FROEBEL’S EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES IN ENGLAND. 363 
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desire for more educational methods and wider training of the intelli- 
gence, and are prepared to welcome a thorough application of the sys- 
fem. . . . 
“The education code of 1892 and 1893 affords strong evidence of an 
appreciation of Froebel’s system, and the new circular lately issued by the 
department shows that the missionary work of the Froebel Society has 
made a deep impression.” 
The circular here referred to is one directing all inspectors to require 
kindergarten work in the infant schools, thus giving the fullest official 
recognition of the value of Froebel's method. It may be well to quote 
some of the forcible expressions in which the grounds of it are laid down. 
“Two leading principles should be regarded as a sound basis for the education of 
arly childhood : 
(1) The recognition of the child’s spontaneous activity, and the stimulation of this 
wctivity in certain well-defined directions by the teachers. 
i(2) The harmonious and complete development of the whole of a child’s faculties. 
The teacher should pay especial regard to the love of movement, which can alone secure 
realthy physical conditions ; to the observant use of the organs of sense, especially those 
of sight and touch ; and to that eager desire of questioning which intelligent children 
oxhibit. All these should be encouraged under due limitation and should be developed 
simultaneously, so that each stage of development may be complete in itself. 
«It has been strongly urged that sufficient attention has not been paid in the past to 
these principles ; indeed, it is often found that the kindergarten occupations are treated 
2s mere toys or amusing pastimes because they are attractive for children, and the intel 
lectual character of the ‘ Gifts of Froebel’ is disregarded, whereas the main object of 
-hese lessons is to stimulate intelligent individual effort.” 
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This circular, which carries authority throughout the country, will not 
only produce a large measure of direct good, at this moment especially, 
when the number of little children in the schools is enormously increased 
owing to the free admission, but will, we may hope, tend to bring about 
shat unity of action among various bodies of Froebel workers which we, 
as a private society, failed to obtain. 
It had been our great desire to have established a joint examining board, 
gathered from all the more important centers, but we were disappointed. 
[n this, the work of supreme importance that we felt called upon to 
undertake, we were again baffled by local dislike to a combined systematic 
movement. Blind to the effect on the public mind of such harmonious 
action, provincial associations have preferred to keep their independence. 
Thus, although we have centers for examination in various parts of the 
country, it is not as members of one union that the workers in these dif- 
ferent localities call in our help. We are, indeed, moving toward the 
same object, but not hand in hand, which would greatly have increased 
our prestige and powers for good. One country association only, that of 
Bedford, has, in the matter of examination, completely joined the Froebel 
Society of England and Ireland (its full title), and agreed to form a joint 
s0ard composed of members chosen from the councils of both societies ; 
and this board has been fortunate enough to secure as chairman Mr. H.