“The whole later life of man has its source in the period of childhood, be this later life bright or gloomy, gentle or violent, industrious or lazy, rich or poor in action, passed in dull stupor or in keen creativeness, in stupid wonder or in intelligent insight, productive or destructive.”--_E., p. 55._ Of his later institution, the Kindergarten, Froebel says: “The great end and aim of the whole undertaking is the Education of Man from its earliest beginning, by means of action, feeling, and thought, in accordance with his own inward being and outward relations, … _this to be attained by_ the right care of child-life, _the encouragement of childish activities_.”--_L., p. 164._ “For the object is twofold: Firstly the realization in as clear and perfect a manner as possible, of _the fundamental conception of a mode of education_ based upon the early and complete training of human life, and _satisfying the needs of children by a genuine encouragement of their spontaneous activity_ through the medium of a normal institution which we have symbolically named a Kindergarten.”--_L., p. 166._ About the play of boyhood Froebel says: “Play to the boy is a mirror of the combat of life awaiting him in the future: therefore, in order to strengthen himself for the combat, the human being both in early and later boyhood seeks out obstacles, difficulty and combat in his play.… Many of his actions have an inner significance.… How wholesome it would be if parents and child, for their present and future, if parents believed in this, if they would observe the life of their children in this respect, what a new living bond would unite parents and child, what a new thread of life would be drawn between their present and their future life!”--_E., p. 118._ Of his own Keilhau boys he writes: “One thing is certain, these plays are the outcome of the spirit of boyhood. And the boys who played thus were good scholars, intelligent, and willing to learn, seeing and expressing clearly, diligent and full of zeal. Some are now capable young men with well trained heads and hearts, quick in expedients and dexterous in action; some are capable, clear-sighted men, and others will become so.”--_E., p. 111._ In America at least the authorities are beginning to realize the truth of Froebel’s words as to the importance of playgrounds, and actual experiment has shown that he was right in saying that “even the plays should be under right guidance,” not for purposes of repression, but for the encouragement of real play which “must necessarily break forth in joy from within.”