The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-24
MIXED CHILDREN
Various NatiOlalitiGS In the Pa
lama Kindergarten.
"A RIGHT MERRY GROUP
Led In Play BY Pastime Artist.
Many Provisions for Their Well
fare-A Noble Work.

the only one in which the races are
mixed. 1t has several other exclusive
features of fine interest. 1t is planted
right in the midst Of a populous dis
trict. This insures a full attendance
| in fair weather and heavy percentage
even on stormy days. For instance, at
10 a. m. yesterday there were found
nearly forty Of the little tots out of
la possible fifty-two.
The Palama kindergarten is under
the especial patronage Of Mrs. P. C.
Jones for the Association. 1t is in
charge of Miss Anna Pope, sister Of
the principal of Kamehameha Girls
School. Miss Pope came from Chicago
but a few months ago. She is a real
kindergartener. Miss Pope is heart
and soul in the work and is of course
familiar with the most modern and
latest approved methods. She knows
the name Of every member of that
motley crew Of babylon and is sim
ply idolized by the little ones. She
teaches them singing and motion songs
and marching and games and shows
them how to play with sand and clay
and blocks and how to plant flowers
and treat pets and sew in a small way.
She has an enthusiastic assistant in
;r, ,n1> tlO Of N icc
Jessie Neill of this city.
One would think that to handle
corps of half hundred youngsters of
4 and from the homes of Palama or
any other district, the voice at least
of a general commanding divisions
would be a quite requisite portion of
equipment Miss Pope's voice is low
and sweet and gentle and she can get
the attention of any child about the
place in an instant. The little ones
look to be about all the same size and
the variation in age is not much. Up
TO the time the kindergarten was es-
tablished the majority Of them ran wild
in Palama. In the early days Of the
school it was necessary to keep the
Now they are quite under control.
The Palama kindergarten opens at
a. m. and closes at noon. This is
the only kindergarten that furnishes
a lunch and the light meal is served
at 1890. This is the idea of Mrs. Jones
and some Of the other ladies of the
committee. In honor of visitors yes
terday the tots gave song they had
learned but a few days ago. 1t was
novel, lively, melodious little ditty
with lots Of gestures. This new num-
Der is called THE Poi Man." and the
onlooker can at once know how the
Hawaiian national food is made Then
the little ones hummed and clapped
and stamped to the air Of Irwin
March" on the piano. The pianist, by
the way, is young lady OF kaWaia-
hao seminary who is fitting herself
for kindergarten work. There are
small chairs for the children and they
sit in a circle. A wide range of pas
time is provided for them. There is
nothing of the faint Of playing by rote
of speaking pieces" They enter into
everything led by Miss Pope with real
zest and genuine interest and are 10th
to go home when the hour for closing.
arrives. In the sand they build fences
with tooth picks and from the clay
they shape all sorts Of clumsy forms.
There is lots and lots at Palama
chapel besides catalogue kindergar-
ten outfit. There is bath tub for one
thing and all the youngsters have clean
faces. Then there is a medicine chest
with everything needed in emergen-
cies. Things are arranged so that the
playing is just as good on wet day
as when the sun is shining. When the
youngsters sit at the low tables in their
little chairs they busy themselves with
but very little noise till Miss Pope
announces something else for them.
They are happy family. The Hawai-
ians, half-castes and Japanese of this
company do not yet know of any racial
question or discrimination.
The parents of the Palama district
take a great interest and a deep pride
in the kindergarten and Miss Pope and
Miss Neill have the fullest confidence
of the parents of their charges. A
magic lantern show was given in the
hall last Saturday evening for the chill
dren and their fathers and mothers.
Miss Pope went to the trouble Of MAX
ing a personal visit to each home and
extending a verbal invitation for the
evening to the parents. One place she
found a native man whose wife was in
the hospital, but whose little girl de-
sired very much to attend the enter
tainment. The man said he would try
and he brought the wee miss on Sat
urady night neatly dressed himself.
The entertainment was the biggest
kind Of a success. 1t is the practice
Of the teachers to visit the homes Of
the little ones quite often. One of
these visits some months ago saved
the eyesight of a child. The little one
-fair-haired and cute and bright-was
suffering from an eye trouble that with
a few weeks more Of inattention would
have meant blindness for life. This
baby is now one of the happiest and
healthiest of the lot.
The Palama kindergarten had a pet