Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1894-03-30
mEmonIAL KINDsRGAnrnrs.

the publtc meeting OF the ELM Caty fIes
association, held ct the
United church chapel last Wednesday even
ing:
MHNoRIAI KINDERaARTENs.
It has been truly said ''our dead are
never dead to us until We forget thsm."
And, when we love do w ever forgeti
It il this ever living memory Of our dear
departed that prompts the endowment of
memorials. When It IL . child, "a dear
nursling gathered in Gods nursery" whose
brief stay on earth loving hearts seek 70
thus psrpetuate, surely no sweeter, tender
or, "In Menoriam" can be devised than .
memorial kindergarten. In proof Of this
assertion, consider for moment the work
proposed by an earnest kindergarten and
the material with which such q worker has
to deal.
Suoh sacred material-the lives and
hearts of little childrsnl
'tChildren, beautiful, tender, trustful
creaturesI
Made BY God, marred by sin, redeemed
by Christ, entrusted to parents and teach
ersa s... ........ -.
Their mysterious souls, wrapped within
their wondrous bodies, laden with eternal
destinies4
WHAT and wherei do you ask. Ali
that depends, on their parents and tsach-
ers, under God, and on the fathers and
mothers of angels.
responsibilities, solemn Is precious, lie
How are they to meet these responsibili-
ties?
know of no more blessed way than by
consecratiBR the memory of their heavenly
children to the succor and nurture of
children on earth. Many of these little
ones, alas, are but "fsebls aorets with
their fresh leaves torn and their stems
broken" And to you. the parents, who
have children safe within the heavenly.
home, Is granted the blessed mission of
providing for these needy little ones left
here below to wrestle with the problems of
existence. Think, poor Weens, they are
waiting for you to set them In order, to
gather them In from the rough winds of
life, poverty and neglect.
Will you do 1t? Surely, there could be
no diviner way of showing the deep a6sc-
ton cherished for those gone from earth to
heaven than by thus permitting them to
live on in tender ministries, until the lives
cut short here, become perpetual bene-
diotion, an influence that shines In sturdy
radiance illumining the souls of hundreds
of little children "who aill love you for
having loved them, and bless you for hav
ing blessed them: Will you. repeat, let
the memory of Gods upper garden-and
for whose sake childhood lie sacred thing
become to you an incentive that will
serve to multiply your gfacesa And 1t is
grace to plant memorial kindergarten,
for the foundation principle, the constrain-
| ing motive for kindergarten training Is
Love for the heart, strength for the
character" Those were the highest gifts
with which FIobel sought to endew his
pupils.
TO bear the child to unity with self,
with God, with nature, with mankind,
| and thus to trust in God through religion,
trust in self by developing strength of
mind and body and confidence In man
kind.
But while the devoted kindergarten
strives to teach right feeling, right virtues
| and actions there Is entire freedom from
sectarisnism.
The root of all Is love-and love like
the sunshine knows no boundary of class
or creed.
1t is blessed and beautiful to 6nd how
early In life this all encompassing truth Of
love may be impaired to strict innocen,
babyhood. Its tender heart responds te
it as unoonsciously as flowers respond t.
the balrny air of spring: And the kinder
gartsn has been called "childrsn's earthly
paradise" Truly 1t is q garden plot
where the gardeners toll with heartl
sglow, as they aim to cultivate the har
monious development of the physical
mental and spiritual life of the sweet
human flowers entrusted to their care.
In doing this, like the sun dial, they onl,
count happy, sunshiny hours: And I
happy child is good childl And the dea1
wee things are happy; those who tend then
recognize that many of the ways of tn
young are troublesome, without being II
the least wrong, and that during the Garlic
infrmitiss may be turned by skilful train
ing into means of development. Therefor
they handle the tender hearts very mucl
as they handle their ailing bodies-gentl,
touching the quick temper, eneouragin,
the moral cowardioe to frankness and brav
sry-just as they would hush the noise TO
the aching head, or drop the blinds for th
weak eyes.
They remember, too, in the tiny chill,
directions awaken less opposition thai
prohibitions. The "don't" is such
| prompting to the II will"
But all this is generalizlng. Example
wins where precept fails. The old maxim
is constantly verified. "Good, the NOR
communicated, more abundant growa.,
And 1t is time We turned to the practica
illustration of the importance of msmoria
kindergartens afforded by the record O.
their rapid growth and usefulness during
the first decade of their existence.
The annual report of the Golden Cat.
kindergarten association tells the story
simply and conclusively. From it va
learn that the hrst memorial kindergarten
in the world was organized July 7, 1884
And 1t strsightway acted as an inspiration
to similar deeds in our own country an6
in foreign countries. And SO 1t has CONF
| to pass that many such memorial kinder
gartens have been planted far and near
Thousands of children have thus been bles
and the blessing has not been limited Il
only the children.
Discouraged fathers have been made
glad and gained fresh courage in thei1
heavy battle of life by seeing their LITTLE
ones happy. Many osre-worn motherl
have had their burdens lightened, anG
through the protection the kindergarten
affords they have been enabled to 60 out
to their days work knowing no harm viii
come to their little ones. Their gratitude
is often expressed as they attempt to tell
sometimes with tears-what comfort an6
help the kindergarten ia to those In theil
daily struggls for bread.
"Have pity on them. for their life
| We do not Of kn .sa ON one-ssi the woes
The very poor must bear.
We do not see the silent tears ~
By many mother shed,
As childhood offers up the pray or,
Give US our daily bread ,-
1t is we'll known fact-thsre IL scan,
need to enforce it-that nothing innocent
or good dies. "a dear child will live agair
In the better thoughts of those who loved
him, and may act his part through them II
the redeeming work Of the world"
It would be matter of great rejoicing
If some among the many hero in New Ha
ven who have loved and lost dear children
would, without delay, thus emphasize tn,
precious lives of their darlings that hsv,
fgone-Oh, not outI-by planting here II
our own city q memorial free kindergar
ten.
There may be those who plan to remem
| Der this beautiful and blessed charity II
their Wills. But why wait for that9 Tht
time will never come when little childIer
| will be in greater need of the beneacen,
care and training of the kindergarten.
Could money be better invested Gould
It bring more substantial benefit to tn.
community
Remember, "The hope of the world lie'
in the children"
Tell me-
Servants Of God! or sons,
Shall not call youf because
Not as servants ye know
Your Fathers innermost mind
His who unwilingiy sees
One OF His little ones lost.
A mASQUE OF CULTURE.
-.4