The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-08

citation, and Told OF the work Iha'
Is Being Accomplished Few
Remarks We're Also Made by A. ID.
Holland and DR.. y. G. Logan, ID. ID.
One of the most delightful occasions
in connection with the history ot lhi
Free Kindergarten association in tins
city was that ut last evening when
Mr.. and Mrs G. y. simpson entertain
ed the subscribers at their home on
Olive street.
Among those present were: Mr.. ana
Mrs T.. l.. fuller, Mr.. and Mrs. c. ;.
Weston, Mrs. A. T.. Hunt Miss Anna
X. Sandcrson, Miss Underwood. MIS-
James Archibald, Mrs. ID. f. Taylor
Mr.. and Mrs. j, Ben Dimmck, Mrs.
William Matthews, Mrs. II. p. Simp-
con. Rev. DR. S. G. Logan. Mrs. Rich
ard Matthews, Mrs. w. II. Pierce, Mrs.
B. f. Watson, Mrs. W. II. Peck, MIS-.
] A. Price Mrs. c. +. Matthews, Mrs.
Eolgate, Mr.. and Mrs. 7. c. Won
Storch. Mrs. f. II. Jermyn, Mrs. G. H.
Pcnman. Mr.. James \. Linen, the
Misses Simr son, Gilmore, Pratt, Mat
thews. Hunt. Augusta Archibald, How
ell Dale.
a. y. Holland introduced Miss Tn
derNyood, the chief kinderEartner, IN
| few earnc st words eVinCing his Intense
! interest i'm the work. Miss Underwood
gave a charming talk. She is an oN-
! ccptionally graceful speaker ana her
! explanation Of the methods employed
| was interesting alike to those familiar
with the work and those who had pre-
| viorsly thought little about it. showing
| that the idea of taking the children
| into the world Of mako-believe, where
! they love to be- is the means of devcI-
| opirg their spiritual, mcnta! and phys
! ical well being.
! MISS TNDERWOOD'S ADDRESS.
The early part of her address was a
/ paper read before meeting last spring
! and was repeated by request. 1t wa"
! followed by a brief and most enter
| tanning resume of the work at the
! present time which. owing to the with
drawal Of certain funds has been re-
| duCed in two kindergaItens, the CEN
! trail, at Mulberry and Penn, and the
"chapel' at Adams and New York
street The former has a conglomer-
ate attendance, the latter is chiefly for
the benefit Of Slavonians.
st. Luke's church also supports a
| Kindergarten on the South Side. the
| Second Presbyterian church has one in
connection with the West Side mission
| and at JcSSuo another is connected
! with the mission.
The methods in Pittsburg, where re-
markable progress has been accom-
| plshed. vas described. \ central or
ganization exists there with which 9TH
ers unite on the payment of five dol
lars a year
There are between forty and fifty
children in the central kindergarten of
Scranton. They now come compare
lively clean and well-dressed, but up
on their return home will he found
divested Of shoes and stockings and
clothed in rags, so anxious are the
mothers to make them present a good
appearance during school hours. Ii
was a hard struggle at first to secure
this cleanliness, but by means OF
mothers meetings it was accomplished
These meetings are not Of minor inn
portancc. Ideas ON proper food, by,
giene, etc, are inculcated. The pa,
rents are given to excessive use of tea
and coffee. These form an important
part Of the diet of the little ones. Theil
breakfast usually consists of a cup ot
tea. or coffee and a sweet cake from
the bakery. Often they come without
breakfast at all, as their mothers are
! too shiftless to arise and prepare it il
time.
WORKING FOR REFORM.
Ladies Of the kindergarten are en-
f deaVoring to correct the food habits o
the children 10y once each month Civ
ing them simple, healthful luncheon
p Lessons in neatness are taught in thi
way. Circles Of young ladies' attenC
= to these luncheOns in Pittsburg, wheu
, | also lecture courses are provided l.
= assist mothers. students and teacher
in understanding the kindergarten
5 work.
The public schools have there takel
5 up the work. The first year 81, 200 wa
p appropriated; the second year, $4,000
. while this year the sum is still larger
., The money is given entirely into III
. hands of the free Kindergarten asso
/ citation. Thus the work has been car
Y ried on most successfully and wit
i marvellous results.
- In closing, Miss Underwood repeatc
the declaration of Benjamin Butter
e worth to the effect that this move
d ment represents more in life than an
i |
: on the Mount with all the beatitudes
$ Mr.. Holland then gave statistics re
g garding it's development in Newark,
h city, he said of about this size, wher
g 3 out of "a public schools had 900 chi
i dren in the kindergarten. He CAV
e other interesting facts in the progres
there of only one and One-half year
since it's beginning, while in five yeal
we seem no nearer to having free XIII
dergartens in our public schools.
- He believed it to be folly for the cit
i" to eXpend so much on higher eduCatiO
3 and neglect the poor little ones at II
- most receptive period Of their live
The state had finally passed a law pc
hitting the existence of kindergarten
in the public schools but not compel
ing such a step. He did not know no
ot it is possible to reach this school boar
A DIR. LOGAN's APPEAL.
Rev. DR.. Logan followed in a stror
appeal for this work among the 70
eigners. If we want to reach them
& must be through the children. In OF
r, school of thirty-seven pupils, fourtet
different languages are spoken.
another Of forty there are ten distn
Of languages. In a South Side school
IN men, started for the purpose of pr
Of pairing them for citizenship" only 70
ly could read in their own tongue.
longed for GLORIOUS Six" on I
Scranton school board,
sy At the conclusion of his remarl
s. Miss Simpson delighted all present
her beautiful rendering Of sever
songs and refreshments were serve