Evening star., 1898-07-09
THE UNDERGRADUATES.
Interesting Addresses Mt the Calvary
Baptist Church.

AuureSSCS
Baptist Church.
The opening of the kindergarten depart
ment took place at o'clock at Calvary
Baptist Church.
The address of welcome was mode by
Mr.. Pickman Mann of this city, who
cordially welcomed the strangers and
spoke earnestly of the work accomplished
by kindergartners and their value in the
community. He said this systew of edu-
cation was introduced into Washington in
1871, and in consequence of the interest
aroused by Miss Elizabeth Peabody. Miss
Hooper was the pioneer teacher, but her
work was not continuously active. School
authorities have been convinced OF the
need of kindergartens by the success OF
those which have been maintained by pri-
vate subscriptions. Congress has this
year consDted to the request OF the
school board of the District of Columbia
to establish kindergartens in the puDlc
school system. Mr.. Mann attributed much
of the success of kindergartens to the fact
that many interested now had the advan-
tages of its early training in their child
hood.
To his address of welcome Miss McCul-
loch of ST Louis responded. Miss McCul-
loch is the president of the department,
and in her address gave thanks to those
in Washington who have striven to give
every hospitality to the visitors on this
occasion.
Miss Elizabeth Harrison of Chicago not
being present her paper was read by her
niece, Miss Grace Fuller. Our theme to-
day. said Miss Fuller sis kindergarten
Ideas Shown in the Mother Play Book
which was written late in Froebers life
to show mothers and undergraduates how
to lead the young child easily into con-
sciousness of truths that are sublime as
directive power and sit upon the throne
of life, the truths of God, freedom and
immortality. In speaking of this book
Froebe said: L have here laid down the
fundamental ideas of my educational the
ory. Whoever has grasped the pivot ideas
of this book understands at what / am
aiming l could quote from many authori-
ties who speak with equal enthusiasm of
the value of this book, and let us turn
rather to the help which it gives to moth
ers and to kindergartners in solving their
practical problems in order to disabuse
your minds of any unfair preiudices that
may have arisen from mistaken idea that
1t Is the fine theory of a German philoso-
pher or a poetic idealist, and so of no use
to the average practical American
1T deals with incidents universal in the
hVes OF most children, and shows the full
significance of the seemingly insignificant
manifestations of childhood. A glance
through half a dozen of these plays and
songs will prove this to be the case A
child Is tossing his limbs about: a mother
Is playfully teaching her child to sit alone:
a group of children is testing the power of
the wind by flying kites running against
1t with paper windmill; the baby is peer
ing into his empty cup to see if all the
bread and milk is gone. These and like
simple instances are the tests from which
F'roebel teaches to us some of the deepest
and most profoundly spiritual sermons
ever preached by prophet, priest or sage"
The vice president of the kindergarten
department, DR.. Jennie B. Merrill of New
York city, spoke on the great efforts of the
kindergartners to bring nature into their
work The children play with sand shells
and pebbles; they design with seeds; they
mount leaves and flowers; make tiny forms
and gardens III window boxes and in the
sand; pet animals are brought into the
kindergarten. All winter the children
treasure cocoons and wild with Joy
when the real fairy story comes true in