Madonna" is kept. We sort of tip-toed in, not knowing exactly why, and sat down very still, looking at the picture, and then we were just a little disappointed. I think it is because of the coloring, not the expression or the idea in the painting. However, the eyes soon begin to attract, and you forget the green curtains, the bright blue robe of the Virgin, the red skirt, etc. The photographs give one its idea in rather somber hues and my first impression of it in the high coloring was irreverent.

almost

The mother's eyes awaken a wonder in you and then you turn to the eyes of the child and the wonder increases. The first are full of an unfathomable mystery which the latter seem to penetrate. So in each feature the mother foreshadows the child. The sweetness about her mouth and chin becomes a settled and firm conviction upon the face of the infant.

The constant change of expression is astonishing, but of course is measured by your own mood. The look, however, is always penetrating, but sometimes foreboding and almost threatening. It seems to pierce through and understand all the woes of the human side of life and then look beyond it into the light. It is indeed wonderful as it grows upon you.

How delightful it was to find all my favorites-but one-alas, the St. Anthony and Child is at Berlin. The Holy Night in all its glory shown from the Dresden walls; there was Hofmann's Christ in the Temple, also, and the first copy of the Holbein Madonna. I almost feel as if the pictures had made more of an impression on me than did the Beyreuth music, which is saying a great deal. MARI RUEF HOFER.

LET US WITH THE CHILDREen Live.

Froebel's command should never be live." His whole teaching is quite contranslated, "Come let us for our children trary to that thought. He did not advise us to live for our children. No human being can live for an other. A mother once said: "My whole life is lived for my children," and there was nothing ever too great or small for her to do for her children. But in her great to do for her children. anxiety and desire to do for them she was forgetting to live with them. The father may make a slave of himself in his business, working from morning till far into the night, all for his family. He may build a beautiful home, and give them every luxury that money can buy, satisfying every extravagant craving, and go to his rest at night with pride in his heart that he has lived for his children. Does the father suppose this slavery is appreciated in after years? No; had he spent more time in developing the powers of his children, had played, worked, lived with them, no power on the face of the earth could make them do other than that which would add to his happiness.

"Come let us live with the children," let us find their individual traits of character, restraining and developing as seems best; let us be one with them, otherwise we cannot know them.

"Suffer them to come unto us and forbid them not." Froebel has taught us the way; come and drink of the water of life.

THE ADVANTAGE OF DIRECTED PLAY.

Many will say, "my children play by themselves, and are perfectly happy all day long, what possible advantage is there in my devoting any of my time to

their play hour when I am needed elsewhere?" Could mothers only realize what it would mean to their children if they would manage their time so that an hour or even half an hour each day were spent with them regularly, they certainly would slight some of the housework duties-sewing or society-rather than their children.

Children learn to love the hour spent with mamma, and look forward to it as the sacred time of the day, and if this play hour is guided with careful thought and a happy heart it may serve as the key-note to the whole day, and who knows but for life. When left to their own devices they will connect their play in some way to the time they were with mamma.

There is no regular routine to go through with. Mothers have written to us to know what to begin with, and what they should play with from the time the child is two years old until it is six or seven. No one can lay down the law for another in dealing with children. We must take the child as we find him, make use of the present surroundingsstudying principles, evolving and developing from within.

It is very necessary to keep the child's mind from scattering. Take up one play no matter how simple-hold that as the central thought and build on it, allowing. the child's imagination to lead as long as it keeps to the point.

It gives endless variety and still an excellent pivot around which to revolve, to have the children, when there are several in the home, build a play house, for they can be weeks in planning and furnishing it. With a little guiding they can make everything; even the weaving of the carpets, and the hanging of the wall paper, the framing of pict

ures, making of chairs, tables, cupboards, piano, books, dolls-then a fence inclosing a yard with a garden, a stable, -horses, dogs, sheep, etc., etc. Endless are the stories to be told about this miniature family in the diminutive home, and all real in the imagination of the child. child. While they are making the furnishing for the home, they can hear and tell to one another the stories of this family.

There is no surer way of interesting children in the reality of life and making it take a firm hold upon them than to let them live out their imaginations in this wholesome manner. Their work is play, yet their play is work, and they are led unconsciously to a love of good, helpful work, which is the salvation of the race. "Get work, 'tis better than what you work to get."

In all the dealings with children, remember we are working for concentration and continuity, for unity of thought and action,-harmony and love. If mothers devote more of their time to reading and studying, especially the valuable suggestions given by the contributors in THE KINDERGARTEN MAGAZINE, they will certainly be led to know what is best for the little ones under their care.

HOME MATERIALS.

Do not think, dear mothers, that because you have had no Kindergarten training and no Kindergarten materials at your command, that you can do nothing toward developing individual power and self-control in your little two-yearold. A thoughtful use of materials at hand will add much happiness to you and your child.

A box of buttons is full of resources

for his happiness and material development. Have him assort them one day according to size and string the large ones, then the next size, and so on till he puts all the wee glove-buttons on top of the string. The next day when your sewing time comes have him do the same thing all by himself, then on another day you can ask him to assort them according to size and shape, putting all the large flat ones in one place, all the large ball-shaped ones in another, etc., etc. Another day let him assort them according to the people the buttons belong to; for instance, there are the buttons which came off of Edith's waist, these were on mamma's dress, those on papa's coat, these on Willie's little shoe.

If mothers did but see, there is a liberal education in the button box! The foundation for order, classification, number, language and industry are contained in that innocent box, if we but help the little one, day by day to unfold the mystery. Strength of purpose is gained. by the young fingers in guiding the needle through the eye of the button; also ability to select from the motley collection large, small, the round, the flat ones, and papa's, mamma's, Edith's, Willie's, and then two large and two small ones, etc., every time he plays with them finding something new in form or size, and by the repetition of the former learn of numbers. There will be satisfaction in seeing the young mind unfold day by day.

Every mother with small children should have the "Second Gift." It consists of two cubes, a ball and a cylinder. (See Fig. 2, page 15.) The possibility of entertainment, amusement and perceptive development is unlimited, if one understands the principles underly

ing the use of it. Second Gift Play" in this issue, by Miss Moore, is a happy suggestion of its use and so simple and clear that any mother could use it with profit and pleasure. Soon other games would come to mind with this same Gift, after playing it several times. The impressions made of contrast of forms, solid and surface, with this play could be greatly emphasized by a similar play with clay. Have the children make

a ball, cube and cylinder as nearly the size of those of the Second Gift as possible, then go through the same play, using some box which would not be soiled by the clay. The slices from the loaf of bread and jelly-roll may be cut with a strong string.

This play may seem very simple and childlike; if so, realize that this is wherein the great value of it lies. If you can enter into it with your child you have learned and are learning one of the most important lessons in child-culture, which is, to live with your children.

The next question asked is, "Of what value is this lesson to the child?"

In the first place, while preserving the happy youthfulness of your little one, you are helping him to gain power over himself. He is learning to reproduce forms of nature and is unconsciously gaining a concept of the contrast of form. He is learning to have an interest in the home work, by that means making himself more a part of the home. Every time he reproduces something with his own hands, no matter how crudely, which he has seen or may see, his observing powers are made keener. Every time he gains a power in directing his hands, he is gaining mental strength.

By this play with your child you have helped him to do and be, which is much more than helping him to know.

EDITORIAL NOTES.

No July and August issues are published. The year opens in September and closes in June, comprising ten numbers.

THE September issue opens Volume IV. of THE KINDERGARTEN MAGAZINE. The word "magazine" has been added, since some confusion had arisen, the name of the publication often having been mistaken for the general term "the Kindergarten."

The very encouraging and appreciative words we are constantly receiving assure us that the MAGAZINE is supplying a need among the people. Efforts have been made in the past to obtain the best and brightest thoughts that have been evolved upon this natural system of education and the increasing demand for the back numbers of the MAGAZINE testifies to its success. However, the past However, the past is only a dim forecast of the future. The articles now engaged for the next ten months assure its place among the strong educational journals of the country.

New departments have been added and old ones strengthened. Although many of the articles are theoretical, presenting the purpose of Froebel, the chief aim is to give its full demonstration in practical work, so clearly and definitely. that the reader may readily adapt the truths and test them individually. Theory is very necessary but theory put. into practice is more necessary.

Notice the strong articles in this issue which give the leadings to the whole year's work :

"Kindergarten Extension," by Mr. Ellis Gray Seymour, of New York City,

shows what should be the outgrowth of the Kindergarten. Mr. and Mrs. Seymour are doing a noble work in the metropolis among the inmates of the tenement houses. They expect to assume charge of a number of the same with the intention of further applying the Kindergarten principle of studying children and their possibilities of influence toward a true family life; at the same time, of mediating between the vastly separated social classes. Mr. Seymour will contribute several papers during the year from this standpoint which will be worthy of deep consideration.

"Letters by Friedrich Froebel," edited by A. H. Heineman, must always be a very important feature, the letters being chosen with special relation to the timely subjects. Mr. and Mrs. Heinemann are personal friends of the widow of Froebel and through her have had an intimate acquaintance with the educator's private life and inner motives.

The Gift Lessons by Miss Annie Moore, of New Albany, Ind., are practical illustrations of the use of Froebel's Gifts. These are not given in a mechanical manner, but as a play developing the characteristics peculiar to the Gift.

Typical Primary Lessons," begun in this issue by Miss Sarah E. Griswold, will continue throughout the volume. Miss Griswold's experience was gained in several years at the Cook County (Ill.) Normal School, under the direct supervision of Col. Francis W. Parker, In this institution a careful study has been made to find a way to meet the requirements of the public schools of today, at the same time to hold fast to the principles of education as presented by Froebel. Miss Griswold in giving these

lessons, makes allowance for the limitations placed upon the teacher and endeavors to show what may be done in developing creativeness, continuity of thought, equal development of the threefold nature, at the same time not neglecting the three important "R's" and other necessary acquirements for thoughtexpression. Her description of the apartment is not her ideal of a primary room. It is given to show what may be done even with present conditions. That which makes her articles so valuable is the fact that she shows how the Kindergarten methods may be adopted in the primary schools as we find them.

Miss Griswold gave a course of lectures at the Teachers' Retreat, Chautauqua, N. Y., the past summer.

Sunday-school Lessons" for 1891-92 are to be prepared by Miss Frederica Beard, of Oak Park, Ill. The installment in this issue speaks for itself. Every lesson is based upon Kindergarten principles though but few of the materials are used.

Systematic Science Lessons," by Mr. Edward G. Howe, are continued; this year's work taking up animal life. One can readily see how full of happy suggestions these lessons are, not only for the Kindergarten and primary teacher, but also for home use. These lessons are absolutely scientifically correct according to the best authority and besides have high ethical value such as few scientific authors infuse into their writings. The paper in this issue is a strong appeal for truer science (knowing) and less bare fact.

The "Typical Kindergarten Lessons by the Misses Hill are also continued. They are the result of long experience

in Kindergarten work under the leadership of Miss Anna E. Bryan, of Louisville. These lessons are not only suggestive to Kindergartners, but they are full of helpfulness to primary teachers and mothers. The idea of connecting the play, work, story, song and game is carried out very clearly in these papers and with but little difficulty may be adapted to the home.

"Clay Modeling" is the first of a series of articles on art subjects, which will be compiled from lessons given by Miss Locke is Josephine Carson Locke. revolutionizing art in the Kindergarten, starting with the basic principle of Froebel and unfolding the thoughts through the materials without remaining subservient to the limitations under which the originator worked of necessity. Were Froebel with us to-day he would not have us cling to a method given over a half a century ago. Mrs. Alice H. Putnam will give in October her first article on paper-cutting and pasting according to the experiments of Miss Locke, with whom she has been closely associated. These will appear every other month and will bring out many radical innovations in color.

"Development According to Delsarte," by Mrs. Grace Call Kempton, will delight our readers more than ever this year. In the past she has contributed suggestion for the development of the Kindergartners, now she begins a series of direct lessons for the children, so planned as to preserve the natural impulse and grace, and through them to develop strength of body, mind and character.

"Farm Voices," by Miss Emilie Poulsson, of Boston, is the first of a series of games for the play hour in and