The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-05
OUROwN KINDERGARTENS.
EXPANsION OF THE SYSTEM HERE
IN RECENT a RS.
Work Among children In the Tenement
s~ectous-Ohieets or tho KinderEnrten
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the schools
Raising the standard for the Teachers.

been IN the tenement sections Of the city.
When the New York kindergarten Association
was formed In the last OF the eighties, there
was no kindergarten In the public school sys-
tenn. Now there are ten kinderRartens In
connection with the public schools, and others
are established as fast as room can be found.
The association started with two objects. one
to induce the Board OF Education TO establish
kindergartens in the public schools, the other
to found kindcrgartcns itself. In the old
Board Of Education the Board had TO contend
against an adverse majority. but II hopes 70
get on better with the new Board. On its
own behalf, the association has established
fifteen kindergartens In the thickly populated
quarters of the city. All are filled to the
limit. and the number OF pupils could be
doubled at call were there funds for such an en-.
largement. Tho limit is fifty to a school while
there are parts Of the city where there are hun
dreds Of young children in every block.
The idea OF the association Is to take very
young children of the poor off the streets dur
ing the years before they ere Of school age.
The public schools do net admit children
younger than five years, and In the poorer sec
tions little tots below that age IRE allowed on
the streets a great deal more than Is good for
them. The association also seeks tn rescue
such children from the influences Of squalid
tenement surroundings. And It does not stop
at the child. There are mothers classes,
where the kindergarten teacher talks to the
mothers about cleanliness, the care of children,
household work. cooking, and things of inter
est TO them generally. 1t costs about 81. 400 a
year to run n school. The association Is not
endowed ana raises the money needed as 1t
goes along. 1t expcnds $50, 900 every year.
psues nc eniluren II 'ne assocla'iohs
number in the kindergartens OF the public
schools. where the classes RIM nerhans IN ~
pupils; LOO or 400 In the twenty schools OF
the Children's Aid Society. where the kinder
rarten classes average 60 to 20; the children in
a school conducted by the Society for Ethical
Culture, and those in about eighty private
kn"nereartens "nich u mas oeeh estimated may
average about fifty pupils each. There are
schools $50 that' altogether, probably more than
New York.
The hinderoor,en schoo, M tho Tsacnors,
College may be taken as a model. When the
college was removed to Morningside Heights
or he .icropo.s' as some persons IKE 10 term
that plateau which VIII soon be the site OF a
u W. W Nv a oppo,
'u"ty " '"n" " hliueisar'en " "hcn
should meet all ,eGnisements. ana the result
COUNTING a larcc hnv window alcoye NJ e,ther
end d"', with Il a I hish &C. ceiling "r and sever. seventeen ~. ', win.
dows. The kindrrparteners like n rrcnt deal
If LIGHT and thew want for tbe children nil the
sunlight in the schoolroom that they can get.
The bay windows at the east and west let in
the others give upon the south. Six or seven
years ago, when the kindergarten Department
dozen pupils. Now there are fifty. and as
many more were turned a way at the beginning
of the school year. The college ranks rs a
private institution. and it was decided TO limit
the number of pupils in the kinderEarten, For
to have not more than fifteen children in a class.
Absences make the classes average about right.
children n"t to begin besl at at the ftni ndersaTt ,Sri Is II thr ree
years. and i Is desired 10 keep them until they
seats and be in position" that dread Of some
lite ones at the tick Of the clock It takes
when they hear the piano on which Teacher
90 10 their chairs. which are arranged in n great
circle. In a few minutes tho pianist plays an
teachers and children clap their hands in time
to the accented notes. Then all say Good
SorshippsTs, but they are taagE! e spprec,a!e
in line With this idea, as well as to encourage a
habit of observation, that each morning the
weather or an ''observation." Ever Bcneti.
rent Dunn might call it. BEFORE the children
" 'S T in the Dbl" blue disk hiS' Is there i"%Ti'" They sHt and 'e aSs
teachers look out the window. and if'tle day is
cloudy the disk. representing the sky. is lined
over with gray. in pastel. to show how the sky
is overcast. The teacher has to he careful how
She does this shading In, for the little ones
soon become critical and are not backward in
Speaking out when they think too many clouds
or not enough are nut over the blue.
Near the disk is an American flag. made stiff
enough TO stand oat as If in a breeze, and when
the direction Of the wind is ascortained the
flag is placed so ms to indicate il.
After the weather lesson the children sing.
In the character OF the singing there is n
marked difference between the schools of dir.
ferent pnrts of the CITY, and between the So
called mission or charity srhools aud the nri.
yate ones. The children of the tenements know
thc airs of the strcrts. aud their tenchcrs adapt
kinderrrnrtcn snrt,s 10 thrm and vct along
ni"cIv. The tots will very likely come 70 thc
school singing the pouular airs. hut using lie
schnni words' The nriynta school Children do
moi as a rule know these airs. a the Teach
ers' CoIlege hits of classical mus IT, are worked
in Win ligItrr themes After the singing
.omcs The finger work. in which IL the song
80, ~ ",IW EHE