Maria Kraus-Boelté
Encyclopedia
Maria Kraus-Boelté was a pioneer of Fröbel education in the United States
, and helped promote kindergarten
training as suitable for study at university level.
Born to a prosperous family in Hagenow
, Mecklenburg-Schwerin
, on November 8, 1836, Maria Boelté was privately educated. She became interested in Fröbel education and trained with Luise Fröbel (Fröbel's widow) in Hamburg
, before teaching for four years in an English
kindergarten run by one of Fröbel's own pupils, Bertha Ronge
. Some of her pupils' work was exhibited at the 1862 London International Exhibition. She returned to Hamburg in 1867, then opened her own kindergarten in Lübeck
.
In 1872 she was invited by Elizabeth Peabody
to work in New York
where she established a kindergarten class and training program for mothers. She got to know her future husband, Prof. John Kraus, an assistant at the National Bureau of Education
with whom she had previously corresponded. In 1873 they opened a Seminary for Kindergartners alongside a model kindergarten class, the Normal Training Kindergarten, and published The Kindergarten Guide (two volumes, 1877; new edition, 1905) for "the Self-instruction of Kindergartners, mothers, and nurses."
The Seminary was an early center for Fröbel's ideas in the US, and had considerable influence, especially because of Kraus-Boelté's personal connection with Luise Fröbel. Hundreds of teachers completed the training of one year's course work followed by one year's practice teaching; thousands of children passed through the kindergarten.
Kraus died in 1896 and Maria Kraus-Boelté continued the work alone. She was president of the Kindergarten Department of the National Education Association
in 1899-1890 and three years later persuaded the New York University
School of Education to include the first ever college level course in kindergarten education in their summer program. Kraus-Boelté herself taught this course three times. She retired in 1913 and died on November 1, 1918 in Atlantic City. Her grave is in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York.
Some of her work is in the archives of the Association of Childhood Education International:
The Cincinnati Kindergarten Association has some of her lesson plans and other papers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and helped promote kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
training as suitable for study at university level.
Born to a prosperous family in Hagenow
Hagenow
Hagenow is a German town in the southwest of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim, 30 kilometers south of Schwerin...
, Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
, on November 8, 1836, Maria Boelté was privately educated. She became interested in Fröbel education and trained with Luise Fröbel (Fröbel's widow) in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, before teaching for four years in an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
kindergarten run by one of Fröbel's own pupils, Bertha Ronge
Bertha Ronge
Bertha Ronge was an activist in the causes of childhood education, women's education and religious freedom. She established the kindergarten movement in England, where she founded the first three kindergartens in London , Manchester and Leeds...
. Some of her pupils' work was exhibited at the 1862 London International Exhibition. She returned to Hamburg in 1867, then opened her own kindergarten in Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
.
In 1872 she was invited by Elizabeth Peabody
Elizabeth Peabody
Elizabeth Palmer Peabody was an American educator who opened the first English-language kindergarten in the United States. Long before most educators, Peabody embraced the premise that children's play has intrinsic developmental and educational value.-Biography:Peabody was born in Billerica,...
to work in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where she established a kindergarten class and training program for mothers. She got to know her future husband, Prof. John Kraus, an assistant at the National Bureau of Education
Bureau of Education (National)
The Office of Education was a small unit in the General Government of the United States. It was created on March 2, 1867, as the Department of Education, using the same titles as another unit which it superseded. Henry Barnard was appointed as the first Commissioner of Education in 1867. During...
with whom she had previously corresponded. In 1873 they opened a Seminary for Kindergartners alongside a model kindergarten class, the Normal Training Kindergarten, and published The Kindergarten Guide (two volumes, 1877; new edition, 1905) for "the Self-instruction of Kindergartners, mothers, and nurses."
The Seminary was an early center for Fröbel's ideas in the US, and had considerable influence, especially because of Kraus-Boelté's personal connection with Luise Fröbel. Hundreds of teachers completed the training of one year's course work followed by one year's practice teaching; thousands of children passed through the kindergarten.
Kraus died in 1896 and Maria Kraus-Boelté continued the work alone. She was president of the Kindergarten Department of the National Education Association
National Education Association
The National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
in 1899-1890 and three years later persuaded the New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
School of Education to include the first ever college level course in kindergarten education in their summer program. Kraus-Boelté herself taught this course three times. She retired in 1913 and died on November 1, 1918 in Atlantic City. Her grave is in Woodlawn Cemetery, New York.
Works
- Maria Kraus-Boelté and John Kraus, The Kindergarten Guide (1882), republished by Kindergarten Messenger (January, 2001) Full text online
- Article in The kindergarten and its relation to elementary education (Chicago 1907)
- Characteristics of Froebel's Method, Kindergarten Training in Foster Wygant, Art in American Schools in the Nineteenth Century (Cincinnati 1983) - facsimile of NEA Proceedings (1879)
Some of her work is in the archives of the Association of Childhood Education International:
- The Kindergarten and the Mission of Woman: my experience as trainer of kindergarten-teachers in this country. An address., Maria Kraus-Boelté, 1877 (Published as booklet by E.Steiger.)
- An Interpretation of Some of the Froebelian Kindergarten Principles, Maria Kraus-Boelté, 1907
The Cincinnati Kindergarten Association has some of her lesson plans and other papers.