The Public Paperfolding History Project

Main Index Page

x

Royal Gifts for the Kindergarten by Frances Post Van Norstrand and Alice H Putnam, 1888
 
'Royal Gifts for the Kindergarten' by Frances Post Van Norstrand and Alice H Putnam, was published by the Standard Publishing Company in Chicago in 1889, although the copyright notice is dated 1888. The illustrations are reproduced from those in 'Paradise of Childhood' by Edward Wiebe, which were in turn borrowed from those in the first edition of 'Der Kindergarten' by Hermann Goldammer.

It contains chapters on:

The Thirteenth Gift - Paper cutting and mounting

The Fourteenth Gift - Paper weaving

The Seventeenth Gift - Paper intertwining

The Eighteenth Gift - Paper folding

There is also a poem on page 287, the illustration for which includes a Newspaper Hat.

The section about paperfolding is reproduced at the foot of this page. A full copy of the work can be found here.

**********

Analysis

The Eighteenth Gift - Paper-Folding

The text is minimal and only explains a few of the basic mathematical folds shown in the illustration. It does not mention Froebel's method of cutting four squares from a rectangle which is also illustrated.

There is, however, an interesting reference to the child being first allowed 'to form any object at pleasure' and a mention of 'box, basket, ship and stars', although these designs cannot be identified for lack of any accompanying illustrations.

**********

The Fourteenth Gift - Paper Weaving

The Woven Cross

**********

**********

The Seventeenth Gift - Paper Intertwining

**********

The Thirteenth Gift - Paper Mounting and Weaving

**********

Source Pages

**********