The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-10-30
Visit TO One Of These Usefsi adJaneis to
the Public schools l. Apt TO Converr ANY
One Who Believes Them Unneeessary-
some Typical scenes Illustrated of the
Delisht the Children Take in These Kim
dersartens-Eyents mt Luncheon Time.

above the fog-laden air at the foot OF the
OLD Naval Observatory, but 1t is one of
the Wisest locations ever chosen. The
school building is clean and we'll kept, and
best OF all, IL is warm. This may seem of
but little Importance at first glance, but IL
Is worth something to lot of Toner
School children to have Jack Frost kept
or their toes. while a bit of good training
enters their heads. And then there is an
equal amount OF wisdom in the apparently
impromptu lunch time
If you are there at lunch time you may
see wee girl hold up parcels of luncheon
for some one TO claim. A small hand
frantically beating the air signifies the
owner. When each dinner pail is placed.
there are yet anxious little faces with
nothing TO claim and nothing TO lunch on
out paper napkin. but almost before the
wistful eyes can take In the situation,
some baby hand reaches out as If by
magic and great fat roll or some other
article of food lies before IL. The little
child who has two things to eat has given
one to its less fortunate neighbor.
There are many little children in this
and many of the other kindergartens
maintained by the public school fund who
suffer less from the pangs of hunger be-
cause there is a luncheon time observed,
and the beautiful lesson of giving could
not be instilled in a more fitting way or
at a better time. A greedy baby with 4
double allowance is always asked to di-
vide, and soon learns to do so.
Learning Table Etiquette.
For the most, the table etiquette of the
"Foggy Bottom" child is as meager as its
dinner pail, but every one has a paper
napkin upon which luncheon is served.
and though they may never before have
beheld the glory of japanese napkin and
cannot conceive Its use. they soon learn,
and along with this knowledge comes the
first lesson in gratitude, as the baby lips
lisp a thank you" for the divided meal.
The common accompaniment of the paper
napkin is cake. Sometimes they are fried
cakes, with a hole I'm the middle, that get
loose from the uncertain little fingers
and CITRATE about the floor until chased
down by the grief-stricken owner. Some
times it Is a good, old-fashoned cooky or
a generous hunk of ginger bread but 1t is
far too often cake of some sort. 1t is
thus that the small kindergartener has its
only taste of tho sweets of life. Another
violent fancy is for grapes, which at this
particular season are likely to cling to the
floor with greater tenacity than TO the
parent stem, and roll over the floor in the
greatest confusion, which. when you con-
slider that each grape is franticaIly chased
even into the most remote corner BY its
little owner, lends a pleasant variety 10
the meal Others whose mothers have an
equal faith in the dentistry and dlges-
tive organs Of their little ones give them
large, round, red apples, which, alas! also
roll. There are those who prefer crack
ers, and pave liberal walk around under
the table with the crumbs, and then there
is the poorly nourished little one VINO
has an empty dinner pail,
Amid the other curious packages that
turned up at luncheon time In one of the
schools Of the poorer part of town was a
something that looked innocent enough
in its brown paper. but when the little as
sistant held the thing at arms length in
Inidair out strung a yard or less Of b.
fogna sausage. Almost before il could be
landed in the flying hands of the small
owner, one end rested firmly between his
teeth while the other was anchored by
his foot to the floor. Good old-fashioned
bread and butter was almost missing from
the lunch basket. but whether well fed or
not the important lesson of Thanksgiving.
the far swester one of giving and the lit
tie courtesy of a nicely ordered meal, is a
lesson firmly fixed In the minds of each
infant pupil.
Incidents of Child Education.
In the lexington School kindergarten a
few days ago the task OF learning the sea-
son was begun with: MARY, what does
the summer bring Es?" Birds" came
INF rav,tx-
Flowers" while" green grass" shade
trees" and various other things were
mentioned. until it came to little girl
with Bingham frock and freckled rose.
who, while shaking her hand In mid air.
cried, II know, / know. Babies" Sure
enough, the June-time had left baby
boy at her house.
AS lesson in form. the children were
told to find and bring 10 the teacher a
cylinder. Various queer conceptions Of
what cylinder is like was unfolded, but
none more unique than that OF a little
boy who seized upon a ham-bone as the
best representative of that particular
form that could be found.
Another pretty Lesson is that OF model
ing in clay, and though the attempted ban
Is curiously tranformed into an old-fash-
Toned mud pie, there are a few who take
the valuable lesson OF transforming the
material into q given form and really do
wonderfully well. Color lessons are given
By the merest bit OF play, and yet the
lesson is fully and well taught. A keen
sense Of observation f. taught through a
simple game that. curiOusly enough, re-
sembles Simon says wlg-wag." Then
there are pretty drills with the little
chairs, which serve the double purpose Of
having them arranged neatly about the
wall. or in a ring In the middle Of the
floor. as well as lending q pleasing fea-
ture 10 the drill. In fact. what seems but
chIlds play Is. In reality. a well-chosen
way Of teaching these poor little ones.
many OF them almost wholly devoid Of
home training lesson In cleanliness. or
der, system. and OBEDIENCE The idea OF
the latter element being gained By other
means than kick or eaa seems strange
both 70 black and white. who come Of the
enpty-cInnsr-paii class. Many OF them
show lack Of nourishment and bodily care,
while others show clearly that they have
been brought in from the alleys without
previous PREPARATION. But no matter what
the condition OF the children happens 10
Dc, these are the ones that are closest
70 the teacher.
Surprised bv q Free Laseh.
In a negro school in the lower part Of
the town little black child. whose body
was contorted and lily nourlshe9. and
whose whole attituds showed neglect Of
the eruelest sort, was snuggled near the
woman teacher. while once IN awhile she
reached out her hand 20 stroke bis wooily
head He had not even an eTapiy dinner
pail, but somehow, when the other chill.
dren went TO ca; their lunch. couple OF
good. fat buns lay before him. Ills eyes
opened vide In ssionishment. and ne
started 20 reach for one with greedy
haste. but his face fell. and he drew hls
hands back. The teacher tenderiy stroked