The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-27
THE FREE KINDERGARTEN.
Address OF Mrs. Stanton J. Peelle at the Train
ing-School Commencement


MIRA Stanton ]. Peelle, president of the Free
Kindergarten Association, delivered the follow
ing address at the commencement of the Train
ing-school connected with that most worthy
charity:
"The comparative value of prevention to cure
is proverbial, and upon that our free kinder
garten work is based. To pour little sunshine
into the dark life and cloudesi soul of pauper's
child is no small thing especially when we re-
mem Der that the Savior of all counts every act
of kindness or mercy done. even to the cup Of
cold water given to one Of the least Of these,
gwen to Him.
But leaving out all sentiment, all mercy, all
love; taking only the strictly utitaran view, the
precious, priceless ounce of prevention is called
for all over our city and mus. be promptly pro-
vided and patiently applied. or pounds. yea,
tons OF cure, may be extensively and laboriousy
administered in vain.
"Leok through the alleys, attics and cellars
where the drunkard, pauper and criminal classes
are sheltered and see how thickly the children
swarm about their doors. We know that unless
some helping hand is extended to these little
Ones they must grow up worse even than the
parents for humanity never stands still; II not
advancing it is retrograding, and these children,
with the awful gulf OF sin and crime opening al
most at their feet are fairly pushed in before
they are oldenough to distinguish between right
and wrong.
what can we do2 Take the children ESQ
much worse than orphaned) away from their de-
graded surroundings and place them IN asylums
or homes where they may be trained to better
things? No. II your home were ready-teach-
ers waiting--you cannot take the child from its
parents. The law of the State holds it there.
But you can visit these wretched people, inter-
est them in the kindergarten, and, opening one
in their midst gather the children in, and for
three hours each day so teach them and tram
them that they can discern between right and
wrong and be led to love and long for and there
fore strive to attain better living. and through
them the parents heart may be touched and
softened. Then there are the worthy ores
Gods poor. Patient ceaseless workers. What
time has the mother bending over the
wash-tub from morning till night out house
cleaning ten hours day, to teach her little ones
Bread, shelter, fuel, these they must have. and
for these she tolls. Think what a comfort and
help the kindergarten is TO her. One poor
mother said, i can do SO much more washing
now, for Johnny sings the kindergarten songs
to the baby and nurses him while work The
Indianapolis Free kindergarten and Childrens'
Aid Society has maintained four kindergartens
during the past year, enrolling 563 children-one
northeast two in the west and northwest (the
latter colored), and the fourth southwest
You will readily see that many of the poor
quarters of our city are not reached by these.
Can we extend our work the coming yearl Will
you help US, and plead with your friends to help
us, in this work.
'Last year our expense per child was only So %
for the entire year. As our work is extended
and more children gathered in, the cost for each
child ia decreased. Each new kindergarten
opened is an added expense of not more than $40
or $l5 per month, besides the purchase of furni
ture and material amounting to about 800, $3.50
to 5000 per year. Only think how little money
and how great the possibilities for good Our
training school from which these young ladies
are graduated tonight furnishes teachers, faith
full, earnest, yea enthusiastic ones flor
Mrs. Baker imbues them with her own
spirit and we have only to count rent and jani-
tress. after furniture and material are once pur-
chased We need not give thought to fuel for
Indianapolis coal dealers believe in free kinder
gartens and give all the coal we need. Are
there not others, with love enough for children
and faith in the efforts this society is making to
save them. to furnish the funds needed for the
extension of the work2
Send US, we pray you, your free will offerings
to the cause, and every dollar so given shall
be returned to you fourfold, not only in the
consciousness of good done to others, but in ac
tual dollar and cent vaueto the city and country,
in young lives saved from pauperism and crime;
redeemed to good citizenship"