Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1891-10-01

their sustenance, whose tender leaves in
hale at every pore the atmosphere OF
crime? Yet, for plants which seem even
dying for lack of light and air, there Is
hope in transportation. So, from one
end Of this great country to the other
from the Golden Gate to the harbOl
lighted by Liberty's torch, these diseased
products of evil are being tenderly trans
planted into "child gardens" "free," as
Gods gardens for the cultivation OF
human flowers should always be, where
they are watered and carefully tended
by loving hands, until every shoot and
leaf has at least chance of healthy
beautiful development.
TO be sure, the faithful gardeners In
these nurseries must ever do without the
aid of those auxiliaries upon which theil
founder lays such emphasis. Froebel
says, "The first and most important
training of the human plant should be In
the mothers arms" Alas, how little
true mother training-how little even OF
mother love or welcome-these babies
born to poverty and misery ever know
how little "sympathetic guidance OF the
play"-how little play at all-ever forms
a part of those lives, darkened from the
first hour by the shadow of pain
| l. nave ICCCubly tlSlUCu ohC VI oASoS
kindergartens,- which numbers or
its roll 80 children drawn from those dis
tricts of Tenth and Eleventh Avenues,
New York, which were lately termed
'sDarkest America" The single condi-
ton of entrance to this child-garden is
inability to pay anything poverty, not
wealth, is the key to its door. Many of
these little ones come in so ragged and
dirty that the first step in their educa-
ton is bath and clean clothes, which
the teachers supply. The room in which
they meet is large and airy, bright and
warm. Many of the free kindergartens
have their rooms prettily adorned with
pictures and growing plants; indeed,
everything is done to render the sur
rounding influences elevating and soften
ing,-songs and music. gentle tones and
loving smiles.
The daily exercises begin with a
prayer in a song, reverently sung with
bowed heads and folded hands, followed
by song of greeting to teachers and
schoolmates. Black and white meet
here on equal footing; for are they not
all plants capable of fragrant Towering,
although some may bear blossoms of a
dusky hue? The opening songs are fol
lowed by finger games; and story told
by the teacher. which contains mental
Or moral lesson, and depicts country joys
and natural beauties, with which these
little city waits are, alas. all too I'M
familiar. Then come the symbolic ''gift
lessOn,' which directly teach order, neat
ness, defines with the fingers, careful
ness, patience, and the rudiments of
arithmetic, geometry, and architecture.
But what lessons besides have been in
directly taught? Are they not tidiness
and gentleness, reverence and devotion,
courtesy and brotherly love? Every
thing also inculcates habits of self-con-
troll. The children are trained to guard
hands, feet and lips, so that all may be
brought into subsection; and when a
child has learned to control himself, he
is given charge of the babies. Temper
ance lessons are also given in stories,
and in other ways, and home experience
usually gives point to the teaching.
BY ii O'Clock the little ones are fully
ready for the simple but abundant
luncheon of pure milk and good bread,
which is ready for them on the stroke of
the clock. All movement is done quietly
and in order, to the sound of music.
After their luncheon the children join
eagerly in the games which so pleasant
ly exercise both minds and bodies, teach
ing lessons the while of graceful and &C
curate imitation. The closing hour is
spent in the occupations, weaving
folding bright papers, sewing on picked
cards, modelling or drawing; after which
they are dismissed from this haven of
rest to return to the darkness and dirt,
the turmoil and strife, of the only home
they know.
And yet, think of the power of con-
trast, of the influence of elevating as
sociations, if only for a morning! Has
there not been enough good seed sown to
produce a bountiful harvest? No one
who has ever visited one of these free
kindergartens who has once seen that
shadow of pain slowly lifting from the
little faces, infant in years but old in ex-
perience, swept away by the happy in
fiuences of the hour,-no one, l say, can
again doubt that an impression must be
produced which can never be entirely
effaced. Nor are the parents and homes
entirely unaffected by these purifying in
fluences which reach them through the
children. Sooner or later, almost invar-
iably, new spirit of ambition and order
becomes manifest in the home.
Form, not reform is, however, the
""oSh WIN VI ulC 1lcC uuClSdIbclS. vi
these, San Francisco reports "a, which
now enrol 2l33 children under six years.
The Golden Gate association has been in
active operation, warmly supported by
the wealthy ladies of San Francisco, for
ii years; and out Of the 5000 children,
mostly drawn from the lowest slums of
the city, whom, during that period, it
has reached and raised, they claim that
only one has been arrested for any petty
offence. By them Chicago and Phiiadei-
phia, and even Nova Scotia and New
Zealand, have been stimulated to similar
effort.
The New York Free kindergarten as
ISOLATION has short record, having only
been about one year in operation; but it
has already established two free kinder
gartens, with an average attendance of
5O scholars in one and 20 in the other
The primary object of this association il
to urge the adoption of the kindergar-
ten system in connection with every
public school," There are also about "a
other free kindergartens in New York.
under the charge of different churches
and corporations.
Time alone can prove their work; but
| oh as Christians LET us nrav and labor