The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-06-21
SENSIBLE TALK.
The Free kindergarten Movement In
Charleston, s. &.
The keystone, Charleston, S. c.

The Keystone, Charleston, S. C.
Standing as we do to-day, at the close of a
wonderful century, and looking full Of hope
and anticipation, TO another about TO dawn.
r. Ia hut natural that we should pause and
,vonder. what the historian Of the future will
think and say OF tne hen' "8wen a @ SnG wv VOTE apd
in its records, " hich make IL dlnerent from
the ages gone before, wnat dlstlnctlve eie.
ment. what characterlsMc trait VIII slamP IL
for the people of any age to see facts
and events, or judge their contempo-
raries as impartially as will those who come
moment's thoughtful survey OF this century's
history will reveal certain characteristics and
Tendencies which serve to mark Its trend OF
human thought and progress. o,.s,,h con.
Seen thus in retrospect, our nineteenth cen
tury appears as period OF great natlonai up.
heayais, Of crying needs and magnlncent
efforts and achievements to supply tne Popu. M
lar want It's first years are essen tlally re,
voutionary. A universal cry for Individual
as we'll as national and religious liberty, goes
mn from the peoples OF every land. NO sooner
ia this freedom attalne9' tnau tne SER h a.aa
citizen Of to-day seeks wider fields or usetul-
ness and sets forth from his remote country
home to court fortune In the last growing
towns. and thus we come upon another phase
~ onr century's development-the growth or
cities. This alone Is one Of the Perlod's most
striking characteristics and greatest social
problems-the tendency 0i :, oeope 0ne centrantbs
orowth ofthe cosmopolitan spirit Qf that term
can be 40 used,) the rapid growth and over.
providing OF great GILES hs VIII nn, ,vsrssI 3n,ro.
duction Of labor.saving machinery, ana the
employ ment OF men and women In the ever
increasipe number Of factories. And WITH
this growth Of cities. ana Sia OL tav nrs
OF the children Of the poor has been heard In
the land, and, fortunately. with the want has
also come its relief-the Free kinaergsrten. 7.
The Kindergarten. that wonderf1i legacy 70
the children OF every land and condition, that
marvellous scheme OF infant education,
which the immortal Froebel and MS followers
have given as, was not only one OF the great
est s,eps in the forward march OF modern
educational progress, but 10 recognized to-day
ss one of the most potent factors In Inc up
lifting and betterment OIL OF numsnsy1 ma Kyndar 40
earten is q Joy, blessing. In IT, he can learn
6ut good: dormant talents and ability are
awakened: his sense and love OF the oeaotliul
are aroused; his BODY renderea supPas ,S Sy
ready servant OF his awakened lnteliect, ana
the active little hands. busily ana presently
employed, are Kept from tne miscntei EN- sIo 10
CONSEQUENT punishment which, alas falls 70
the lot OF the active unemployed child. VINO is
considered too young for % schooi; ont "old
enough to know better" Whlle the klnoer.
good II does all children, there is no sphere
where its good results are more felt among than
the children OF the working man and woman.
In their cramped quarters the little ones nave
NO piay.ground but the street, and there
knowledge is often gained which, IN after
yssrs. helps 10 fill our penal institutions.
The weary mothers have hut little time 10 90
more than iced the hnngry ldte ,nSs mGutns srs
starved, or become hardened by neglect, and
ofill-treatment.
Until recent years, this evil was not so ap.
parent in our Southern toWas; ont now, 1S tnas ss
factory, and often more, 1t Will soon oe ioon1
that the children OF the poorer operatives VIII
need the aid OF the thoughtful citizens OF tnelr
TO supply this need. Charleston has had
two Free Kindergarteus In operation ior sew
eral years, and short sketch OF tnelr e4ls,
tepce work and influence may Do an ala ano
incentive TO similar WORK In other portlons OF
our state. At the outset II must be told that
both these Kindergartens arc directed ny
well-trained graduated kinoergsrtners, anu ~
has always been the aim and ambition OF
those supporting them to make them tne
ctry's model Kindergartens. II IL 10 tne
Charity kindergarten particularly, that CUT
tured, sympathetic teachers are needea.
Nothing must be done hallway; the pest ls
not too good for the children or the people:
II, on the contrary, the Kindergarten oe lelt
ers. no good results can ever De uS eaPecssa.
The first Of Charleston's 3 two Free kiddergsr-
tens to be established was founded oy the
Charleston Female Seminary Ainmne Asso,
OQ,
The "Factory kindergarten" being situated
near the Charleston Cotton Mills, though any
HHt stsa is 1 now s1e called the Kelly
earten, in honor of Miss Eta Kelly. the
founder and principal OF the Charleston
great interest in this charity, founded
The kindergarten was the outgrowth
Of Day Nursery, which hao neen est4pilsn,
Daughters, for the children OF factory opera.
tives. The children were kindly cared for oy
matron in charge. but were an iaie, lgno,
10 engage in phiIanthroplo work, the
Alumnse took charge OF the little ones (as the
Nursery idea was about to be given up)
engaged Kindergartner inrhishe9 tESs mOusst
tions OF what has come to be regarded in the
factory district as q fixed institution, and q
power for good. Indeed, during the past
t6s tSs D 1y sne use Of
room on the factory grounds 1ree; saying. tne
Kindergarten had 40 improved the children
OF the neighborhood, that the good accom-.
plished more than compensated for the hire
OF the room. In the course OF time, q
little change has come In the administration
of affairs, which but reflects the present Ten
tSward pavns aO9 .akns
Many Of the proud poor (who always soner
most) refused TO send their children 10 q
charity school, as they called the kindergar-
ten, and yet were not able To care for them IN
work hours, or send them to pay schools.
The problem was finally solved by charging
those able 70 pay. five cents week. with the
understanding, that the chlidren OF any un-
able TO afford even this small sum, would be
equally welcome. The plan has worked
admirably; 1t has given the children. as we'll
as the parents, certain FEELING OF selfre'
Ing, and small as the sum may seem, the
accumulated "tuitiou fees aided quite nicely
In buying Kindergarten materials and other
supplies. During the past year, the attend.
OF the time over thirty were on the Roll.
One OF the duties OF the Director Is to visit the
mothers and try to discover any need among
the children that 1t may be In the power OF
little ones have Christmas tree each year;
other holidays are appropriately celebrated.
and 1t is always with regret that the little
pupils hear that the term Is at an end.
The younger one OF the city's Free ktnderga-
ten is situated at the other extreme OF the
city, near the wharves and warehouses. and
is successfully conducted by the South Caro-.
lima Kindergarten Association: II has been
In operation since the Fall OF 1895. Being
supported by q stronger organization, 1t Ia
conducted on larger scale than the hrst
named pioneer Kindergarten, and during the
past year numbered forty ODD pupils, with
two instructors In charge.
At this Kindergarten, instruction Is given
entirely free, the city OF Charleston by yearly
apprOprldtlOu diulnk LILO fAsoooiatiou III CaS
support of this worthy institution. This
latter fact is mentioned as a suggestion to
any club who would enter the philanthropic
field. The history OF these first two OF the
States Free KindergartenB has proved that
such infant education is not q luxury, but an
absolute necessity for the children OF the poor
in factory towns and crowded city streets,
and It will not be long before the members OF
the Town Councils OF any progressive place
will gladly vote 10 aid institutions which
tend TO train their children into useful, self.
respecting men and women, and honorable
citizens.
The women of the State can engage in no