362 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF EDUCATION. 
chief examiner ; and that in 1877, after the lamented death of Miss Doreck, 
[ had the honor of being elected president of the society, a post I have 
retained till now. 
The Froebel Society was founded for the purpose of making a more 
systematic endeavor than had yet been tried to spread the knowledge and 
practice of the master’s views and method. A system of lectures, discus- 
sions, meetings, publications (including translations), training and registra- 
tion of teachers, and inspection of kindergartens, was laid down ; and had 
we been able, as we fondly hoped, to draw together the workers in various 
parts of the country, we should have been in a position to do much and 
:0 exercise considerable influence. Fortunately, in one branch, the most 
mportant by far, we have won real success; namely, in the examination 
of teachers, on which depended the right scientific direction of the whole 
movement. To this the society set itself with patient determination from 
the first, laying down a curriculum of studies for the training of the young 
teachers in the theory and practice of Froebel’s complete system of educa- 
tion, upholding a high standard of knowledge and efficiency, and giving 
the public the guarantee of a certificate granted on the award of examin- 
ers unconnected, as far as it is possible, with the training of the students. 
[ say ‘“as far as it is possible,” because in the special and technical work 
of the kindergarten it has been sometimes unavoidable to call in the ser- 
vices of the few really versed in these matters, and who are, for the most 
part, engaged themselves in some training-college work. The certificate 
shus given has year by year gained repute, till its acceptance by the Edu- 
cation Department, in 1892, gave it public sanction ; and this year the 
candidates for certificates of various degrees number upward of four hun- 
dred, having risen from seventy-eight in 1887. 
Kindergarten methods were partially introduced into the elementary 
schools in London some years ago, but not in direct connection with us. 
Miss Lyschinska, who was the first person employed by the school board 
20 give this instruction, was at the time and long after on our council, 
out acted independently in this matter. 
In answer to inquiries from me, a lady well qualified to give an opinion 
writes that ‘progress in kindergarten methods in board schools had 
been steady during the last few years. The infant schools show more 
and more the results of a wiser and more efficient kind of teaching. The 
infant-school mistresses have a greater knowledge of child nature, and are 
more apt in utilizing the educational advantages of Froebel’s system than 
the mistresses of the higher standards. 
“The movement in favor of technical education has awakened in many 
a sense that it would be as well to prepare the hand and eye in some meas- 
are in the infant schools ; so there is a tendency for the one movement to 
meet the other. . . . 
“ Many inspectors and members of the school board show a growing