The record-union., 1896-04-28
NOBLE EDUCATIONAL WORK.
a Mothers Study Circle Kindergarten
Normal Training.
What is Done in Both-A Meeting of
All Interested Has Been
Called.

the coast in advanced educatlonal syS-
TENS and methods, and the best means
for the training and culture or children.
She has within her midst two Well-es-
tablished active associations, each in
it's own department doing enthusiastic,
progressive work for the advancement
of child training. One of these is s'The
Mothers Study Circle" an association
composed of some of the most earnest,
intelligent mothers of Sacramento,
which has quietly been carrying on its
work for nearly year.
Universal is the hunger for better
methods and greater wisdom On the
part of parents of young children. and
keener and more widespread is becom-
ing the realization that ''the hand that
rocks the cradle rules the world"
With this object, a deeper knowledge
of the Science of Motherhood" have
these earnest mothers been pursuing
their studies, taking as their textbook
for this year Miss Elizabeth Harrison's
work, "a Study of Child Nature" This
work comprises a course Of lectures
given by Miss Harrison to her class of
mothers and teachers In the Chicago
kindergarten College, and treats of the
instincts Of the child in its threefold ma
ture-body, mind and SOUL
This circle was organized by and is
under the leadership Of Mrs. Hoyt, who,
having taken a course with Miss Harri-
son, brings to this work the treasure of
her studies, supplemented by the wis
dom of a true motherhood and the in
spiration of rare, noble personality.
The meetings of the circle occur the
second and fourth Wednesdays of the
month, and are conducted most inform
ally. The method being principally
readings and discussions. Membership
is entirely unrestricted, being offered
most freely to "whosoever will"
Through the interest which has been
aroused by the work of this circle, to-
gether with the seed which was first
sown by the Sacramento kindergarten
Association, which had charge of the
various charity kindergartens of this
city for some seven years, until the city
adopted them as a part Of the regular
public school system, there has been
created demand which has been most
successfully met by the establishment
of the Sacramento Normal Kindergar-
ten Training School for the professional
training of kindergarten teachers.
W
three months ago by Miss Mary F. Led
dergarten Training School, a large and
successful institution which she has
conducted for some five years.
Miss Ledyard is a trainer Of expert
ence, who has spent many years in prac-
tical kindergarten work, aside from ex-
tensive travel in Europe visiting kim
o,-ta nd o1ne
methods of both teaching and training
teachers. She has also studied with
such authorities as Miss Elizabeth Har-
rison and Professor A. NJ. Hailmann,
great lights in the kindergarten world,
and standing at the head of training
work in America. Miss Ledyard's first
training work was done as an associate
Of the pioneer trainers of San Francisco,
Mrs. ~Wiggen and Miss Nora Smith.
Speaking of the work, Miss Smith once
said: 1.-THE universal adoption of
Froebers system as the only rational
and sure foundation of all after educa-
ton can only be a question of time, and
it will make possible in the future a
moral and intellectual state of society
hitherto unknown. But for this end in
telligent women must faithfully study
Froebel's science and art. 1t is impossi-
bic to get any practical idea of Froebels S
philosophy without earnest study un-
der capable instructor, and 1t is utter
ly impossible for the student to catch
the necessary inspiration unless she
passest the period of her training in the
kindergarten itself"
Realizing this, Miss Ledyard asked for
and received the hearty support of the
Board of Education Of Sacramento and
the principals OF the kindergartens OF
the city, the board having opened the
kipdergartens of Sacramento to the stu
dents Of this training school, feeling
that their presence there would be OF
mutual benefit.
Great assistance will be rendered the
regular teachers, and these students
will grow day by day into rational, pur-
poseful, intelligent teachers, filled with
the spirit of Froebers system, and sc
the work will move forward, receiving
new impetus and strength through this
new and most necessary department
having been added just at this time.
Miss Ledyard is aided by an able
corps of assistants, each a specialist in
given department. The work here is
under the supervision of Miss H. V
Prichard, a teacher Of long experience
and who has for some years been a CO.
worker with Miss Ledyard.
These two associations are workins
hand-in- hand, and, in fact, are closely
linked together by branch class of the
Mothers Circle, which is taking a par
tial course In the Kindergarten Training
School, embracing theoretical and prac