The times., 1901-06-12

dren. and expressed the belief that the
much mooted race question would be
solved the more easily on account of the
| Innovation: In conclusion she introduced
| Commissioner MaGfqrland. ~
The Commissioner was received with
hearty applause and spoke in an especial
ly happy mood. He said in part: THE
thing that impressed me most at the eX-
hbition at the ColoreG High School which
I visited this afternoon was that there
were the products of Young people who
could use their hands. We are too apt to
underrate the value of the skilled hand,
though. Of course, it should be combined
with the trained head.
The men who founded the nation were
men who could use their hands and could
do things. The more we impress upon
children the necessity OF being able TO use
their hands the safer viii be the future
Of the nation. And so the kindergarten
early teaches the lesson Of how to use
the hands.
1t would surely delight the heart of
Froebel, father Of kindergartens, II he
could behold this scene Perhaps he does
rejoice in it from a high place in the
Kingdom of Heaven, which he entered
while still on earth when he became as
a little child. He may be looking down
from among that great company OF bless
ed children which, we may be confident
dren here, he must be friend OF children
there.
Although this great teacher, great in
wisdom and in gentlenCsS. saw IN the
kindergarteu idea that which was good
FOR the development Of all children ana
of all having TO do with children. II Is
doubtful whether ne ever imaglnsd cur cur
ing his life time that beyond wide seas
his great thought would be applied TO
children Of COlored races by women OF
their own color. He would have tound
in 10
might be done increasingly and until the
kindergarten became at home in every
land and language around the paIaItIlS5 ligI,5
OF latitude. And his noble spirit would
have found, ! believe, especial grdtlhca-
tion if ne could have foreseen that the
Afro-Amcrican race thirty years, ana
only thirty years, out of slavery would
furnish not only pupils but teachers for
kindergarteus. No one believed more
firmly than he that the future of peo-
pie is in a very deep sense in the hands
OF the women of that people.
The kindergarten training starts with
that thought. The mother, the teacher,
and the infant pupil sre the kindergarten.
All that has been written in the many
popular and the few scientific books about
it can he summed up in this. that it is
the intelligent woman naturally develop
ing the little child If all mothers were
only trained 70 do it every home would
be-. as il ought 10 be- kindergarten. But
since all mothers are not kIndergdrtners
and since all children cannot go 10 pf4-
yate l,indergarteus the kindergarten
must have its place in the public school
u rejoice that the Columbian Kinder
Earten Association, IN which ! have 50
long been interested. succeeded IN intro
ducing the kindergarten IN the pubhc !
schools Of the District under the gener-
Gus encouragement Of the Commissioners
and the appropriations Of Congress, and |
that partly through the muniiicence OF
that wise and generous woman, Mrs.
Hearst. suitable training schools for /
teachers are meeting the demand at the !
public kindeTgaTteus created. l congratu-
late Mrs. Murray and all the others in |
terested in this school for colored kinder |
gartners on the success achieved in spite !
of difficulty. and on the happy effect II |
VIII have upon the education of the color /
ed children all over the country. This |
school. founded and carried on with so |
much public spirit and so much breadth |
of view, deserves the support OF every |
patriotic citizen for what it VIII do in |
the uplifting Of your race
Miss Lola Johnson, instructor Of music
in the colored schools, rendered solo /
at the conclusion of Commissioner Mac
farland's address.
Miss Harriet Neal. principal OF the |
training class, spoke briefly TO the mem
bers of the class before introducing Com
missioner John 3. Ross, who conferred the
parchments. Each graduate was loudly |
as she received the white roU
tied with ribbon