"The comprehension of the single tone of color gradually leads to the
comprehension of the full chord; the recognition of single colors
leads to the recognition of shades and their harmonious connections:
thus, step by step, the capacity of comprehending nature in its beauty
and with its treasures is developed."[13]
[13] Emma Marwedel, _Childhood's Poetry and Studies_, page 35.
Again, suppose the play-lesson for the day to be upon Color. Of
course, the subject may be handled in a dozen different ways and serve
for a dozen different lessons; a few hints only are here given, as in
matters of detail it is better that each teacher should be free and
unguided in the use of her own ingenuity.
We may take, perhaps, the red[14] ball, and, holding it high in the
air, ask, "Who has a ball exactly like mine? Look carefully, now, and
then show me." A volley of balls, comprising every color in the
rainbow, will be shot into the air, and then becomes necessary the
task of discrimination. We may find the red ones, and gratify the
children by naming those who possess them, as it seems a great honor
in their eyes. Now they should be led to find every bit of red in the
room,--Andrew's stockings, Mary's ribbon, the tiny pipings on Katie's
apron, Jim's necktie, your belt, the flowers on the wall, etc. The
scene will become intensely exciting; the bright eyes will begin
searching in every corner of the room, and the transport which will
greet us when anything far out of sight and of the right color is
discovered is truly refreshing.
[14] Professor Earl Barnes, of Stanford University, reports
that in his various color experiments on the Pacific Coast,
1000 children having been studied, a very large majority
selected red as their favorite color.
All the children, as far as possible, should be engaged in this
diversion, while the most timid and backward should be kept near and
encouraged with word and smile. The name of the color should not be
asked for, or given, till it can be matched by all, and found in
surrounding objects.
We may ask what flowers they have seen which were like the color they
are studying, and show them some of the more familiar kinds; also
speak of the action of the sun in making certain fruits red,--the
raspberries and strawberries, for instance. Some rosy-faced little
urchin in the class may be chosen and asked how he keeps such red
cheeks, and from this the idea of red as the color of warmth and life
may be developed. We may proceed with blue and yellow, then with
violet, orange, and green, in like manner, constantly diversifying the
exercises with plays, songs, and appropriate stories.
Hints on Additional Color Exercises.
The formation of the so-called secondary colors will not be very
obvious to the younger children, nor is the fact to be taught
scientifically or learned by them; they will, however, be greatly
interested in the mixing of paints in small dishes, or the blending of
different colored crayons on the blackboard.
_Red_ and _Yellow_ into _Orange_.
_Yellow_ and _Blue_ into _Green_.
_Blue_ and _Red_ into _Purple_.
Pieces of glass are serviceable objects with which to show the same
thing, or we can buy the "gelatine films" from any kindergarten supply
store. Holding the red and yellow, one on the other, for instance, the
piece nearer the eye will, of course, determine the shade; if the red
piece be next the eye, the orange color will be deeper than if the
yellow were in the same position. None of these experiments, however,
will produce pure colors, the green and purple being especially
unsatisfactory.
Among the devices with which to teach color may be recommended a color
quilt made of various shades and shapes of woolens and silks or
ribbons. This may be used as a sort of chart, to the great delight of
the children, and is one of the valuable aids in teaching, because it
calls out both individual and general action. We may also make a
clothes-line of twine and suspend it from door to door, or between any
two suitable points, attaching to it pieces of all colors, and, after
a while, of various tints and shades of worsted, letting the children
touch the ones designated, or find bits of the same color as their
balls.
Cards wound with different tints and shades of the same color are also
useful when the children have developed greater powers of
discrimination, and a chart or map may be made by pasting colored
squares, triangles, oblongs, or circles on a ground of gray Bristol
board.
Then, too, we may have a box of tablets of the simple geometrical
figures, and, giving a quantity to the children, let them arrange the
different colors in separate rows.
Children of all ages will be fascinated by the spectrum, "Nature's
palette of pure colors," which the sunlight streaming through a prism
shows upon the wall; and as it can be supplemented by a spectrum chart
for cloudy days, they will delight to arrange their colored papers to
imitate it. The older children will gain much valuable knowledge by
experimenting with the color tops, and if a color wheel with the
accompanying Maxwell disks can be obtained, the materials for color
education will be quite complete.
It must not be forgotten that the purpose of all these exercises is
that the child may learn to know the six standards, and subsequently
their intermediates, and may in time learn to use and combine them
harmoniously. It is, therefore, essential that the colors supplied him
shall be fresh and pure,[15] and that he not only have freedom to make
his own experiments, but materials to preserve them in permanent form
when they prove successful.
[15] "Care should be taken, in the selection of all materials
for color lessons, to get as perfect foundation colors as
possible; no faded or poor shades are allowable, as they lead
the child astray."
When the children are just making friends with the teacher and with
each other, it is very interesting and profitable for them to
formulate their mite of knowledge into a sentence, each one holding
his ball high in the air with the right hand, and saying:--
My ball is red like a cherry.
My ball is yellow like a lemon.
My ball is blue like the sky.
My ball is orange like a marigold.
My ball is green like the grass.
My ball is violet like a plum.
We should not, however, allow this to degenerate into mere recitation,
but let the child find his own objects of comparison, and change them
when he chooses for any others that occur to him. This prevents parrot
repetition, and gives room for individuality and real self-expression.