To show simply the law of transmitted motion, for instance, let the child place his eight bricks on end, in a row, one half inch apart, with their broad faces toward each other. Then ask him to give the one at the right a very gentle push towards the others and see what will happen; the result is probably as great a delight as you could reasonably wish to put within his reach.
When he asks, "What makes them do so?" as every thoughtful child is apt to do, let us ask the class the same question and set them thinking about it. "Which brick did it?" we may say familiarly, and they will see it all in a moment,—where the force originated, how it gave itself to the next brick in order, that one in turn doing the same, and so on.
This law of transmitted motion, when so simply illustrated in the fourth gift, easily suggests to the children the force of example, and indeed every physical law seems to have its correlate in the moral world. We may make the children see it very clearly through the seven poor, weak little bricks that fell down because they were touched by the first one. They really could not help it; now, how about seven little boys or girls? They can help doing things, can they not?
By such simple exercises and appropriate comments the children may be made to realize their moral free agency.
READINGS FOR THE STUDENT.
Kindergarten at Home. Emily Shirreff. Pages 58-61.
Kindergarten Culture. W. N. Hailmann. 66.
Koehler's Kindergarten Practice. Tr. by Mary Gurney. 23, 24.
Kindergarten Guide. J. and B. Ronge. 13-24.
Pedagogics of the Kindergarten. Fr. Froebel. 166-95.