I attended on one occasion, by invitation of the teacher (Miss Kohland), a class in a Volksschulea school of the same class as our primary schoolsto be present at a lesson on a picture, which was the nearest approach that I saw anywhere to a lesson on objects. It was called a lesson in Anschauung (observation), a name which it would have better deserved had the objects been real. It was a large coloured picture of a village, with a farm-house, a church, trees, cows, a pond, etc. On these the teacher asked a number of questions as to their relation to each other, their nature, uses, etc., all of which were remarkably well answered by the children (about sixty in number, ages eight to ten), who were evidently much interested in the lesson. Here I for the first time became acquainted with a custom, of which I frequently afterwards had specimens. As soon as an answer was given which had a special significance, and which involved a distinct proposition, the teacher said, 'Repeat that all together,' whereupon all the sixty, with one monotonous voice, and that a very loud one, which at first almost startled me, gave it out simultaneously. The teacher had asked, 'What is a house?' the children answered, 'A house is a building.' One of On requiring this to be repeated, they all roared out, 'A-hōūse-is-a-building.' On the whole, this lesson was a very good and useful one. I witnessed no lessons on pictures in the Kindergartens, but I see no reason against, and many for, their being introduced there. They are quite suited, or may be suited, to the powers of the children, and would tend to enlarge the range of their ideas, which are, as I have already said, rather too much restricted within the bounds of the 'gifts.' I became aware at Berlin of the existence of some disunion among the unions for promoting the Kindergarten system. The Berlin unionists, it appears, do not see eye to eye with those of Dresden, and both, unless I mistake, have some differences with those of Weimar and Gotha. I do not quite understand the quarrel, and will not therefore attempt to explain it ; but as it appears to lead to personal remarks, sometimes rather bitterly expressed, on each other, among the leaders of the parties, I learned the fact with much regret. German teachers, unless I do them an injustice from my ignorance, are rather more prone even than those of England to pick holes in each other's coats. Some of the holes seemed to me to be very large, and considerably changed the appearance of certain individuals whom I had from afar ideally invested with sound and even splendid dresses. I still prefer, on the whole, to keep my ideal in its integrity, and to believe better things of some of these good men than they apparently believe of each other. DRESDEN. N the 4th of September I left Berlin for Marquart, one of the directors of the 'Gene ral Education Union' (Der Allgemeine Erziehungsverein), who received me very pleasantly, and gave me several addresses. He lives in a house in which there is a private school for young ladies which he formerly directed, and which is now under the conduct and proprietorship of Dr. Jänicher. Dr. Marquart introduced me, at my request, to this gentleman, who kindly appointed one of his teachers to take me into the class-rooms. I was much pleased with all that I saw in the school; and as there is a Kindergarten connected with it, from which children are regularly drafted into the lower classes, and as I was informed that Fröbel's principles were adopted throughout, I was the more interested in my inspection of it. I had not time to do more than visit the Kinder E garten and the lowest class, but I may add, that from the prospectus I learned that the curriculum embraces Religion, German, French, English, History, Geography, Arithmetic, Natural Science (Naturwissenschaft), Calligraphy, Drawing, Singing, Gymnastics, and Needlework. Pianoforte-playing is an extra subject. The institute takes day scholars, half boarders, and boarders. The fee for instruction only varies from 4 thalers to 23, according to the class, monthly; and for boarders, 300 thalers a year in addition. The Kindergarten pupils pay 20 thalers per annum.1 I first went to the Kindergarten, and found twentyfive nice little children (boys as well as girls) under the care of a pleasant-looking mistress, engaged in folding paper (Falten). They all looked busy and happy. I next entered the room for the lowest class of the school, and found the head-master himself teaching the 'It may interest some English mistresses of boarding-schools to know the outfit that each young lady is required to bring with her on entering this establishment. 'One complete bed (without bedstead), with summer coverlet, and 2 dust-covers, I table-cloth, half-dozen of napkins, 2 silver spoons, with knife and fork, I cup, I glass, 6 nightcaps, 6 night jackets, 2 day and 3 night shifts, 12 pairs of stockings, 24 pocket-handkerchiefs, I waterproof cloak, 4 white, 2 coloured, and 2 warm dresses, 6 pairs of drawers, I umbrella, I work-box, I set of toilet basin, ewer, and jug, I chest of drawers.' |