The herald., 1896-11-30
TIE KINDERGARTEN WORK
Accomplished by 1900 Children
in the City Schools
AN INTERESTING DISPLAY
On Exhibit At The Olive Street School
House
Will Be Open to the Public on Wednes-
day Afternoon-Parents Urged to
Visit the Exhibition.

Should there be any one in the city
Of Los Angeles having the welfare Of
children at heart who has not caught
the spirit Of kindergarten work, or who
doubts its Importance as the true foun-
dation Of education, their indifference
may be changed to enthusiasm and
skepticism to faith by a visit this week
to the school house at the corner Of
Olive and Fourth streets. In room
on the fourth story Of this building the
teachers Of the kindergarten depart
ment of the city schools have arranged
the work of nearly fifteen hundred little
heads and as many pairs of baby hands.
It has been done mainly by children in
the first grade, many of whom entered
school at the opening Of the present
term On the chill, gray wall of the
long room the committee Of ladies have
arranged decorations consistent with
the autumn idea in the work; tall stalks
of corn, with ruseet blades and green
tops, branches of trees full of birds
nests gathered on the mountains during
the teachers vacation, and punches OF
autumn leaves from high up in the
canyons. These decorations, however,
are merely touches here and there, to
bring out more fully the handiwork of
the little folks tastefully displayed on
the walls. Above the wainscoting is a
dado of braided mats made of paper in
the spectrum colors, red, orange, yell
low, green, blue and violet, which is
carried out in all the work. Each Of
the thirty kindergartens furnished ten
mats.
Over the arches are portieres made of
straw and small squares of paper in
rainbow colors, which, with the long
chains that add so much to the beauty
of the walls, represent the childs first
efforts, and one day and half Of the
teachers time in it's arrangement foc
the young beginners. The work on
every card of the hundreds displayed
illustrates song or story and always
pertains to the season in which 1t is
done, thus keeping the child near to
natures heart"
Nothing is taught that is not logically
and scientifically correct; the parquetry
work, made of rings, is arranged in
geometric designs and each color In
it's different shades not for contrast nor
mere effect. This being the fall season
there are many cards Of autumn leaves
in natural tints outlined with stitches
in wool.
Then came vegetables, birds flying
southwark, squirrels hiding away their
winter stores of nuts in the trunks of hol-
low trees, and the naughty bunnie, who
failed to make provision for the winter.
The story of the baker was Illus trated
by the sheaf of grain and sickle, bags
of flour, then the barrel and scoop. the
SITTER pan, cup and spoon to measure,
and finally the loaf of bread, with the
knife to cut 1t. In the present month the
story of Thanksgiving is told on num-
erous cards. First. the clothes the Pill
grim fathers and mothers wore, the ves-
sells in which they sailed, Indian wig
vans, to show the difficulties they over
came; the log house they lived in. and
their cooking utensils. The pupils of
one school have constructed a card
board house, with colonial furniture.
fire places, spinning wheel and a cradle
with baby in it that is so correct in de-
sign it could have had for its model the
one in which Peregrene White wasroclS-
ed to sleep in old colonial times. A
calendar for the month of November,
made by little fingers is especially inter
esting; the first week is represented by
autumn leaves; the second, fruits: the
third, vegetables; the fourth. with
turkey, cake and other good things suit
able for Thanksgiving dinner; the last
week with picture of barrel and bags
supposed to contain flour and corn the
children gave to the poor, and then
candlestick with the light blown out
and good night written above.
The clay modelling of vegetables, log
house and fence by some of the more
advanced grades is of especial interest
and remarkably we'll done. A meager
description in words cannot convey an
adequate idea of the beauty of arrange
ment nor the Importance of the exhibit
1t has been decided to throw open the
room on Wednesday afternoon to vis-
itors, and the public is not only cordial
ly invited, but urged, to take advantage
of this opportunity to become acquaint-
ed with what is being done by the small
est tots in school. One of the teachers
cheerfully offers her services to explain
the kindergarten idea to those inter-
ested.
or all the teachers employed in the
city schools. none are more enthusiastic
and earnest than the seventy kinder
gartners, under whose instructions this
work has been done and from whose
numbers a committee was selected who
have so artistically arranged the exhibit,
composed of Misses Julia Bruere, Olga
Dorm, Grace Hutchins, Jessie McGaw
and Grace Barnes