, and that is the commodity without which no teacher succeeds.
Gruner allowed him to gravitate. And soon Froebel's room was the central
point of interest for the whole school. But trouble was ahead for
Froebel.

He had no college degrees. His pedagogic pedigree was very short. He
hoped to live down his university record, but it followed him. Gruner's
school was under government inspection, and the gentlemen with double
chins, who came from time to time to look the place over, asked who this
enthusiastic young person was, and why had the worthy janitor and
ex-forester been so honored by promotion.

In truth, during his life, Froebel never quite escaped the taunt that he
was not an educated man. That is to say, no college had ever supplied
him an alphabetic appendage. He had been a forester, a farmer, an
architect, a guardian for boys and a teacher of women, but no
institution had ever said officially he was fit to teach men.

Gruner tried to explain that there are two kinds of teachers: people who
are teachers by nature, and those who have acquired the methods by long
study. The first, having little to learn, and a love for the child, with
a spontaneous quality of giving their all, succeed best.

But poor Gruner's explanation did not explain.

Then the matter was gently explained to Froebel, and he saw that in
order to hold a place as teacher he must acquire a past. "Time will
adjust it," he said, and started away on a second visit to Pestalozzi.
His plan was to remain with the master long enough so he could secure a
certificate of proficiency.

Again Pestalozzi welcomed the young man, and he slipped easily into the
household and became both pupil and teacher. His willingness to work--to
do the task that lay nearest him--his good-nature, his gratitude, won
all hearts.

At this time the plan of sending boys to college with a tutor who was
both a companion and a teacher, was in vogue with those who could afford
it. It will be remembered that William and Alexander von Humboldt
received their early education in this way--going with their tutor from
university to university, teacher and pupils entering as special
students, getting into the atmosphere of the place, soaking themselves
full of it, and then going on.

And now behold, through Gruner or Pestalozzi or both, a woman of wealth
with three boys to educate applied to Froebel to come over into
Macedonia and help her.

It was in Eighteen Hundred Seven that Froeb