ries of games in the open
air, and learned to recognize their mighty power to awaken and to
strengthen the intelligence and the soul as well as the body." Here we
find the first suggestion of the kindergarten, which has made Froebel
famous.

After leaving Yverdon, Froebel spent about two years at the universities
of Goettingen and Berlin in furthering his preparation for educational
reform, to which he had devoted himself. In 1813 war for German liberty
broke out, and Froebel, with many other students, enlisted. It is not
the purpose here to follow his fortunes as a soldier, but while in the
army he made the acquaintance of two young men who afterward became
associated with him in educational enterprise,--Wilhelm Middendorff and
Heinrich Langethal.

=His First School.=--In 1816 Froebel opened his first school at
Griesheim, under the high-sounding title of "Universal German
Educational Institute." At first he had his five nephews as his only
pupils. Soon after, the school was removed to Keilhau, near Rudolstadt,
in the Thueringian Forest. Here he was joined by his old friends
Middendorff and Langethal. This institution continued for a number of
years with some success, until 1833, when Froebel removed to Burgdorf,
Switzerland. The Prussian government, far from giving encouragement to
the institution at Keilhau, had regarded it with suspicion. A commission
was sent by the government to examine the institution, and although the
report was highly complimentary to Froebel's work,[151] the persecution
did not cease. In 1851 the government prohibited kindergartens, as
forming "a part of the Froebelian socialistic system, the aim of which
is to teach children atheism"; and this decree was in force till 1860!

Indeed, to this day, Prussia does not regard the kindergarten as an
educational institution, nor does she give aid to it as such. The
kindergarten is officially recognized as a sort of _day nursery_, its
teachers are not licensed,--hence have no official standing,--and
"everything that pertains to the work of the elementary schools, every
specific preparation for the work of the latter, must be strictly
excluded, and these schools can in no way be allowed to take the
character of institutions of learning. Especially can neither reading
nor arithmetic be allowed a place in them."[152]

But Froebel received more encouragement in Switzerland. He admitted
children from four to six years of age, and organized a teachers' cl