The morning call., 1894-11-15
THE SENSES WERE TESTED.
And Great Diversity Was FOunC
to Exist
BOTH IN SIGHT AND HEARING.
The Nathaniel Gray Free Kinder
garten's Work-A Show That
Interested the Visitors.

A new line OF activity has been started
by he Nathaniel Gray Free Kindergarten.
on Union street. near LarkiO. Yesterday
An exhibition was given to parents OF the
children, to the ladies of the board of ma D.
| ayers and their friends, and judging from
the expressions of approval that were
heard on all hands the work was a COM
plete success.
Mrs. John NJ. Williamson. the president,
had explained her views upon the subject
in a neat little pamphlet containing eX-
tracts from the writings of famous kinder
gartnars. This work was given 10 all
corners, and the substance of il was that
love being the religion of The Kindergarten,
moral and mental lessons should be given
as much prominence as the training of the
chlldren's hands.
You will see." said Mrs. Williams on.
"some OF their work." and she pointed to
the walls, where the usual gag designs 10
paper mats, stitching, etc, were displayed.
"out to-day we are going to give very little
prominence 10 this branch of the kinder
garten."
Every one was curious to know what the
exhibition was to consist of, aud when be-
tween fifty and sixty demure little tots
marched into the cheerful. airy room they
were vouchsafed more attention than is
generally given to kindergarten exercises
by the uniDitiated. After singing and say
Ing little prayer the real work began.
Tables covered with flowers and fruit
were placed in the center of the ring and
woolen balls of all the colors of the rain
bow were thrown TO the children.
Mar ry hold hali oraius CT
the color it matches on the table," cried
Mrs. Williamson TO a grave little maiden
in a big pinafore, who was hugging a green
ball
IL took Mary a full minute to wander
round the table aud decide that the ferns
were just the color of her fluffy toy. A
boy when put TO the same test found
green pepper that satisfied the require
ments. 81 know what's yellow" cried
the next child, holding a ball that looked
like an orange against golden apple, but
the little girl with the violet ball seemed
half color-blind. IL was only very hesi-
tstiugly at last that she dropped her toy
into a heap of fragrant viOlets.
Every one present had followed this
exercise with great interest. and at its
conclusion many people remarked that
they would never have suspected that in a
group of children there could have existed
so many degrees of seusibility to color.
The next act was blndfolding the little
ones in succession and request ing them TO
locate sounds. Same children pointed
directly 10 Miss Ames. the principal, when
she called them by name: others hesita,ed
and half pointed in the correct direction,
while a few indicated quite different
point OF the compass and stared i6 round
eyed surprise when the bandage was re-
moved from their eyes TO find how far off
they had been in their calculation 1t
ives explained that this exercise cultivated
the cbildren's sense of hearing.
Some of the other exercises were on the
senses of touch and taste. aud here, too.
it was found that all the babies had by no
means the same development. Some chill
dren knew cake as soon as it was In their
finger, though they were blindfolded, and
others were not sure about 1t even after
they bad eaten the dainty.
A number of pretty long games were
then given and the children dispersed into
the yard for recess, while Mrs. William
son. who had entered into the exercises
with all the spirit of child herself, save
q thih ~ tic JDaL
though the exercises seemed so simple
there was lesson in them.
A number of the mothers present ex-
pressed their appreciation of the work.
and testified to the good the kiudergarten
had done their children. 1t was compared
with the primary classes in the public
schools, to the disadvantage OF the latter.
Mrs. Williamson impressed upon the
mothers that if a number of them would
come forward and insist upon the kinder
gsrten being introduced into primary
work it would be done. Most of those
present agreed that it was time the kin
dergartens of San Francisco ceased to be
merely objects of private charity
The Nathaniel Gray Free kindergarten
was established several years ago by ladies
connected with the First Presbytl rian
Church. These ladies have continued
ever since to support it by voluntary con-
tributions. The following is the present
board: President, Mrs. John, William
son; first vice-president, Mrs. ri. j. Nc
Michial; second vice-president, Mrs C. S.
S. Wright; treasurer, Mrs. Krrketerp; !;
managers-Mrs. Norwood, Mrs. Dr. How
ard, Miss Bowman, Mrs. Ballard, Mrs.
Flournoy. Mrs. Judge Slack, Mrs. l.. A.
Kelley. Mrs. Whitney. Mrs. Howland,
Mrs. de Witt, Mrs. Win,erburn, Mrs.
Watt, Mrs. A. L. Ames, Mrs. Campbell,
Mrs. Hooper.