The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-30
IT'S WORK BR0ADENED
The kindergarten Reorganized
and Incorporated.
PROSPEROUS GROWTH oFAYEAR
It Now Has Nearly 400 Membership
Tomas to Issue for the Training
Course-The Officers.

The Seattle Free kindergarten Assoeia-
ton held an important meeting Saturday
al which the association was reorganIzesi
as an incorporated body. officers were
elected and the word free which has
heretofore formed a part Of the name of
the organization was stricken out. thus
broadening the scope of the work By al
lowing the association 10 undertake all
kinds Of kindergarten work and empha-
sizing the fact that while charitable work
will stfll be done, yet the prime object is
educational rather than charitable.
The Kindergarten Organized.
Until May. 1884. Seattle had no free kim
dergartens. and no prospect of any. Mrs.
c. f. Dewhurst. intensely interested in
true kindergarten work. had. for several
years. conducted a private kindergarten
greatly 10 the beneflt of the little ones
in her neighborhood, and early in the
spring of 1894, fred with genuine enthll-
siasm, she wrote a paper on Child Cui-
ture." which closed with an appeal for
kindergartens as the best education for
young children The paper was read be-
fore the Unity Club. creating much inter-
est in her subject and was again read, by
request, before the Woman's Century
Club Her friends urged her to call a
meeting OF women for the purpose of in
teresting them in free kindergartens, and
after much hesitation she did so. Seven
the afternoon OF May met at her home.
where, after much profitable discussion
they organized q free kindergarten asso-
citation. IL was the earnest desire of the
ladies assembled that Mrs. Dewhurst ac-
cept the Office of president. This she pos
itively declined, but accepted the Office
of secretary, and Mrs. II. T. Holmes was
made president. Mrs. Andrew Coming
was made treasurer. and to those work.
eTs was largely due the success of the
association in its first years work. Aside
from the eight ladies present at the or
gsniZation OF the association, there were
enrolled as charter members ten more
friends Of the kindergarten, two of whom
We're gentlemen.
Two public meetings were held in the
Chamber OF Commerce. May 10 and June
is. As q result of these two meetings
many members We're added. and through
the influence of Prof. Frank ]. Barnard
the public school board offered the use of
the old South school building. Heroic
work was required TO 1T the rooms Tor
use.
\ Good Beginning.
In the meantime i correspondence had
been opened with training schools in Chi
cago, san Francisco, La Porte. Los Ange-
les and Portland, for the purpose of secur-
ing a teacher 10 take charge of the practi-
cal kindergarten work in the city. This
seemed the most important undertaking
OF all The members of the executive COM
mittee who had this matter in charge look
cd upon It as their greatest responsibility.
They realized that the success of the flu
ture depended entirely upon the sincerity
and efficiency of the first kindergartner
They needed a person not only qualified
10 take charge Of the kindergarten, but
one who could conduct the training school
10 be established in connection with the
"a in,
the services of Miss Ellen Creelman, and
1t is to her work that the association owes
its success for the past year and its prom
ise for the future.
The first kindergarten was started Sep
TENDER 4, 1895. with thirty children and one
pupil teacher. During the year the num-
Der In the kindergarten increased to fifty
and the training school had a remarka-
bic growth.
The Association Firmly Established.
The first annual report OF the associa-
ton has just been issued. and the papers
therein presented from the president the
secretary and the treasurer make a most
Creditable showing Tho association now
numbers nearly 900 members. IL received
from voluntary subscriptions during the
year over $500, beside numerous miscella-
neous articles.
Ten or twelve young ladies' are taking
the training course under Miss Creeln1an
10 mt them for work as kindergartners.
and now that the association is incorpor-
ated, they VIII receive regular diplomas.
Miss Gresham also contemplates a course
OF kindergarten extension lectures The
members Of the association speak in the
highest terms of her work
At the meeting Saturday the following
officers were elected: President. Mrs. c.
r. Dewhurst: first vice president. Rev
D. c. Garrett; second vice president. Mrs.
Maurice McMicken; corresponding secre-
tary, Mrs. II. f. Holmes: recording secre-
tary. Miss G. Day Butler: treasurer, L. d.
Black, and the following trustees, I'm adj
dlti0n TO the officers. who are also trus-
tees: Mrs. J. X. Snlison. Mrs. s. Ar0n-
son. Mrs. Alma Durant Bixby Miss Nellie
=. Condor. Mrs. J. Il. &. Lockwood, Mr.
W. J. Colkett, Prof. Charles Pagan, and
Dr. n. r Titus.