Morning journal and courier., 1894-04-03

KINDERGARTEN WORK. A Valuable Paper Read by Miss E. '. | Phelps, Daughter of A. w. Phelps Before the Kim City KinderEArten Assoclation at Ats Recent Meeting. Kindergarten associations stand for the | belief that the kindergarten is of positive educational value to the community In which 1t is established, and also for the de- sire and the determination, on part of the persons thus associated, to bring about . recognition of this fact and practical sp- preciation of 1t.
 Such associations come at once under the influence of the missionary spirit, h. boring, as from their nature they must, for the good of city or locality in which they exist.
 A Chicago paper, The Free Kindergarten, says of its association: "We are stock company, making investment in spiritual things. Onr investment Is made for the good of humanity. Our dividends are shown in uplifted communities and in purified lives"
 That free kindergartens should be di-' rect outcome of such associations is nat ural-first, because here the kindergarten principles appear in such form as to admit of tangible results; and again. because ono means for advancing the welfare of . com- munity is any work that will advance the welfare of it's embryo men and women. And this the kindergarten believes 1t can do.
 The physician has two lines of action in maintaining the health of his patrons. The one pertains to the prevention of harmful conditions and the formation of favorable ones; the other deals directly with disease -un wholesome conditions. The kinder gsrten works somewhat upon both these lines. While its hope lies largely in the first of these methods, still, because of the close relation of the child to the home, it must also deal with the second. Although the kindergarten cannot prom fee that its boys and girls shall reach ma turity in perfect health of mind and body, it labors to bring sb put the early progres- sive movements toward this goal by deal | ing, first, directly with the child in the kin dergsrteD, and secondly with the child's home environments.
 The establishment of free kindergartens
 
 | putting into working form the purpose of the association, Is not the only means. If kindergarten principles are wholesome | for children in the school room, the same | principles adapted will be equally valuable | to the children when out of school. And | SO the same impulse which would labor \ for the children in the kindergarten reaches out to the homes of the children, to the home friends, particularly to tho mothers II Lgz s-11 ~~f1 A~1 -L | in what are called "Mothers' meetings'' and "Motbers' classes "
 Tn many cssss the children must be per | sonally invited to attend the kindergarten. | This necesstates visits at ,hs homes of the cbildren, g sure leavening means for visit. ed and visitors.
 Many bsnevolently inclined personf would willingly brighten these homet with an occasional Call, were the oppor- tunity open. In the name of the Kinder garten association, such msuy often gair access to these homes when perhaps other vice a call might be regarded an intru | sion,
 Then, too. if Tree kindergartens are te be established where needed, there will b. su increased need for teachers; for per sonal influence is a prominent feature if all kindergarten work. Hence, where such schools do not exist-even where theJ do, the normal school for kindergarten training often becomes g branch of worl carried on under the auspices of the Kin | dergarten association.
 Free kindergsrtens must be supported New ones must be established. This caI best be done by free-will offerings of time influence, labor and money of many rathe than of few.
 At once arises the need for ways ant means for arousing and maintaining | general intelligence upon the subjsct and an interest In its various lines o work.
 This gives birth to gatherings of variou kinds, public meetings, lecture courses study classes, reading circles, etc, the be lief being that general intelligence on tn subject will, of itself, generate the desired practical interest.
 Possibly the foregoing thoughts have al ready suggested the fact that kindergar ten association cannot long remain an uu known qusiutity, but, on the contrary must form the nature of the purpose witt which it is identified, become thing o life and impulse. One has but to glance a the reports of the kindergarten association in the different cities of our union to dis cover that such has been and is the char acter of kindergarten associations whic have had little more time than have we in which to recognize needs, gather foro and apply remedies.
 In reading between the lines of these re ports the fact which first attracts attention is the general and growing interest in tn | subject of kindergsrteHs-manife sted il | the establishment and maintenance of
 constantly increasing number of kinder gartens in old and new localities. Static I tics run as follows:
 Asine's first free Kindergarten wa opened in '91 by the Woman's Alliance o Bangor. Soon an association was formed which, now hss under it's care several fire kindergartene, day nursery and 8 clas for study of Kindergarten methods
 Buffalo reports no free kindergarten 1, 91, but six at present, with g traininj class of thirty nine young women.
 The Pratt Institute Monthly of Brookly, says of that city: Brooklyn has kinder earten association, as have the more pro gressive cities of thu east and west." The, organized in '9l. and now support fou kindergartens. The New York association had eleven in '93:-
 Chicago in this matter has q record tru to herself. She may boast of antiquity a we'll as of numbers, for in "A a pionee clsss was formed for the purpose of study ing Froebel's principles of education Tw, ! years later fine kindergarten was opened | In 80 two associations were formed, tn, | Froeb-l Kindergarten association and tn, Chicago Free Kindergarten association The first of these up to '93 supported seventeen free kindergartsns. Out of thi association have grown ten kindergarten as ociattons in ten neighboring cities.
 The Chicago Free Kindergarten asso citation supports twenty one free kinder gartens. has graduated more than 81l teachers. and has been the means of es tsbsishipg eleven normal schools in diff ferspt parts of our union
 The Golden Gate association of Cslifor nia reports thirty five free kindergartenl established within the last thirteen years eighteen of which are permanently en doWed. A free normal school is also un der its charge.
 The folio wing sentence is quoted iron the report of the Silver Street Kindsrgar ten society of the same state:
 "The fact that San Francisco and Oak land now support by private charity sixty five of these institutions (free kindergsr rent) eeems to show very clearly that faith has been quickened and has paesed into tbs activs stage of works"
 | Perhaps have quoted enough to prov, that my claim for general and growing interest in the subject was not without au thority.
 The slight touch of pride which charac