell you how little bees make      
honey--did you ever eat any honey8      
,yes4  ,they have a long hair sticking  
out of their heads1 and they put it in  
there1 where that yellow dust is1 and   
there they find a little sweet drop that
 tastes like sugar1 and they carry it   
home1 and put it into a little hole1 and
 then they come and get more1 and carry 
that home1 and they put that yellow dust
 into a little pocket by the side of    
their little leg1 and by and by they get
 enough to make a great deal of honey4  
,do the bees make it all themselves8    
said she1 with a brightening look 7the  
first look of intelligence ,i had seen71
 and at the same time making a plunge at

 the flowers4  ,yes1 ,i said1 and taking
 them out of the glass ,i put them all  
into her hand1 for ,i did not even know 
that she could speak plain4 ,she seized 
them eagerly1 and without taking her    
eyes from them went on volubly asking a 
great many questions4 ,i described the  
hive and how they all lived together1   
and told her ,god must have taught them 
how to make honey1 for they could not   
speak or understand anybody's words1 and
 that if they wandered ever so far away 
from their hive1 they always knew the   
way back again4 ,she held the flowers   
all the rest of the morning4 ,when      
school was done1 ,i told her to put them
 into the glass1 and she should have    
them again in the afternoon4 ,as soon as
 she returned1 she very unceremoniously 
took possession of them1--the first act 
of volition she had ever ventured upon  
in my presence1--and nestling close to  
me asked me the same questions she had  
asked before1 over and over again1 and  
repeating them1 and hearing my answers  

again and again1 whenever she could     
secure my attention4 ,as long as the    
flowers lasted1 she seized upon them    
every day1 and after they were withered 
to all other eyes1 they retained their  
charm in hers4 ,i varied the lesson     
often1 by telling her of the silkworm1  
of the butterflies1 and of many         
varieties of the bee family1 and from   
that time a communication was           
established between us4 ,she was never  
afraid of me any more2 liked to sit near
 me2 and have my sympathy in all things1
 provided ,i did not express it too     
openly4 ,it was curious to see such     
mauvaise honte in such a tiny thing1 for
 she was always reserved1 and often     
relapsed into long silences1 and was    
wholly without enterprise in matters in 
which the other children were very      
active1 such as drawing1 making         
block-houses1 and even playing4 ,but ,i 
could catch her eye at any time by a    
story of any living thing1 and she would
 sometimes surprise me by the           

intelligence of her questions4 ,for a   
long time she could not learn to read1  
or rather would not4 ,every new attempt 
at anything was begun in tears and      
despair1 not from weakness1 but from    
pride apparently4 ,her mother had begun 
to think it time to attend to her poor  
hidden soul a little2 and after a long  
summer vacation which she passed in the 
country1 she came back to school with   
pleasure and with a new face1 and though
 always backward in comparison with     
children who had had motherly           
intercourse1 and been taught early to   
use their faculties1 she went steadily  
on4 ,there was no competition to        
discourage her1 and she learned to read 
immediately when she once wished to4    
,none but mothers can do justice to     
little children4 ,she sometimes made me 
think of your remark that every child   
needs four mothers4 ,but ,i think the   
two heaven-appointed parents will do1 if
 they see their duties and fulfil them4 
,to disarm your opposition about sending

 such little tots to school1 ,i assure  
you that many of my mothers tell me that
 the transition from nursery life to my 
little community has cured children of  
fretting and other faults1 and that they
 repeat the occupations of the          
school-room in their home plays4--,read 
,christian ,nurture1 by ,dr4 ,bushnell4 
,,letter ,,iv4  ,,dear ,a41--,when ,i   
have a collection of children around me 
to whom ,i am to teach things and       
morals1 ,i always begin by making a     
simple statement of the footing on which
 ,i wish we shall live together4        
,prevention is better than cure1 and    
much is gained with children1 as with   
grown men1 by expecting from them the   
best and noblest action4  ,in a school  
or in a family1 ,i do not like any      
government but self-government1 yet ,i  
wish my scholars to know that ,i often  
help the growth of the latter by        
interposing my authority when that of   
the inner law fails4 ,when ,i commenced 
my present school1 ,i had such a        

conversation with the children on the   
first day they were assembled1 before   
there had been time for any overt acts  
upon a lower principle than the one ,i  
wished to inculcate4  ,my school        
consists of children belonging to one   
class in a certain sense of the word1   
that is1 to families of the highest     
general cultivation amongst us1 and what
 is still more important1 to families in
 which there is a general if not well   
digested belief in the divinity of human
 nature4 ,yet there is a great diversity
 in the influences upon them4 ,even     
among people of the most liberal views  
there still lurks a sediment of the     
feeling that there is a principle of    
evil as well as of good in the human    
soul1 and so people expect their        
children to be naughty on that ground4  
,now ,i do not believe in this4 ,i think
 all evil is imperfection4 ,it is       
sometimes very bad imperfection1 ,i     
allow1 and ,i am sometimes tempted to   
say poetically1 though never literally1 

that it looks like innate depravity4    
,but ,i do really believe in individual 
perfectibility1 and that circumstance1  
that unspiritual god and miscreator1 is 
our great enemy4 ,circumstance is a very
 important personage in my calendar1 and
 a perfect ,proteus in the shapes he    
takes1 for he covers not only the common
 surroundings we call circumstances1 but
 organization itself4 ,perfection must  
be in the reach of every one by ,god's  
original design1 and it is only man's   
marring that hinders its progress1 and  
that temporarily4 ,i hope you have the  
same instinct about this that ,i have4  
,i can remember1 even when ,i was not   
ten years old1 hearing some one very    
severely criticised1 who ,i happened to 
know had had the worst of moral         
educations1 and ,i resented the         
criticism1 not because the subject of it
 was any friend of mine1 for it was a   
person in whom ,i had no particular     
interest1 but ,i remember the feeling   
was a sort of vindication of ,god's     

goodness1 an assurance that he would not
 judge that unfortunate person harshly  
or unforgivingly1 but that the          
misfortunes she had brought upon        
herself1 would teach her what her life  
at home had failed to teach her4 ,how   
often ,i have thought of that poor woman
 in my life6  ,to go back to my school4 
,i knew many of the families1 some      
intimately enough to know the very      
peculiarities of the children1 others   
only enough to be able to anticipate the
 little characters2 others were perfect 
strangers1 whom ,i was yet to study4    
,many of them had never been to school  
before1 and ,i knew enough of the usual 
method of governing schools to be aware 
that the associations of those who had  
been in such scenes1 were likely to be  
those of contention for power1 the      
memory of penalties1 and a division of  
interests between teachers and taught4  
,even at home some of these children had
 been governed by fixed rules1 instead  
of the instincts of love1 and had never 

been addressed as if they had any sense 
of right and wrong2 others had been     
weakly indulged1 others mostly if not   
wholly neglected1 and left to the care  
of servants4 ,one little boy and girl1  
children of wealthy parents1 scarcely   
saw their father from one month's end to
 another1 for he never rose till they   
went to school2 they dined at two and he
 at five1 and before his dinner was     
done1 to which he never returned till   
the last moment1 these little ones were 
put to bed4 ,even the elder children who
 also went to school1 saw him only at   
dinner1 for his evenings were usually   
spent in company1 or at some club4 ,i   
hope this is an extreme case4 ,i should 
say that the mother in this family was  
an amiable woman1 but not sufficiently  
like the near ,providence to counteract 
the effects of such fatherly neglect4   
,there was one child1 of truly religious
 and conscientious parents1 whose moral 
influence was null1 except indirectly1  
because they really believed that the   

human heart was originally depraved1 and
 waited to be saved by special grace    
from ,god1 irrespective of the          
conscience2 and this girl1 who was the  
oldest of my scholars1 had less         
principle to work upon than any one1 and
 when ,i first spoke of the cultivation 
of the mind as a religious duty1 she    
told me very ingenuously that it was the
 first time she had ever heard such a   
thought1 although she was considered    
quite remarkable at home for her        
religious sensibility1 and really prayed
 aloud sometimes like a little seraph1  
in imitation of her truly devout        
parents2 but she was very untruthful4   
,a few of the children had been made to 
feel that every human being has a       
conscience1 which1 when enlightened1    
will guide him right4 ,in these latter  
the work of growth had already begun1   
and to them ,i looked for my allies in  
the work ,i was about to undertake4 ,i  
knew that the best ,i could do would    
only come up to the standard that had   

ever been held up before them4  ,i      
seated them all around me and began by  
telling them how much ,i loved to keep  
school for little children1 when they   
were good4 ,but children were not always
 good1 and ,i was glad to help them cure
 their little faults before they grew to
 be great ones1 which was the thing most
 to be feared in the world4 ,i hoped the
 good children here would help me make  
the others better1 if there were any    
naughty ones4 ,we must all be patient   
with naughty people1 just as ,god was4  
,it took naughty people a long time to  
grow better again4 ,if each child would 
think about himself a moment1 he would  
remember that he did not always do      
perfectly right2 but ,god had given     
everybody a conscience which was        
sometimes called the voice of ,god      
within us1 so every one could improve   
who would listen to that voice4  ,there 
was a right thing to be done in every   
place4 ,in school it would be necessary 
for all to keep good order1 else it     

would be impossible to study1 where     
there were so many persons2 it was just 
as necessary too that all should be     
polite and kind to each other1 else     
there could be no happiness4 ,one unkind
 person could make all the rest         
uncomfortable4  ,after dwelling upon    
these points till all seemed to         
recognize their importance1 ,i told them
 that some people kept order in schools 
by rigid rules and penalties2 for       
instance1 there would be a rule that    
every scholar who spoke aloud should    
have a mark for bad conduct1 every one  
that kept order1 a mark for good        
conduct2 another rule would be1 that    
every lesson learned well should have a 
mark of approbation1 every lesson       
learned ill1 a mark of disapprobation4  
,the penalties for transgressing rules  
were floggings1 bad reports written for 
parents to see1 keeping lag after       
school1 c4 c42 the recompense for good  
marks1 either a good report1 or a       
present1--the handsomest prize being    

given to the one who learned lessons    
best4  ,but ,i did not wish to keep     
school thus4 ,i had no respect for      
people who did right only because they  
feared punishment or hoped for a reward4
 ,such motives made people selfish4 ,i  
had known of children who would deny    
having done something they had really   
done1 and try to make a teacher suppose 
some one else did it2 and also of other 
children who were sorry when some one   
else got the present4 ,all these things 
made people selfish1 and tempted them to
 be false4 ,we should do right because  
it was right1 whether it were to bring  
us pleasure or pain4 ,it was the duty of
 all to improve their faculties1 because
 ,god had given them to us for that     
purpose1 and had put us into a beautiful
 world1 and given us parents and        
teachers to help us prepare for a long  
existence of which this life is but a   
small part1--a kind of school in which  
we are educated for another world4  ,i  
wished to have but one rule in my       

school1 and that was the ,golden ,rule3 
do unto others as you wish others to do 
unto you4  ,the duty in school was to   
study well and to keep order1 that      
others might have a chance to study4 ,it
 would be necessary for them all to     
respect my arrangements1 and obey my    
wishes for the sake of this order1 but  
they need not think of prizes or marks1 
for ,i should give none4  ,i wished them
 to govern themselves4 ,this would make 
it unnecessary for me to watch them all 
the time4 ,i should soon learn who was  
worthy of being trusted4  ,did they not 
like to be trusted8  ,they responded    
warmly to this4  ,did they not like to  
do as they pleased8  ,there was1 of     
course1 but one answer to this question4
  ,i told them none could be allowed to 
do that in school except those who      
pleased to do right1 because it was my  
duty to prevent them from disturbing    
each other1 or from wasting their own   
time4 ,but ,i hoped never to be obliged 
to punish any one for doing wrong4 ,i   

should make no rules at present1 and if 
,i found all were polite1 obliging1 and 
industrious1 ,i should never need to    
make any2 but if there were any in      
school who did not obey conscience1 and 
think about other people's convenience1 
,i should be obliged to make rules for  
such4 ,i should put the names of such   
scholars on a paper1 and those children 
must live by my rules1 because they had 
none of their own4  ,i considered proper
 manners in school to be quietness1 no  
unnecessary speaking or moving about in 
study time1 politeness to every one1    
ready obedience to my wishes and        
arrangements1 and industrious habits of 
study4  ,i should now leave each one to 
make rules for himself in his own mind2 
they might write them down if they      
pleased4 ,i should like to see what each
 one would think it right to do in      
school4 ,they might imagine themselves  
keeping school1 and tell how they should
 govern it1 and what they thought the   
duties of scholars4  ,some of them did  

this4 ,their regulations were very      
strict1 their requisitions very great4  
,those who were then morally ready to   
apprehend my meaning1 have never swerved
 since from the law laid down at that   
time4  ,but it was not long before      
several names were upon my list4 ,for   
these ,i made specific rules1 taking    
especial pains to say that they were not
 to apply to such or such individuals4  
,if ,e---- or ,l---- or ,s----1 for     
instance1 should speak aloud on a       
pressing occasion1 ,i should not subject
 them to the penalty1 because ,i knew   
their principles were good2 that they   
thought of the convenience of others1   
were studious1 c41 c4 ,i should excuse a
 particular instance of apparent        
disorder in them until ,i had reason to 
think they were growing careless or     
thoughtless4  ,i made the same remark in
 regard to an occasional want of success
 in a lesson4 ,i might perhaps have     
erred in judgment by giving too long a  
lesson4 ,i might find upon experiment   

that the mind was not prepared for a    
particular thing4 ,i should be inclined 
to think an industrious and             
conscientious scholar did not feel well1
 rather than to suppose any want of     
faithfulness4 ,people must always be    
judged according to their characters4   
,i assure you it was a great punishment 
to have one's name upon my list4 ,these 
children saw the joys of liberty1 and   
that they could be secured only by doing
 right4 ,i never saw any system of      
rewards or punishments have such a      
stimulating moral or intellectual       
effect4  ,some of my scholars were too  
young even to be bound in all cases by  
this law of the general convenience1 and
 these ,i spoke of as children whose    
habits were to be formed gradually1 and 
of whom this comprehension of the       
convenience of others could not always  
be expected4 ,i called upon the rest to 
help me keep them as quiet as would be  
consistent with their good1 and took it 
for granted that none would trouble me  

by playing or interfering with them4    
,there must1 of course1 be exceptions to
 all rules4  ,there were many occasions 
of recurring to this conversation1 and  
of repeating its principles4 ,when any  
overt acts of wrong-doing occurred1 when
 new scholars came1 ,i called them      
around me to talk about the principles  
on which we must live and act4 ,these   
conversations were always interesting to
 the children1 and kept up the          
government of the school4 ,when ,i make 
rules and penalties for my delinquents1 
,i make the rules as simple as possible1
 and the penalties as nearly like the   
natural consequences of wrong-doing as  
is practicable4 ,i never lose an        
opportunity of inculcating obedience to 
the inward law as the only sure guide of
 conduct1 and if one's eye is fixed upon
 this point1 a thousand occasions will  
offer themselves4 ,how can any one who  
does not believe this inward law to be  
the only sure guide of conduct govern   
children morally8 ,i have a friend1     

quite a distinguished teacher1 who      
believes in original depravity1 and that
 conscience is not an unerring guide1   
and therefore that religious principle  
cannot be made to grow out of a child's 
consciousness1 but that it is an        
arbitrary gift of ,god2 supervened upon 
the human mind without reference to     
conscience4 ,he once asked me if there  
were any religious exercises in my      
school2 if ,i ever presented religious  
motives1 and what they were4 ,i told him
 ,i presented no other1 that ,i made all
 duty a matter of conscience1 and that  
,i never saw a child who did not        
understand that motive4 ,he said he had 
no doubt it was the noblest way of      
treating the child1 and brought out the 
highest morality1 but it was not        
religious education in his opinion6     
,what an admission6 the noblest way1    
bringing out the highest morality1 and  
yet not religious education4 ,his school
 is the constant scene of religious     
revivals1 and by his own admission the  

children are told not to keep company   
with the children of liberal            
,christians1 or of those who go to the  
theatre6 ,i do not believe in a         
premature ,christianity1 so taught as to
 be able to give an account of itself in
 early youth4  ,i once visited an       
,infant ,charity ,school1 composed      
entirely of children who were not likely
 to have any kind of instruction at     
home1 so that whatever was taught in the
 school would be likely to make quite an
 impression4 ,after a pleasant little   
exercise in marching and singing1 they  
were seated for a religious lesson4     
,what do you think of the following as a
 basis of ,christian charity8--average  
age of the children1 eight4  ,what are  
the principles of ,christianity8  ,to   
love one's neighbor and obey ,god1 to   
believe in the ,bible and the salvation 
by ,christ4  ,who are the heathen8      
,they are people who never heard of the 
,christian religion1 and who cannot have
 salvation by ,christ4  ,name the       

heathen nations8  ,indians1 ,hindoos1   
the people of ,asia1 ,africa1 and the   
islands in the ,pacific ,ocean4  ,what  
is the difference between ,christians   
and heathen8  ,christians serve ,god1   
walk humbly1 and love their neighbors   
like themselves4 ,heathens lie1 steal1  
commit murder1 and are full of revenge4 
,are all the people in ,christendom true
 ,christians8  ,no1 only those who      
believe that ,god the ,father took the  
form of man and came down to the earth1 
preached1 suffered1 and was crucified on
 the ,cross4  ,what becomes of all who  
are not true ,christians1 and of all the
 heathen8  ,they go into everlasting    
fire4         99       99       99      
99       99  ,this was a rote-lesson    
which the children rattled off glibly4  
,modifications of such lessons are given
 in schools where revivals are          
considered religious proceedings4       
99       99       99       99       99  
,is it not fearful to think that there  
is a child in ,christendom who is not   

instructed in the great fundamental     
truth that ,god has planted in every    
human soul a principle of conscience by 
which it can distinguish evil from good1
 and which1 if obeyed1 will save it1 by 
some natural process alike applicable to
 ,christian or heathen8 ,the first      
principle to which a child should be    
pointed is the principle of law in the  
human breast4 ,god has so made the human
 soul that this can be taught to young  
children if one only knows how to do it4
 ,if truly taught1 we may safely trust  
that they can never so judge the        
much-abused heathen4  ,one day when ,i  
was walking in the mall with my little  
scholars1 at recess1 some of the        
children cried out to the others that   
they must not run upon the banks1 or the
 constable would fine them4 ,the warning
 was not received in a good spirit1 and 
,i perceived that the constable was not 
in good repute among children4 ,i well  
remembered the tidy-man1 as our servant 
called him1 of my childish days1 and the

 apprehensions ,i used to entertain lest
 he should hook me up with his long pole
 into the gallery of the church1 if ,i  
made any noise during service time1 and 
,i saw that these children thought it   
quite desirable to circumvent the       
constable1 and get as many runs upon the
 banks as could be snatched during his  
absence4  ,this was an opportunity not  
to be lost1 and when we returned to the 
school-room1 ,i asked why they supposed 
the constable was ordered to let no one 
run upon the banks4  ,they were curious 
to hear a reason4 ,it had not occurred  
to them1 apparently1 that there was any 
other reason than a desire to trouble   
children4 ,i told them the history of   
the ,boston ,common--how much pains had 
been taken ever since the days of the   
,pilgrims 7whom they know71 to keep it  
inviolate1 in order that all the        
citizens might enjoy its beauties and   
its advantages2 how much money had been 
expended upon it2 how it had been       
secured as a perpetual possession to all

 the citizens1 and how every attempt to 
build even very near it1 had been       
resisted for fear of cutting off the    
fine prospect2 that even the cows that  
used to pasture there1 had been turned  
away that the children of the city might
 play there undisturbed4 ,i then told   
them why by-laws were made to preserve  
the beauty of the banks1 particularly   
just after they were repaired and newly 
laid down with turf4  ,when they        
acknowledged that all this was          
reasonable1 ,i told them that laws were 
made for the good of society1 and that  
every good citizen would respect such   
laws4 ,whoever understood what law      
meant1 that is1 whoever knew the law    
within themselves1 would respect the    
laws of a country or a city that were   
made for the good of all4 ,i thought my 
lesson was successful4  ,one who has not
 been a great deal alone with the       
unsophisticated natures of children has 
little idea how early the highest       
principles of action can be instilled   

into them4 ,it does not need many words1
 as ,i well remember from the few       
indelibly written upon my mind by a     
religious mother1 who never comforted my
 timidity1 which was excessive1 by      
anything but principles which my soul   
responded to3 ,do right always1 and then
 you need not be afraid of anything2    
and1 ,your ,heavenly ,father will take  
care of you1 and will let nothing happen
 to you but what is for your good1      
comprised the religious inculcations of 
my childhood1 varied according to       
circumstances4 ,and when ,i first fully 
realized that ,christ1 who was held up  
as a model1 was tempted like as we are1 
my religious education was complete1    
except what practice could give me4 ,the
 imagination is as boundless in the     
images it evokes as imagery itself1 and 
no specific cure for fears of darkness  
and unmeasured danger can ever meet the 
difficulty4 ,if a timid child cannot be 
taught that he is under the eye of a    
tender and watchful ,providence1 his    

childhood may be one long terror1 as ,i 
have known to be the case4 ,if to this  
is to be added everlasting woe for      
wrong-doing1 there is no wonder that    
,god must come down from heaven to set  
things right1 and invent a scheme which 
will virtually annihilate his own       
original provisions4  ,many of my       
children have been religiously educated 
in the right way1 have been made to     
think of ,god as their creator1         
benefactor1 and preserver1 and the      
author of all the beauties of nature    
that they see1 and the powers they      
possess4 ,when ,i say we must return    
good for evil as ,christ did1 who was   
the most perfect being that ever lived1 
they understand me as speaking of a     
principle which they can apply directly 
to themselves2 for ,i often add1 ,christ
 said things when he was very young that
 showed he understood all about right   
and wrong1 and in those years of his    
life which we are not told anything     
about in the ,bible1 he must always have

 obeyed his conscience1 or he never     
could have preached to others as he did 
afterwards1--for the only vital use of  
,christ's life to others is to make his 
spirit of action our own1 and to believe
 that we can do likewise4  ,i have been 
led to think much of this in relation to
 children1 by hearing my orthodox friend
 talk2 for he is a very conscientious   
man1 and his admission that to address  
the child's conscience was the noblest  
way of treating it1 though not the      
canonical one1 let in a world of light  
upon me touching the unchristian        
condition of ,christendom4 ,how can     
truth prevail where the noblest appeal  
is not considered the religious appeal8 
,truly yours1                           
,m4   ,,letter ,v4  ,,my ,,dear         
,,anna1--,if you wish to know the       
practical difficulties that arise out of
 my desire to inculcate self-government1
 and to keep my own out of sight as much
 as possible1 ,i will tell you candidly 
that liberty is sometimes abused in my  

school2 but ,i have never repented of my
 principles1 and have learned not to be 
frightened by apparent failures1 for ,i 
have never known an instance1 where ,i  
have had an opportunity to observe the  
result1 in which my plan has not        
answered somewhat to my hopes4  ,and now
 ,i must tell you what are my hopes4    
,they are not to make men and women of  
children1 or to produce perfect         
consistency of action in youth4 ,they   
are to put the mind in the right        
attitude so that the education of life  
will bring forth the character          
harmoniously2 and to make truth1        
sincerity1 kindly affections1 and a     
conscientious use of the powers of the  
mind the prevailing characteristics4    
,sometimes ,i wait long for the dawning 
of this hope1 but ,i cannot despair of  
it as long as ,i believe in the soul4 ,i
 do not mean that ,i think the soul     
self-existent1 independent of ,god1 but 
,i believe it so created that it can    
right itself at last with due effort to 

realize ,his presence in vital laws4 ,to
 induce it to make this effort is what  
education is designed to effect1 is it  
not8 ,i have had some children under my 
care who have come to me deceitful1     
perverse1 without delicacy of           
sensibility1 self-conceited1 puffed up  
with lofty notions of their own         
importance and that of all who belonged 
to them2 and these characteristics so   
prominent and offensive that our        
intercourse was for a long time nothing 
but war4 ,i had no opportunity to       
express approbation or sympathy1 for the
 object with them was to defy or        
circumvent me1 and to accomplish their  
lessons by trickery instead of honest   
application4 ,these faults were         
constantly recurring1 and ,i was often  
strongly tempted to rid myself of the   
difficulty by declining to keep such    
scholars in school with others4 ,if my  
operations had necessarily been confined
 to one apartment1 ,i should have been  
obliged to do this sometimes1 but in my 

father's house ,i had many facilities1  
and ,i felt it my duty1 if possible1 to 
do what ,i could for such unfortunate   
children1 as long as ,i was sure that my
 influence1 and not theirs1 prevailed in
 the school4 ,i saw that vices were made
 apparent1 of whose existence ,i could  
have wished innocent children never to  
know1 but ,i knew it was impossible to  
sequester them wholly from such contact1
 and perhaps it had better be under     
supervision and thus possibly turned to 
account4 ,sometimes the beauty of virtue
 is better seen by being contrasted with
 its opposite4 ,had not ,i a right to   
think the evil might be overruled for   
good1 since ,god permits evil 7the      
negative of good7 in his world8 ,to do  
this1 however1 requires the greatest    
vigilance1 and occasionally ,i have been
 obliged to suspend very much the       
intellectual training of a school1 to   
gain time to investigate its moral      
state1 and the degree of evil influence 
that might tend to counteract mine1 for 

these interlopers among the innocents   
sometimes had bright parts1 and an      
activity that never tired4 ,the faults  
of such children often brought them into
 direct collision with their companions 
whose peace they invaded1 and thus far  
,i was aided by my scholars in my       
discipline1 though ,i have had cases    
where the outward speciousness was only 
such as one would imagine to belong to a
 matured person4 ,i was obliged to take 
the greatest pains1 however1 in order   
not to destroy the very germ of delicacy
 7which yet bore no fruits71 that my    
admonitions should be in private1       
whenever no overt acts made it necessary
 for me to speak before others4 ,in     
private ,i need not speak in measured   
terms4  ,it is frightful to feel one's  
self so directly in contact with the    
wrong-doing of a fellow-being1 but at   
such times ,i have laid open the heart  
as well as ,i was able1 and showed the  
characteristics in all their            
hideousness1 taking it for granted that 

the moral judgment was still alive4  ,a 
great man once said to me that we had no
 second consciousness by which we could 
judge ourselves2 and ,burns1 you know1  
exclaims1--          ,o wad some power  
the giftie gie us          ,to see      
oursels as ithers see us6  but ,i agree 
neither with the philosopher nor the    
poet1 for conscience is that second     
consciousness1 which can be evoked if   
only the right conjurer speaks4 ,i      
believe in no other safeguard than that 
voice of ,god within us to which ,i     
firmly believe no human being is always 
deaf4 ,but1 dear ,a----1 what is so     
revolting as a bad child8 ,it seems an  
anomaly in nature4 ,i depict no         
imaginary characters to you4 ,i do not  
think ,i could imagine a bad child4 ,it 
must be seen and known to be believed   
in4 ,i am always inclined to blame the  
environment of such a child1 but        
repeated instances that ,i have known   
convince me that souls differ in        
quality1 and that it is unreasonable to 

expect the loveliest type of virtue in  
all4 ,i believe in the remedial power of
 education1 not that it can change the  
quality of the soul1 but the character  
of the individual4 ,a bold1 free spirit 
will not by education be made delicate1 
but its boldness may be employed on     
worthy objects1 and so of other traits4 
,truth too can be shown to be beautiful 
to some1 but to others to be only manly1
 or respectable4  ,i have known         
children1 who apparently had very little
 sensibility1 to be touched by the fact 
of never being unnecessarily exposed to 
others4 ,this care awakened in them a   
perception of delicacy4 ,in one         
instance1 ,i learned subsequently that  
reproof received thus in private made a 
great impression1 while that            
administered at the moment of overt acts
 of wrong-doing in the presence of the  
school made very little1 or only        
provoked defiance4 ,i have sometimes had
 testimonies of affection from such     
naughty children1 and have feared they  

only proved a want of sensibility1 but  
this instance showed me that my care and
 painstaking were appreciated where ,i  
least thought of it4 ,i have often      
realized that ,i kept bad manifestations
 in check1 though the frequent outbreaks
 of such traits as want of truth1       
stratagem1 attempts at secret influence 
in the school1 proofs of want of        
delicacy of taste and of conscience1    
made me feel that all ,i could do in the
 short period while my influence lasted1
 was to hold up my testimony to good    
principles1 and make an adherence to    
truth1 and sincere and conscientious    
action in every particular of life1--the
 central points round which all other   
things must revolve4 ,this ,i never lose
 an opportunity of doing by dwelling    
upon it to others as well as to the     
guilty4 ,in a small school like         
mine--yet large enough for variety1--,i 
am in such close personal contact with  
all my scholars1 that the intimacy is   
nearly as great as in a family2 indeed1 

my personal intercourse with many of the
 children includes more hours and more  
actual communication of mind than takes 
place in some families4 ,it seems to me 
very important that schools should be of
 such a size that this may be the case1 
if they are to be looked to as a means  
of moral1 as well as of intellectual    
culture2 and if they are not1 ,i        
conceive them to be nurseries of as much
 evil as good1 to say the least4 ,one of
 the most melancholy things in life1 to 
me1 is seeing children get used to what 
is wrong1 submitting to it as a         
necessity of growth2 and a good school1 
where everything can be talked over1 is 
an immense check upon this4 ,happily the
 world cannot spoil a good soul1 but    
there are degrees in goodness1 and in   
moral strength1 and even good souls get 
tarnished by getting used to evil4 ,i   
would put off the day as long as        
possible4 ,in cities1 where nearly the  
whole of youth is passed in schools1    
more regard should be had to the moral  

part of the training4 ,knowledge is     
dangerous power to the unconscientious1 
and every child should and can be made  
to feel it4  ,in such deplorable        
instances as ,i have referred to1 every 
power within me has been taxed to the   
utmost to counteract the evil tendencies
 that put forth their shoots in every   
direction4 ,sometimes a clearness of    
head that made it easy for a child to   
see the bearings of things1 or even an  
instinctive affectionateness of         
disposition 7not such as would stand the
 test of opposition1 however71 have been
 the only foundations of my hope4 ,these
 do not supply the place of tenderness  
of conscience1 but when one is          
endeavoring to help forward that growth1
 a clear intellect is an important aid4 
,a natural obtuseness in both           
departments of the nature would make    
one's efforts dark and groping indeed4  
,now when ,i thus confess how small has 
often been the reward for my pains1 you 
may smile at my credulity1 but ,i have  

had some rewards in the midst of        
discouragements4 ,i did feel in one     
instance1 before my scholar was taken   
from me1--and she was taken away because
 her mother had not the moral courage to
 let her suffer the natural consequences
 of her wrong-doing1 at a crisis when ,i
 felt convinced it might do her radical 
good1--that she had a far-off glimpse of
 what character is2 that the fine saying
 of ,novalis1 character is a            
well-educated will1 had dawned upon her 
mind2 for she could sometimes tell the  
truth against her own interest1 and     
could bear the natural consequences of a
 fault1 occasionally1 without flying    
into a passion4 ,my natural consequences
 were1 privation from the society of her
 companions when she had abused their   
faith and their peace1 c4 ,the child was
 willing herself to sit1 for a whole    
term1 in another apartment1 and not     
enter the school-room except for a      
recitation1 and to have no part in the  
plays of the school1 but her mother was 

not willing4  ,this child ,i could not  
call noble-minded1 or generous-hearted1 
or a lover of truth1 or a self-governing
 being1 but ,i thought she had been able
 to discern glimpses of these           
characteristics in others whom she had  
wronged1 and that had given me hope4 ,i 
was thankful that ,i had given her      
principles instead of penalties1 and    
that ,i had had faith enough to wait for
 the dawning of light within herself1   
without giving her up or producing a    
false shine by addressing lower motives4
 ,she would have despised me at that    
moment1 if ,i had yielded to her        
mother's wish that ,i should reinstate  
her in school before she had outlived   
her probation1 which the child and ,i   
had agreed to be the best discipline for
 her4 ,i am inclined to think she judged
 her mother unfavorably at that time1   
for she often came to see me afterward1 
to ask me if ,i thought such and such   
things were right--things which she     
evidently had heard discussed4 ,she was 

but eleven1 but she had a wonderful     
power of writing symbolically4 ,she once
 wrote a legend in imitation of those of
 ,spenser's ,fary ,queene1 which showed 
great intellectual insight into the     
distinctions between right and wrong1   
and her sense of her own faults was such
 that if anything closely resembling    
them was read of in school1 she would   
put her head under the table1 as if she 
knew and felt its application4 ,the     
apparent attraction of my society to    
this child was very significant to me4  
,she would ask me the most subtle       
questions in morals1 and discourse as   
well as ,i could1 so that ,i felt as if 
her knowledge of right and wrong1 gained
 through the intellect1 was rather a    
hinderance than a help to her moral     
improvement for she was guilty every day
 of malicious falsehoods4 ,her envy of  
her companions was sickening to the     
heart1 for it made her active in        
injuring them4 ,she had vanity rather   
than ambition1 for her desire to excel  

did not spur her to any troublesome     
efforts1 it only made her hate every    
pursuit in which others excelled her1   
either by natural gift or by            
conscientious1 patient industry4 ,at    
such times she would throw her books    
across the room1 and stamp upon the     
floor like a little maniac4 ,her unusual
 brilliancy of imagination1             
unaccompanied by any sedative qualities1
 was one explanation of her character4  
,her wit and fancy gave her great       
influence over her companions1 by whom  
she was admired1 or feared1 or held in  
great aversion4 ,she had a passionate   
attachment to one girl a little older   
than herself1 who was singularly lovely 
and delicate in mind and conscience2 but
 this passionate love alternated with   
fits of persecution1 arising wholly out 
of envy1 so that ,i have known her      
friend1 who was strangely fascinated by 
her1 to be ill for several days1 in     
consequence of painful scenes of its    
display4 ,this little ,italian soul1    

born under our cold skies1 was almost a 
fiend at eleven years old4 ,perhaps the 
intellectual insight she possessed at   
that early age1 will be useful to her at
 any period of life when her moral      
nature shall be awakened4 ,i have known 
instances in which the latter slumbered 
in childhood1 and was roused into vivid 
action later in life by crushing and    
heart-scathing events1 consequent upon  
its early torpor2 and ,i should not be  
surprised if she should yet come to me  
across the wastes of life for sympathy  
and help2 for she knew ,i would fain    
have given her my time and strength to  
awaken in her a love of excellence4     
,such characters have success in the    
world from very unscrupulousness1 till  
they trample too proudly on the rights  
of others4 ,the charms they do possess1 
whether personal or mental1 lure them on
 to greater evils till they are thrown  
back suddenly into the presence of      
eternal truth1 and then what misery must
 ensue1 what a reckoning must come6 ,do 

such children of ,god see wider and     
deeper into the eternal truth for having
 gone astray8 ,i would fain think so2   
for in this universe of compensations we
 can only see that one for the lost     
heaven of innocent childhood4 ,let those
 who have not such temptations mourn    
over1 but not despise the erring6  ,i   
would aid many children to conquer      
temper by a near penalty1 or give       
courage to confess a fault by taking    
away the apprehension of all other      
punishment than the natural one of      
self-reproach1 reflected from the       
mother-confessor2 but sometimes ,i see  
children who are afraid of nothing in   
heaven or earth1 the current of whose   
impertinence ,i can indeed check for the
 moment2 the bold1 defying glance of    
whose eye ,i can quell1 but the coarse  
texture of whose mind admits none of the
 more delicate influences4 ,a large     
generosity1 or a great moral indignation
 or self-conquest1 may be comprehended  
by such children1 but not a fine        

sympathy1 or a tender regret4  ,i have  
had pupils with as violent passions1 as 
determined will1 as much intellectual   
insight1 and a temperament that made    
every emotion as keen as the stroke of a
 ,damascus blade1 but a sensibility that
 would respond to the gentlest touch1   
and a conscience whose stings were like 
a sharp goad4 ,this keenness of nature  
made childhood's experience like that of
 a matured mind that had seen and felt  
the consequences of evil2 and the       
gravity of age took the place of the    
buoyancy of childhood4 ,a word in season
 would bring such a child to repentance 
and amendment too1 for ,i think nothing 
of occasional backsliding1 where the    
desire of improvement prevails4 ,such   
children are subject to abuse of a      
peculiar kind1 which they seldom escape4
 ,this quick sensibility is too often   
called forth1 and a morbid sensitiveness
 is produced which too often takes      
refuge in recklessness4 ,i have known   
such instances where the very words     

doing right became hateful1 when uttered
 by lips that had invaded too often the 
sacred sensibility4 ,such vivid         
intellects are also apt to be exercised 
too strongly for the entertainment of   
others1 and excited to undue activity by
 questions of morals which should not be
 urged thus early1 if we wish for a     
healthful development4 ,the principle of
 self-government is thus impaired1 not  
strengthened4 ,the trial of strength    
ought to come later in life2 and        
truthfulness alone will save one who has
 such painful associations with virtue4 
,i am thinking now of a particular child
 whose peace of mind ,i have seen thus  
disturbed fearfully1 and to whom ,i felt
 it my duty to secure as much           
tranquillity as the hours he passed with
 me could contain1 even if advancement  
in literature must be sacrificed to that
 end4  ,i know nothing more painful than
 to see a child of delicate sensibility1
 and lively moral sense1 growing        
hardened to the wrong-doing of others1  

as it grows older1 and even learning to 
expect it4 ,i have seen this in more    
than one child1 and it has made me feel 
that there is a limit beyond which we   
should not open the eyes of childhood4  
,let them live in happy unconsciousness 
of all evil but that which is in        
themselves1 as long as possible1 and let
 the characters of others be mysterious 
to them1 rather than let them acquire   
the habit of looking out for blemishes  
by hearing low motives attributed to    
others4 ,i would never trace out evil in
 character before children1 except where
 refraining from doing so might risk the
 injury of the moral sense4 ,we all     
know1 ,i fear1 what it is to have our   
idols cast down1 and our ideal          
desecrated and sad2 bitter indeed is the
 wakening from our dream of             
man-and-woman-worship2 but we learn one 
thing by dwelling upon the perfection of
 our ideal1 and that is1 of what we are 
capable4 ,no one can ever realize that  
who has not worshipped some             

fellow-mortal1 at some time4 ,i would   
not forget the passionate loves of my   
childhood for anything ,i have yet      
realized in life4  ,upon the whole1 if  
,i find truth in a character1 ,i pass   
lightly over all other deficiencies4    
,and even some forms of falsehood do not
 discourage me4 ,a child that is managed
 by strategem will almost inevitably    
become artful2 but a generous1 confiding
 treatment1 in which his honor is       
trusted1 will probably bring him back to
 candor and simplicity4 ,i love to teach
 children to look upon and understand   
the virtues of others1 to excite their  
enthusiasm for fearless truth1          
self-sacrifice1 and long-suffering      
patience and kindness4 ,all the         
experience of my life is worked up into 
little stories4 ,when ,i say once ,i    
knew1 c41 ,i always chain attention4 ,i 
love to tell of one child ,i knew when  
very young1 who would never let another 
child communicate any secret1 as        
children take such pleasure in doing1   

without saying in answer to the         
question1 ,will you never tell8 ,nobody 
but my mother4 ,this was her invariable 
answer1 and her sturdiness through all  
manner of ridicule made a great         
impression upon me4 ,we were inseparable
 companions1 and ,i remember nothing    
that bound me to her so strongly as this
 uprightness4 ,i adopted the same       
measure by her advice1 and we doubtless 
escaped much evil in that way4 ,she went
 by the name of ,nobody ,but1 but she   
had true moral courage1 and ,i used to  
resent1 in her behalf1 this nickname4   
,my loyalty to her generally saved me   
from even the temptation of being asked4
 ,this and other small heroes and       
heroines are important mythological     
personages in my school4  ,i have one   
scholar who was brought to me from a    
very large school where no child could  
receive individual attention1 and no    
subject of interest was either studied  
or talked about4 ,certain outward       
actions brought certain rewards or      

punishments4 ,the principles of         
self-government and conscience were     
never addressed4 ,his mind1 of fine     
natural powers1 would have been starved 
all that time if he had not had         
intellectual culture at home4 ,when he  
came into my school-room ,i could see   
that every association with such scenes 
was wearisome and disgusting4 ,before   
the study-bell was rung1 he would pour  
into my ear the whole history of his    
life1 his excursions among the          
mountains1 the stories told him by his  
travelled uncles1 his knowledge of      
animals1 birds1 flowers1 and all in a   
childlike spirit of confidence in my    
interest and sympathy1 which he caught  
from the other children4 ,but when the  
school-hour came1 a lassitude pervaded  
all his faculties1 and even a spirit of 
opposition seemed to take possession of 
him4 ,it was not the signal for many    
pleasant things to happen1 as with the  
rest1 but for some stupid effort to be  
made4 ,the memory of many thousand      

spelling lessons1 including countless   
words to which no idea was attached in  
his mind1 and of dull readings of the   
same uninteresting sentences from the   
beginning to the end of the year1 and   
the adding1 subtracting1 and dividing of
 inexpressive numbers1 came thronging   
thick upon him4 ,i learned the facts    
from outside testimony1 first suspecting
 them from their effects4 ,it needed    
only to look at him to see them written 
in his expressive face4  ,as soon as ,i 
saw clearly how it was1 ,i determined   
that my school-room should for a time be
 as much like the wild woods as ,i could
 make it1 consistently with due decorum2
 that he should enjoy the sweets of     
liberty in certain ways1 while at the   
same time ,i would endeavor gently to   
substitute for his previous associations
 with study1 something more living4 ,i  
soon saw that he evidently thought he   
was to do pretty much as he pleased4 ,i 
did not always check him when he walked 
to the window without any apparent      

object but to enjoy the prospect in the 
street1 though ,i sometimes expressed   
surprise that he should do it when ,i   
had given him a lesson to learn4 ,he saw
 no black marks expressive of the       
youthful sins of looking up from his    
book1 or treading on the toes of his    
neighbors1 though after a while ,i gave 
him a little table by himself1 because  
he had not self-control enough to       
refrain from such interference with     
others4 ,i once remarked to him that he 
was like those people whom society put  
into the ,state-prison1 because he      
violated social duties4 ,only those     
could enjoy freedom who did not         
interfere with others' rights and       
comforts4 ,the taste for liberty soon   
spread into other things4 ,he did not   
like to study anything that required an 
effort1 and showed a great feeling of   
discouragement whenever anything new was
 required of him4 ,he always said can't1
 and often added in a half whisper1     
won't4 ,i did not yield to this1 but    

insisted upon having my requisitions    
answered1 partly because obedience must 
be the cardinal virtue in school1 and   
partly because ,i knew such despondency 
would never be conquered unless by a    
sense of power to conquer difficulties4 
,much time and labor it cost me and him 
to establish my authority in this       
respect1 and to induce him to begin to  
study a hard lesson4 ,after ,i had      
gained these points1 however1 ,i        
gradually set aside those things to     
which he had the most aversion1 and     
which had no interest but one borrowed  
from a sense of duty1 and thought it    
best to let him choose more for himself4
 ,i could have done this earlier if the 
aversion to certain mental efforts had  
not been accompanied with wilful        
resistance to my wishes1 and a want of  
consideration for my duties4 ,many of   
the vile tricks of school-boys1 both in 
school and in play-hours1 annoyed me and
 his companions4  ,at last the reaction 
began to take place4 ,he became         

interested in ,latin fables and natural 
history1 and when ,i began to administer
 less interesting things in small doses1
 he would bring his book to me saying1  
,i can't tell how to get this lesson1   
instead of ,i shall never get this1 and 
,i am not going to try4 ,when ,i found  
he could adopt a suggestion from me as  
to the best way to conquer a difficulty1
 ,i could send him into another room to 
pronounce ,french phrases aloud1 without
 the interruption of other recitations4 
,i had no possible penalties for the    
recurrence of fits of idleness1 and when
 he interrupted others1 ,i only         
expressed my surprise and regret that he
 should be so childish and selfish1 and 
occasionally sent him home because he   
was utterly disagreeable4 ,these faults 
seemed to be the result of a morbid     
activity where healthful manifestations 
had been arbitrarily checked1 and not an
 evil disposition2 for he really loved  
little children1 and was communicating  
and confiding to me before and after    

school1 quite courteous and polite to me
 as ,miss ,p----1 but wholly in         
opposition to the school-dame4 ,i always
 took pains to appeal to him for his    
traveller's stories when they came in   
appropriately to the geography lesson1  
or could illustrate in any way what was 
read4 ,school began gradually to afford 
him the same sort of pleasure he        
received from reading with his mother1  
which was always agreeable1 and had     
stored his mind with pleasant knowledge4
 ,in morals as well as in lessons ,i did
 the same thing4 ,i called upon him to  
help me take care of the little children
 when we walked1 because ,i saw he could
 do this with ease and pleasure4 ,as    
soon as any other relation took the     
place of the school relation1 all things
 went on agreeably4 ,he knew that ,i    
respected his word1 and that his story  
had due weight in the scale when ,i     
asked for various testimony in regard to
 any subject of difference4  ,my object 
was1 as you will perceive1 to leave him 

to feel the natural consequences of     
doing wrong1 instead of fearing any     
arbitrary punishment2 being confident   
that the natural sequence of things     
7that is1 ,god's arrangements7 would    
enlighten the mind as no mere penalty or
 mere precept could do4 ,i often feel   
that ,i can see the prominent points in 
a case like this1 where a mother may    
not1 owing to her position4 ,neither do 
mothers know the faults of the          
school-room4 ,i give information of     
these1 as they tell me the faults of the
 nursery4 ,children that cry much in    
nurseries1 seldom cry at all in a       
school-room1 where a pleasing variety   
occupies the time1 and a seed-grain of  
self-control is planted2 and temptations
 arise in the school-room1 where        
peculiar efforts and sacrifices are     
called for1 that do not assail the child
 at home4 ,the mother of this boy could 
hardly be made to believe that in       
school-hours neither his intellect nor  
his conscience acted1 because she knew  

they did at other times4 ,it was as if a
 spell bound him there4 ,in his previous
 school-life there had been little but  
spelling-lessons1 and what is called    
discipline1 which consists1 as far as ,i
 can understand1 7and ,i have inquired  
very particularly of those who advocate 
the system17 of teaching as many        
uninteresting words as can be crowded   
into the memory1 especial care being    
taken to keep out of the way all ideas4 
,it was in such a conversation that the 
view was advanced to which ,i have      
before alluded1 that the less interest1 
the more discipline of study4 ,the      
advocate of such a plan thought         
everything that was studied in youth was
 forgotten1 be it what it might1        
therefore training 7alias misery and    
waste of time7 was alone useful or      
desirable4 ,he instanced his own        
experience as a proof of this1 and where
 it was gently insinuated that perhaps  
if those forgotten geography lessons1   
,latin lessons1 etc41 had had any       

interest of their own1 such as          
associations with interesting people1 or
 the amusement of a story1 they might   
have kept their place in his mind1 he   
rejected the idea entirely1 showing1 as 
the ,puritans did when they persecuted  
the ,quakers for doing the very thing   
they had done1 the evils of a bad       
education4 ,i even ventured a little    
story1 7that being a lively kind of     
argument ,i like to use17 of a little   
girl in my school1 who1 when ,i was     
endeavoring to make her hear the        
thunder-music and see the rainbow-tinted
 spray of ,niagara ,falls1 exclaimed1   
,why1 ,i never knew before that ,niagara
 ,falls was made of water6--but ,i found
 he could not be taught out of the mouth
 of babes and sucklings4  ,i could have 
told him1 if ,i had not been            
discouraged1 of a dear little boy of my 
acquaintance1 seven years old1 whom his 
mother wished to send to my school1 but 
his more ambitious father chose to put  
him into the ,latin ,grammar-,school1   

7the very one of which this gentleman   
was usher when ,i talked with him47 ,his
 mother begged me to let him come to me 
privately to learn with me the terrible 
,latin ,grammar-lesson of three pages1  
which was to be his first lesson in the 
school1 and the language4 ,so little    
,georgie and ,i had a secret session    
every day for a long time1 in which we  
got the lesson together--,i would hear  
him say it1 and he would hear me1 and ,i
 endeavored to extract some hidden      
meaning from it for him1 but although ,i
 saved him from many a feruling1 his    
hatred of school became so intense1 from
 the impossibility he found of ever     
succeeding without penalty and          
suffering1 that he actually broke down  
in spirits and health1 and was at last  
taken away and sent to a military school
 to save his life4 ,his mother and ,i   
knew why he failed1 for he was of       
delicate organization1 easily           
frightened1 and his sensibility1 which  
was keen and might have opened to him   

the beauties of the universe1 was       
poisoned and embittered by unjust       
severity and the fearful drill of that  
model school4 ,some of my boys who have 
gone there after having learned to use  
their faculties1 have succeeded well1   
and found no difficulties2 but poor     
little ,george was taken from what ,i   
call a spelling-school1 and put into    
that tread-mill1 as it proved to him4 ,i
 attribute a subsequent unhappy career  
to this mistake in his education1 but ,i
 hope something will yet evoke his      
originally lovely nature4,k  ,when one  
hears such views as these1 and many     
others of similar import that ,i could  
recount1 one almost despairs of ever    
seeing a whole man4 ,the fact that there
 is a grain of truth in such heaps of   
falsehood1 only increases the           
difficulty1 because that grain of truth 
prevents the recognition of that mass of
 error4 ,my observation and experience  
are that1 not till things are           
intelligently learned do they begin to  

fertilize the mind1 or are they even    
sure to stay in it1 and scarcely a fine 
intellect will give you any other record
 of itself than that the date of its    
improvement began at that era when      
either self-education or the wise       
teacher showed it the thread of relation
 that runs through all things4 ,not till
 at least one human fact has exemplified
 some spiritual law1 does the intellect 
work intelligently1 or begin to arrange 
its stores4 ,do we not know some minds  
that are mere encyclopedias1 which      
imagination has never penetrated with   
its ,ithuriel spear8 ,if such have moral
 sense in any fair proportion1 they are 
liable to become hopelessly miserable in
 this world of shadows because they can 
see nothing but the shadows4  ,i once   
knew a mother who was a beautiful type  
to me of the spirit that should actuate 
the guardians of the young4 ,she looked 
upon a soul with such awe that it was   
not easy for her to impose her authority
 upon her children1 for might there not 

be something in their natures superior  
to her own8 ,the possibility of this    
made her cautious in her requisitions1  
lest she should nip some beautiful bud  
of promise in them4 ,i knew her when    
they were all young1 and ,i saw that it 
was not want of decision1 but the fear  
of doing harm that often arrested her   
action4 ,the children were not always   
serene and happy1 and sometimes not     
obedient1 for they had strong wills1 and
 what is called a great deal of         
character4 ,how could there but be      
strong individuality in such a family8  
,there was no fixed pattern by which    
they were all to be measured4 ,but they 
reverenced her as she did them1 for she 
lived and acted simply and genuinely1   
and encompassed them round about with   
her tenderness1 practising daily those  
virtues of devotion and self-denial     
which are demanded of the mother of a   
large family1 and never turning a deaf  
ear to the wants of those less favored  
with earthly happiness than herself4    

,she treated her children with the      
respect one human being owes to another1
 irrespective of age4 ,yet she did not  
commit the error we sometimes see of    
reasoning out every point of duty with  
children1 thus teaching them to quibble 
and catch at words4 ,she could check    
that while she showed respect for their 
reasons4 ,she had that true humility    
which makes its possessors question     
every step of the way in the path of    
duty1 while they have a trusting faith  
that there is something within them to  
answer to its calls4  ,she died         
suddenly1 and then her influence1 which 
many might have doubted1 appeared in a  
wonderful and beautiful manner4         
,circumstances were such that no one was
 able to take the proper care of the    
family for a month or two in the absence
 of the father4 ,the eldest children1   
two boys1 one fourteen1 the other       
eleven1 immediately took the place of   
their mother as a matter of course1     
assumed the personal care which they had

 seen their mother take every day1 of   
six little brothers and sisters1        
arranging everything as their mother had
 done1 even in such minuti as placing   
the clothes in the proper drawers1 and  
washing and dressing the younger        
children1 which the mother had never    
left to servants1 although the home was 
well supplied with them4 ,in a quiet and
 unostentatious manner a large          
establishment had been managed by a     
superior mind so skilfully1 that these  
boys found no difficulty in keeping     
everything in train till their father's 
return4 ,they had been inspired by their
 mother with a sense of order1          
propriety1 and responsibility1 for it   
was a peculiarity in her that she rather
 acted than inculcated principles1 and  
through their great and tender          
affection1 which had been her happiness 
in life1 her characteristics flowed     
naturally and without a break into their
 lives4 ,such a mother should every     
teacher be1 especially of young         

children4  ,you need not tell me that   
mothers and teachers must be wise as    
well as tender1 courageous as well as   
reverential4 ,i know it well4 ,i can    
tell you of a young mother who risked an
 essential injury to her child 7humanly 
speaking1 for we cannot injure the      
essence of another7 by allowing him to  
quibble upon subjects of right and      
wrong1 and accepting his excuses when he
 could found them upon any inadvertence 
of hers4 ,his mental motions were more  
rapid than hers1 and a morbid tenderness
 of conscience made her hesitate to lay 
injunctions upon him1 lest she might err
 in judgment4 ,a natural tendency to    
subtlety and stratagem was thus fostered
 in him1 and as he had not much         
imagination1 there was danger that he   
would become actually deceitful4 ,he led
 an innocent life compared with many    
boys of his age1 for he was kept very   
much out of harm's way1 but ,i soon     
perceived the pleasure he experienced   
from a successful trick of fun1 and that

 his great command over his nerves      
tempted him to play many such1 which he 
could do with a grave face4 ,i never saw
 one that was not in itself innocent    
fun1 and if they had been practised as  
some children practise them1 who will   
betray their agency the next moment from
 mere artlessness1 ,i should only have  
battled the point with him as ,i do with
 others who play in school in study     
hours1 7or rather half hours47 ,but ,i  
saw that this was likely to become a    
deeper evil1 connected as it was with   
his habit of excusing himself1 finding  
flaws in my directions1 and quibbling   
upon words4 ,it was too serious a matter
 for penalties of my device1 designed as
 reminders1 nor was ,i willing to enter 
the lists with him and vanquish him by  
my superior sagacity1 for this would be 
only sharpening his tools4  ,i took a   
good opportunity one day to call what he
 did mean1 and to tell him that ,i      
thought he was growing cunning1 which ,i
 was very sorry for1 as that led to     

deception of all sorts4 ,it was very    
funny to pull another boy's hair1 and   
then look grave as if he knew nothing   
about it1 which ,i had often seen him   
do1 but ,i could not laugh at fun1 when 
it was at the expense of truthfulness1  
though ,i enjoyed a good joke as well as
 any one4 ,it was wrong1 too1 for him to
 play when ,i was looking the other way1
 because it was cheating me and setting 
a bad example to the other scholars4 ,i 
liked to be able to trust people's      
honor1 and when ,i gave a direction1 and
 then went to the other side of the room
 to attend to others1 in the confidence 
that my wishes would be conscientiously 
regarded1 ,i was disappointed and       
grieved to find that ,i was cheated4 ,i 
did not like to be obliged to watch     
people4 ,i could not respect any one ,i 
must watch1 and ,i would not watch him4 
,if he would do wrong and teach others  
to do so1 he must sit entirely by       
himself4 ,as to himself1 no one else    
could cure him of his faults4 ,if he was

 willing to grow deceitful1 no one could
 help it2 but if he had no honor1 every 
one must defend himself against him1 and
 he could command no respect from any   
one1 nor have any of his own1 which ,i  
thought more precious than that of      
others4 ,what was a person good for who 
could not have self-respect8 ,it was a  
pleasant thing to make other people     
laugh1 but if he could allow another to 
bear the blame of it1 and not speak up  
to say he was the offender1 ,i could not
 trust him even when he did speak4 ,i   
added1 that ,i had long observed these  
tricks of his1 and had been sure they   
would at last lead to meanness1 and here
 was an instance of it just as ,i had   
expected4 ,i also reminded him of an    
occasion when ,i saw him take an unfair 
advantage in play for the mere pleasure 
of winning a little game1 thus giving up
 his honor for the enjoyment of a       
moment4 ,i hoped he would remember these
 instances and the danger to which he   
was exposing himself4 ,i would not dare 

to punish such faults1 for ,i might be  
suspicious of him when he did not       
deserve it1 as ,i could not always read 
his mind or be sure of his sincerity4   
,the punishment must be the one ,god had
 appointed for such faults--and that    
was1 a loss of integrity itself1 the    
most dreadful of all punishments4  ,the 
child loved me and thought a great deal 
of my opinion4 ,he did not wish the     
tears in his eyes to fall1 and he       
swallowed them till his face flushed4 ,i
 had spoken before all the school1 as it
 was a public offence not to be passed  
over2 for nothing is more attractive to 
children than the wittiness of practical
 jokes1 as ,i knew one child to confess 
when asked which boys he liked best in a
 certain story1 ,oh the bad boys1 said  
he1 ,i like the wittiness of them4  ,i  
afterwards took every opportunity to put
 this little fellow upon his honor1 and 
often said1 so that he might hear it1   
that if any one wished to be fair and   
honorable1 they had better not indulge  

in what seemed very innocent fun when   
concealment was necessary1 for fear of  
learning to deceive4 ,i often appealed  
to him for testimony1 because ,i knew he
 had accuracy of observation1 and dwelt 
particularly on such occasions upon my  
wish that he should tell me all his own 
part in a transaction1 very carefully1  
both good and bad1 for the sake of      
helping me to do justice1 and urged him 
not to be cowardly1 or keep back        
anything for fear of being blamed4      
,blame1 ,i once told him1 was one of our
 best friends4 ,the fear of it sometimes
 kept us from doing wrong even when we  
had no better reason1 and when we had   
done wrong1 it showed us to ourselves1  
just as we were1 and waked conscience up
 to its duty4 ,only cowards were afraid 
to tell the truth against themselves4   
,yet ,i checked him whenever he told    
tales of others2 which is a thing ,i    
always carefully discriminate from      
telling the truth when asked4 ,i checked
 him also because one of his bad habits 

was to excuse himself1 and the          
temptation that assailed him was to     
throw the blame on others4  ,in every   
way ,i could think of1 ,i thus tried to 
show him how his particular tendencies  
would lead him into falsehood1 which ,i 
assumed to be the greatest of faults4   
,after three years' continuance in my   
school1 ,i assure you there was not a   
child in it that ,i would more readily  
trust1 and though he always annoyed me  
with his playfulness1 it ceased to be   
tricky4 ,i had frequent occasions to    
notice his candor and to refer to his   
improvement4 ,i never spoke to him again
 before the school upon the subject of  
his mean fault1 but ,i kept it fresh in 
his own mind1 and long after1 when ,i   
reproved another child for symptoms of  
the same fault1 ,i remarked that one of 
my scholars had once given me the same  
cause to fear for his integrity1 but he 
had watched himself1 and ,i was glad to 
say he had resisted temptation and grown
 honorable and trustworthy4 ,i saw that 

he knew who ,i meant1 but the others had
 forgotten who it could be4 ,i did not  
gratify their curiosity1 of course4  ,i 
do not know that this boy is above      
temptation1 but ,i have had many proofs 
of his power to resist it2 occasions    
that brought him no glory1 some of which
 ,i have recognized by such a remark as 
how respectable honesty is1 or how ,i   
like to see moral courage that fears    
nothing but doing wrong4 ,sometimes ,i  
took no visible notice1 for we need not 
always praise well-doing4 ,it is often  
both unnecessary and unwise1 for where  
goodness is not wholly spontaneous1 it  
may be vitiated by love of approbation4 
,it is only perfect goodness1 or such   
measure of that as mortals may attain1  
that can always bear praise and grow    
only more fervent for it4  ,sometimes ,i
 leave one scholar to keep school while 
,i go into another room to hear a       
lesson1 and then ,i require an account  
of their stewardship4 ,i am always      
careful to select one whom all will     

concur in respecting and of whom they   
will feel no jealousy when they are     
censured4 ,i once left this boy in      
charge1 but after a short time he came  
and requested to be released1 because he
 felt as if it was like tale-bearing to 
tell of his companions1 and he did not  
feel sure that they would be willing4 ,i
 saw by this that he meant to be        
faithful2 indeed1 it was not till after 
,i had full confidence in him that ,i   
ventured on so important a step4 ,i     
presume he did not feel as if ,i could  
say1 as ,i had said of some others1 ,you
 know ---- would not find fault with you
 if he could help it1 or if his         
conscience did not require it of him4   
,there is no point that must be managed 
with such delicacy as this of           
discriminating between truth and        
falsehood4 ,children live so long in    
their ideal worlds1 and are so much     
talked to in symbols1 that when they    
begin to deal more with realities they  
must often be reminded to be accurate4  

,i would lead them gently out of the    
creations of their imaginations when    
this time comes1 constantly reminding   
them that they must tell things just as 
they are2 and when they embellish their 
statements1 ,i go over them quietly1    
re-stating for them1 and leaving out all
 the marvellous additions4 ,little      
children will often quote their absent  
mothers' authority1 when it is          
impossible that the circumstances can   
have been anticipated4 ,i always reply  
to this very decidedly1 ,oh6 no2 mother 
did not say so4 ,she does not know      
anything about it2 you must not tell me 
so2 that is saying what is not true1    
which is very wrong4 ,if they persist1  
,i say1 ,very well2 ,i will write a     
little note to mother when you go home1 
and tell her ,i am afraid her little    
child has said what is not true1 shall  
,i8 ,this will generally bring out a    
confession4 ,i do not punish on such    
occasions1 for there is no surer way of 
producing falsehood than by inspiring   

fear1 but ,i try to produce a little    
agony in the conscience and make a child
 very unhappy for the moment4 ,this     
suffering can be referred to afterwards1
 in private1 and the danger pointed out 
of growing wicked1 which ,i find the    
greatest instrument of awakening the    
inward monitor4  ,some people object to 
allegories and fairy stories for        
children1 but ,i am never afraid of them
 if they are true to nature1 truly      
imaginative1 or if the impossible is    
occasionally caught a glimpse of4 ,a    
fairy that comes out of a flower1 is an 
imaginary being that will never disturb 
the dreams or deceive the intellect of a
 child4 ,i always call such stories     
poetry1 and sometimes ask what they     
teach4 ,if a teaching use cannot be made
 of them1 they are not written          
conscientiously and are not good food   
for the young4 ,a child of well         
cultivated imagination will be likely to
 be more rather than less truthful than 
others4 ,but ,i do not like ogres4 ,i   

once had a scholar1 a child of eleven   
years1 that had never known the care of 
parents4 ,she was a southern child1     
whose parents died in her infancy1 and  
she was sent from one boarding-school to
 another1 where she was made the tool of
 unscrupulous girls to obtain their ends
 against authority4 ,she told untruths  
always1 even upon the most trivial      
matters1 as if she feared being         
circumvented1 or giving any handle to   
others by whom she might be blamed4 ,she
 was so subtle1 that it was almost      
impossible to obtain a fact from her1   
although she lived in the family4 ,her  
relations had wholly neglected all      
personal care of her1 and ,i found she  
knew nothing whatever about them4 ,i    
learned that her parents were two very  
lovely young people1 both of whom died  
early of consumption1 and she had an    
uncle who was a bachelor and a very     
wealthy planter4 ,he had been very fond 
of his sister1 and meant to take home   
this child and make her his heiress as  

soon as she was old enough4 ,she had the
 precocity of constitution and          
temperament common to the southerners1  
but had no interest in life at all      
except for present gratification4 ,it   
was difficult to interest her in        
anything1 and ,i determined to try the  
experiment of describing her parents and
 her uncle1 and telling her of her      
future prospects4 ,i saw when ,i was    
talking to her that she was much moved1 
but she did not wish me to know it4     
,during the several months she had been 
under my care1 ,i had never seen her off
 her guard1 and she did not mean to be  
now4 ,she said1 yes1 ,i know1 several   
times1 but in her emotion she had       
forgotten that she had told me several  
times when ,i had asked her1 that she   
had no relations4 ,as ,i went on        
speaking of the lovely character of her 
mother1 who died at her birth1 ,i saw   
the color flash and her lips quiver1 but
 she would express no interest in the   
matter in words1 and ,i took no notice  

of her natural emotions4 ,but when ,i   
went on to speak of the uncle and his   
beautiful home1 his love for his sister1
 and for her1 whom he had never seen    
since her babyhood1 and of his wish that
 she should preside over his home when  
old enough1 she fairly burst into tears2
 and when ,i drew her into my arms she  
put her head on my bosom and gave way to
 violent sobbing4 ,but still she was    
cautious in speaking1 and ,i did not    
convict her of having concealed the     
truth4 ,she was naturally very timid1   
and ,i had divined the cause of her     
phase of falsehood4 ,she had been       
treated very cruelly1 and was afraid of 
human beings4 ,after a while she        
proposed to write to her uncle and tell 
him what she was studying2 but although 
,i doubt not life had a new interest to 
her1 ,i could not tell what was the     
characteristic of her interest1 owing to
 her great reserve4 ,it might have been 
sordid1 for she was very selfish2 but   
she was soon removed1 and ,i had no     

opportunity of seeing her for many      
years4 ,i then found her still in the   
family of her guardian1 to one of whose 
sons she was engaged1 but ,i was told   
there was no love1 only speculation1 at 
the foundation of the young man's views1
 and the seeds of consumption1 inherited
 from her mother1 had begun to ripen in 
her4 ,she was brilliantly beautiful1 and
 showed a great deal of feeling on      
seeing me1 but died very soon after4    
,the only evidence ,i ever had of the   
existence of the moral sentiment in her 
wronged soul1 was her fondness for      
another child in my family1 who was the 
soul of truth and love1 and who had     
divine patience with this her little    
tormentor1 whom she watched over and    
remonstrated with like a little mother4 
,this companion1 of just her own age1   
had had a very remarkable moral         
training1 consecrated forever by the    
sufferings for conscience' sake of a    
very dear and gifted mother1 whose      
persecutions were known to her child1   

and no one could know her1 not even the 
most hardened or obtuse1 without being  
affected by her4 ,she was a little      
,christ among other children1 and so    
regarded by them1 and ,i always hoped   
that the poor little waif had through   
her a glimpse of the ,heaven into which 
she seemed to have no passport4 ,at the 
time1 ,i rejoiced for my little angel1  
when her heart was relieved of such a   
charge1 for certain natural graces as   
well as the condition of moral          
benightment of the little stranger had  
taken very deep hold of her2 but ,i     
think a reform might have been effected 
with such an aid4 ,the martyr's child   
lived long enough to fulfil her promise1
 and grew happy enough to blossom out   
into some buds of lovely promise1       
intellectual as well as moral1 and then 
she went too1 but could be no more an   
angel the other side of the veil than   
she was on this4 ,how slight the barrier
 sometimes seems to be1 yet how         
impervious6 ,was it the divine love in  

you which made you do that8 was her     
mother's form of reproof1 always        
remembered4  ,is there any danger of    
inspiring a child with too great        
self-reliance1 by directing it to the   
immutable law of ,god in its own breast 
as a guide of conduct8 ,it has been     
wisely said that we know of the moral   
nature of ,god only what the moral      
sentiment teaches us1 and that the      
visible world and revelation only       
confirm what this sentiment gives       
primarily4 ,we know that the sentiment  
of reverence may be directed to objects 
unworthy the homage of the soul4 ,in the
 fluctuations of human opinion there may
 be a higher or lower view of ,god's    
nature4 ,he may be looked upon as all   
justice without mercy1 or as mercy      
without justice1 or as a union of both1 
according to the enlightenment of the   
intellect1 but we can cultivate in every
 child a reverence for ,god's voice in  
conscience1 an allegiance to ,god as    
goodness itself1 or as a ,father1 ready 

to forgive us when we repent1 and to    
help our efforts4 ,the human being may  
by turns worship ,god as a ,father1 as a
 power1 or as law2 and salvation1 or the
 redemption of the soul from evil1 does 
not depend upon the form of belief1 but 
upon the allegiance to that something   
higher which is a law to it4 ,i do not  
say that it is not important what the   
form is1 for we know that there is all  
the difference in the world between the 
savage's worship of his fetish1 and the 
,christian's of his ,god1 but the savage
 may be more loyal to the small glimmer 
of truth represented by his fetish1 than
 many a so-called ,christian is to his  
more advanced conception of ,deity4     
,therefore it is loyalty of soul which  
is to be cultivated1 and that is done   
through conscience4  ,i know no higher  
motive to be given to a child or to a   
man1 than that the more he obeys the    
voice of conscience1 the more tender it 
becomes2 and the more he cultivates his 
intellect the greater will be its       

expansion2 and no fear that either can  
entertain is so salutary as the fear of 
losing the delicacy of the conscience1  
or the power of increasing insight4     
,offer no secondary motives1 but as high
 a view as we can give of the primal    
one1 not judging for our fellow-man1 or 
even child1 what it is ready to receive1
 for either may be capable of receiving 
more than we can give4  ,this does not  
interfere with bringing the consequences
 of wrong-doing into immediate view1    
which is in fact all that we do when we 
punish judiciously4 ,if a child is      
selfish he is thrust aside by those who 
have the power to do it4 ,this is a     
direct natural consequence1 quite as    
much so as that the selfishness grows by
 indulgence1 but weak children in a     
school or in a family must not venture  
to thrust aside an offender4 ,i must    
therefore come to their assistance4  ,i 
have one child in my school who has so  
little power of self-control1 that ,i am
 obliged to be very peremptory with him 

every day4 ,it would not be sufficient  
for me to say1 ,you trouble others so   
that they do not like to have you sit   
near them1 and wait for that truth to   
influence him4 ,i must put him in a seat
 by himself1 and show him that he is not
 to approach others now1 and that he    
must make an immediate effort to gain a 
better social position4 ,if anything    
comes into his head1 he seems utterly   
incapable of refraining from the        
utterance of it1 even in the midst of a 
recitation1 or be it ever so irrelevant 
to the matter in hand4 ,he wishes to    
tell anecdotes of which he is reminded  
by something read or recited4 ,if ,i    
tell him he must not take up the time1  
he is so earnest to go on1 that often ,i
 cannot stop him without walking him out
 of the room4 ,then ,i tell him that    
since he has no power of self-control1  
he must stay there till ,i call him2 or 
,i allow him to return on condition that
 he does not open his mouth even to read
 or to recite4 ,i impose this privation 

to teach him self-control1 the want of  
which will make him annoying to every   
one4 ,he pours forth many sensible      
remarks and more good feelings1 but the 
law of adaptation seems wanting4 ,he has
 sensibility and conscience1 and a      
general desire to do right4 ,if not     
approved1 he is afflicted2 if he does   
not succeed in his undertakings1 he     
cries with grief1 cries aloud often1    
though a huge boy of nine years old1--a 
little giant in form and strength4 ,he  
generally seems to tell the truth1      
though he is weak1 and yields easily to 
the temptation of gaining his ends4 ,but
 if he cannot remember easily1 he lashes
 himself into hysterics4 ,he has quick  
perceptive powers1 but little power of  
reasoning4 ,my aim is to show him the   
connection between his faults and his   
sufferings2 to let the latter be felt to
 be the whip that scourges his          
faults--not himself2 for there is no    
fair proportion between the constant    
punishment he brings upon himself and   

his wilful wrong-doing4 ,i am afraid he 
will always be a trial to his friends4  
,he is one of my least hopeful cases1   
because not well gifted4 ,i am afraid   
there is a germ somewhere that the sun  
has not yet shone upon--that some tile  
that is now weighing down his brain must
 be lifted before mortal man can help   
him4 ,you remember the story of         
,descartes1 who was an idiot till his   
skull was cracked1 when suddenly the    
brain expanded1 and the fissure never   
closing1 he became a great man4 ,perhaps
 my obtuse boy will get some friendly   
blow1 mental or physical1 that will let 
in the light4 ,his mother turned him out
 into the street to amuse himself1      
because she could not manage him4 ,if   
she had not1 perhaps ,i should already  
have turned him back upon her hands1 for
 he really is the greatest trouble ,i   
have4 ,my hope for him is that maturity 
and experience will teach him what      
others cannot4 ,this is often the case4 
,another little fellow appears to have  

no natural perception of the rights of  
others4 ,he does not understand the     
sentiment of obedience1 as many lively  
children do4 ,if ,i keep my eye fixed   
upon him1 he does not do the things ,i  
positively forbid him to do1 but he is  
the very prince of mischief1 and ,i am  
obliged to watch him narrowly lest he   
turn inkstands upside down1 and go to   
such like extremes4 ,in some cases ,i   
merely follow my instincts1 and this is 
such an one4 ,i feel as if ,i were to   
put principle into this child because ,i
 have it myself1 much as the magnetist  
imposes his will upon his patient by    
exercising it forcibly4 ,i find myself  
looking at him much more than ,i talk to
 him1 not always reprovingly1 never     
stealthily1 but steadily and gravely4 ,i
 do not like to govern1 but ,i am not   
afraid of children1 as some people are4 
,my nerves can bear their crying1 if    
they do not cry with pain1 and they soon
 learn that they gain nothing from me by
 it4 ,they do not put me out of temper1 

or exhaust my patience1 or my           
perseverance2 but the determined will1  
the ever-springing gayety1 the wild     
spirits that tire most people1 are a    
constant source of pleasure and         
exhilaration to me4 ,it seems to me so  
unnatural that childhood should be      
naughty1 that if they are obstinate ,i  
am very apt to think it the fault of    
some still more obstinate grown person1 
who has turned a stout heart into a     
wilful one by unwise opposition2 and ,i 
love to set myself to disarming the     
stubborn will1 leaving it only resolute4
 ,if they are false1 ,i feel as if their
 faith had been broken1 or their fears  
excited1 and ,i love to show them the   
beauty of truth1 or inspire them with   
moral courage4 ,if they are passionate1 
,i love to calm them down1 and give them
 the pleasure of tranquillity1 and the  
joys of self-conquest1--not breaking    
their spirits1 but sympathizing with    
their ardor while ,i check its excesses2
 for enthusiasm is a boon of which ,i   

would not deprive humanity4 ,if they are
 phlegmatic1 commonly called stupid1 ,i 
love to find some subject or object of  
interest that will startle them into    
animation2 if timid and easily          
discouraged1 ,i can give them the       
pleasures of success by offering only   
practicable tasks2 if self-conceited1 ,i
 can point out to them the kingdoms of  
knowledge yet to be conquered4 ,i often 
quote the words of ,linnus1 who once    
said it would take him all his life to  
learn thoroughly what was under his own 
hand1 and what was this compared with   
the universe6  ,i believe ,i enjoy the  
youngest of my tribe most1 before they  
know evil or are accustomed to hear of  
it with composure2 when the wanton      
killing of a bird1 or even of a spider1 
excites their weeping indignation2 when 
the creations of their own fancies are  
as real to them as the things before    
their bodily eyes2 and they do not      
question if the bird in the story       
speaks1 or the stars sing4 ,one may then

 imagine that they may be among the few 
who love to the end with unbroken faith1
 who never lose their primitive         
innocence1 but grow as the tree grows1  
whose leaves1 when the early frost nips 
them1 turn to scales to protect their   
sister growths1 adding to the final     
perfection of the whole1 not arresting  
its beautiful and symmetrical progress1 
neither withering in the bud1 nor       
throwing out gnarled branches to the    
light and heat that would fain warm and 
smile upon them4 ,i would not pin these 
little inheritors of the earth to one   
seat1 or always check the wild burst of 
delight1 or the ringing laugh4 ,i even  
like to have the older children hear it 
occasionally1 and recognize it with a   
smile as ,i do1 for they have already   
begun to remember happiness1 alas6 as if
 it had already begun its flight4 ,they 
have laughed when it was not sympathized
 with1 been reproved for loving fun1 and
 deprived of innocent sports because    
they were not convenient to others4 ,i  

like to keep up their sympathies with   
the spontaneous activity and pure       
imaginations of these babes4 ,it is out 
of order for a little child that catches
 my eye to run across the room to say1  
,oh1 may ,i come and see 'oo 'ittle     
while8 but ,i cannot but nod assent1 and
 he will come and scramble into my lap1 
where he is no sooner fairly settled and
 hugged than he will scramble down again
 and go back to his slate or his window4
 ,if he nestles up into his sister's    
chair1 while she is studying1 ,i put my 
finger on my lips1 but let her put her  
arm round him and keep him till he is   
tired4 ,this little sunbeam begins to   
wish to draw on the slate1 and the      
little sister of seven years takes the  
greatest interest in what he does1 as if
 expecting some angelic exploit of the  
pencil4  ,but though ,i wish to have    
self-government in my scholars instead  
of my own1 dear ,anna1 do not for a     
moment mistake me4 ,i consider obedience
 an essential ingredient of order1 and  

order ,i regard as heaven's first law4  
,indeed ,i have sent away one scholar of
 whom ,i have spoken a little way back1 
because ,i could not command his        
obedience2 and my authority must not be 
questioned1 although ,i do not obtrude  
it4 ,no human being can be good or happy
 who cannot obey2 and those parents do  
the best thing for their children1 who  
successfully cultivate the sentiment4   
,for1 if it is the sentiment1 it will   
acknowledge all lawful authority4 ,when 
it is merely a practice gained through  
fear1 there is generally no sentiment in
 it4 ,the child who will not eat the bit
 of cake offered in its mother's        
absence1 because she has refused to let 
him have it before1--and ,i have known  
many such1--is truly the obedient child4
 ,children not only respect most but    
love best those whom they cheerfully    
obey4 ,a child that obeys a judicious   
and affectionate mother1 or teacher1    
will often1 in the midst of its         
opposition and wilfulness1 acknowledge  

that the power which rules him is a     
beneficent power4 ,if ,i did not think  
that a pretty good child would feel that
 ,i was in the right very soon after a  
conflict of wills1 ,i should suspect    
myself of having given some evidence of 
love of power or want of good temper4 ,i
 would not restrain an expression of    
honest indignation1 or strong           
disapprobation1 if the offence deserved 
it2 but any impatience of temper1 or any
 personal feeling1 except that of       
sorrow1 is a crime in this relation4 ,it
 may not be in a mother's or teacher's  
power to be always wise1 judicious1 or  
intellectually ready for an occasion2   
but the virtue of patience is lawfully  
demanded of them at the tribunal of     
conscience always4 ,corporal punishment 
,i have nothing to do with1 for though  
,i know it is necessary in some extreme 
cases1 ,i prefer that parents should    
exercise that function4 ,no person that 
has a less vital interest in a child    
than a parent1 should inflict it2 and   

though as a principle of government ,i  
consider it brutalizing1 there are      
instances in which ,i have felt it to be
 a holy act1 and in which ,i have known 
the child to respect it1 and to feel    
hurt for its parent rather than for     
itself4 ,but my own influence1 to be    
secure and useful1 must be wholly moral 
and intellectual4 ,i often tell children
 that ,i must inform their parents when 
,i find them impervious to any influence
 of mine2 and when1 as has sometimes    
been the case1 they have begged me not  
to do it1 because they should be        
whipped1 ,i have said that perhaps that 
was the very best possible thing that   
could be done1 and if a parent thought  
it necessary to whip his child1 it must 
be because he truly loved him1 and      
thought it right to do what must be to  
himself a painful thing3 such a reason  
must not deter me from doing my duty4 ,i
 should not act according to my         
conscience if ,i concealed anything from
 parents1 for they are the guardians    

,god has appointed over children1 and ,i
 should do wrong to prevent them from   
knowing everything that ,i knew1 that   
would help them make their children     
good4  ,i cannot provide for those      
exceptional cases illustrated to me by a
 little new scholar ,i once had1 who was
 very refractory4 ,i said to him1 don't 
you wish to be good1 ,lewis8 ,no1 he    
cried out in a distressed voice4 ,he was
 only six years old1 but this seemed to 
be a new case1 so ,i put my arm         
affectionately round him and said1 ,what
 does it mean to be good1 ,lewis8 ,he   
raised his tearful eyes to me and gasped
 out ter be whipped6 ,i never saw a look
 of greater infantile woe2 but ,i soon  
taught him that that was not what ,i    
meant by being good4  ,i know one mother
 who has a family of excitable children1
 which she treats wholly on hygienic    
principles4 ,if they are out of temper1 
she administers nauseous doses of       
medicine1 and such has been her power   
over their consciences that she can make

 them grateful to ,god for such         
blessings as ipecacuanha and epsom      
salts1 even when she is holding the     
spoon to their mouths4 ,this is a fact  
within my knowledge2 and it was the     
first thing ,i knew that set my thoughts
 upon the track1 which has led me to a  
firm conviction that half the ills of   
temper and perversity may be traced to  
physical causes2 for her instinct proved
 to be a correct one4 ,her children were
 honorable and affectionate1 but        
irritable1 and this was owing to an     
unhappy inheritance of physical         
structure1 incompatible with serenity   
till counteracted by judicious          
treatment4 ,one of those wise           
physicians1 who sometimes adorn the     
profession1 was her aid and counsellor4 
,her children rise up and call her      
blessed1 and bless her too4   ,,letter  
,,vi4  ,,dear ,,anna1--,i have just     
heard that you think of changing your   
original plan1 and becoming a governess4
 ,at the risk of being impertinent1 ,i  

must give you the warning of experience 
against this course4 ,i know the voice  
of experience is not an unerring one1   
because circumstances differ almost     
infinitely1 but ,i think the relation of
 governess an unnatural one1 and also   
that the disadvantages of home          
education1 given exclusively1 far       
overbalance its advantages4 ,mark me1 ,i
 say given exclusively1 for ,i think the
 early education should always be       
domestic4 ,i would have every mother set
 apart from all the other duties of life
 to attend to her children1 and be      
qualified to give them the rudiments of 
not only moral but intellectual         
training4 ,i know only one mother who   
has done this absolutely and with all   
the requisite surroundings1 though ,i   
know many who would be glad to do it4   
,perhaps ,i should say ,i know only one 
father who has made it possible4        
,doubtless there are some fathers who   
would be glad to have it done1 with whom
 the mothers are not ready to coperate4 

,i could branch off here1 and tell all  
,i think about parents not having the   
right views of their parental duties1   
but that would take me still farther    
back1 to the subject of being married on
 the right principles1 which ,i have    
been led to reflect much upon1 as ,i    
have circulated through the families of 
my friends1 particularly of those who   
have from time to time put their        
children into my charge4 ,i speak it    
with diffidence1 but ,i see many        
families in which the children are      
regarded in the light of annoyances     
rather than of blessings2 consequently  
they are penned up in nurseries1 put to 
bed by servants1 fed by them1 washed and
 dressed by them1 excused by them1      
falsely entertained by them1 in fact    
educated by them1 until they are old    
enough to be quiet inmates of the       
parlor1 when they are allowed to be     
present to listen to conversations about
 the last new fashion1 or comments upon 
the party of last night and that of the 

night to come4 ,i have known the mothers
 of children under my care1 to promise a
 sick child she would not go out in the 
evening1 in order to quiet her querulous
 complaints of her nurse or attendant1  
and then to break the promise as soon as
 the child fell asleep1 confiding in its
 mother's sincerity4 ,this is an extreme
 case1 but it is not so rare for mothers
 to send their children to bed under the
 care of servants1 instead of leaving   
the pleasant fireside to make the most  
of that gracious hour when the heart of 
the child is most likely to unfold to   
the tender parent1 and to utter its     
repentant confession or fervent little  
prayer4  ,but this is wandering a little
 from the point4 ,i begin to think ,i   
indulge in too many digressions2 but my 
vocation leads me into such observations
 and reflections4  ,i know there is much
 to be said on both sides of this       
question4 ,i should give you the sum of 
my opinion1 if ,i should say that after 
the age has arrived at which children   

are ordinarily sent to school1 an       
alternation of the home and the school  
education is the best mode4 ,here       
experience raises her voice again2 for  
the best educations ,i have known1 all  
other things being equal1 have been in  
two families where this has been done4  
,in one of these1 the watchful eye of   
the mother saw the very moment in which 
the home influence was becoming too     
exclusive and oppressive1 and also when 
the school influence became scattering  
to the mind from too much companionship1
 or when ambition took the place of love
 of knowledge and excellence4 ,the      
school intercourse was occasionally     
broken in upon by months of home life1  
when the mother devoted herself as      
companion in study and recreation1 and  
kept alive her daughters' sympathy with 
her in her domestic duties4 ,i have     
often seen the mere school-life kill out
 this sympathy with mothers and younger 
members of the family1 and foreign      
influences quite counteract the parental

 ones4  ,my own favorite mode of        
education would be to send children to  
school after they have been well trained
 in imagination and self control at     
home1 at the age when the social feeling
 seeks variety1 and can receive least   
injury from indiscriminate contact2 and 
when arrived at the age when too much   
companionship becomes dangerous1 to call
 the girls back to the home influences1 
and let them there pursue1 with         
judicious assistance1 or even a chosen  
companion1 the studies best adapted to  
the peculiarities of character1 the     
mother ever keeping herself the chosen  
confidant1 and making herself a willing 
sacrifice1 instead of allowing the      
social tendencies of her daughters to   
expend themselves on frivolous or       
unworthy companions4 ,mothers are too   
apt to indulge their own ease1 and allow
 their children to frequent1 alone1     
scenes of amusement over which parents  
should always preside4 ,i have known    
marriage relations to be formed and     

cemented by daughters so neglected1     
before parents knew even the fact of    
acquaintanceship4  ,i know how difficult
 is such practice as ,i would recommend1
 in our present state of society2 but   
one can hardly help following out one's 
imaginings of perfect circumstances1 and
 fancying all the good that might accrue
 in such millenniums4 ,it was very      
sensibly remarked to me a little while  
since1 by one to whom ,i was speaking of
 my ideal of education for girls1 that  
we can rarely begin and go on with them 
according to any one system2 for they   
are brought to us in all stages of      
development1 most frequently1 alas1     
without any4 ,you will please always to 
understand me as if everything went on  
right from the beginning4  ,to return to
 your present plans4 ,i think ,i must   
have learnt this rambling habit which so
 often leads my pen off the track1 when 
roving the woods and fields in my       
extreme youth1 now resting by the side  
of the arrowy river of my favorite      

valley1 where the sweet waters meet1 or 
floating with you down the placid       
,charles at the winds' and the tides'   
sweet will4  ,i anticipate what you will
 tell me of the advantages under which  
you enter upon the career of a          
governess4 ,i expect a glowing          
description of your new life1 because ,i
 know how you love and admire those     
friends2 but that will make no          
difference in my views4 ,i too have a   
friend with whom ,i agree upon the      
subject of education2 a mother whose    
experience and wisdom have aided me     
much1 and whose spirit has presided over
 my school-room as a sort of tutelary   
genius1 into whose family ,i should be  
willing to go and give all the aid ,i   
could furnish for the furtherance of her
 plans1 7her own book-knowledge not     
being equal to mine17 if she constituted
 the whole influence in her own family4 
,there would be a perfect coperation    
between us two1 the intercourse of years
 having prepared the way for it4 ,but   

her husband is not as wise as she is1   
and ,i would not therefore venture4     
,yours may be a peculiar case of        
sympathy with both parents1 but let us  
look upon it in a general way4  ,we will
 suppose a good family1 and that the    
parents are conscientious1 and have a   
general confidence in the judgment and  
acquirements of the governess4 ,but if  
the mother is a person of decided views1
 and fixed in her own opinions1 and the 
father also1 you might immediately find 
insuperable difficulties4 ,you would not
 like to exert any influence opposed to 
the parental1 however injudicious you   
might deem that to be4 ,you would not   
like to take sides with either parent4  
,they might1 by amicable discussion1    
modify each other's views1 so as to do  
just right by their children2 while the 
influence of another1 thrown into either
 scale1 would produce dissatisfaction4  
,in your school-room1 on the contrary1  
you can be perfectly independent of     
either1 and without standing in the     

attitude of opposition1 or running the  
risk of encroaching upon the rights of a
 parent1 you can know just as much and  
just as little as you please of the     
difference of views2 and having your    
scholar in a new scene1 and subjected to
 different influences1 you may be able  
fully to carry out your own views1      
without exciting the jealousy of        
parents4 ,this is the only way to avoid 
such collisions as ,i dread1 and which  
seem to me almost inevitable in such a  
union as that of parent and teacher in  
the same family4 ,as an independent     
teacher1 your opinions may be expressed 
with the utmost freedom2 for ,i would   
have no tampering with truth4 ,but few  
mothers are humble or wise enough to be 
willing to be criticised at home when it
 comes to the point4 ,then in my opinion
 such an inmate spoils a family1 which  
should be a sacred circle where none    
intrude4 ,i myself have had the whole   
care of children in a family1 moral and 
intellectual1 but no one but the parents

 ought to have had it4 ,it set up an    
authority that was more respected than  
that of the parent4 ,i have also1 in    
another instance1 had the sympathy and  
confidence of one parent1 and the       
jealous watchfulness of the other1 who  
would not listen to the suggestions of a
 third person4 ,i have also seen        
children who knew more of truth than    
their parents1 and who knew that ,i knew
 it2 and ,i would never again put myself
 in that position4 ,i have seen the     
wounded vanity of otherwise good mothers
 baffle the best intentions and wisest  
action on the part of a governess2 and  
even sadder cases1 where conscience     
itself must have been sacrificed to keep
 the peace4 ,no individual should ever  
step between parents and children1 and  
point out the errors of the former4     
,principles alone should do this2       
nothing less sacred should intervene4   
,in my school-room1 ,i can dwell upon   
principles forever1 and apply them to   
the cases in hand as closely and as     

skilfully as ,i please1 and keep clear  
of personalities1 if ,i find them       
baneful4 ,if one is in the family1 this 
seems to me scarcely possible4 ,often   
when ,i speak of a wrong action1 be it  
the wanton killing of a bird1 or the    
indulgence of an evil passion1 children 
say to me1 ,my father does that         
sometimes1 and even add1 ,i wish he     
would not4 ,this moral judgment is      
inevitable2 it must come sooner or      
later1 and the sooner the child defines 
the line by his own observations and    
reflections the better1 but it must     
often pass without comment4 ,i should be
 sorry to be obliged to be silent upon  
any point of right and wrong1 because   
there are sinners at my elbow4 ,in a    
school-room1 which is a separate world  
within the great world1--connected with 
it1 yet severed from it1--principles may
 reign triumphant4 ,in a family1 persons
 prevail more or less1 and this is one  
of my chief reasons for objecting to an 
exclusively private education4 ,special 

modes of thought and standards of action
 are imposed by example and habit2 and  
where there is no variety of views      
presented for comparison1 minds cannot  
easily expand1 still less choose the    
best of several good ways4 ,i have seen 
the victims of private education        
perpetuate family faults1 and in later  
life left standing alone in the world1  
knowing little of its interests1 and    
having no sympathy from without4 ,i have
 seen morbid sensibility thus nourished 
into insanity itself4  ,but you must    
tell me the result of your experiment4  
,it dashes my hopes of any brilliant    
discoveries4 ,i much question whether1  
under the most favorable circumstances1 
you will find yourself able to satisfy  
yourself and others too4 ,those friends 
who love you so much will perhaps be    
unwilling to make demands upon you2 and 
this will make you anxious to do all you
 can imagine them to desire4 ,this is   
the worst of all slaveries--to be in a  
situation where one is not sure of all  

that is demanded1 and where delicacy    
forbids the free expression of wishes4  
,in most cases1 too great requisitions  
are made upon the time and thoughts of a
 governess4 ,there should be a rigid    
arrangement in regard to hours and      
services1 leaving the time which is not 
employed in instruction wholly free1    
independent1 and solitary1 if desired4  
,for a time you will be willing to give 
all your waking hours to your           
employment1 and feel that you cannot do 
enough to serve a friend2 but real      
teaching is an immense tax upon the mind
 and the health2 and you have duties to 
yourself1 the neglect of which will at  
last unfit you for the proper fulfilment
 of the very engagement you have entered
 into4 ,your own qualities of character 
may clash with those of the family1 and 
you cannot be supposed to have the      
touchstone to their peculiarities1 that 
members of the same family have1--an    
innate and fibrous knowledge1 as it     
were1 of the springs of each other's    

action1 and the associations that govern
 these springs4 ,i have never seen a    
more painful tyranny exercised than that
 over a governess in one instance2 not a
 palpable tyranny that could be rebelled
 against and openly thrown off1 but a   
total ignorance of another's wants and  
rights1 that made the whole life a      
bondage4 ,the lady who presides believes
 sincerely that she offers a happy home 
and easy duties to one whose whole time 
and thoughts are taxed in such a manner 
that she cannot feel at liberty to      
dispose of an hour1 although many are   
actually left unoccupied by accident4   
,this is an extraordinary instance of   
selfishness1 ,i acknowledge1 but it     
generally taints the relation1 more or  
less4 ,i have but one counsel to give to
 such sufferers4 ,sacrifice everything  
but independence1 but preserve that     
inviolate2 for without it one can       
neither be truthful nor capable of      
improvement4 ,we never should allow     
ourselves to be in a responsible        

situation where we cannot express our   
opinions for fear of giving offence4    
,there is enough of that servile fear in
 our common intercourse with our        
fellow-beings4 ,let us keep ourselves   
out of temptation while our daily prayer
 is that ,god may not lead us into it4  
,i am prepared for a theoretic          
refutation of all my positions1 but     
shall probably be very self-opinionated 
till you have lived through this        
experience1 as ,i have done4            
,yours1 affectionately1 ,m4   ,,letter  
,,vii4  ,,my ,,dear ,,anna1--,i am      
somewhat reconciled to your being in a  
less independent situation than ,i      
wished for you1 by learning that you    
are1 after all1 in a school-room of your
 own1 surrounded by children educated   
thus far under various influences4 ,the 
range of ages in your little company    
appears to me rather too unequal2 but ,i
 have such confidence in your resources1
 that ,i will not forebode failure4 ,i  
only hope you will not be distracted by 

too various calls4 ,in my own           
experience1 ,i was obliged to relinquish
 older and more advanced pupils in favor
 of younger ones1 because ,i found the  
proper attention to the two classes     
incompatible1 and in my own case my     
heart was with the little ones4 ,you are
 better fitted to cope with older       
children1 because your force of will is 
superior to mine4  ,i rejoice in your   
lovely surroundings4 ,i once kept school
 near a gurgling brook1 whose banks were
 ornamented with wild flowers1 and the  
room was always redolent of perfumes1   
and garlanded with clematis and other   
flowers in their season4 ,not only      
children's heads1 but mine1 were        
wreathed with them2 and many a lesson   
was given and learned under the trees1  
and on the grassy turf1 golden with     
buttercups and dandelions4 ,but now a   
few feet of sky1 and a glimpse of       
verdant back-yards from one window1 is  
all ,i can boast of when housed4 ,i am  
blessed with the proximity of ,boston   

,common1 through which ,i daily wander  
with my little flock1 and many of my    
children have country summers to        
remember1--vacations at least4 ,cities  
are unnatural places for the young4 ,all
 childhood should be passed in the      
country1 and in afterlife its memories  
can be pitted against the evils the     
grownup must bear in pursuit of certain 
social privileges4  ,i feel modest about
 describing my lessons1 now you actually
 have your classes before you1 and are  
sounding certain depths to meet the     
occasion4 ,i wonder if you will begin   
with creation1 as a friend ,i could name
 told me she did1 when first meeting    
face to face a little disciple1 her     
first pupil4  ,i am glad you do not     
begin with a large school4 ,in many     
schools that ,i have visited1 ,i have   
seen that the teachers were overpowered 
by numbers4 ,this is apt to             
necessitate--no1 not necessitate1 for   
that cannot be necessary which is       
wrong1--but it is apt to introduce the  

motive of emulation1 as a part of the   
machinery4 ,emulation is a passion--,i  
call it an evil propensity1 so strongly 
implanted in the natural constitution of
 man1 that it needs no fostering4 ,it   
should be checked and restrained like   
any appetite1 so that its only function 
may be the desire to emulate noble      
deeds1 but never to be degraded into    
competition for praise or honors4 ,one  
of the mothers of my children thinks it 
is a very useful ally to induce children
 to study hard spelling-lessons2 but ,i 
assure her it cannot be made to play    
into my spelling-lessons1 which are     
natural growths out of reading-lessons4 
,no1 ,i banish that evil spirit from my 
dominions1 and endeavor to teach my     
scholars to have a deep interest in each
 other's progress instead of wishing to 
rise upon the ruin of others4 ,i have a 
device which answers all the purpose of 
a healthful stimulus1 and insures some  
of the lawful rewards of industry4  ,in 
my present school1 where the children   

are all under twelve1 ,i made one class 
in arithmetic1 including all who could  
count their fingers and thumbs1 and1    
arranging them in the order of ages1    
began with the youngest1 asking the     
questions in ,colburn's first lessons in
 arithmetic1 and saying that ,i should  
take the first section and let each one 
go through with it before ,i went       
farther4 ,when the youngest missed a    
question1 ,i marked the number of it    
with her name1 and began at the         
beginning with the next in order4 ,some 
of them soon missed1 others went        
straight through without a mistake4 ,i  
simply said to the first one who did    
this1 ,you may return to your seat and  
occupy yourself quietly in any way you  
please every day at this hour until this
 lesson is over4  ,the lesson was to    
continue half an hour4  ,those who did  
not go straight through1 remained and   
took another turn after each had tried4 
,i had seen the pleasing effect of this 
mode of hearing a recitation practised  

upon older scholars1 and knew that its  
charms would gradually unfold to these  
little ones4  ,the first section was    
accomplished by all that first day4 ,but
 ,i gradually took longer and longer    
portions2 and soon the pleasure of      
getting through1 and having the disposal
 of little times thus gained1 was very  
animating4 ,i liked the effect much     
better than that ,i heard described by a
 distinguished ,german mathematician1   
who told me that his father1 who was a  
soldier1 had a triangle of wood made1   
very sharp at the edges1 on which he    
obliged him to kneel while he studied   
his arithmetic lessons4 ,the effect was 
very stimulating to his mathematical    
faculties1 and though he hated his      
father at the time 7a consequence ,i    
thought more of than he appeared to71 he
 attributed to it a remarkable power1   
second only to ,sir ,isaac ,newton's    
7who could think a train of mathematical
 thoughts consecutively for twenty      
minutes71 of thinking his mathematical  

thoughts consecutively fifteen minutes4 
,my little people were so delighted with
 their leisure1 thus gained1 that they  
voluntarily studied their lessons       
beforehand 7which ,i did not require71  
and soon ,i was obliged to set off the  
older portion into a separate class1 who
 went on with the mental arithmetic very
 rapidly1 while the younger ones1 who   
recited on the same plan1 and enjoyed   
themselves in the same way1 were more   
deliberate4 ,i followed the same plan   
with ,fowle's ,geographical ,questions  
on the ,maps1 which is a very nice book 
for children's use4 ,it makes them very 
thoroughly acquainted with maps4 ,my    
favorite geography lessons 7and the     
favorite lessons of my scholars too71   
are oral2 and ,i now have a course of   
lectures delivered on a certain day in  
the week by the children1 which would   
amuse you1 ,i am sure4 ,i put my        
work-table on one end of the long       
writing-table1 and my little lecturers  
stand behind i3 in turn1 sometimes with 

a written lecture1 sometimes with only a
 wand to point at maps or pictures1--and
 give their little lectures4 ,one little
 fellow of eight would talk all the     
afternoon over a map if ,i would let    
him1 telling stories of countries which 
he has heard of from me or others4      
,another is very fond of natural        
history1 and her little lectures are    
about insects1 and birds1 c4 ,indeed1   
these are their chief topics1--geography
 and animal life4  ,in arithmetic ,i    
also have many other exercises1 such as 
arranging beans in certain numerical    
forms2 and on the black-board ,i teach  
numeration in a simple way4 ,i use      
,shaw's box of arithmetical blocks to   
teach the philosophy of carrying tens1  
and ,i think it admirable4 ,i also have 
,holbrook's frame of balls4 ,all these  
devices help to make processes clear4 ,i
 find a very great difference in        
children in regard to arithmetic4 ,i    
have had one scholar who never could go 
7she died at fifteen7 beyond a certain  

section in ,colburn's ,mental           
,arithmetic4 ,she reached that after    
repeated trials2 for when ,i found her  
grounded at any special point1 ,i always
 turned back and let her review1 and in 
that way she would gain a little at     
every repeated trial4 ,this child found 
geometry easier than numbers1 and       
mastered ,grund's ,plane ,geometry4 ,she
 could also write out a reminiscence of 
,dr4 ,channing's sermons1 or remember   
anything interesting in history1 natural
 history1 or anything of an ethical     
character4 ,i also had one gifted little
 scholar who could not learn to spell   
accurately2 but she drew with great     
power and beauty1--with an eye that no  
teaching could give1 as was said of her 
by a fine artist4 ,these discrepancies  
in talent are very curious4             
,phrenological philosophy alone explains
 them4,l  ,having thus disposed of      
geography and arithmetic1 in the last of
 which ,i doubt not your mathematical   
faculty will strike out something new1  

you will expect me to describe my modes 
of teaching language1 as you know that  
to be my personal hobby4 ,i think ,i    
might have other hobbies if ,i knew     
more4 ,but ,i do think the teaching of  
language covers a great deal of ground1 
bringing into play1 as it certainly     
does1 so many faculties4  ,the first    
thing to be aimed at in language is1    
that it shall be clearly understood4 ,it
 is not necessary to go out of one's own
 language to teach etymology4 ,i take   
such words as funny1 kindly1 sweetly1   
and ask from what words those are       
derived4  ,what does funny mean8 ,the   
answer will be1 ,full of fun1 or        
,something that has fun in it4 ,what is 
kindly8 ,full of kindness4 ,what does   
agreeable mean8 ,something we like1 said
 a little boy one day in answer to this 
question4  ,does every one like the same
 things8 said ,i4  ,no4  ,then something
 may be agreeable to you that is not    
agreeable1 to me4  ,yes4  ,can you think
 now what the word agreeable is made    

from8  ,he could not think4  ,a thing   
agrees with something in me that does   
not agree with something in you1        
perhaps4 ,i do not like the perfume of a
 narcissus4 ,it does not agree with my  
sense of smell1 but it agrees with some 
people's sense of smell4  ,he was       
pleased with this1 and saw that agree   
was the word4  ,from what is lively     
made8 ,i asked4  ,he hesitated4  ,what  
does it mean8 said ,i4  ,oh1 lively1 why
 it means very lively6  ,can a table be 
lively8  ,no1 it must be something that 
is alive4 ,oh1 ,i know now--alive is the
 word4  ,what is alive made from8       
,living1 he answered4  ,all these words 
are made from the name of something4    
,this brought him to the word life1 and 
then he sprung up and clapped his hands 
and whirled round4  ,i do not always    
check these natural gymnastics4  ,such  
lessons as these ,i am teased for       
continually4 ,those who have studied ,i 
can carry still farther in derivation4  
,i sometimes reverse the process and ask

 for all the words that are made from   
life1 action1 c4  ,often when ,i give   
the children their slates to amuse      
themselves a little while1 they bring me
 lists of words made on this principle  
of analysis2 and ,i assure you that when
 ,i read to them1 ,i am never allowed to
 pass by a word that is not understood4 
,several times when ,i have deliberately
 pronounced a very long word that ,i    
expected to be questioned upon1 it has  
brought half a dozen of my little       
audience to their feet4  ,i was very    
fond1 when a child1 of listening to     
lessons upon figures of speech1 given in
 my mother's school2 and was quite      
expert in hunting up metaphors1 tropes1 
hyperboles1 and personifications4 ,so ,i
 impart the same pleasure4 ,the         
spiritual applications of words is      
pleasantly educed out of their sensuous 
qualities1 also4 ,the sweet apple1 and  
the sweet child1 are equally            
significant2 and it is well to trace    
back words thus figuratively used to    

their original meaning in the sensuous  
world1 for they are felt to be more     
significant when thus verified4 ,it     
leads to sound thinking4 ,there are so  
many poetical expressions in common     
parlance1 that it is very easy to put   
children upon this track4  ,i have      
lately set up a little class in         
thinking1 preliminary to giving some    
idea of the construction of sentences4  
,i do not attempt to teach grammar      
technically to such little people as    
mine2 but ,i contrive to induct it into 
them by certain devices1 not wholly     
original1 for they are recorded in the  
,record of a ,school4 ,allow me to      
repeat the drilling with which ,i began4
  ,i called them around me one day to   
have a new lesson1 which is always      
joyfully acceded to by these little     
lovers of new things1 and nothing       
pleases them better than to be set to   
thinking4  ,i asked them if they knew   
what their five senses were4  ,not one  
had ever heard those words used         

together1 apparently4  ,i enumerated2   
sight1 hearing1 smell1 touch1 taste4    
,several individuals jumped up1 whirled 
round1 and sat down again4--  ,i then   
asked each in turn to name some object1 
and tell me by which of their senses    
they could perceive it2 and by how many8
  ,this they did readily again and      
again4 ,they could see1 and smell1 and  
touch1 and taste a rose1 but they could 
not hear it4 ,so of other things4  ,i   
then said1 ,i have a thought2 do you    
know what it is8  ,no4  ,cannot you see1
 or hear1 or smell1 or touch1 or taste  
my thought8  ,no4  ,now each one of you 
think of some object1 but do not speak  
till ,i ask you for your thought4  ,can 
you see your thought8  ,some answered   
,no1 others ,yes4  ,i asked each in turn
 for their thoughts4 ,they were a bird1 
a house1 a horse1 c41 all visible       
objects4  ,i said1 ,all these things can
 be seen when they are before you2 but  
can you see the thought8  ,some answered
 ,yes to this1 which ,i found meant that

 they could see the image of the thing  
in the mind2 others said ,no4  ,can you 
see your thinking8  ,no4  ,can you not  
send your thoughts out into the country1
 where you have sometimes taken a ride8 
,yes4  ,can you see1 smell1 hear1 taste1
 or touch your mind8  ,no4  ,but is not 
mind a real thing8 ,have not you a mind 
that you think with8  ,yes4  ,there are 
some real things1 then1 beside those we 
can see1 hear1 smell1 taste1 and touch8 
,yes4  ,what other things beside your   
mind8  ,no one answered4  ,have you any 
love8  ,this brought many to their feet1
 with a shouted ,yes4  ,any happiness8  
,yes4  ,goodness8  ,yes4  ,naughtiness8 
,yes4  ,is truth in the mind1 or outside
 of it where we can see it8  ,in the    
mind4  ,i then took ,mrs4 ,barbauld's   
hymns1 in the first of which occur the  
words reason1 kindness1 heart1 life1    
beside the names of many objects of the 
senses1 and made two columns on the     
black-board1 in which ,i put down       
respectively1 as they were mentioned1   

all the names of objects1 both of the   
senses and of the mind4 ,to the latter  
list ,i added the words ,god and soul1  
by the direction of the children1 upon  
asking them if they could think of any  
more such words4  ,i then made the same 
discrimination between actions of the   
body and actions of the mind1 which they
 followed very well1 sometimes          
confounding the two1 as older           
philosophers do4  ,i endeavored to give 
them the idea that things which they    
see1 hear1 c41 exist both in the mind   
and out of it4 ,this ,i could do by     
asking them if the person who made the  
first chair did not think of it first4  
,was it not in his mind before he could 
make it8 ,so everything in the world    
existed in ,god's mind before he made   
it4  ,i then asked1 ,which column of    
words gives the names of real things8   
,they all said the objects of the senses
 were the real things4  ,can they not be
 broken up1 or burnt1 or worn out8      
,yes4  ,can the soul1 or love1 or       

goodness1 or happiness1 be broken1 or   
burnt up1 or worn out8  ,no4  ,which are
 the things that last forever1          
then1--these objects of your senses1 or 
these objects of your mind8  ,the       
objects of the mind4  ,does your        
goodness always last8  ,no4  ,where does
 it go to when you are not good8        
,nobody knew4  ,can you have it again   
when you wish to8  ,yes4  ,who do you   
think keeps it for you8  ,god4  ,that is
 what we mean when we pray to ,god to   
help us to be good4  ,all seemed to     
understand this4  ,then we find1 ,i     
said1 that the real things that last    
forever are in the mind8  ,yes4  ,do our
 bodies last forever8  ,no4  ,do we live
 forever8  ,yes4  ,yes1 our souls are   
the real things4  ,this was enough for  
one lesson4 ,another day ,i asked about 
the qualities of things1 and added a    
column for such words as green1 white1  
pretty1 c4 ,these are the main classes1 
and ,i shall go on by degrees to words  
expressive of relations1 and to words   

that are substituted for the names of   
persons and things which are pronouns4  
,the children are very fond of making   
lists of words of this sort1 and often  
bring them to me1 divided off into their
 respective columns4  ,i have put the   
whole school1 except the babes1 into    
this class2 and of those who know how to
 read well ,i have made a ,latin class4 
,for this ,i use the interlined         
translation of sop's ,fables1 which ,mr4
 ,g---- ,t---- first imported into this 
country4 ,i began with a line of a fable
 committed to memory1 with the ,english 
words beneath them4 ,it is not only good
 for spelling to begin ,latin early1 but
 it gives precision to thinking1 if used
 aright4 ,after learning one fable1 by  
degrees1 ,i let the children            
vocabularize the words by putting the   
names of things into one column1 the    
names of actions into another1 as in the
 analysis of ,english2 and this has     
given them quite a vocabulary of ,latin1
 from which we often make lessons in    

derivation4 ,putting the nouns into a   
column soon showed the modifications of 
termination1 and then ,i explained the  
difference between that language and    
ours in that respect1 and showed them   
how few small words were used in ,latin4
 ,they have also studied the indicative 
mode of the verb amo1 and have learned  
to substitute other verbs in the various
 tenses4 ,but ,i confine them at present
 chiefly to committing to memory the    
fables4  ,dr4 ,follen thinks it well to 
teach ,german very early also1 which    
gives the ,teutonic element to our      
language2 but ,i have not done this in  
my present school1 because the          
difficulty of the ,german letter is such
 a puzzle to little brains4  ,french ,i 
only teach them colloquially as yet2 for
 the sight of ,french words confuses    
spelling very much with little children4
 ,it is well to exercise their organs in
 pronouncing the words2 and all my      
children can say many things in ,french4
 ,by and by ,i shall show them the      

words1 if they stay with me till they   
are ready for them4 ,all these exercises
 of mind1 if not made fatiguing by too  
long continuance at one time1 are       
perennially interesting to children4    
,the new life and vigor a little hard   
thinking imparts to them makes one      
almost a convert to a theory lately set 
forth by one of our contemporaries1 that
 the scholar and thinker should be the  
longest lived man4 ,i believe it will be
 found true1 if the brain be healthily1 
not morbidly worked4 ,i love to see the 
eye fixed in thought for a moment1 even 
in a very young child3 but ,i would have
 in the next moment a jump or a run1 or 
a laugh2 and these generally alternate  
with thinking1 if nature is left free4  
,i am jealous of one moment's weariness 
at this age4 ,i speak particularly now  
of very young children1 who are only too
 willing to think1 not of the wilful1   
playful rogues whom it is hard to fix   
one moment1 because they would have no  
work1 but all play4 ,there is a great   

difference1 however1 in children of all 
ages1 and ,i would be careful of them   
all4 ,force and vigor are so essential  
to health of mind1 as well as of body1  
that ,i would secure those first to     
every child4  ,i once had a very bright 
boy of four in my school1 who had a very
 remarkable memory4 ,he would learn a   
verse of poetry by my repeating it once1
 and learned to read with marvellous    
rapidity4 ,it was almost alarming2 but  
,i took care not to stimulate him in any
 way4 ,he was suddenly seized with a    
violent influenza1 and did not return to
 school for two months4 ,when he        
returned1 he had not only forgotten all 
he had learned1 but never showed the    
same aptitude again4 ,in a year         
afterwards he had not caught up with    
those first few months4 ,this taught me 
never to urge a child to exertion while 
suffering from a cold2 and my attention 
having thus been directed to the point1 
,i have often observed how that malady  
dulls the action of the faculties4  ,i  

have one dear little scholar now1 only  
too willing to exert her mind2 and if ,i
 see that anything seems difficult to   
her earnest spirit1 ,i advise her at    
once to put it aside2 for the tearful   
eyes tell me plainly that there is no   
need of urgency on my part1 and that the
 danger is in too great persistence of  
the will for duty's sake4 ,if it is     
necessary to explain the matter to      
others1 ,i do not hesitate to say that  
that little scholar studies too hard for
 her health1 and ,i do not wish her to  
be fatigued4 ,it is necessary for her   
peace of mind to say as much as this1   
and the others only see more clearly    
what ,i wish them to see1 that ,i       
measure them by the effort they make1   
not by the results they achieve4 ,the   
same persistence of will and earnestness
 of spirit sometimes produces a violent 
shock of feeling in this child1 if she  
is arrested in any of her purposes1 even
 of play2 but a gentle steadiness on my 
part soon brings the repentant little   

head on my bosom4  ,i often wish ,i knew
 how much moral and mental effort ,i    
ought to require of children1 to keep   
the soul in full play and never encroach
 upon nature1 which adjusts the balances
 so happily in her own way1 when not    
constrained4 ,i have to fall back upon  
my instincts for this1 as the mother    
undoubtedly does4 ,this adjustment has  
been very happily and wisely made in the
 case of ,laura ,bridgeman1 one proof of
 which is1 that an obstacle in her path 
is only met as a joyful occasion for    
some new effort4 ,if she finds a        
stumbling-block in her way1 instead of  
falling over it1 or being discouraged by
 it1 she dances round it1 and apparently
 hails it as a new proof of the power   
within her to conquer all things4 ,if   
her thread gets tangled when she is     
sewing1 she laughs and adjusts it4      
,giant ,despair would in vain tempt her1
 but would try again to hang himself1 as
 when1 in olden time1 ,truth and        
,holiness together escaped from his     

clutches4 ,principles1 when known to    
her1 seem to be imperative2 and cut off 
as she is from the deceptive senses1 she
 recognizes only the power within       
herself1 which laughs at the defiance of
 insolent brute matter4 ,it was the plan
 of her education that she should not be
 told of ,god's existence till she gave 
indication of some idea of ,him2 but in 
some way or other she became possessed  
of that name for the existence of       
absolute power and goodness 7we do not  
know yet how far that embodiment of the 
idea was intuitive72 and she already    
refers all things to ,his agency4 ,one  
suggestion pointing towards that idea   
would necessarily fructify in such a    
mind as hers1 and immediately she would 
have a name for the law within her which
 she obeys so wonderfully in conscience1
 and exemplifies so remarkably in her   
intellectual operations4 ,she answers to
 me the question which ,i have heard    
asked1 ,whence do the intuitions of the 
mind come8  ,but ,i must go back to my  

little family once more4 ,these children
 are quite expert printers1 and have    
followed their fancies very much as to  
what they printed2 as1 favorite stories 
or scraps of poetry1 for ,i did not wish
 the process to become tedious4 ,one day
 ,i let each dictate to me a short      
story1 which ,i wrote down as they      
dictated2 and while they were full of   
delight ,i proposed that they should    
write stories themselves1 instead of    
copying them4 ,this they subsequently   
varied with writing what they could     
remember of my readings to them2 so now 
,i am overwhelmed with compositions of  
all sorts1 and often very good ones4 ,i 
have always thought it well for children
 to write a good deal1 and ,i have never
 found any difficulty in making them    
like to do it4 ,when ,i read or tell    
them anything ,i wish them to write1 ,i 
often put leading words on the          
black-board1 to suggest the order of the
 story1 or the description2 or1 to spell
 difficult words4 ,one child writes     

funny stories1 and laughs herself as she
 writes2 another gives descriptions of  
natural scenery1 in the midst of which  
her characters find themselves4 ,one    
writes about wolves and other horrors4  
,i have a variety of pictures hanging on
 the walls1 and ,i sometimes propose    
that they should write stories about    
them4 ,these writings are all printed   
with lead pencil1 or on the slate1      
because the mechanical difficulty of    
writing script with the pen makes it    
tedious to children4  ,i shall look     
impatiently for your account of your    
proceedings4 ,i believe ,i have told you
 the principal things ,i endeavor to    
teach1 but it is impossible to describe 
all the occasions on which one can      
minister to the inquiring minds of      
children4 ,i suppose many persons would 
think ,i give too much time to playing  
and singing1 but ,i do not often invite 
people into my school1 for my ideas of  
order are different from the ordinary   
one of sitting still and not speaking4  

,i am perfectly content as long as the  
lifting of my finger or the tinkling of 
my little bell will reduce my subjects  
to order4  ,i forgot to mention that one
 day in the week we resolve ourselves   
into a sculptor's studio4 ,i seat the   
children around one of the long tables  
and let them model in clay4 ,they make  
miniature vases1 and even faces1 and who
 knows but what some genius may be      
developed8,m ,paper cutting is also one 
of my arts4 ,it teaches forms as well as
 drawing1 and some of these children cut
 very decent birds and other animals4   
,sometimes ,i draw for them to cut1 and 
,i have shown them the properties of a  
circle by cutting one and dividing it up
 into angles1 acute and obtuse1 and     
teaching them to put them together      
again4 ,i was much pleased myself when  
,i first understood the relation of     
angles to a circle1 and find that other 
children also enjoy it4 ,i let them play
 with the ,chinese puzzle also1 which   
exercises their inventive faculties4,n  

,if all teachers loved to play with     
children as well as ,i do1 ,i think they
 would discover what ,i think ,i have2  
that children need superintendence in   
their plays to defend them against each 
other4 ,the only danger is1 that the    
older person may lead too much1 and not 
sufficiently follow the leading of the  
children4 ,when children do work at     
anything1 they should be taught to do it
 accurately and well2 but a concentrated
 effort should be very short4 ,i hope   
everything1 as ,i told you1 from your   
discoveries in this charming science1 of
 which ,i am never tired1 ,i am never   
weary of talking about my little flock1 
and all the little flocks ,i have from  
time to time presided over4 ,the last   
always seems to me the most interesting2
 especially the younger ones4 ,a new    
little being just waking up to a        
consciousness of the world environing   
it1 is a new study to me always1 one of 
which ,i never tire1 as ,i am very apt  
to do of older people4 ,when you have   

taught a few years1 we will compare     
notes again4                            
,very affectionately yours1             
,m4  ,,footnotes3  ,i ,all these        
difficulties with which ,i wrestled so  
many years in my character of champion  
of childhood1 are entirely solved and   
done away with by the more recently     
introduced method1--introduced by       
authority of a distinguished            
philologist1 of teaching the ,italian   
alphabet1 and always calling c and g    
hard1 as the old ,romans are supposed to
 have done4 ,this mode is made          
practicable in the ,first ,nursery      
,reading-,book1 and the last edition of 
the ,primer of ,reading and ,drawing4   
,abundant experience shows that reading 
taught in this way leaves nothing to be 
unlearned in ,english1 and teaches an   
analysis of words into letters which    
contributes very much to the ease of the
 subsequent study of ,european          
languages1 to which the sounds of the   
letters of the ,italian alphabet apply  

almost without an exception4 ,experience
 upon this subject has given me         
confidence in the general rule of never 
teaching exceptions to anything until   
the rule is well understood and         
mastered4  ,j ,the work referred to1 by 
,peter ,schmid1 of ,berlin1 was         
subsequently translated1 and published  
in the #fth vol4 of the ,common-,school 
,journal1 and afterwards in a pamphlet  
called the ,common-,school ,drawing     
,master4 ,it is largely used in the     
public schools of ,germany1 and formed a
 new era in ,germany1 in the teaching of
 ,perspective ,drawing1 as truly as     
,colburn's ,first ,lessons formed a new 
era in the teaching of ,mental          
,arithmetic here4  ,k ,since writing the
 above he has died untimely4  ,l ,since 
these letters were written1 the ,st4    
,william's school established in        
,edinburgh by ,george ,combe1 ,esq41 and
 in which that distinguished man taught 
personally during the latter years of   
his life1 has proved conclusively that  

the ,phrenological philosophy is a fine 
basis for education4 ,the principle     
there practised is1 to cultivate        
assiduously those faculties which were  
found naturally deficient in the pupils2
 thus aiming to make whole men out of   
what otherwise would have been but      
fragments of men4  ,m ,one of these     
children subsequently evinced much      
talent for the plastic art1 which she   
traced back to this opportunity4 ,she   
always kept it up1 and gave fair promise
 of accomplishing something in this     
department of art4  ,n ,several years   
after these letters were written1 the   
,rev4 ,thomas ,hill issued a series of  
cards containing geometrical figures    
composed of triangles of different      
sizes4 ,they were very useful in aiding 
the development of the mathematical     
faculty in a private family1 and might  
be used with advantage in the present   
,kindergarten-schools1 whose success    
forever settles the question of the     
manner in which young children should be

 taught4 ,the above letters exemplify   
the blind gropings of a true child-lover
 after that which has now been so       
beautifully developed by observation and
 genius united4     ,,songs4     ,i4    
,lord's ,prayer4  ,illustration3 ,lord's
 ,prayer ,music           ,our ,father1 
who in heaven art1         ,thy name be 
hallowed2         ,thy will as 'tis in  
heaven be done1         ,let thy dear   
kingdom come2         ,give us this day 
our daily bread1         ,our trespasses
 forgive1         ,as we forgive the    
trespasses         ,of those who injure 
us4         ,deliver us from doing      
wrong2         ,o1 lead us from         
temptation's snare2         ,for thine  
the kingdom and the power1         ,and 
glory evermore4     ,,ii4 ,the ,fishes4 
,illustration3 ,the ,fishes music       
,happy the fishes now appear1           
,sporting in water bright and clear2    
,now swimming1 now diving1 above1 below2
         ,now they are straight1 and now
 they all bow4     ,,iii4 ,brotherly    

,love4   ,illustration3 ,brotherly ,love
 music   #a4          ,how delightful   
'tis to see         ,little children who
 agree2         ,who from every thing   
abstain1         ,that will give each   
other pain2             ,o1 how lovely  
'tis to see             ,little children
 who agree4   #b4          ,angry words 
they never speak1         ,promises they
 never break2         ,unkind looks they
 never show2         ,love sits smiling 
on each brow4             ,o1 how       
lovely1 c4   #c4          ,they are one 
in heart and mind2         ,courteous1  
pitiful1 and kind2         ,willing     
others to forgive1         ,and make    
happy all who live4   #d4          ,when
 at home1 at school1 at play1           
,they are cheerful1 blithe1 and gay2    
,always trying to increase              
,human pleasure1 social peace4   #e4    
,if we for each other care1         ,all
 each other's burdens bear1             
,soon the human race will be            
,like one happy family4             ,o1 

how lovely1 c4     ,,iv4 ,,at ,,the     
,,beginning ,,and ,,close ,,of ,,play1  
,,is ,,sung3   ,illustration3 ,at the   
beginning and close of play music       
,front to back we march away1           
,let us all go out to play4             
,front to back we march away1           
,now we all have done our play4     ,v4 
,the ,pigeon ,house4   ,illustration3   
,the ,pigeon ,house music          ,we  
open the pigeon house again1            
,and set all the happy flutt'rers free2 
,they fly o'er the fields and grassy    
plain1         ,delighted with joyous   
liberty2         ,and when they return  
from their merry flight1         ,we    
shut up the house and bid 'em good      
night4     ,,vi4 ,the ,cuckoo4          
,illustration3 ,the ,cuckoo music       
,cuckoo1 cuckoo1 cuckoo2   ,the cuckoo  
calls the children1 cuckoo1 cuckoo1     
cuckoo1   ,let us all call him to us1   
cuckoo1 cuckoo1 cuckoo2   ,yes1 yes1 the
 cuckoo is alone to-day1 cuckoo1 cuckoo1
 cuckoo2   ,yes1 yes1 he wants to join  

our merry play1 cuckoo1 cuckoo1 cuckoo2 
,you have not been calling your friends 
in vain1   ,we now can play all together
 again1 cuckoo1 cuckoo1   ,dear little  
child1 cuckoo1 cuckoo1 dear child4      
,,vii4 ,the ,peasant4   ,illustration3  
,the ,peasant music          #a4 ,would 
you know how does the peasant1          
,would you know how does the peasant1   
,would you know how does the peasant1   
,sow his barley and wheat8              
,look1 'tis so1 so does the peasant1    
,look1 'tis so1 so does the peasant1    
,look1 'tis so1 so does the peasant1    
,sow his barley and wheat4 ,la la la la 
la la la                  la la la la la
 la la la la la la la la la             
la la la la la la la la la4          #b 
,would you know how does the peasant    
,reap his barley and wheat8             
,look1 'tis so1 so does the peasant     
,reap his barley and wheat4 ,la1 la1 la1
 c4          #c ,would you know how does
 the peasant             ,thrash his    
barley and wheat8           ,look1 'tis 

so1 so does the peasant                 
,thrash his barley and wheat4 ,la1 la1  
la1 c4          #d ,would you know how  
does the peasant             ,sift his  
barley and wheat8           ,look1 'tis 
so1 so does the peasant                 
,sift his barley and wheat4 ,la1 la1 la1
 c4          #e ,would you know how     
rests the peasant             ,when his 
labor is done8           ,look1 'tis so1
 so rests the peasant             ,when 
his labor is done4 ,la1 la1 la1 c4      
#f ,would you know how plays the        
peasant1             ,when his labor is 
done8           ,look1 'tis so1 so plays
 the peasant1             ,when his     
labor is done4 ,la1 la1 la1 c4          
,,viii4 ,the ,sawyer4   ,illustration3  
,the ,sawyer music          ,let us now 
begin our sawing2         ,forwards1    
backwards1 pushing1 drawing1            
,sawing1 sawing wood in two2            
,little pieces1 bigger pieces1          
,see saw1 see saw1 see saw1 see6        
,let us now leave off our sawing1       

,rest awhile in pretty playing1         
,playing1 playing1 playing so2          
,playing1 playing1 playing1 playing1    
,till 'tis time to saw again4     ,,ix4 
,the ,cooper4   ,illustration3 ,the     
,cooper music    ,i am a cooper1 and    
barrels ,i bind2   ,and on my brow      
perspiration ,i find2   ,but happy and  
merry ,i always am found1   ,while with 
my big hammer ,i pace all around1       
around1 around1         around1 round1  
round1 round4     ,x4 ,the              
,wheel-barrow4   ,illustration3 ,the    
,wheel-barrow music          ,come1 take
 your barrow1 neighbor ,john1           
,the clock strikes six1 we must be gone2
         ,the birds are singing in the  
bower1         ,the bees are busy on the
 flower2         ,come1 take your       
barrow1 let us go1         ,and call    
upon our neighbor ,joe2         ,we've  
much to do1 and time flies on1          
,make haste1 make haste1 we must be     
gone4     ,,xi4 ,the ,clappers4         
,illustration3 ,the ,clappers music     

,the clappers in the cornmill move      
gently up and down1     ,the water gives
 them motion2     ,what heavy sounds1   
,clip1 clap1 clip clap1 clip clap1 clip 
clap1 clip clap4     ,,xii4  ,,xiii4    
,windmill and ,water-wheel4             
,illustration3 ,windmill and            
,water-wheel music          ,see the    
windmill1 how she goes1         ,while  
the wind so briskly blows2              
,always turning freely round1           
,never idle is she found4   or1 ,,xiii4 
,see the ,,water-,,wheel1 how she goes1 
,while the water freely flows1 c4       
,,xiv4 ,the ,pendulum4   ,illustration3 
,the ,pendulum music    ,see it run1 see
 it run1   ,see the clock's straight    
pendulum   ,move its long arm here and  
there1   ,not across1 not in the square2
   ,stroke by stroke1 both there and    
back1   ,always tic1 and always tac1    
tic1 tac1 tic1 tac1 tic1         tac1   
tic1 tac1   ,clock be steady1 not       
unruly1   ,pray the right time tell me  
truly   ,for eating1 for sleeping1 for  

work and play1   ,o tell me the proper  
time ev'ry day4   ,if my life in order  
be1   ,health and peace will dwell with 
me4   ,little arm go there and back1    
,always tic and always tac1 tic1 tac1   
tac4     ,,xv4 ,the ,rovers4            
,illustration3 ,the ,rovers music       
,we like to go a-roving1         ,from  
place to place a-moving1         ,for   
wandering is such sweet employ1         
,it fills our hearts with quiet joy4    
,wander1 we'll wander1         ,we hear 
the warblers singing1         ,the air  
with music ringing2         ,we hear the
 sheep cry bah6         ,we hear the    
sweet bees humming1         ,we see the 
large flies coming1         ,see1 see1  
they fly away6         ,wander1 we'll   
wander1         ,wander1 we'll wander1  
,the flocks move on so stately1         
,the fields are dressed so neatly1      
,all flowers smell so sweetly2          
,come1 wander1 we'll wander1 wander1    
we'll wander4     ,,xvi4 ,the           
,weathercock4   ,illustration3 ,the     

,weathercock music          ,like the   
weathercock ,i'm going1         ,when   
the stormy wind is blowing2             
,while to ,east and ,west ,i'm turning1 
,i the compass points am learning4      
,,xvii4 ,the ,bees4   ,illustration3    
,the ,bees music          ,the bees are 
flying and humming1         ,why are    
they all coming8         ,honey they do 
seek1         ,honey they do seek4      
,hum hum hum hum hum hum hum hum1       
,hum hum hum hum hum hum hum hum4       
,take care1 beware1 the drone is there2 
,take care1 beware1 the drone is there4 
,,xviii4 ,the ,ring4   ,illustration3   
,the ,ring music    ,equal treading1    
equal stepping1   ,we dance and sing all
 in a ring2   ,all round we dance and   
sing4   ,la1 la1 la1 la1 la1 la1 la1 la1
 la1 la1 la1 la1 la1         la1 la1 la1
 la1 la1 la1 la1 la1 la1 la4     ,,xix4 
,the ,hares4   ,illustration3 ,the      
,hares music              ,hare in the  
hollow1               sitting still2    
,poor hare1 are you ill1         that   

you cannot jump and spring1         jump
 and spring1 jump and spring4  #b4      
,hare now be careful1               ,sit
 quite still1             ,the hunter is
 near2         ,dogs are running down   
the hill1         ,sit quite still1 sit 
quite still4  #c4              ,hare now
 be cheerful1               ,jump and   
spring2             ,all danger is past4
         ,hare now spring1 jump and     
spring1         ,jump and spring1 jump  
and spring4     ,,xx4 ,the ,little      
,master of ,gymnastics4   ,illustration3
 ,the ,little ,master of ,gymnastics    
music          ,look at little ,albert1 
,he's happy and glad2         ,look at  
little ,albert1         what he has just
 made4         99       99       99     
99       99  ,transcriber's ,notes3     
,text uses both ,co-operate and         
coperate4  ,obvious punctuation errors  
repaired4  ,in the text ,froebel does   
not have a ligature1 in the footnotes   
the ligature is present4 ,this was      
retained but will only be present in the

 utf-#h and ,,html versions4  ,page #be1
 fal changed to fa 7fifth1 fa-la-do7    
,page #gh1 pronunciation table oh       
changed to 7oh to match rest of usage4  
,page #hf1 two of the proofreaders      
caught amidst the mind-numbing word     
lists that put should not belong in the 
pattern of drunk1 trunk1 hunt1 blunt444 
and should either go a few words before 
with cut1 gut1 hut1 jut or be changed to
 punt4 ,the transcriber has chosen to   
change it to punt4  ,page #hh1 ex-except
 changed to except 7preceded by vowels1 
except7  ,page #hh1 in the list for ,w1 
owner occurred twice4 ,once after growth
 and once after lower4 ,the second      
instance was removed4  ,page #afe1 wont 
changed to won't 7a half whisper1       
won't47