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Chapter XV
Kindergartening

The girl who must become a wage earner "at once" should not look to kindergartening as her field of school work. It is perhaps the most subtle branch of pedagogies. Its principles must be absorbed slowly. They cannot be swallowed at a gulp, as the average American girl tries to acquire her preparation in many fields of moneymaking.

Kindergartening is a philosophy. Its founder, Froebel, built his methods upon the philosophy of right living and individuality in childlife. The girl who hopes to become a successful kindergartner must first build her own character according to that philosophy. It is not enough to love children, though this love is an important stone in your foundation for the work. You must be versed in the psychology of childhood. You cannot "cram" during kindergarten preparation. Neither can you make up deficiencies in your early education. You will require all your physical and mental powers to