The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-03-02
The kindergarten System of Homo
lulu Explained.
THE FIRST DEGREE OF EDUCATION
What tn Different Kindergsrtens Are
Doing for the Little Ones-Chinese.
Japanese, Hawaiians and Portuguese
All Share the Benefits of the system.


Kindergartens established in our city
and yet it is possible that many of oul
fellow townspeople are not aware Of
the encouraging progress which has
been made in this direction. The
experiment stage has passed, and
the schools begun in weakness are
demonstrating, from day TO day, their
right to exist, and are full of encour-
agement and cheer for the future. The
kindergarten, as potent and helpful
factor, second to none in not only
illumining and identifying the lives
of scores of needy little ones in our
! midst, of different nationalities, but in
beginning to mould them for careers
of future usefulness, in starting them
fright" in the race of life, is not a
dream of visionary few, but a sub
stantial reality patent to all.
During the months that these
| schools nave been quietly growing,
the interest of thoughtful friends in
them has deepened until the hope has
settled into conviction in some hearts
that no more important educational
| or philanthropic work could make its
| appeal to the generous and large
| hearted people of our city than this.
AS brilliant writer, in suggestive
article on "The kindergarten Move
ment" in the Century Magazine,
January, 1898, forcibly says: For all
classes, then, the problem of educa-
ton is to furnish environment, fit,
fair and fruitful, for those chrysalis-
breaking years in which the young
| child has begun to leave his family
without entering the schoOl-roOm.
! They lie from three to seven" Such
environment the kindergarten does
furnish. Out of such material, rightly
trained and developed, is to be built
valuable in the fabric of our composite
national life. 1.-THE hope of the world
lies in the children"
The first Free kindergarten opened
in Honolulu was for Chinese little
ones, and has, from its initiation, been
supported, in the main, by Mrs. G. s.
Hebard, OF Michigan, q. s. A., after
whose little son, morgan Hebard,"
beautiful Kindergarten" room on
the Chinese church premises, and has
been, from the start, under Miss Mil
dred Kinney.
Mis- Kinney gives the following
statement in reference to the growth
of the school. "The Morgan Hebard'
kindergarten began in June, 1892, with
eleven children. Fifty-seven (57)
answered to the roll when school
opened in September, 1898. Thirty
eight We're enrolled at the latest date.
Forty-three have been sent to the
higher grade. Number registered
from the beginning, one hundred and
twenty-five 125). About ten have
gone to China, and others have left
for other reasons. In comparison
with those coming into the primary
room without previous training,
the advantage of work done in the
kindergarten is especially apparent.
In neatness of both person and work,
in their ability and readiness for work,
in discipline, having met their Water
loo in the Kindergarten, they are pre-
pared for obedience. But where the
kindergarten method shows Itself |
most valuable is in the love for school
which it produces"
A special committee OF ladies, aided |
by other friends and the Woman's |
Board, opened the Hawaiian Kinder
garten on Feb. l, 1898. The teacher of !
this school, Miss Birch Tanning, gives |
the following items about the school:
"The school opened with but l |
pupil; at the end of February, 30 |
pupils were in attendance. In March
there were sc, in June Al. On Feb.
81, 1894, there were SO pupils regis
tered, with an average attendance of
from 80 to 35." This school meets in
the old home of the late Queen Emma,
and surely no more beautiful use
could be found for this historic resi-
dence than in opening its doors to this
"child garden' for young Hawaiians.
The Portuguese kindergarten is
located on Miller street. In reference
to this school the teacher, Miss Fer
sends the accompanying
statement: "The Rice Kindergarten,
named after Mrs. NJ. S. Rice, who |
kindly gave the building in which the
school meets, opened April 10, 1898.
There have been enrolled since the
opening of the school 81 children.
There are now on my book So names.
[ have an average of 80 daily; 13 have
been promoted to the primary depart
ment. Miss Camara, of the primary
department, says she finds that those
who came from the kindergarten are
much more easily taught than Others
who have not had any kindergarten
and that these thirteen know
more than the lowest class in her
room who were not in the kim
but who came to her
before the Others" This school has
been supported by the Woman's
Board. The japanese Kindergarten.
,hough recently opened, has pro.
crossed in very encouraging manner.
q also meets in the Queen Emma
Hall. Its expenses so far have been
net by an appropriation from the Ha.
yailan Mission Children's Society.
md now by generous monthly con-
ributions from japanese friends. OIL
he attendance in her school, Miss
)zawa says: "A nucleus of five little
japanese children was the beginning
the school. When the school regu.
ariy opened September II, 1893, there
7ere seven in attendance. The total
lumber OF children enrolled up to
ate, 81; average attendance daily, IS