Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-01
Free kindergartens.

Free kindergartens.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
The Century of January, 1898. contains an
interesting article on 1.-The kindergarten Move
ment." with valuable information as to
its methods and statistics as to the
footing it has gained in the principal
cities of this country, &c. 1t says: "Of the
sixteen American cities with a population of
over zoe. 900 in 1890 only four, Philadelphia,
Boston. Milwaukee and ST. Louis. have incor-
porated tine kindergarten on any large scale in
their public school systems. Four mOre-New
York. Chicago. Brooklyn and Bufalo-have
kindergarten associations organized to intro
duce the new method as a part of free public
education. In San Francisco kindergartens are
maintained with no apparent expectation Of
uniting them to the fee school system. Only
Baltimore. Cincinnati. Cleveland and Detroit,
among the seven left, the otGer three being
Pittsburg, Washington and New Orleans, are
returned IA having charitable or religious asso-
Citations supporting kindergarteus.
The entire work of providing special educa-
ton for children from three 70 six years of age
Is still in this stage In this country
As regards this community. itmust be allowed
We are IN the rear III this great question of the
education of eariv childhood by the kindergar-
ten system, question which has passed the
period of speculation as a most worthy charity
for home-negected children and an important
social factor i'll moral reform. 'Give me the
child and the state snail have the man. is
almost household word" and Victor Hugo
says: Every case OF vagabondage has its root
in some neglected child" while to quote still
further words of wisdom. it was Juvenal who
aintained that 1.-The mans character is made
at seven. What he is then he will always De"
Thinkers in questions of education and polti-
cal economy are said to be united today on this
point. that the foundations for national prus-
perity and perpetuity are to be laid deep down
in our infant schools with the kindergarten
method of treatment.
But it is hardly just to charge this com
munltv With entire apathy In the matter of tree
kinder tens. There row some eight or
nine charity schools, several of which are sus-
tanned by churches and others by private sub
scriptiOns. Three of these are housed in pub
lie school buildings. 1t is safe to assert that be-
tween two and three hundred children have an
annual enrolment in these Washington kinder
gartens. and of that class of population. the
poor. the ones most deserving and needing this
gospel education of 'the head, heart and hand. ."
But we ought to lave it for ten times two hun
dred. Yes. for all-and at the public expense
But Congress does not recognize vet that if more
money is put into more fully equipped public
schools less will soon be needed for reforma-
tories 1t does not yet the importance of
providing bright, cheerful. heaithful place in
our school houses where our little street tramps
may be gathered in at least three hours of the
treatment and care such never comes into the
infancy of much Of our poverty-stricken
population. We are told that this ali from the
government will come in time. but why should
we wait when we have a great community made
up of large, loving, loval hearts and an abund-
ance of material resource? Why may we not
have one National Capital Kindergarten Asso-
citation and inaugurate such a work al has
been carried on thirteen years in San Francisco,
work in which women and men have Joined their
Al d. nv
5000 Children from the criminal and poverty
stricken quarters Of the city who have gone
throughthe free kindergartens Of the Golden
Gate Association" but one was found to have
been az rested after careful inquiry and years of
watchfulness over police court, prison and
house Of refuge records. Farseeing business
men Of San Francisco have recognized the ad-
vantage of supporting schools instead of jails
Hence five Of the thirty-five free kindergartens
Of that city are carried on by them-the mer-
chants free kindergarten, the insurance. the
produce exchange the real estate and the at
torneys. The last annual report Of the Golden
Gate Association testifes to the support Of
thirty-nve schools. with an annual enrolment
OF 3.105 pupils and receipts amounting to
$4S. 3l.9o. The number of children enrolled
since the inception OF the work, thirteen years
$50. is 1896.
This grand work on the Pacific coast has
been duplicated on smaller scale. perhaps,
except in Boston. IN many of our eastern cities
and New York. Buffalo, Philadelphia Boston
and Hartford. &c. doing yeoman service
in the cause of humanity by their treatment of
poor and neglected children.
Mrs. Virginia I. Smith OF the Hartford asso-
citation writes:
ITO no one is the value of the free kinder
garten more apparent than to one who visits in
the homes Of the children for whom it is de-
signed. In the dull and dreary associations in
which some of these children live there cannot
n ,antn NJ fhar foA
or affections. different atmosphere must be
created for them. or in addition to poverty and
ignorance vice and crime will attend their
maturity. Goodness. cleanliness. sympathy
and unselfshness must be cultivated by ex-
ample and tender nurture to counterfeit the
manifold evil influences. which not only re-
press. but go far to uproot the natural virtues
Of the heart. We should be hopeless of Dhang-
ing these children from the ruts in which they
are set and seem likely to run but for the up
lifting power OF kindness, generosity and love
which are inherent in the human heart and
which may be drawn out by the bsnefcent and
Christian nurture Of the kindergarten.
In many miserable street in our CITY there
are vile tenements in which neglected children
are living, the parents pitiably poor, of limited
intelligence. without aspiration and perhaps
incorporate. The home is comfortless
and filthy, the food meager and un-
satisfying. The child looks about him
with sad sense Of longing, He wants in
telligent and loving companionship, although
he does not know it, and he wants something
with which to play. Frequently the only things
he can command are the coal hod and the coal
He must be dirty. His frowsy, slipshod mother
leaves her bed or chair to beat him for being
noisy or disobedient. SO, with absolutely moth
ing in which to be interested in the house, he
betakes himself to the street SO soon asshe can
reach up to open . door or slip down fight Of
stairs. Then he wanders about, playing in the
filth OF the cutters, strsying after the rafting
Carte, toddling into the groggeries, repeating
the bad words he hears and gazing in mild won
der at the brutalities he sees practiced. He
looks longingly at the boys who smoke and imi-
tates In every possible way all that he sees and
hears So run the days with scores of little
children, whom no school as yet reaches But
a. often as the kindergarten gathers in one of
these little social ou:casts. makes him clean
and satisfies his hunger protects him from
summers heat and winters cold, and while
volcing In kindly tones the blessed lore of the
school, instinctively impsrts to him the spirit
OF refinement. unselfishness and affection which
pervades 1t, SO often are the words Of our Savior
fulfilled: Whose shall receive ono such little
child in my name receiveth me-" Sc. 8. .
No Field for Book Agents.
From the Bethlehem Times
Perhaps the reader knows it already. but IL
he does not he will be astonished to be told
that in this intelligent republic, in the diving
days OF the nineteenth century, there are iv-
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