The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-04-05
GENERAL.
(By c. l.. wberry, Supt.)

(By c. l.. ewberry, Supto
One Of the most serious problems to
be solved in the Ely Public Schools is
the overwhelming number of foreign
children who present themselves for
admission at the opening of each term
and at different times during the
school year. The greatest number of
these children can not speak word
of English. Many Of them prove to>be
very bright and quick to learn as soon
as they learn to know when they are
spoken to. and what is said to them
aud also to know how to ansWeT
any simple questions
pertaining to what they can see and
hear etc. But when they are handi-
capped by not knowing word of
English, they need almost Il years
work in playing games, handling and
seeing things and in learning to ex-
press themselves. Then they are
lady for IA course i'm the grades.
AT the present time full kinder
garten course can not be carried out
for various reasons, but it is possible
to have special department. for
children whose development, mental
and physical, is not sufficient for good
work in the First Grade
Such a department. may assume
many Of the features Of the modern
Kindergarten and may properly be
considered the beginning of d kinder
garden.
The benefits of such department
in Ely are ~ that it may do much
more for foreign children, who can
not speak English, thah the regular
first grade could do. ~ that it may be
Il ''catch all' for children who arrive
at school age, (6), after lie CLASSES in
the grades have been organized and
completed part Of the years work. 81
that it may carry or bring culture, re-
! tinement cleanliness into homes
where such qualities are wanting since
much more time Can be given to such
| matters in a class of this kind than
| in first grade, az that it may make
stronger pupils when they enter the
| grades and that may also relieve IL
great part of the mental strain of
children who are not strong.
The following are opinions of a few
leading educators on this subject:
William III. Maxwell. Superintend-
ent Schools, New York, N. Y.-"The
| Kindergarten has long since passed
the experimental stage. 1t has
demonstrated it's usefulness. Argu-
ment is no longer needed to show the
wisdom Of it's founder. Educators are
agreed that the proper school fol
children under six years of age is the
Kindergarten. Children under six
have no part or lot in the work of the
grades"
DR.. E. Benjamin Andrews, Univer.
sity of Nebraska.-':We must make
the Kindergarten the foundation of
our system OF public education. ]
would undertake to convert any one in
ten minutes to the side of the Kinder
gartens after an exhibition of the
good work at present done in the
schools. AS for the kindergarten in
fluence, l have known one child from
the kindergarten to regenerate a
whole family, working complete
change in a careless mother, rude
brother and degraded father.
DR.. VIM. T. Harris, U. S. Commits
siOner of E.lucation.-s'In my opinion
the Kinderg;.; ten should be part of
the public school system of every city
in the Unilrd States. The ideal
Kindergarten should take children at
the age of four, and retain them two
years. The kindergarten is the most
essential adjunct now required to per-