Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-08
GROWTH OF KINDERGARTENS
Increase in Omaha Apparently ct the EG-
pense Of the Primary Grade.
CUT OFF WITH ONLY HALF a DAYS SCHOOL
Results In ovcrworl<inE primary
Teachers as Wen ~ to the
D"trimcnt oC the Lit
tie Ones.

Ever since the opening o. :ha Omaha schools
IN September The unsatisfactory condition ot
the present arrangcmcn; for teachers aud
pupils has become moro sad more ap-
parent This Is especially true with rela-
tlon to the lower grades, The FIRST grade and
the kindergarten. The dissatisfaction with
the arrangements which have been made Tor
the teaching Of these grader hss been shown
by the fact that IN a number OF Instances
parents have taken their children from the
schools and either sent them 20 private IN
ssitu;lous or kept them az home altogether
The reason for this seems TO be the forcing
OF the children into rooms which are over
crowded the leugthenng OF tho hours OF
instruction. the doubling up of classes, and
in many cases. the assignment 10 one
teacher to one class in the morning and
another class in the afternoon. The result
has been that the pupils in the first grade
in many OF the schools have been com
PEELED 70 ge: along WIKI only half days
schooling and to spend the other nall day'
either morning or afternoon, idl!ng away
:heir time on the streets or neEiectlhS tDtE
stulics at home.
There are also a great many complaints
on the part Of the teachers. but the teachers
are afraid. apparently to give expression 20
their grievances. There Is a general ieel-
ing that the primary grade teachers are
overworked and that they are not able TO
bring forth the best results in the puplls
in their charge but there Is sort OF rear
resting upon them that, IL they complain
they will lniure their own standing with
the school authorities. In speaking about
tho conditions which exist in their schools
both principals and teachers insist that their
names shall not be quoted in connection
with shat they say, and the information
which they have given has been given on
the express condition that It's sources VIII
be withhold from the public.
FAVORING THE KINDERGARTEN.
There is an almost general impression
that the kindergarten is being favored al
the expense of the remainder OF the schools
that the kindergarten children who are given
a whole days instruction receive 1t at the
expense OF the children OF the primary
grades who are allowed to attend echool
only half day; and that the kindergarten
is not giving the results, comparatively
speaking. which the same money would
bring II expended in perfecting the IN
struction In the other grades On the
other hand there are over forty-two Prl-
mary grades where the children are gwen
only a half days schooling and forty-two
teachers who are doubling up oy instruct
ing one class in the morning and another
class IN the afternoon. or these hNe nave
to teach one class in the morning at one
school and another In the afternoon at an
other school often interfering with their
punc.uality, and sometimes even forclhs
them TO eat their lunches in the street cars
as they go from one place 10 another. One
primary teacher has only one-haf days
work with single class, with corre-
spending part of teachers salary.
There are a number Of facts and hgures
which go to show that the kindergarten has
been fostered at the expense Of the other
branches cf the public schools. Take for
example the matter Of school rooms devoted
to the uses Of the kintergarten and the hrst
grades The following table will show the
total number Of school rooms in the city and
the number devoted to kindergarten pur-
poses for period OF five years past:
SCHOOL, ROOMS