The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-30


apparently divide themselves
into three groups geographically
namely, those of New England.
the south and the northwest. Kate
Douglas Wiggin was not born in New
England, and she has spent more of her
Life out of that section than in 1t, but
her later fiction has the distinct north
eastern flavor and local color, showing
that this region has made more impress
sion upon her than either Philadelphia,
where she was born, or California.
where she passed her young woman
hood and began her life work.
When she was q child her family re-
moved to the village of Hollis. Me, and
there she grew to girlhood. The house
in which she lived was in a locality so
picturesque and pleasing that it is smal
wonder if the region appears again and
again in her writing. Her mental habls,
too, was formed in those girlhood days.
Mrs. Wiggin is woman of the New
England type, energetic, orderly, exact
and of uncommon executive ability. In
ner literary style, however. are a bril-
liancy, softness and f1exibility that re-
fleet the light of other skies than those
of New England, those of California.
1t was in California, when she was
eighteen, that her first story was writ
ten 1t was published in ST. Nicholas
and was named Half a Dozen House
keepers" But it was not a writer
that she first Joined the army of work
ing women. Those who have been espe
cially charmed with the delightful, del
icately humorous children of her stories
will be interested to know that it was
as Kindergarten that she made her
debut in professional life. She had the
advantage of a training for this occu-
No Iol
the girl taught a year in Santa Barbara
college. AS far back as her history
goes she was always doing something
and doing it theoretically.
From under the shadows of old Santa
Barbara the future story writer and
her sister, Miss Nora Archibald Smith,
went to San Francisco, still in the gem
tie, humanizing kindergarten work.
The two founded and taught there
free kindergarten. In the poorest and
most densely populated quarter of the
city the Silver Street kindergarten had
it's being. There Kate Douglas Wiggin
lived and loved, labored and learned
and saw rise around her a noble school
which to this day stands shining light
in darkness. Mrs. Wiggin taught there
altogether twelve years. Upon a wall
in the Silver street building is a por-
trait of its founder, the beloved Miss
Kate with underneath it this inscrip-
ton:
I'm this room was born the first free
kindergarten west of the Rocky noun
tains. Let me have the happiness of
looking down upon many successive
groups Of children sitting in these
seats
1t is worth noting that while Mrs.
Wiggin wrought nob1y at kindergarten
ing she found her life vocation. The
story is on this wise: In connection
with her original enterprise she estab-
rshed a school for training kinder
garten teachers. Both Institutions were
in need of money. Mrs. Wiggin wrote
1.-The Story of Patsy and had it print
ed and sold for the benefit of her
schools In the ability to find sale for the
little book after she had written it ap-
pears again her New England executive
power. Three thousand copies were
disposed of without it's having had any
regular publisher. Then came another
story in aid of the same sweet charity.
THE Birds Christmas Carol" which
has proved to be perhaps the most pop
ular of all her works. This exquisite
story is now being dramatized.
After finishing her twelve years love
labor in the Golden Gate City Mrs.
Wiggin returned to the Atlantic coast.
erary tasks, but her heart is yet with
her kindergartens. 1.-The Birds Christ
mas Carol reissued by prominent
eastern publishing house, placed Kate
Douglas Wiggin at once in the front
rank of women story writers. Its
sweet, tender pathos and equally sweet
innocent humor mingle like a double
thread of brightness through the tale.
THE Biris' Christmas CAROL has been
translated into various languages, even
into Japanese. The author once heard
a little child say of a great, quiet house
OF grown ups Il think they need
some babies here" The sweet, simple
child intuition walked thoughts in Mrs.
Virgins mind, and then there grew be-
meath her pen the sketch Timothy 8
Quest
1t is always agreeable to know that
writer who has given pic assure to SO