Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-03-22

where most neededi On. for Grand
Rapids Hackley who would give us, not
park, a monument nor magnlfl-
Gent builslng. bat a beautiful building
tor kindergarten purposes How often
We have seen II IN our dreams. With
It's large alrv rooms and sunny win
dows. exactly ike those seen IN our Sis
ter city, costing just $1,000. Surely We
need not appeal 90 mlllonsifes. Per
hsps some one OF humber means VIII
realize some day that the best way 10
improve Any part of the city ls to plant
3 kindergarten there. And II that
someone would only give Il now,
and live TO see the glad eight when II
Is dedicated 10 kindergarten uses, and
fifty happy children make the rooms
radiant with life and hope and promise
OF noble manhood and lovely woman
hood, then will the Joy Of giving Alright
blossom into happiness and Joy never
before known or felt. Mrs. Cooper,
the great klndergartener of the Psclflc
coast, IN the city that supports by
fnunlticient gifts alone seven kinder
gartens, says: ''As We seek 10 bless
these hapless children, We may expect
blessings on our own" We can not II
We try, rise, or fail alone. We are
linked together. ..he child of the
most cultured among you may be
thrown into closest companlonship
with the Child of the neighbor who fire.
queuts the gutter.
Then whispered the angel of mothers
To the gyer in tenderest tone.
in blessing the children Of others
You are gsrnering Joys for your own
Missionary work Reported.
Following the presidents report, Miss
Clara Wheeler, the secretary, gave a
report OF which the president was
pleased TO cali missionary work. Miss
Wheeler, Mrs. Treat and her assistant,
Miss Hester =. Stowe. have received
calls from and visited Dutton, Holland,
GrandviiIe, Sparta, Lowell, Saranac,
Aluskegon and other towns, where the
deed of kindergarten work has been
down and is already bearing fruit.
The ladies also have engagements TO
yisit towns IN the vicinity of Detroit,
where interest has been awakened in
kindergarten work
Miss Field asked those who had
friends in the towns about the state
who would be likely to be interested in
the work to communicate with Miss
Wheeler. The three ladies Will re-
spond TO a call without charge save as
70 actual expenses, even the lecture by
Mrs. Treat being free.
Miss Francis Pelrce read number of
selections, from the best educators,
Qommending FrobePs thought. which
is spoken OF as the secret Of educa-
tion. A brief recess was granted, and
dues for membership were taken up.
Mrs. Treat then addressed the audience
in her happy way, and gave descrip-
ton of the various festivals of the
year as observed by the kindergartens.
She eald she had spoken so many times
about her work TO Grand Rapids peo-
pie that ii seemed like carrying Goals
to Newcastle to say anything further.
She said. "Give the child no isolated
idea. From the ball with which ne is
familiar, lead him to the cube and
plane and their uEes, then back TO the
ball. Educate his hand and head and
he will he ready tor any. trade. The
all over the country are direct results
of the Kindergarten.
Education is Everything.
The education of the hand and head
must be accompanied by the education
of the heart. Our prisons are full of
those whose hands and heads have been
educated and whose hearts have been
neglected. Education Of the heart
brings out the topic, the festival OF
days. In the autumn time when the
harvests are gathered, the fruits ripen,
the leaves fall and the BIRDS tiy south
ward these Things are brought TO the
notice of the children and the thought
gradually led up to Thanksgiving time.
Then after Thanksgiving time when we
see how much people must work for US
We begin TO see that we must do Tor
others and tins thought leads us TO
Christmas time. The children are
taught, not OF what they are TO get,
but of what they are 10 give. Santa
Claus is the symbol of the universal
giver, and each child becomes
a little Santa Claus. Every thought
is for some one else. After Christmas
the chiidrens attention is directed to
the tradespeople, shoemakers, haiters.
etc, VINO have labored so hard to sup
ply their wants. This briggs the knowl-
edge of the interdependence of all on
each other and is taught IN the little
trade songs. After we have seen how
many have worked for us we must
each try to do our own very best. ana
this brings US TO the beautiful senti-
ment of wsshIngton's birthday. Then
the sentiment of renewed life is taught
with cocoons and other things at Easter
time. All this time we are trying to
give the children a connected education
instead of series Of disconnected
ideas. The festivals are the piyots upon
which all the work swings. Tne Rev.
Mia Tupper spoke interestingly of the
future of kindergarten work and
prophesied its great advancement.
After few announcements the meet
ING came to 4 happy close