Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-11
WOMEN'S DEPARTMENT.
EDITED BY BELLE MEADE SMITH.
The Public kinderg arten.

children is the most necessary OF all
charities. Yet for three years the
Public kindergarten has been strug-
Cling to be recognized in Los
Angeles, and to-day is repre-
sented by only one little school and
an embarrassing want of money. 1t
has recently, however, received a
new impetus, and in the hands of the
earnest women, who are resolved to
force it upon the public, it is to be
hoped that better results will very
soon follow. The school, which is a
very interesting one, is situated on
Sainsevain street, some distance
below Garcia street. l make this
statement so that any one who is dis
posed to visit it may find it without
difficulty. 1t is at present being in
structed by Miss Corey and Miss
Nellie Oliver; but Miss Ella Clark is
the enthusiastic and particularly
qualified teacher who has until lately
had the work in charge. She
has recently been compelled
to resign her position on ac-
count of i'll health, but she is work
ing nobly outside, dispite her indispo-
sition, to arouse the people to a sense
of their responsibility. Mrs. ]. M.
johnson, the visiting Superintendent,
is also intensely interested in the
school; having at one time her.
self taught a private kindergarten,
and thus being practically fitted
to supervise the work. The school
room is bright and commodious and
is decorated with pictures and mot
toes pleasant to childish eyes. The
class numbers about forty, but the
attendance has lately been limited OF
account of the unpleasant weather.
The parents of all OF the pupils are
extremely poor and many Of the little
ones mothers are employed all
day in laundries and restaurants.
Thus it can readily be seen that all
these children learn of truth and love
and beauty they learn in their happy
little school. All Of them are comfort
ably clad, with clean hands and
faces; but in many instances
their warm garments have been
furnished jby the association, while
the use Of soap and water is mainly
due to the exertions of the teachers.
The school now has many progressive
little workers; but at first it was with
the greatest difficulty that even the
attention of the brightest of them
could be gained, SO careless had been
their previous associations. All OF
them now, though, seem to under
stand their exercises, and with un-
mistakable delight sing their little
songs, and march and work as they
are directed. One little mite OF
three introduced herself to her teach
ers by doubling up her tiny fists, and
asserting, Il can fight. You bet, ]
cam" and another OF about the same
tender age was rather proud ofher rep
utation for profanity. Yet since their
ideas have become expanded, they all
make considerable effort to correct
their grammar and pronunciation
and seem highly pleased whenever
they succeed in saying "burst," in
stead of ''bust," etc. 1t must also be
remembered that the lessons they
learn in the morning, they repeat to
their mothers and their fathers in the
evening, and thus become teachers
as well as pupils. Many little child
in its innocence and Inconsistencies
has in this way reached the tender
chords-long covered by the cobwebs
of time and sin in some parents heart.
One father came into the school one
morning to enquire where he could
get book which contained the songs.
81 want" he said, ito learn to play
them on the violin, SO that can &C.
company my little girl, who has
sweet voice when she sings them."
Afterwards, the same child's mo her
gratefully assured the teache, that
since the little one had learned to
sing so beautifully, her husband staid
at home Of evenings instead of going
to ie saloon as hitherto. Miss Clark
has many such incidents to relate of
her work, and all of which go to prove
that although the smallest, the child
is the greatest instrument of useful
ness. But leaving the parents and
the good that may be indirectly done
to them out of the question, it is of
the most vital Importance that the
young ideas should be properly de-
veloped. "Men are but children of
a larger growth" and if followed
fir I'M the cradle to the grave, it will
be found that the passions of after
years were all feebly outlined in the
earlier days of pinafores and round
abouts. Watch a child closely and
you will discover that no matter how
carefully it is trained, it bears upon
its character the impress of inherited
as we'll as original faults; while all of
its associations, especially if they are
bad, are miIrored clearly in all its acts
and words. Ii this, then, is true of
children of well-to-do and excellent
parents, how much more pronounced
must it be in the histories of those
less happily born? Hundreds of these
little waits come into a world in which
there is apparently no place for
them every year. They are
unloved and unwelcomed, un-
taught and uncared for. They
know more Of filth and of rags
than they know of cleanliness and
comfort, while they learn to lie and
swear with their earliest breath. 1t
is to counteract such baneful influ-
ences as these, to save the boys and
girls who are SO rapidly growing up
around us from becoming gamblers,
murderers, thieves and prostitutes
that the free kindergarten is laboring.
Many say, it is a very pleasing system
and, no doubt, keeps the little ones
quiet for a while, but it is not neces-
sity like food and clothes and thus
can easily be dispensed with. Such
opinions are not only mistaken in
themselves but do much toward
holding back the good work which
without money cannot be carried
on. 1t is more than pleasing and a
refining system; it is instructive in
every particular. 1t teaches the little
ones their duty to their parents and
their neighbors; it helps them to be