The age-herald., 1899-05-30
KINDERGARTEN
 ASSOCIATION  Meeting Held and New Officers
 Elected. VERY ENCOURAGING REPORTS Association Comes Out With Money in the Treasury-146 Children Re- presenting 1o6 Homes Att
 tended the Schools.
VERY ENCOURAGING REPORTS

heard the reports of it's retiring officers, elected officers for the coming year, and approved the work done during the past six months, since the association has been an organization.
 There were about twenty members pres ent, and Mrs. French presided at the meet ing. The names of all those who had sub scribed to the Kindergarten fund, thus making them members of the association, the reading of the minutes of the last meet ing, and other routine business was trans acted, and then the reports from the of fieers were heard.
 Miss Dangaix, the president, gave a short account of the work of the association since it had been organized last December, and said that the association would finish this years work without owing cent. Also that charter had been obtained for the association, and that now all graduates of the training school could obtain diplo- mas when they finished their courses. In all, Miss Dangaix said there had been 146 children at the kindergarten during the year, representing 106 homes.
 Made Some Recommendations
 The president made number of recom- mendations in regard to the future work: First, that this was the only kinder garten training school in the state and the only one in the south except Lous- vile and New Orleans preparing kinder garten teachers by advanced methods, she recommended that this fact be advertised throughout this and neighboring states, in order that young ladies out of the city might know of the advantages Birmingham off in, oF aJ, work. Second she recommended that an assistant teacher be employed by the asso- citation next year on account of the in- creasing work. Third, that the Mercy Home kindergarten be continued. Fourth, that with the aid of the Jewish women, strong effort be made to establish a third kindergarten in the heart of the city, where it could reach the children who live on the streets. Fifth, that the suburban towns and cities who show an interest in kinder garten work should be given all the assist ance and cooperation that could be af- forded. Sixth, that meetings of the moth- CTS of children attending the kindergartens be held every month during the next win ter, in order to get their thorough cooper ation in the work for the children.
 Over S26 Ahead
 Miss Williamson the treasurer, made her report which was in substance as follows: The money received from the tuition of training class students was $225 .16, and from subscriptions $936 19, a total of $621 s5.
 The expenditures, including teachers sal aries, servants, furniture, material, etc., was $5s6.01, leaving a balance on hand of $2634.
 The accounts of the two kindegartens are kept distinct from each other. Four hun dred and eighty-five dollars and sixty cents was collected for the Paul Hayne work, and all but $23.25 of it expended. For the Mercy Home kindergarten $136.25 was col lected and all but $3.69 of it expended. This latter kindergarten, it will be remem- bered, has been supported during the few months of its existence by the Jewish ladies of the city, though it is, of course, non-sectarian.
 Mrs. J. II. Phillips, chairman of the com mfttee on the training class, gave an ac- curate description of the work pursued by the young ladies taking the course She explained that the tuition was $l00 for the two years course. Any young lady can try the course for six weeks free of charge and can then stop if they find they are not suited to do the work.
 Enthusiasm of the Children
 
 Hayne school and principal Of the train- ing class, made detailed as well as a very interesting descriptive report of the work in her school. She spoke of the great en- thusiasm displayed by the children, and said that even during the bitterest cold weather of last February that numbers of them came to school, and were bitterly disappointed-many of them-when they found they would not be permitted to stay. Some of them said it was as warm at school as it was at their homes. Every grade of society from poor to rich was rep resented in the percentage of these child ren, she said well as all the trades and professions. Miss Woodruff said she had never seen a better training class than the one now taking the course and con- cluded her report by saying that if the as- sociation kept up the work in the manner it had begun there was no reason why Bir- mingham should not become the first kin dergarten city in the south.
 Miss Celia Smith, the teacher of the Mercy Home kindergarten, made a report on the same line with that of Miss Wood- ruff. She told of the many poor children who attended this school and how their parents nearly all tried to give something to the fund, even if not more than quar- ter. One little girl brought five cents.
 Name Changed
 Amendments to the constitution were then taken up, and it was decided to change the name of the organization from "The Free Kindergarten Association of Birmingham, Ala.," to 'The Birmingham Free Kindergarten Association" There was some discussion as to the advisability of dropping the word free from the ti- tle but the argument was brought forward that there were number of cities in the country operating kindergartens on the same system as Birmingham, and that all of them had the word free" in their ti- tles For many reasons it was decided to retain the name free" There were sev- eraI other little changes in the consutn- ton. most of them, however, simply in the wording
 The New Officers
 On notion Mrs. French next named committee, consisting of Dr. J. H. Phil lips J. A. Van Hoose, Mrs. Harry Harsh. Mrs I. H. Ruble and Mrs. Frank D. Squires, to nominate officers for the en- suing year. The following were the off,