Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1888-03-15

w. c. T. U

Next to our Creche or Day Nurscry
! Department, comes our Free Kinder.
sarten work you see We are buildin.
from the foundation up. Not that we
begun that way, Indeed we did not.
We began at the saloon door. that is, in
the middle, just as Charley Stafford did.
the Vermont mathematician, wh1se
father bought him an Algebra, he opened
1t IN the middle ana went each way and
by the time they reached home he had
mastered the whole thing and told his
father he had no further use for the book.
We commenced with the saloons, and
while some Of our workers went on up
ward toward legislatures, congress and
prohibition, others went down toward
the children, the homes and the schools.
these gardens are established by our
W. G. i. u, women right in among the
poorest districts of our large cities. The
children Of these districts, between
the ages OF three and SIX, are gathered
into rooms made as cheerful and attrac-
tive as possible, furnished with low table,
and dainty chairs just big enough to fit
the occupant and the table. There are
usually two teachers 20 each room and
The desi gn of the work ers is TO ips,ill
temperance and sodliuess into these lives,
which are largely cast among vice and
squalIer, and thus rob Satin of the lit,lr
one on whom he has mortgage from
birth. The work done is merely sys-
tcmizng Of childish plays and games
intersperced with songs and dit,ies con.
tanning the true temperance ring. Seven
or eight years ago our superintendent of
this department opened the first Free
Kindergarten on the Pacific coast at
Barbary Coast, which is the Five Points
of San Francisco. There are row some
forty five in this and adjacent cities.
The first tribute of approval she received
was from property owner who testified
that there were "no more windows
smashed and no more fruit and veceta-
b|es shipped" Then came the "slick
ing up" of the homes aud the general
taking on of mere self respect among
parents and steady purpose to better
their condition. These children are
taught to go through pantomime and
concert exercises, which make pleasing
entertainments that are very popular
with the parents, who have little of suit
able recreation in their hard lives. These
are called "lree" gardens and 30 they
are to the parents who send, but most of
the teachings is by skilled workers, who
are dependent upon their own resources
for support, and cannot afford to give
their time, so these schools are supported
by our societies. mostly, though some are
cared for by private individuals and one
hy the Produce Exchange of San Fran.
cisco. Nearly every state aud territory
has superintendent of this department,
and the local unions in the large cities
take up the work. Next above our
Kindergarten comc, our Bands of Hope
taking in the children from SIX to ten
years, they usually meet one in week
and receive instructions in temperance.
After that comes our Loyal Legwns in
c'ucing children little older, and then
our temperance instruction in public
schools. Thus, yoa see, we have hold
on our children from birth till the close
OF their school lite when we have to turn
them over to the saloons. How long,
oh men, how long, must this course last
to swallow up our well taught boys.
Mus N RIrCu