The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-05-20
SAVE THE CHILDREN.
Successful Work Toward I Free
kindergarten.
momrnlY DONATIONS NEEDED.



The meeting of the rres Kindergarten
Association 81 the Chamber Of corSneres
ysstsr3ay sssssnoon VS. attended ~
Iasrs gathering Of isdiss and koptssmsn
which nearly 6ltsd tns hail ana sach
dssp tafersst In the work vas shown by
the snrplImeut u new members and by
subscripssons - Will IL sustained, insure
the success a. ths undertaking.
The mesting vss opened with prayer By
Rev. d. c. Garrett, and Rev. Wallace
Mating followed with some foscibss re-
marks on the strong fndusnce Of childish
3mpsossious On the Life Of . psfs0n. Then
Mfss Olive Miller sang the fsyorite song.
sIn che Woods, In such manner - TO
draw forth deserved sppisusa 1rs- II. =.
Holmes. the peeaidsn4 Of the association
gave . bsisz address. in which she told
what had besn done % far since tbs organ
isats0n vas formed two weeks ago. de-
ecribsd the plan which was being followed
10 securing funds 70 start and MAINTAIN
the kindsrRartsns and acknowledged the
aid already rscssvsd from various quarters.
She announced that the rnembesship roll
wss open, also lists Of monthly pledges
and Of subscriptions. Mrs. O. A. G.
Rochester sang the solo "Whsn ! WAS
Child Of Three" In such . wsy - 70 i'm
press her hsarsrs with its appropriateness
and her vocal giftM
Mr.. G. r. Dswhurst, the secretary. then
Rad . paper on THE Practical Working
Of Frse Kindergsrtens, IN which she sx-
haustsvsiy discussed the work Of such in
stitutions and the manner Of conducting
them. She opened BY reminding her an-
dieneo thnt. while much time. thought
and sBsrgy had been expended on the
education Of the boys and girls, and every
facility offered for the intellectual develop
msns Of men and wnnsn, yet the founda-
ton on which oil this structure should be
built had received very little attention.
She recalled tbs scrtpturai prsceps:
Train up child In the way he should
TO-" and the Roman writer's saying:
ssfhs MANTLE charactsr-is made at Z.
Then she argued that the way to save the
children and educate thsm into right ways
Of thinking and setting, the way to dis.
tribute charity % ~ to reach the worthy
poor was through the kindergarten. for
The sursst way 70 the heart Of the parent
was through the child. II vas the center
81 ali kinds Of philanthropic work, and
ovsfy teacher in 10 should have the zeal of
. missionary. for the heather were among
them and were coming over 70 them In
ersat numbers. The kindergarten teacher
should not merely take charge Of tho
children Tor few hours day. bat make
herself acquainted at the house OF her
pupils. for, led By chtid. shs would be
welcome whsrs . city missionary or .
church or . charitable committee would
not b admitted. A. IN example Mrs.
-
delight Of . mother at finding what her
child had learned % the kindergarten and
Of The improvement made In their home
through the lessons Of po,itsnsss. pa
thence and perseverance, learned by the
children and BY Thorn Taught uncon-
sciously 10 their parsnts. She then de-
scribsd the work Of the kindergarten thus:
'It 10 what it, name impiiss-a child's
Gasdsn, place whore . child grows,
where 70 u cultivated and trained to de-
velop In right directions, where Il 10 sur
rounded with beautiful things and taught
10 recognise and appreciate IT. surround
inga. To many hundreds Of children the
kindergarten b the only warm and bright
spot Ia their mesesr little lives. Many .
siovsnly mother 10 shamed into improving
her Ihrroundings by seeing tho reluctance
with which her child left the kindergarten
for home and its sagsrness every morning
% hasten back 10 the kindergarten. Many
parents have been led TO wonder ct the
change produced In their children, have
inquired into the cause. aud great good
has resulted TO both child and parent
No one can have 90 good an opportunity
30 get close to these mothers - the
teacher Of their little boys and girls"
Mra Dewhurst then went ON to tell how
an invitation written BY . child TO his
mother to visit him NJ tho kindergarten
led to the holding Of mothers' meetings
and described the effect OF these meetings
on the mothers' home life. She told of
the ''littie unconscious child" acting the
missionary in climbing on his father
knee to say his prayers. ending by saying:
Papa. won't ron try 10 be good and not
hit mamma any morcf" She then
went on
1.-THE kindergarten IL intended to tsIi the
place that no other educational Institution
provides for. liz cares for the child during
tho first seve years of Its life, believing
that impressions gained and lessons
learned. habits Of thought and action
formed during this time of unconscious
requirement become . part OF the child 3
very nature and form the foundation urcn
which the character il built In Urging
parcnts TO send their children 90 the kim
desxarten. how many times are We met
with the remark. 'oa. l do not
bsiisve in sending children to school
10 young; when he IL O or J
years old {, viii be time enough When
asked What plan they follow for his train.
tnE during these years. they iook aston.
ishei and answer; pa. JEST let him
20; he amnsss himself mostly when he is
not sesmcnting me With hls question:
ahaii be glad when he IL old enough TO go
% school.' Ia this way many children ar
rive NJ the Age Of SIX or seven years with
cut having attained any true develop.
ment With mtnds in chaotic state. with
ideas Of life and ccndues distorted and ua-
natural Under these circumstances his
Initiation iato pubic school life In
Apt - b . cad event In more
wars than one. He 10 taken from
tnis Wild and comparatively unrsstralness
life and PLACED In . too efsen over~crowdei
primary school. whore svea under the bes,
end moss conscientious teacher he L. COM
rsiled 10 cit ssill Tor long rerieis where
he mass he engaged in work which in
wholly ansui;ed To his age and develop
meat Ia an atmosphere and surrounding,
utterly strange aud nnrsai 10 hina- 10 il
any voaesr thai every tinss the Ore bell
rings the children vssA tAs seaoslAoass
would burn down."
10 the speaxer went ca 20 decscs and
comment Ga every ssstors Of the work Of
the kindergarten, hew 8, teaches the cAsia
20 think clearly and draw hss ewn conelg.