Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-04
SWEET CHARITY.
NOBLE WORK 0E THE MARGUE.
RITE SOCIETY.
The Free kindergarten in the East.
ern Suburbs-Some Gener-
ous Gifts-Etc.

Il little more than two years ago hall
dozen young ladies connected directly or
indirectly with the Congregational Church,
met at the house of Albert Gallatin, at the
request of Rev. w. c. Merrill, to discuss
the feasibility of forming permanent or-
ganizatlon for missionary and charitable
work. After full presentation of the plan
of work it was decided TO rent the church
building at Twenty-third and h streets,
with the view that, as soon as funds could
be raised, the property should be pur-
chased. At the next meeting a permanent
organization was formed with the follow
ing officers: President, Mrs. Albert Gala
tin; Vice President, Miss Helen Smith;
Secretary, Mrs. Helen Lindley; Treasurer,
W. G. Merrill. After Mrs Gallatin's re-
moval from II e city Miss Helen Smith be-
came President, and under her energetic
leadership much work was accomplished.
Very SOON after the organization of the So
ciety the Mission Sumo q y-school became self
supporting, and the atteniioa of the young
ladies was turned to the establishment of a
free Kindergarten; a bank account was
opened, and the hard and almost thankless
!.
Those who attended the course of lectures
managed by them, and the elaborate en-
tertainments that contributed to the enjoy
ment of our people, will remember some
thing OF the earnestnesS and devotion
shown in the work. Something over a
year ago, Mrs. E. B. CIocker, learning in
cideDtally, through the Treasurer, of the
work of the Society. offered without soic-
itation), to give $500 toward the purchase
of the property. The offer was made in
the same spirit of generosity that has
linked the name of that noble woman to
almost every work of charity that has
blessed our city. and was at once accepted.
Aided by Frank Miller, few hours solicit
tation among few of our philanthropic
business mea secured the money needed,
and the property was purchased. The
building is about 36x40 feet in size, and the
lot forty-foot corner, running to the alley,
furnishing a beautiful grass. plot for the
children 5 playground. At the time of the
purchase of the property, the members of
the Society were as follows Miss Helen
Smith, Miss Helen Lindley, Mrs. W. C.
Merrill, Miss Minnie Cluness, Miss Jessie
Corliss, Miss F. de Laguna. Miss frankie
Anderson, Miss Ethel Anderson, Miss Car
RE Goodhue, Mrs. B. r. Howard, Miss
Sadie Paine, Miss Laura Plant, Miss Lizzie
Smith, Miss Joey Richardson, Miss Minnie
Richardson, Miss Emily Thompson, Miss
Katie Wadsworth. Miss Alcie Smith, Miss
Alice Smith, Miss Mamie Barrett, Miss
Eva Bennett, Miss Mamie Deming, Miss
Eva Griffith, Miss KITTY Merkley, Miss
May Oatman and Miss Wilkins.
As the society is not incorporated, the
deed of trust has been placed in the hands
of four citizens, who hold the property for
the use of the Marguerite Society. The
Trustees are Llewellyn Williams, Frank
Miller, 81. Weinstock and w. C. Merrill.
Just before his death, and as one of the
last acts of his life, the late Charles Crocker
sent to his neice Miss Mamie Deming, a
check for $3.50 for the use of the society.
Such gifts as this and that of Mrs. Croker
coming almost unsolicited, have been a
great stimulus to the young ladies to per-
severe in their work, despite the indiffer-
ence encountered to the new idea. 1t is
not easy to institute reforms in any CITY.
Agitation is especially difficult in city
like this, where there is constant success
sion of amusements to hold the attention
of the populace, and little real poverty to
draw out the charitable instincts of the
people. The idea was constantly encount-
cred that our public school system was, or
ought toOe, the cure-all for every i'll of
child humanity.
1t is not an easy matter to impress upon
the public mind the fact that the real work
OF education in morals, in manners, and in
habits of observation and hence of indus
try, is commenced and very strongly de-
veloped while our children are upon our
streets and in our alleys for three years
before the school age is reached.
1t is not easy to lead people engrossed
in business and amusements of varied
character to realize how surely the whole
1f g. -, sd L. L u.
tracted before the child is seven years of
age. Yet, this is the task that must be ac-
complished before kindergarten work will
appeal to the popular mind so strongly as
10 compel its adoption as a part of our Cd
ucational regime. For some wears this
work must be under the supervision of
sweet charity" and men who have money
must cooperate with those who have the
time to spare and are willing to sacrifice it
TO the education of popular sentiment, by
sustaining these schools and making clear
to the people their beneficent result as fun
damental to all later education, and abso-
lutely necessary TO the symmetrical deyel-
opment of the child and man.
The initial work done by this little So
ciety of young ladies has opened the way
for what may prove a complete system of
kindergarten work in Sacramento. While
there is not that abject poverty here which
appeals so loudly to charity elsewhere,
there are moral conditions of such char
acter. with a large laboring class who can
i'll afford TO pay for private instructions in
kindergartens, that the need of such work
is of utmost importance to the future of our
city. Those who have persisted in this
agitation tor two years or more deserve
much from our citizens for making so noble
work possible now of widespread adop-
ZION. The Marguerite Society has done
nothing hastily. Knowing how ephemeral
much of our charitable work often proves
to be, they determined to wait until they
had property free of debt and funds 10 cover
al least years necessities in sight.
In March last, this was accomplished,
and the school at Twenty-third and X
streets was opened on permanent basis.
About fifty little ones are in attendance,
and more would be admitted if accomoda-
tons were sufficient. Already another
room is needed for the work, and as soon
as funds are offered it will be added. The
principal of the school is Miss Pullman, OF
Oakland a thorough kindergartener who
understands the work in all its scope and
detail, and who has already done much in
the way of organizing the host of little
ones into something like order in life and
practice The assistant is Miss May Jack
son, also an experienced teacher, with a
heart full of love for the little ones. The
teachers are always glad TO receive visitors
and show them how much the kinder
garten is to be preferred to the street and
the alley as an educator.
The Society is Justly proud of the founda-
ton work that has been accomplished
here, and notes with Joy the comparative
ease with which other schools are now
being formed. The present officers of the
Society are: President, Miss Mamie
Deming; Vice-President, Miss F. de La.
guna; Secretary, Mrs. E. w. Hale; Treas
urer, w. G. Merrill. The Society reports
with great thankfulness, the generosity o.
many kind hearts in our city who have
given largely to the support of the work
Those who have contributed $50 and up.
ward, are as follows: Mrs. Z. B. Crocker
Charles Crocker. Frank Miller, Mrs. Henry
Miller. c. H. Cummings, L. Williams. w
P. Coleman, Newton Booth, Weinstock
Lubin & Co., Hale Bros. & Co., Hunting
on-Hopkins Company, d. o. Mills & Co.
California State Bank, Mrs. B. r. Croker
DR.. Wallace A. Briggs, Captain A. Foster
Captain J. H. Roberts, Captain T. Dwyer
Adams, Mcneil & Co., Mrs. Z. c. Fouratt
Thanks are due also to Garlic & Croly ant
William Cass for labor, and many other
who have contributed generously to thi
good work.
sTArE MONEYS.
Report of the State Treasurer for thu