SPREAD OF KINDERGARTENS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1222, 2 September 1911, Page 11

SPREAD OF KINDERGARTENS.

Strange to say, kindergartens do not receive Government support in Germany, and those that exist there are supported by voluntary effort (pays a writer upon kindergartens in an English paper). In France, Italy, and Austria the movement has taken a firm hold, hut not to the oxtent of similar undertakings in Belgium and the United States, where the number of kindergartens is fast increasing. The iirst kindergarten to bo established in England was founded by Hiss Praotorius at Fitzroy Square in 1851. Manchester soon formed an association of kindergarten teachers, which joined tho Froebel Society of London, founded in 1871-. At tho present time most towns can boast of a kindergarten, though some are that in name only, since they adopt the occupations without reference to the spirit of Froebcl's teaching; but tho lifeless work of such schools is gradually giving way under tho stream of enthusiastic young teachers trained at kindergarten colleges throughout the country. The soundness of kindergarten methods has been fully demonstrated, but its valuo could be greatly increased by deeper attention to the spirit of Froehelian teaching, and even more by greater enthusiasm on tho part of parents in tho matter of the application of kindergarten principles to tho training of the young in their own homes.