The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-16

came to the city about tho same time, an-
other fortunate circumstance was that there
was q vacant room in the Hawthorne school
building on the west side and also one in
the G ntral building ON tho east side. They
mnao application to the board Of education
for these rooms and they were granted their
use, being only required to ray for tho
heat snd jauitor service. In snparly
all Is OF the public schools a OF
tho country there are kin%detcartens
III connection, but tho trustees OF this dis
trlct have not felt justified in incorporating
them with the Helena schools. and it was
regarded rs IL most fortunate thing that
these who desired could have this advan-
tage for their little ones. without expense
to the district, and still at tho same timc
the kindergartens would, to a certain ex-
tont. be under the auspices of tho board.
At first tho two iadies found considerable
difficulty In interesting the parents, but az
a rule one visit of a mother 10 sufficient to
induce her to send her own little one, and
now Mrs. Cooper has twenty pupils and
Mrs. German about the same number. Tho
former has two sessions n day and the lat
ter one, in the afternoon. Those unae-
quainted with true kindergarten work have
an idea that 1t is a nico sort Of play; those
better versed know that n child of four or
five years, placed under the charge Of n
competent kindersartener, in n year will be
as far advanced as a child without this d-
vantage twice its age. and this without in
any way injuring 1t either mentally or phys.
lcallv. but rather ii will gain. A child OF
SIX that has been in a good kindergarten for
a year will BE- able to tell more about color.
mora about plant and animal life, more
about geomstricsl figures. than the brother
or sister twice as old who has not had the
same ttaining, and it will become 80 en-
grated on Its mind that ii will never be
forgotten. As a rule. the best scholars in
the public schools are those who have had O
year or more of kindergarten training.
Casual visitors to a kindergarten, who hap
pen to call when the little ones are singing
a song about the birds. while they may be
attracted by tho childish voices and the
gestures of the babies, as q rule believe
that is all there Is to it. Lst these visitors
ask one OF the children something about
the habits of the bird of which they have
been singing. and he or she will find that
the little tot of five or six knows as much
about them as the ordinary student of nat
ural history. Then try them on colors. and
you will find that their knowledge in that
regard Is something to the animated al
most wondsaful. Then take the little
blocks of wood that seem only fit to build
toy houses with, and the baby will place
them in all sorts Of positions. and as he
demonstrate problems in geometry that
would puzzle some high school pupils.
Just now the little ones nre having shown
to them in a practical way how King Fsosts
work has been completed and the accession
to power of Father Sun. The latter comes
with all his little children, the sunbeams.
robed in dresses of red, blue. yellow.
orange, green and purple, aud they are
Weakening Mother Earth from her long
sleep. A little while ago some seeds were
planted in boxes and by the aid of Father
Sun and artificial ~raindlops. these seeds
have began to sprout. As they go on de-
veloping the attention of the children ia
directed to them in a simple way. the phe-
pomona of plant life explained, and all
so Interestingly that the children absorb
the knowledge without knowing they do SO.
This is a Part of the "~olay." The migra-
ton of the birds. the architecture of their
nests. their habits, the patience and care OF
the mother birds for their young,
the helpfulness of the father bird,
the perseverance, on the part OF the baby
birds when attempting to fly, are all taken
up at this season as a part of the play
and thus valuable lessons are intoxicated,
The pretty cards the children prick ano
aftet wards SOW, the mat work they do, and
the modelling in clay looks like play to the
careless onlooker, but they are oil to one
end-to give the child an occupation tina,
will aid its physical and mental develop.
ment, and lay the foundations. b.oad nnt
deep, for the lessons that are to be Learned
later, both in school and out of it.
Fathers and mothers and all interested il
children should visit the Helena kinder.
R~artens, not with the idea that they are go
ing to q playhouse, but to a place where
the little ones are absorbing knowledge
which twenty years ago was in such form
that only mature minds could comprehend
it. No one that goes will regret the tim
spent.
One Of Helena's popular young men en-
joys an occasional evening "out with tn
boys" The other night he found q goodl,
number of genial comrades, and togethe
they hit the flowing DOW until along in til
small hours of the morning. The mex
morning, of course, there was q loud de
> mand for ice water, and sleep wes inter
D !upted by tho three year old golden hare
youncste;, who could not understand til
trouble. The boy was finally retired. bu
evidently learned what had been going OF
In an hour he returned. and giving hi
. father a shake, saia:
) dit up. dit VI. para"
u &c away, dear. and let papa sleep" sal
the repentant father.
: But the anxious boy was not to be shake
: off, for he gave his fathers hair anotht
pull and said:
"Dit up, papa, and take the Keele
cue"
This advice brought the old gentlema
IL 20 n realizing sense of the situation.
l. Mrs. DR.. G. Is. Miller. while ENJOYING
d. pleasant visit in WASHINGTON. was fort
nate enough to attend n White House I
n ception under the guidance of Judge II,
In man, of Indiana. They ere very 90