The age-herald., 1899-12-17

the splendid work Of Miss Edith Woodrun.
 the superintendent of the schools.
 If one did not agree with Froebels views, in regard to the development of the kinder
 garten as being essentially a work for wo-
 men, even the most indifferent observer of Miss Woodruff's methods would be firmly convinced that had Froebel an ideal wo- man to develop his great kindergarten theo-
 ries, he would have realized the ideal in Miss Woodruff. The system, the perfect obedience of the little ones and their evil dent admiration for her was apparent in all the morning duties, and in securing quiet and order among the fifty children over which she presided, her voice was never raised above her ordinary way of speak ing.
 In talking with Miss Woodruff recently in regard to the free kindergarten system in Birmingha m she spoke of the cooperation
 which the movement met from the first, for there were few who could resist the appeal of free kindergartens for little children 'To be sure" she said, "there are some doubters, those who contend that what was good enough for me is good enough for my child, but fortunately these are greatly in the minority. But then the lxindergar- ten is no longer an experiment. It has been Thoroughly tested and declared the founda- tion stone upon which the superstrueture of all further education is to be reared. It's general adoption is urged by such widely knnwn educators as President Harper the tHlcdSO university, BeD1amln Andf6WS. Su-
 perintendent of public schools of Chicago and Mir. Harris, United States commissioner of education.
 "All readers" she continued. "know of the rapid and steady growth of kindergar- tens in this country where they have at tained. as their originatcrs predicted, a
 higher degree of excellence than in all other
 countries.
 '"rhe greatest difficulty in establishing work of this kind is in convincing the peo-
 pie that its chief aim is not philanthropic,
 but educative, and in getting them to see
 that the great good accomplished by 1t in
 this is thorough education. Then. too,
 many people take Kindergarten on faith
 without personal investigation and this al
 ways hurts the cause, for such interest at
 best is only negative, whereupon jnvestga-
 tion through frequent visits to the kinder
 gartens would have won their vital inter-
 est. Yes, this is one of our greatest diffi-
 cultieS right here in Birmingham. The
 people do not take time to gain a real in-
 sight into our work not enough people visit
 tha kindergartensl
 In speaking of the children, she said eve
 have no difficulty with them if once we can
 get them in the Kindergarten Sometimes
 at first parents think that education which does not consist in teaching children to read
 and write is of little use, but this feeling disappears after experience in the kin dergarten, for it's beefcial effects are soon discovered in the child. Nearly always the children we have the hardest time to get ! into the kindergarten, of the very class which needs the training the great est. The greatest difficulty lies in ! he unwillingness of the pa rent to make the extra effort of cleaning the children up sufficiently to send them each morning, 1t being easier to let them 1 stay at home in the dirt. However, if we can once get hold of the child, we make strong ally and with persistence generally crYn nn1 sv, 1yaAV V,t,~rr nn6 1cfN Ina mother to a keener sense of responsibility.
 However" she continued, "tl1ese difficult ties will all disappear in time when ifs work has been tested and it's beneficial effects seen. At presnt that part of our work which I wish was more deeply considered | by the people of Birmingham is our normal kindergarten training school. in which we fit wrong women to become kindergartners, l I do not think the mothers and fathers of Il this city who have grown daughters in their households appreciate the value of this part | of work. This is the age when women l as well as men should receive professional | training, for in this world of changes who I can tell at what time she may be thrown | upon her own resources, and if this should 1 be the case how doubly hard if unequipped for the struggle? Kindergarten work is the | newest development and most advanced | work in the educational line, hence kinder l garten teahers are more in demand and receive bettr salaris than teachers of other | grades I think it only a matter of a few years now when the kindegartens will | be incorporated as a part of the public | school system in every state in the union.
 Then, if not used professionally, what wo- man, If she becomes mother but could make the best use of their training in the home with her children A course in a nor nal kindergarten training school is now considered by many college gradua tes as the one thing neded as a completion to their education, and surely no profession no W ork either in the business world nor in the home could be more satisfying to woman, or could be more womanly.'
 In a subsequent interview with Mrs. J. H. Phillips, the president of the Birmingham Free Kindergarten association, the question of maintaining the kindergarten was dis cussed, and Mrs. Phillips, in speaking of the contributions, expressed the opinion that 1t was owing to want of understand ing the work that other phianthropic causes appealed more deeply to the public.
 The work of giving food and clothing to the destitute, of making a home for the little ones that are homeless, of reforming those who are deeply stained with every form of vice, these forms of work are well known and most generously contributed to. Taking the children from the age of three years and keeping them till six, or the regu- lar school age, to prevent crime, to lead them from that tender age to see what is true and beautiful and to desire it, this is
  we'll understood. Reformation appeals to more of our people than formation.
 "The average contributions" she contin- ued range from twenty-five cents month l to two dollars, none going beyond that amount The association has had two larg- CT gifts, both of which were mentioned in the papers at the time Through the word spoken in season by that friend of every good and progressive movement, Mrs. R. H. Pearson, MT. Mark Potter, of New York, who has large business interests here, and whose wife is as largely interested in kin dergarten work wherever it is Seing done sent the association check for fifty dol lWs. .,. x,,a i, ~.'The educational department of the Wo-l mans club offered scholarship for the \ training class, which is in connection wltr our association, and that means another fifty dollars" .
 "Certain sources,' sine continued, "from which assistance has come are pecuhariye significant For instance, on Thanksg1Ving$ Day we received a check from the prlmarys teachers of the public schools. rms gitt