The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-09


of the Worlds Fair. Thirteen years
of its existence have passed and ii is
now supporting twenty-One free kind
ergartens, their location being in the
most destitute parts Of the city, reach
ing yearly 5000 children not OF school
age. These schools are in charge OF
twenty-five kindergartners who were
trained by the Association. over
ninety young women are taking ad-
vantage of the opportunity offered by
the Association. In 1893 there gradu-
ated 800 kindergartners, and there
were 100 kindergartens in the city.
The amount of good being done
among these waits cannot be estima-
ted. The three hours day spent in
the kindergarten is a shelter, and an
opening to a new life.
THE Chicago kindergarten Train
ing Glass" was established in 1883, an
opportunity being given TO mothers
to receive training.
AT this time there were five teach
ers and two mothers.
In 1890 the class was re. organized
under its present name of Chicago
kindergarten College," with one hun
dred and four teachers and four hum
dred and tifty-three mothers.
In New York there is Free Kin
dergarten and Workingman' School,
under the leadership of Prof. Adler.
In 1892 Pratt Institute, Brooklyn,
opened a training class for kindergar-
teners on account of the great demand
for professional teachers. During the
year 1870 there were only five kinder
gartens in America; today there are
over 5000. Slowly bu. surely the
world is coming TO see the great inn
portance of studying the child life,
and so guiding it as TO lay the founda-
tion for a pure and noble manhood
and womanhOod. Upon whom then
does this responsibility rest if not on
women? Can trust be more sacred,
or an opportunity more grand than
this? Why is this so? Because into
her hand is committed the work of
character building, of shaping the
future life of the child.
1t was this fact that stirred the mind
of Froebel, and called forth his elo-
quent speech to the women of Ger
many at the festival in 1910.
He highly esteemed woman, and
looked upon the home as the truest
kindergarten. His earnest desire was
| that woman should study the child as
never before, and see the wonderful
possibilities encircling 1t. "Is il Moth
| Ing, said he, "to advance the happi-
ness of childhood and the we'll being
| tion ?'' He saw in the acceptance of
| the kindergarten system the heart of
woman brought into closer sympa-
| thy with the little child, and into a
| truer and broader intellectual idea
| concerning the harmonious awaken
! ing of its whole nature. AS one in
| the work remarks: at is not enough
| that mother here and there studies
| the system, but every woman should
| be trained to the work so that the
children may not fall into evil hands,
| 1t is the true Kindergarten who adopts
| every child as her own, and seeks To
| find in each child nature something
of good.
Let us note some of the results de
| rived from the existence of the kind
| ergarten, as related to the home, the
| school, and humanity.
In some thirty charity kindergar-
tens the children were carefully
| watched, both I'm the schoolroom, and
| IA to their influence on the homes.
In the former they have come TO love
and respect work; this is plainly seen
! as one notices the children while
singing their little songs, about the
farmer, cooper, carpenter, and while
| engaged in the different occupations.
| They are less selfish, more careful
| TO respect the rights of Others, more
tender and loving Of one another. To
| their home of darkness and sin they
are carrying each day the geutle re
! tining influence gathered iu their
| kindergarten home. Here IL the tps-
| timouy OF one having some of these
| children in charge. "The'r lives
| have been set to music, and tho hard
| looking, aud--alas we must say it
| hard drinking parents are softcncd hy
| the tender voices Of their children.
! Men stay ut home from the grog-
shops TO hear their four-year old
| babes sing, and teach the older ones
| the pretty plays, that speak of ma
| ture, flowers, birds, aud the beautiful
! in everything -
Another startling yet wonderful
| fact "a to the far reaching influence of
| the kindergarten IL, its prevention ot
| crime which casts So much ~ the
| shadow over n beautiful world.
| Mr.. piXleN louce "A strong opponent
| OF the system says. 'Ihpue will Toe
| few criminals from the kindergarten
| schools. aud the statistics o( crimes
will lessen in the circle fr m which
| the kindergarten pupil IS drawn" ami
| the truth of this il / lustra by
statement given in the "rweltth An
nual Report of the Golden Gate kin
dorgarten Association" which reads
| as follows:
During twelve yeats we have had
nearly poo0 children under our care.
| The children who were with us in the
| early years OF our work are now fif
| teen tu eighteen years " age. We
have followed these children rs closely
! as possible siuce they left rs, aud after
| the most riuid Investigation We do not
| tiud our kindergarten childten among
| the offenders. Their names are not tO
he found upon the police records; eud
thia. too. IA the face of the fact that
| our sphonla are located i'm the districts
| where criminals are made.N
We have gathered some facts CON
ceruing the growth ot the work since
| the seed was rlauted hy tue great
"Child Dtacuverer l. has spread
from land to land and from ocean to
ocean far beyond the thoughts of the