Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-02-19
From a Country Printing Of
flee to the Forum.
A LEADING EDUCATORS LIFE.
Some Interesting Facts in the His.
tory Of an Iowa Girl.


and "a, by Miss Amalie Hofer OF
Chicago, in her interpretation of
Child Life" The Tacoma Ledger
says:
This is one OF the most progressive
and enterprising organizations OF
this city which is working continu-
ally TO advance the interests Of child
hood, offers series of talks by Miss
Amalie Hofer OF Chicago, one OF the
foremost kindergartners and writer's
on child life in this country. Miss
Hofer has attained marked degree
Of success, and has been through it all
so retiring and modest that compar
atiyely little is known OF her, and the
sketch printed is OF much interest.
and is published now for the first
time, by permission OF Miss Charlotte
Lay Dewey, President of the T. X. G.
A PROMINENT EDUCATOR.
Miss Amalia Hofer, who is filling en-
gagements on the Pacific Coast this
month in kindergarten promotion
work, is daughter of the common
people and in every sense a self-made
woman. Born ia Iowa, she went to
work as young girl in a country
printing office, learning the trade
thoroughly, until as foreman OF the
job room she made up" the forms,
printed the weekly paper, running the
job presses and printing books and
pamphlets. She then took up educa-
tiOn and in short time was gradu-
ated from an excellent high school and
finished course in literature and
philosophy at MI. Carral Seminary.
We next find Miss Hofer struggling
with the problem OF making a living
by labor in large city-bravely enter
ing the composing rooms OF Rand,
McNally s. Co., Chicago, setting type
by the thousand ems, along with 600
other laborers. In a few years she
saw an opportunity to become one Of
the proprietors Of the Kindergarten
Magazine, then "a feeble publication.
This was made in few years the first
publication of its kind in the world
and under practical guidance the
kindergarten Literature Company
was organized aud developed into a
large publishing and bookselling bust.
ness. Miss Hofer has made the ed.
itorship Of this magazine her life
work and her mission is TO make the
kindergarten free for every child in
the land.
The Worlds Fair gave her the
opportunity To come IN
contact with the representatives OF
the Froebelian reform movement
from all over the world. She was
given practical supervision OF the con-
structlon Of the Children's building
in Jackson Park and its beautiful dec
OratiOns were under her direction. A
kindergarten and creche
we're daily object lesson 20 the mil
lions who visited the fair, while the
Jhildren's Temple. became shrine
Tor the devotees of the new education.
MisS Hofer made personal friends
md acquaintanceship that extended
OF her work around the
World and was followed by invitations
% visit the centers of Kindergarten |
influence in England, Switzerland,
Austria and Germany the year fol-
owing, AS president OF the AmerI-
.an kindergarten Association she was
present at the dedication OF the
Noman'S Training School at Berlin,
rected as a memorial to her husband
,y the EX-Empress Augusta. This
honor vas minor event, for the
purpose Of Miss Hofer's visit was to
-ather practical information about
he actual working kinderGartens
established in the native land OF
'roebel, She formed the ac-
uaintance of the only living
descendant of the immortal ed.
cational reformer, the Baroness
Ion Marienholz Bulow, and induced
hat talented lady to visit our country
n 1896, introducing her TO the Amer
,an public before the largest audi
nces in all the eastern cities.
Miss Hofer closed her European !
nur by flying VISIT to the home OF
er Tyrclean ancestors and kneeling
the shrine OF the martyr patriot
nj peasant king, Andrea Hofer, at :
innsbruck, received new inspiration {
rom the mountain heights OF liberty
nd song, in the land where every
ian is musician and every woman a
and over every doorway
inscribed, "For God, King aud
ountry,n
Miss Hofer returned TO Chicago and
pplied her fund OF experiences to the
ractical solution Of the educational