Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-09
JONATHAN'S COUNTRY
Impressions of Mrs. Kendall, the
Famous English Actress.
A VISIT TO A CHILDREN'S SCHOOL
High Praise for the Free Educational Facil.
tiles of America.
HER IDEA OF GLASS DISTINCTIONS
A VISIT TO A CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.
HER IDEA OF GLASS DISTINCTIONS


| WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATcH.1
Shortly after our arrival in America a
gentleman friend of ours heard me express
a longing for sight of my children. Come
with me, he said, and, after donning my
wraps, we took carriage and drove for
long time-I don't know where, some place
on Lexington avenue, 1 think-and entering
a handsome building. were taken into .
large room, at one end Of which on a small
platform sat lady.
one greeted us very cordially, saying few
words OF welcome to me, and then suddenly
gave signal at which there came into the
room 4OO dear little children. A moment
| later the glass Partitions which divided the
room from its neighbor, rolled back, and there
were 400 more of the dear little ones
though these children were younger-and
again, back of them, opened more glass
doors, and there were 600 of the dearest
mites. Then all of these children. to the
sound of music performed a most perfect
calisthenic drill. Never have 1 seen such
uniformity and precision, even in our finest
military maneuvers at home. 1t was mar
yelous. They moved their little arms with
the most perfect precision, turned their
faces profile, half. three-quarters, with an
sketched perfectly; they patted their dear
little cheeks, and did i: all to the beat of a
semi-demiquaver, with the music.
TOUCHING LITTLE VOICES.
After the calisthenics, their dear little
voices sang for me "Rule Britannia" and I
! can't say how much the song affected me.
| A child's voice has tone in it which the
human voice when over Is years of age
ceases to possess, and it was that tone in
those little shrill sounding voices raised in
song that impressed me. For 1 love
children, and this separation from my own
has been more than hard to bear.
On inquiring was told that these child
ren, 1 400 in number-not 4, nor Il, or
even 400. butt 1, 400 of them-were taught
and cared for in this institution, free! 1t is
wonderful. They are given everything;
books which any gentleman might be proud
to have in his library, these children are
permitted to use daily.
l asked for what class of children this
school was intended. and was told that no
classes were recognized there. The million
aires daughter might and did sit next to the
carpenters daughter, and they learned to-
gether, until-oh, America, land of no class
distinctions-the children became 8 or
years old, and then the millionaire's
daughter was taken away from the institu-
ton by her parents, sent to boarding
school, or abroad, to finish her education.
Though you Americans will not ac-
knowledge that you possess any distinctions
of class or caste, they are here in spite of
you; you call them by some other name and
are content.
CONVINCED IT'S A GREAT COUNTRY.
But drove home feeling much cheerier
and happier for my glimpse of those child
on ind f1i of dor Ar,f-
the marvellous country that could present
such institutions to its children, for their
use, free.
Tee next day 1 took the ladies of nv CON-
pany-almost all OF whom have little ones
OF their own, and who were finding their
separation from them, as 1 had mine, very
hard to bear-to the same institution. They
were almost all moved TO tears.
There is nothing like this institution in
England, which may account in part for the
great impression which it made upon me In
London there is the Masonic School, which
in degree resembles it, and with which I
am perfectly familiar in all its details. NY
husband is one of the managers of this
school, and, as a Mason's wife, have the
freedom of it. But the discipline, the train
ing, the teaching, and the appliances are far
inferior to the American institution whichI
have described. Such an institution as the
latter Is Utoplan realization.
One OF the teachers in this institution had
told me that her father was the President of
the Normal College in New York, and ad-
vised me 10 make a visit there. A few days
later went, and found there 1,8OO Young
women.the flower and beauty of the country.
l was paid he great compliment of having
these fair creatures assembled to meet me-
The school would rank with Eton, Harrow
and Rugby in England, and as 1 realized
what the compliment would have meant
coming from them, 1 considered it one of
magnitude.
WHERE WILL THEY GET HUSBANDS,
At a signal, these 1900 young women
rose, exactly on the instant, together. and
sang hymn in Latin! Think of it'll Then.
at another signal they placed their ], 800
selves in !, 800 chairs, all again on the
instant. Such precision! 1t is marvellous.
L was presented to these young women and
asked them where they expected to find
300 husbands worthy of them.
These are samples OF the many free insti.
tutions of learning in this wonderful coun-
try. My presence in so many cities has
filled me with greater appreciation of the
lmmenslty of the size, charities, industries,
and institutions of this marvellous land.
Another thing by which all English people
who visit America must be surprised, as
much and as deeply as / have been, is by
the extensive eIpanse of territory. To be
able to take railway journeys thousands of
miles in length, this to al Highlander Is
amazing.
EACH CITY SUI GENERIS,
Another thing which has deeply i'm
pressed me has been the distinct characters
tics prevailing in each city. Boston is not
III any way like to New York, nor Pbila-
delphia to Chicago. could no more con-
found any one of them with another than
coIld mistake Philadelphian for a New
Yorker, and no city has any idea of the
powers and capabilities of its neighbors. be-
cause of the distance between most of them
it is impossible that they should have. Each
has its marks of individuality, lust as all
are possessed with the common yirtue or
grace-I know not which to term it--ot hos
pitality.
We had read of American hospital,ty.
we had heard of it, but now we have seen
enjoyed and experienced it, and 1 can easily
say that there is nothing like it the world
over. Such cordiality and kindness have
never before encountered. To finish whers
L began, however, the only unnappiness
with the journey has been the
separation from my children, separation
which L could not endure again, and should
l ever return to America they shall come