The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-08
KINDERGARTENs IN JAPAN.
New PzofessIon Open to Japanese
women

ttTCIG the Kansas tiiy StaT-)
The kindergarten has gone TO Japan
with other Western ideals of education,
and nowhere else in the world does this
most interesting method of child instruc-
ton attain the same picturesqueness. 1t
was introduced by some OF the missiona-
ries, but the Japanese have accepted its
principles and ideas with enthusiasm and
the foreign teachers meet with the intel
ligeQt cooperation OF japanese parents
Several training schools have been found
ed. and these have opened up a new field
Of work to Japanese women. for the girl
graduates have established kirdergarteas
CT their own In Tokyo. Kiote. Osoko, and
Kobe kindergarten societies have been
formed which publish 4 periodical IN ia
pancse.
If the kindergarten appeals to mature
japanese minds 1t is still more attractive
% the children themselves. Their intel
lects are just as keen as those of children
in the West, and they often take greater
delight in the work, which involves col
ors and their combinations, for every ia
parese child is born with artistic instincts,
and and everything in the kindergarten
naturally appeals to him.
Whether q person Is fond Of children or
not he could watch the operation OF q
japanese kindergarten cay after day with
cut firing. The babies begin 10 troop in
il the morning at o'clock The kinder
gGrten generally consists OF Jwo or three
square rooms with 'tatami' tstTaw matsl
on the floor. The japanese never wear
their shoes when they enter house 10
walk over this mating. so it is always
sDotlessIy clean In their own homes they
kneeI on cushions en- the floor. but in
the kindergarten they have the same lit
tie chairs. and tables, marked into
squares. which we use in this country.
Leaving their ''geta," or wooden shoes,
in stand made for the purpose. just out
side the door. they enter in their little
white *'Iabl" (sockst and bow very low 10
the teachers before running TO their
places.
japanese Politeness is inculcated when
a child begins to crawl. and as soon as ne
can stand he is taught to make bow.
so japanese children of all ages VIII
make a deep obeisance when occasion de
mands-and that is very often-with grav-
fty and Inconsistencies. when an Ameri-
can small boy would find himself covered
with confusion.
The japanese children who go TO the
kindergarten. called 'gcchien. look
ike the japanese dolls which our children
play with except that their faces are re-
ally much prettier and more attractive
But their hair is cut in the same fantastic
way. and their little himonos and
obs are even more attractive in the
original than in the imitation. Each child
is brought By an ''amah" tEurse) or his
mother, or by an older sister and carries
little "berto" or lunch box, carefully
packed at home.
II is made of lacquer, in three compaFt-
ments. one en- top of the other and eaeh
is filed with a different kind of feod, the
most important OF all being rice. When
noon comes the children sit down 1t the
tables with their boxes. bowl OF tea, and
s.hashi," or ehopsdcks, before them. VI
signal the ''hashi'' are lifted dipped into
the tea, then convey rice. bits CT meat ard
pickles to the small mouths with wonderful
rapidly
There is one fascinating occupation which
japanese children have in the kindergarten
denied TO boys and girls Of other climates.
This is the raising CT silk worms and final
" winding the silk from their own cocooEs.
A great feature CT the japanese kinder
garten. like all others. is the custom CT
having mass of growing, blooming flow
ers IN each window. The children love
these passionatefy.
When the last game has been played and
the last march about the room over the
soft "tatami'' is finished, the children bow
tremendously to their teachers again
then rush off full of spirits to greet who
ever is waiting for them. put on their out
side garments, called "haori," and their
wooden '.geta' in which they trudge home
the older ones to finish out the day with
outdoor games, such as kite-fying in sea-
j son. or stilt-walking. called bamboo
horse, which is always a source of jos
10 the young Japanese boy.