The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-03-17
A CHILD GARDEN
In Connection With the
Little Palama Chapel.
Good Work Being Done for Chill
dren of LocaIity-Miss Buckle
an Enthusiastic Teacher.

Perhaps there is no better evidence
in this city of good work needed. be-
gun and appreciated, than that in con-
nection with the Palama Chapel Not
to speak this morning of the Sunday
services nor of the midweek meetings
for sewing, prayer or social enjoyment
and culture, 1 would like to call atten-
ton to the Palama Kindergarten. To
this phase of work the chapel is given
five mornings a week, when Miss Buck
lie and her assistants receive and care
for sometimes as many as rs little chill
dren. What this means may well be
judged by an intelligent observer pass
ing through the surrounding locality
which, like all congested districts, has
it's share of filth, physical and moral
There is usually need, as we'll as OPP
portunity, for many of the little ones
upon arriving at the chapel to indulge
in "a morning wash" One of the ia
vorite games at the tables is, "This is
the way we wash our faces; this is the
way we brush our hair, etc. But the
sweetness and light" of childhood are
by no means confined to districts where
the cleanliness and comforts made
easy by wealth are found. These ba-
bies, few of whom speak or even I'M
derstand the English language in any
degree, are full of attractiveness to
their enthusiastic teacher. Miss Buckle
declares that these children possess a
spontaniety and delightful freedom
from self consciousness which she
has not found among American
children. Moreover, she notices
in the Hawaiians, who consti-
tute the large majority of her
kindergarten, an impulsiveness and de-
light in play which she has missed in
her observations of the Chinese and
Japanese children.
While learning self-expression in
language, the Hawaiian children find
no difficulty in giving vent to feeling
in music and motion. Their play in
structs, lends enjoyment to the games
on the ring but with even greater
heartiness does their racial apprecia-
ton of music give ZeSt to songs-at
present often "songs without words"
Seated on the floor near the piano a
spirited chorus follows Miss Buckles
leadership-and one child about
years old huns a sweet and true alto!
Unfortunately there is little yard
room belonging to the chapel, still
there is enough to give the children
lessons in cleaning the yard" and
place for sand pile. The children
have planted seeds of trees about the
fence, but there is little chance for
flower beds.
Compared with the other kinder
gartens of Honolulu, the room seems
bare of ornaments. Good pictures, for
instance, photographs or fine prints of
"Madonnas.'' ''The Good Shepherd,
Millet's "Angelus," or other subjects
showing the beauty and dignity of Ia
Dor: views of forests, mountains, plains
or the ocean would be appropriate, not
only for the kindergarten, bit for the
chapel in it's other uses.
Canaries and goldfish, also, would
give pleasure and profit to the many
children of nature, little or grown
up" who gather there for rest, work
or worship.
Visit this kindergarten some day,
Mr.. Editor. and see if you do not find
other needs to be me- by child-lovers
with omen pocketboOks-fat or lean.
But when you visit, do not expect the
kindergartner to interrupt her work
to pay attention to you. Think how the
children would be affected, neglected,
interrupted. worried and made self
conscious. if whenever visitor ar
rived all plans for the day should be
broken and the children made to per-
form for your entertainment. Use your
own eyes, ears and sympathies, and
so understand something of the forces
underlying this apparent play that is
real education. Nj. Il. I'D. f.