The Republican journal., 1892-03-17
Educational Problems.

dergarten claimed attention. Frank A.
Fitzpatrick. Superintendent of schools at
Omaha, read a paper on ''What Shall the
State do Towards the Education of Child
rem Below the School Age-Between the
Ages of Three and Six?' Mr.. Fitzpatrick
reviewed the school laws of the various
States in the Union, and found that in all
the States some limitation has been put on
the power of Boards of Education and
municipalities in the direction of restrict
ing the expenditure of public money to
the educating of a certain class of child
rem in the community whose ages are d.
rectly specified either in the constitution
or in some legislative enactment. He
found that in most States, kindergarten,
if established. would need to limit the at
tendance to pupils who are Il years old
and upwards. at which time children are
usually not fitted to profit in the highest
degree by kindergarten training. Mr.
Fitzpatrick went into the question of kim
dergartens mt some length and reached the
conclusion that the time from the ace OF
sin to seven in the life of a child is not
suitable to the best and highest kinder
galien training: and he vigorously oppos-
ed the idea of extending the system to the
advanced class OF pupils. On the other
hand he did ut believe the system valua
BILE as to children under the age of four
and Il halt ears ''Therefore. he said.
If chidreo are to be gathered into
State school at the early age of three, and
until they are four and half OF five years
of age, the type of school must be after
the pattern of French maternal or the
English infant schools. which schools are
radically different from and indeed
subversive of the ideas which lie at the
basis of kindergarten training.
+. p. Seavor, Superintendent of the
public schools of Boston, said the way to
obtain assistance for the kindergartens was
to show by an object lesson that a dollar
spent in the kindergarten was better plac-
ed than dollar spent in any other part of
the school system. Applause. Miss
Elizabeth Harrison, President of the Kin
dergalten College of Chicago, said she be
lieyed that there should be a special sup
elvisor for the kindergarten department,
as mach as for the drawing and other de-
partments. Replying to criticisms of the
play circle Miss Harrison said it was
based on the initiative instinct and was
valuable because it interested the children.
In proof OF its educational value. she re-
lated some experiences which amused
the audience greatly. }. l.. Hughes. In
spector of Schools. Toronto, Canada, did
not agree with the statement that the poor
children needed the kindergartens most.
Often the children OF the wealthy needed
it most. Applause. W. l.. Mailman,
City Superintendent of the Laporte. Ind.
schools, offered resolution as follows:
''Re>olved, That the kindergarten as a
means to give the nascent social tenden-
cies OF children direction towards benevo-
lence and civic efficiency is a necessary
pant of a complete system of schools.
State Superintendent Draper OF Albany,
III secondin. the resolution. said that
there were two or three things to be guard
ed against. They could not 90 to the
public unless they could show the taxpay-
ers the utility and necessity of the system.
There was great danger in compromising
OF trmporizing in this matter, One of
the ~addest things in the public school sys-
wears into the public schools and not put
them under the care of an experienced
kindcrgartener. In conclusion. he said
that the idea that the kindergarten was a
public charity should he eradicated 1Ap-
plau>r.
At the afternoon session Charles W.
Hill, President Of the Schoolmasters'
Club, Boston, read paper on What Can
be Done to Bring Children on Further
in Their Studies Before they Leave
School to Go to Work." Said he: The
topic assumes the existence of a class
of pupils whose school life is made un-
desirably short by the real or supposed
necessity for the pupil to become wage
Garner. The supposition is too well found
ed. The discussion of the topic is timely
and important in view of the growing ne
cessity for higher degrees of intelligence to
do successfully the ordinary work of life,
to discharge Alright the duties of citizen
ship and to enable the workman to make
the best use of the leisure which the
shortening work day affords. One help
full agency in accomplishing this work is
the kindergarten, by means of which the
school work and discipline may be extend
ed downward into the unproductive years
of child's life. The kindergarten can,
undoubtedly, shorten the ordinary school
life a year, and that to the advantage of
the child's physical, mental and moral
development Something of manual train
ing is really an important part in holding
these Short time pupils, as they see the
bearing which that has upon occupation
and success. A greater hexibility in
courses of study, especially to meet the
needs of such pupils should be secured.
There is need of an individualsm in teach