The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-18

H E Holmes presided. the report Va sA0
corresponding secretary Wa reeo. Sne
spoke Of tho effort that vas re.ns m.os
to introduce . hill In the les'sa. ~
ns,hl,r srhooI svstem II II expected that
Al ~ rinderrnrtcn associations IN the
.ynte wsIl unite in carrying forward this
project II was also reported tnat AZ the
last meeting OF the board OF trustees Il
Vas decided 70 close the training class to
new applicants for tne presen1 49, ins
corresroroing secretary concluded her re-
nort with = few remarks concoruing the
condition Of the free kindergarten on Main
street extending q cordial Invitation to
all interested In the cause Of education TO
VISIT II and become convinced OF Its value.
Miss Ellen Creelman. superintendent Of
the free kindergarten work OF the city.
then delivered IN address. which was list
ened to with much pleasure Miss Creel-
man spoke Of the course OF study pursued
by tho pupils OF the training class and CT
the progress Of the kindergarten work. not
only In the city. but In the larger educa-
tional ccnters OF the country. During her
summer vacation. which Miss Creelman
spent In the East. she came into personal
contact with the highest authorities upon
tho subject Of kindergartens and Of child
culture In general. 30 that what she says
has the added interest Of coming fresh
from those versed In the latest methods Of
kindergarten work She said:
with reference to the kindergarten ev-
anything IL going most happily. and 40 we
become better acquainted with one an
other naturally We do better work. We
spent most pleasant time. lingering ~
long as possible over summer. with its
birds. bees. dowers. etc We had much
pleasure while Strengthening up our flower
beds for winter and putting in some seeds
70 sleep until spring. We walked. sang.
and told stories Of the various homes OF
people and animals. We spoke OF the
various members Of the human family.
One mother told of her little boys fond
ness for bis grandmother. and said that
when they went on the street. II he saw
an old lady he would exclaim: Just look
ar the dear old grandmammA' Others
told how the children sing the finger songs.
while playing with the baby's fingers and
toes. and how every day they had some
thing new to tell of what they had been
doing. We had all OF the parents to visit
Us one day. and they all showed much APP
probation Of what was being done for the
children. Now we are leading up to
Thanksgiving. occasionally returning to-
talks and songs about summer. which can
not be entirely separated from autumn
So we follow the childr Ten. guiding and
suggesting that they may sec more than
they otherwise would: that they may re-
ceive our sympathy and express their own
with that life which surrounds them,
knowing that II II not our work to lift
them from their environment and place
them amidst other surroundings we en-
deRvcr as far as we have TO do with them
to aid them to rise superior to their en-
vironment. We know that this is the
only way 10 enable the children TO reach
higher. :ruer life. We aid them as they
are ready to receive giimpxes Of the harpi-
ness that Is possible fer all to reach. We
shall help them to express themselves In
various ways. 10 become conscious OF
power within themselves. ard later to
know that according to universal Develop
ment we rise only through seIf-activity--
that as that is the law in plant, In min
eral. in animal life SO in higher form u
Is the law I'm human life.
Knowing that IT IS of great Importance
that we hurry not this development
hnQwing that every time we do that we
blur rather than clear the vision OF the
child. We realize how d;ficuit. how DELI
cate. the task is. Knowing that Ii is our
part to suggest. not too much. but always
enough. we feel how necessary II is that
we be always alert TO know what Ii need
ed. Responsibility should rot be given to
unskiIled workers.
Upon the practical work, as a part Of
the training course. greater stress is now
laid than ever before I would say that
have the lessons carried on according 10
any one persons set rules, but the aim is
TO aid the students to understand the nos
sibiisties OF the various exercises Of the
kindergarten. TO understand why Froebei
made them rert of the entire system TO
understand the universal principles under
lying all development and 10 appiy these
principles TO the education of little chill
dren by means Of Froehers play material
This Is not ell. There IL the study and
observation OF the children. thar they may
know how to appeal to the Individual
needs OF the children Then that which
IL Of the greatest importance of all. the
living according 70 these principles their
own HIVES. We are not placing before the
children something which they win need
only when children. but we are pointing
out the way of life. which we hope them
TO follow amid all its changing surround
ings. X from this aid each Individual n
4 little less hsndered than otherwise we
shall have had our reward. This course
of study is not alone for child nurture
but. hrst OF all. for seif-cuiture. We are
helpful IN snrpre$sinR others according 10
what we are. not otherwise In the prac-
tical work we do not wish 10 crnynr the
snontaneitv or originality OF any teacher
That would not be well. nor r. II 20 be
wished for But 10 attempt TO take a
beautiful violin In ores hands without
20 express or the possibilities In any slight
degree OF the instrument, would give bu,
q dtscordant result. The teachers WORK
Is q thousand times more dsfI.cuit ard
delicate. and that which she has 70 do il
infinitely more complex. Shall we SET
young teachers. before understanding
themselves. fhe children, or the purpose
Of the kindfrrsrten. 70 Independently ex-
pertinent N this work, Not 90 but they
like the children. shall BE- given RESPONSE
bslity according 20 their strength. ard ALI
ORIGINAL suggestions shall receive due con-
sideration. But these will come. 10 a
large extent. only through later exp~ri-
ence. The training class practice shall be
the careful preparation fer &C.
Necessity for True cuIture.
1T matters much to IN. srssv,a,,ar
teachers. aside from the children. how
much real sels-cuiture she sefs before ex-
perimentsne unasdcd with the children.
rhose who are doing the best work I'm the
Kindergarten today are those who have
been thoroughly aroused to the abeofufe
necessity Of. 1rst Of all. true culture With
IN themselves. 30 ~ shall ever b~ Tn.
world win have little need Of these who
fan below this aim Then shall Ne. have
In teaching the true sponsa.efsy Of crs
who says what she says. and does what
she does be~suse she earncs help herself
This work n growing In Seattle II Il
not . small thing TO have a free hinder
gsrter Of SIXTY children and a training
class OF fourteen members n the hinder
xarsen should BE- closed today the IVORY
would rot have h<~n q failure for the
words OF many who have studied ara
talked with me proclaim the fact thar fh~,
have gained much insight into the pur.
pose Of the kindergarten. and that can