A widespread interest in the study of color at the present time leads to a more careful consideration of its use in the Kindergarten.

Froebel designed that in the Kindergarten there should be laid a foundation for future education. If the little child is to be prepared by his general/ training in the Kindergarten for special branches of study which are to follow in later life, he must pass through experiences which will pave the way, by familiarizing him with fundamental facts relating to material things. The value of these experiences depends upon the kind and amount of power they develop in the child.

Children love bright colors and are attracted to them before they are interested in forms. We therefore recognize in the Kindergarten the necessity of appealing at once to the color sense, which is the highest mode of sight.

Froebel says of forms and colors, "We see ourselves surrounded by their manifoldness and by their different effects upon us and other human beings, almost without divining, still less perceiving their unity and the accordance of their laws."

The purpose of Kindergarten education is to aid the child through the different stages of his life, but Kindergartners sometimes lose valuable time, fearful that in giving the child too much instruction, free expression of his individuality may be checked. Perhaps in nothing else is this more true than in the use of color. Reasoning that because the race developed along a certain line, so must the child, he is allowed to

waste his precious time living through experiences which are not valuable, instead of being fortified against error by learning truth.

Believing that children love brilliant colors and striking contrasts, we are contented to allow them free indulgence of fancy. Do we ask why children are attracted by, or how long they should work in bright colors? Or what end bright colors serve? Do we let the children make all sorts of crude combinations of color, believing we are giving them freedom of choice; while in reality we are leading them into bondage?

To allow a child to use false colors, or worse still, to provide him with them, is to do him a moral injury. The cultivation of the aesthetic taste should never be lost sight of; it has hitherto been too much disregarded. It is injured by combinations of incongruous colors and forms. In the selection of occupations we must choose such as will give some permanent value to the child.

Because the little child begins as the people did in the early years of civilization, we must not forget that he has the inheritance of the ages for a better foundation on which to build, and more, that we as teachers ought to have power to help him as rapidly as possible to develop his highest capacity.

Tracing along the line of development of sense perception of color, we find the first attraction to be light-sunlight and firelight. Next is shown appreciation for reflected glitter or lustér. In the third stage we find love for pure color.

As a rule, children who are admitted to Kindergarten have passed through the

first two stages, delight in brilliancy and delight in luster, and are ready to appreciate color.

Narrowing down to one occupation, paper cutting, we ask-what is the highest purpose to be served through the occupation? What are the best materials to use in attaining this end? What is the best method to pursue in using them?

We aim through the paper cutting to develop the artistic sense of the child by leading him to produce symmetrical forms in beautiful colors. The paper cutting emphasizes color. The child gives attention to dictation and learns obedience; he gains also a degree of manual dexterity. The occupation reacts upon the child physically, mentally and morally.

The capacity of the child is limited, the time we have to spend with him is limited, therefore the necessity is great for choosing from among the infinitude of materials those which will be the most helpful. We must choose. Are we always careful to choose the best? Do we realize the great importance of selecting the best colors, and so cultivating in the child a love for beautiful colors?

Knowledge and acceptance of truth brings with it responsibility, first of choice, second in use of material.

The choice involves a knowledge of various kinds of materials and a careful consideration of relative merits.

Looking over the material, let us choose the best colors. We do not admit the necessity for glazed paper. It does not meet the educational need, but robs the color of softness and delicacy. We select in coated" paper the six leading colors, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet; careful that in each is found the normal tone, as nearly as

་་

possible like accepted standards derived from the spectrum.

These are all we need for the first series of cuts. A knowledge of pure colors and normal tones must precede the making of color combinations. Children need standards by which they can compare.

For the second series of cuts we choose, in addition to the normal tones of the six leading colors, a light tone of each, to be used in developing the thought of "relief" in color, using the lighter tone as a background for the form cut.

Instead of pattern books we choose

mounting sheets." They are more easily handled by the child and save much labor on the part of the teacher. Whatever saves the time and strength of the teacher in one direction gives her more to use in another. The size of sheets may be about 7x9 inches, and they should be of a soft, neutral tint. Gray is preferable since it is to form the background for the design. It modifies less the normal tone of the color placed upon it. Cuttings are pasted on one side only and the several sheets belonging to each child may be kept loose in a cover till the whole number is completed, then put up in book form using "Novelty Paper Fastener and Staples." No tissue paper is necessary between the sheets. Only one design is seen at a time, so pure colors may be used in succession without unpleasant effects. The sheets should be placed before the child with longest edges from left to right in order to bring the center within easy range of vision.

We arrange for each two children in a little wooden box, a bottle of prepared gum arabic, two pieces of cardboard 4x4 inches, two clean handkerchiefs, two pairs of scissors and two camel's-hair brushes.

From the six leading colors to be used in the first series of cuts we must choose one for the first cut, and then decide upon the best order in which to present the other colors.

Colors should be named apart from natural objects, first by using a large prism and reflecting the spectrum. For some reasons it seems well to present colors separately in the order seen in the spectrum. The luminous intensity of Red, Orange and Yellow being considerably greater than the Green, Blue and Violet, they are more closely allied with sensations produced by simple rays of light, and are therefore more attractive to the children.

Of the three luminous colors, Red has always been given great prominence in the Kindergarten, and although later theories place Yellow at the front as the first to make impression on the color sense, we choose Red because it is the first-named color in the spectrum.

In graded Kindergartens, cutting should be given as a class exercise; e. g., children should fold, cut, arrange and paste together. If a child is absent, let him lose the lesson just as he does a Gift lesson.

From the different methods used in folding the "ground form " for cutting, we select the following, because the child will find no difficulty in folding accurately:

1. Place the paper on table with an angle in front.

2. Fold angle at front to cover angle at back.

3. Fold acute angle at right side over acute angle at left side.

4. Open last fold and turn paper over

so as to bring the inside crease down. 5. Fold acute angle at right side up to right angle.

6. Fold acute angle at left side up to right angle.

7. Fold together on only remaining crease and get ground form.

The position of the folded paper should always be the same, e. g., the triangle placed before the child with the right angle up, the open plane to the left. Let children understand that the center of the square of paper is folded at

the right end of the triangle and should not be cut.

We are ready to cut, again we must choose!

There are hundreds of forms which may be produced; which are the most valuable? Must we follow a certain sequence of cuts because we wish the child to use certain lines, or is the value of the sequence not more dependent upon the forms included in it?

Laws of beauty should never be held in subordination, or violated, in order to gain a knowledge of geometric elements.

We must use sequences in order to develop continuity of thought, but all sequences are not valuable. The value of a sequence lies in its power to lead to a connected view of growth, or of life. It should illustrate the thought ofprocess.

Sequences given with the Gifts are

angles may also be used in a cross which will include the positions of angles given in No. 4.

The real thought of process is best illustrated by tracing the growth of a plant from a seed.

No. 5 includes No. 1, and completes the circle in new life (seed) growth.

Holding to this thought of process, in our next talk we will select for our cut

ting, a sequence which shall begin with a simple form, and progress to forms of greater beauty, the last form in each lit

tle series including the best of what has preceded it, and giving new thought for a succeeding series. And so we will try to lead the child on to the appreciation of more and more delicate forms of pleasure as he experiences increasing sensitiveness to gentle and more subtle contrasts in both form and color. MABEL A. WILSON.

St. Louis.

The school year is hurrying on. Are we keeping pace with it? We compare what has been accomplished with the work outlined in a "Course of Study" with what result?

Little, if anything, is said in the ordinary course of the mental growth to be expected in the child. The ability to do the work indicated is probably expected to be a proof of the child's power. It may or may not be so.

Everywhere earnest teachers are struggling to so present conditions that the desired work may be accomplished; and,

at the same time, the best mental growth secured; right habits of action formed.

It has been the aim in previous lessons to suggest lines of work that would present conditions for the highest growth in the child, and demand expression through the various channels.

This demand for expression is the teacher's opportunity. The language, reading, writing and number, as well as the molding, painting and drawing are more easily and thoroughly taught when the child's actual need creates a desire for them.

Much has been said of the language, reading and writing, but suggestions as to the number work have been less frequent. This has not been because the number is thought unimportant or unnecessary, but because number questions have come in all the work.

Let us now look more carefully at this phase of our work. What is its use to the child?

It induces close observation and secures definiteness and accuracy of concept.

In measuring lines, areas, volume, bulk and time, in weighing and valuing, the child constantly numbers. It is impossible to observe accurately without numbering.

Col. Parker says, "When a child measures, weighs or values that which he studies and observes, he feels that such work is right-that it must be or he can not know the subject."

The need of the number which the child feels, reacts and enhances the number idea, thus making the work more effective.

The science observation lessons furnish a great quantity of material for numbering, material which must be numbered to be accurately known.

The teacher must see that the number is kept within the child's grasp and that all the fundamental operations are included in the work.

This will require most careful preparation on the part of the teacher until the habit is formed of recognizing and using the number in every lesson. In the lessons on fruits such points may be noted as the following:

The number of cells in the core of an apple, a pear or quince.

The number of seeds in each cell. If there are two seeds in each cell, how many twos in all?

The numbers of cells in different seedvessels such as the morning-glory.

The number of seed in each cell. The number of seeds in all.

The number of segments in one-half of an orange. The number of such numbers in the whole orange.

The quantity of fruit, nuts and grains gathered, bought or sold may demand. the use of the dry measures. The children thus become familiar with the pint, quart, half-peck, peck, and if need, the half-bushel and bushel. They measure to find the number of pints needed to fill the quart measure or to answer any similar question. The liquid measures may also be used.

The different products and quantities are valued and numberless problems solved in buying, selling, exchanging and making change.

The more fully this work is taken from the child's experience or made necessary in his other work, the more he will feel its real worth.

The number of inches twigs have grown during the season may be found, and the growth of twigs from differen kinds of trees and under different conditions compared.

The number of living buds on a twig and the number not living may be noted.

How many buds on the twig? The number not living is what part of all the buds?

When studying animals, questions similar to the following will arise:

The number of feet, wings, fins, or other parts.

The comparison of the number of corresponding parts in different animals, as the wings of the bird and butterfly, or moth; the feet of the squirrel and the bird or boy.

Comparisons will be made of the size