The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-01
LITTLE TOTS AT WORK
The Free kindergarten Now in
Full Operation.
THIRTY CHILDREN ENROLLED
Exercises ans object Lessons That In
terest the Children During tho
Days Session-The Teachers

The free kindergarten is now In full
operation. and thirty little tots, ranging
from 8 TO 6 years of age, are being IN
structed in the work. School is called at
clock, and many of the babes are there
by $50. SO anxious. and fond are they
with their studies, which are really play
lessons, intended only to prepare the
childish mind for primary work, which
must soon follow. Ii is wonderful TO see
the discipline maintained and energy dis
played as we'll as attention paid TO the
teachers during school hours.
Promptly at 8 O'Clock Miss Creelman,
instructor in charge. plays a march, and
the little ones come in in single file, keep
ing excellent time, form on q circular
mark, painted on the floor. and go through
dancing, games and singing exercises,
which occupy about twenty minutes. At
the conclusion OF these each child 10 allowed
to ask questions of the teachers and play
mates, after which they are formed into
two classes, the younger ones being pre-.
sided over by Misses Dean and Lester. of
the training class, and the other ones
taken in charge by Miss Creelman. Differ
ent forms of instruction are given them.
The younger class is put through system
of color weaving. Miss Creelman believing
it TO be advantageous to impress upon the
childish mind the difference in
colors and their blendings. The
older class is given different colored
worsted balls. AMI put through an
object lesson. Miss Creelman will ask the
children to name variety of fruit, bird
or flower that would correspond in color
with the worsted they have, and some in
terestiig answers result. Songs are inter-
spcrsed with the lessons, so as to keep the
children's minds on their work States
and pencils are passed around and the
children taught to draw circles with the
aid of a circular piece of wood, after which
they are given needle and piece of
worsted and instructed to sew a similar
circle on prepared stamped cardboard.
They are then given recess of fifteen min
utes in the yard and marched back TO the
room at IL o'clock, when dancing, games
and songs are again taken up for fifteen
minutes, after which they are marched to
their seats and made rest with their heads
on their hands, which Miss Creelman
thinks quiets the nerves and prepares
them for additional Instruction. At Has
they are got ready and excused for the
day, and are always on hand bright and
early next morning.
The children all belong to poor families
and the training they are receiving will
do them much good.
The school room is large and airy, with
excellent light. and is well suited tor the
purpose. Backboards are placed on the
sides of the wall and piano occupies one
corner. Miss Creelman told the reporter
that when the children first started in
they had no idea whatever of singing. but
all have done wonderfully well in so short
the room. the purpose being to keep the
q time. There is large stove in
temperature about the same at all times,
so as TO insure the children from taking
colds.
The irrepressible bad boy, as we'll as the
studious girl, so common to every school
room, is to be seen here, aud good order
at all times characterizes the school,
In the afternoon Miss Creelman in
structs the training class, at present COM
posed of Misses Dean and Lester. and sew
eral new applicants are reported. large
number OF people visit the school each
week and great interest is being taken in
the work by the ladies of the association.
Thirty is all that can be accommodated
with the present room, and will have to
remain at that figure until the training
class is increased and the room on the
other side of the hall, the exact size OF the
present room, Is furnished. Miss Creel-
man maintains that If more than thirty
were to be placed in the one room 1t would
transform the room into a nursery instead
of kindergarten. Until the other room
is furnished the school will run along with
the present number.