New-York tribune., 1896-10-06
PLANS FOR KINDERGARTENS
SEVERAL TO BE ESTABLISHED IN THE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS EARLY NEXT YEAR
NUMBER OF IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO BE DE-
c1pEp-BErrER NO K1NpERGARTENs IF
THEY ARE NOT INTRODUCED IN
THE RIGHT WAY. WITH ADE-
oUArE DIRECTORS AND
SUPERVISION

THE RIGHT WAY. WITH ADr,-
orArE DIRECTORS AND
SUPERVISION.
In the budget of the Board OF Education approved
BY the Board OF Estimate last summer was d"
item of 81 900 for kindergarten instruction III cor
nection with the public schools OF brooklyn. ne
money will not be available until a1ter the oesi"
ming of next year and yet action in reference
to the establishment of kindergartens mas peen
taken The matter will, however, come peio'o ''e
Board OF Education at its meeting To-Day anu !.
is not unlikely that a struggle VIII DC pfe''p"'O
at the beginning -
The onlv thing done regarding it hitherto was
the reference of the subject of kndergarens 10 the
Committee on Studies. of which professor riaiiN
lin W. Hooper is chairman 1t Is understood '"a'
this committee will present a report AT 'o-"as :
meeting 10 the effect that the preparation Oh
plan of kindergarten instruction be lhtruS'eu "
professor Hooper's committee To such PROPOSE
lion there Is reason believe that stout opposition
will be made by certain mempers Oh '"e
According to their way of thinking 'heic '
be a special committee appointed TO take chaise Vi
the entire matter of kindcrgartens. and II Is ato
Gather nrobable that such n proposal Will be
brought before the Board an amendment 10 'he
report of the Committee on STUDIES
THREE MEN WHO KNOW.
II is well known that the idea OF specidi app'o
priation for the establishment ana maih'ei',.' w
kindergartens originated with Frank L. baoo'.'
w a
Mayor Scheren last fall and 1t Is coh'ehueo III '
hehan that he is a man best fitted TO act as cha'r
man of the committee under whose oirec'ioi' nm
dercartens are TO be established as part vi 'iio
BROOKLYN school system. The process Vi ia'u'"
selection also designates unerringiy TWO Oh inc '
who should be appointed his associates on lhe
committee namely. Henry W. Maxwel anu O""'e'
n. Chadwick. - ,,
It happens that all three Of these men nave pee
actively interested in the Brooklyn Free hihoei-
garten Society since 1t was founded your or NV
wears ago. Mr. Babbott has been the presioeht u
Tho society from the first, and Mr.. ChadwicK mas
likewise been chairman of the General Comih''ee
the same length of time. Mr MaNwen mas 'e''
as vice. president of the society, ana mas III i',s
WAYS manifested his interest in IT, VIVA, cou'u o
more appropriate than that the esiapiisi'ne", Va
public school kindergartens should be nTusree s y 80
men who have knowledsee. Of the kindersar'e" s'S'
number of importan; questions VIII nave 10 TO pe M
decided after the ,hil Werk Should 81 be taken in
hand bv one of the standing committees OF u!
One Of these m sd Is soT the
Of kindergartners and the supervisor OF kinder Ls
gartens whether the nsnrnt Of the Board
That is question for the Board TO es aespe has
hesS scale sssested 81 that teachers this department
should begin with salary od pernaeS perm SHSa%mum of
ceive yearly increase OF s'o uh''' '''~''''''
Connection with this it may be interesting TO
note that i'm free kindergarens or the fNuei s.i a.
fen society. of which there are about dozen, me
saary paid the directors Is sSVu fear sorces c
Of the Society have been sufficient to Justify b h
ofyo%S ~ ork ih's whsh has side
women and girls are Wiling 10 SN woulS otherwise
satisfy them.
THE QUESTION OF LOCATION.
Another question is the location of the public
school kindergartens. OF course no a',e"p, VII,
be made put one in each OF the puphc s'ipo,.
Schools will have TO be selected IN "icn ''ee
are available rooms and. on general prihcipies' 1t
Is obvious that kindergartens are more neeoeu /"
the crowded districts Of the city than elsewhere
Who shall appoint the directors OF these schoois
Is still another question TO demand a''e'''o',
Under the Brooklyn system teachers are aPpoih'e'
by the local committees. and that Is right zeai-
ously guarded. In the opinion Of many students
of educat tonal affairs. 1t is the worst feature OF
the system. but the patronage makes hghiy re re-
Eoard PS % the ine saSe Of should
quire no argument to SHOW .hat 1 ,he} }SonIv S ON a
,aished ia wei TO be determined but it is the pur
Of those interested IL 5 this smnoyed aed 'ha In Nsw
York City that is not the case the public sGhOo
% there being raae @ho N haSe hsd
special kndergar,en training All dT h fnnpa Of
BrnSins the entire plan Of in the
public schools into contempt ana condemning M !, 10
day: TT is Scarcely less absurd than would be
the appointment Of teacher OF mathema4cs s. WHO ho
Senartment Of Greek and Latin Kindergar ming, -
n was added lis special science. ana one who
has not been specially trained i0r II Is not III 'he
least ftted to undertake the work -.,o. q.
In the minds of those interested in the question: II
Is OF the vital importance that thoroughiy
competent person should De appoihnea as su9ei s9 H.
Froebels philosophy and adequately trained in
kindergarten methods. They believe in offering a
the best supervisor be had in the United States
In their opinion IL would be better TO have no
kindergartens all than not TO have them intro
duced in the very best way, and tney are con-
hat hal p dozen good OneS-Or
would be far preferable to large number OF KIN
dergartens that are such IN scarcely more thah
name.
DIR. MAXWELL ON KINDERGARTENS
II is n fortunate circumstance that the establish
Ynent of pubic school kndergartens In Brooklyn
is TO be accomplished during the superintendency
of a man in full sympathy with the kindergarten
idea In every one OF his annual reports for the
last ten years Dr. William II. Maxwell has urged
on the Board Of Education the provision OF instruc-
tion Of this sort. In his first report he dealt with
IL somewhat elaborately, and each year since he
has required - 1t. In his report for 1885. he said
1.-THE kindergarten has long since passed the ex-
permental stage. II Is now regarded by all COM
petent judges as the best II not the only right
method of initiating q child into regular school
work. II Is not creditabe to our city that our
the means il would be possible at the present mo-
ment to establish kindereartens In ten or twelve
different school buildings In which there vacant
kindergartens established by the city unless proper
provision Is made to secure thoroughly trained
kndergartners and TO provide for their supervision
by a competent director.
AN OLD NAN MISSING.
Great anxiety is felt at Rockville Centre for the
safety OF Arthur Wright. seventy years old. Wrigh