The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-11
KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN
a Famous Short Story Writer

~ HE successful feminine short sto-
~ writer's of the United States
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 ia it. 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 a child her family re-
moved 10 the village OF Hollis. Ne. and
there she grew 10 girlhoOd. The house
in which she lived was IN a locality so
picturesque and pleasing that il is small
wonder if the region appears again and
again in her writing. Her mental habit.
too. was formed in those girlhOod days.
Mrs. Wiggin is a woman of the New
England type, energetic orderly exact
and of uncommon executive ability. In
her literary style, however. are a bril-
liancy, softness and fexibility 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 Dozen House
keepers" But it was not as 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
viii be interested to know that it was
as a kindergarten that she made her
debut in professional life. She had the
advantage of a training for this occu-
patton from Emma Marwedel. Then
the girl taught a year in Santa Barbara
college. AS far back as her history
goes she was always doing something
and doing it energetically.
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 a
free kindergarten. In the poorest and
most densely populated quarter OF the
city the Silver Street kindergarten had
its being. There Kate Douglas Wiggin
lived and loved, labored and learned
and saw rise around her a noble school
which to this day stands a 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:
In this room was born the first free
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 nobly at kindergarten !
ing she found her life vocation The |
story is on this wise: In connection !
with her original enterprise she estab- |
lished a school for training kinder /
garten teachers. Both institutions were |
in need of money Mrs. Wiggin wrote /
The Story of Patsy" and had il print /
ed and sold for the benefit of her
schools. In the ability to find sale for the 1
little book after she had written it ap- /
pears again her New England executive /
power Three thousand copies were /
of without its having had any
regular publisher. Then came another
story in aid of the same sweet charity. \
The Birds Christmas Carol" which 7.
has proved TO be perhaps The most pop
ular of all her works. This exquisite 4
story is now being dramatized.
After finishing her twelve years love
labor in the Golden Gate City Mrs
Wiggin returned TO the Atlantic coast.
She has been busy ever since with lit
erary tasks. but her heart is yet with
her kindergartens. The E.irds Christ
mas Carol" reissued by a prominent
eastern publishing house. placed Kate
Douglas Wiggin at once in the front
rank Of women story writer's. It's
sweet, tender pathos and equally sweet.
innocent humOr mingle ike a double
thread Of brightness through the tale
The Birds Christmas Carol has been
translated into various languages. even
INTO Japanese. The author once heard
! little child say Of a great. quiet house
Of grown ups" i think they need
some babies here" The sweet. simple
,hild intuition walked thoughts in Mrs.
Virgins mind. and then there grew be-
meath her pen the sketch "Timothys
Quest"
II is always agreeable TO know that
4 writer who has given pleasure to so