[127] Christian Froebel and his wife.

[128] This was 1827-29.

[129] This is the interesting plan of the Public Educational Institution and Orphanage in Helba, with which admirers of Froebel are probably already well acquainted.  It is given in full in Lange’s “Froebel,” vol. i., p. 401.

[130] Say L100.

[131] In 1829.

[132] The Wartensee is a small lake in the canton Luzern, not far from Sempach.

[133] About 30s.

[134] Auf Schuster’s Rappen,—­i.e., on foot. (This was in 1832.)

[135] A small town not far away, still in the canton Luzern.

[136] This was a familiar name for the devil, till a few years back, in Germany; surprisingly recalling the term “Eumenides” for the Greek Furies, since it originated in a desire to speak of so powerful an enemy in respectful terms, lest he should take offence.

[137] A Swiss educational writer of great power and charm.  His school books, “Sur la langue maternelle,” are really valuable.

[138] The editors venture to call attention to these little facts as a sample of the extraordinary devotion and sacrifice which Froebel knew how to inspire in his colleagues.  This exchange of Barop and Middendorff took place in 1833.

[139] In 1833.

[140] This regulation is still happily in force.

[141] In 1836.

[142] Blankenburg lies on the way from Schwarzburg to Rudolstadt, about two hours’ walk away from Keilhau.

CHRONOLOGICAL ABSTRACT OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF FROEBEL, AND THE FROEBEL COMMUNITY.

* * * * *

1770.  June 24th.—­Birth of Christian Ludwig Froebel.

1780.  Sept. 17th.—­Birth of Friedrich Froebel’s first wife, Henriette
       Wilhelmine Hoffmeister, at Berlin.

       Christian Froebel’s wife, Johanna Caroline Muegge, was also born
       in 1780, on August 28th.

1782.  April 21st.—­Birth of Friedrich Froebel, at Oberweissbach,
       Thuringia.

1792.  Froebel is sent to Superintendent Hoffman in Stadt Ilm.

       Sept. 3rd.—­Birth of Heinrich Langethal, at Erfurt.

1793.  Sept. 20.—­Birth of Wilhelm Middendorff, at Brechten, near
       Dortmund, in Westphalia.

1797.  Froebel is sent to Neuhof in the Thuringian Forest to learn
       forestry.

1799.  Froebel returns home; goes thence as student to Jena.

1801.  He leaves Jena (having closed his career there with nine weeks’
       imprisonment for debt), and soon afterwards begins to study
       farming with a relative of his father’s at Hildburghausen.

       Dec. 29th.—­Birth of Albertine Froebel (Madame Middendorff),
       eldest daughter of Christian Froebel.

1802.  Death of Froebel’s father.  Froebel becomes Actuary to the
       Forestry Department of the Episcopal State of Bamberg.