The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-17

themselves lucky 10 possess.
Housekeeping seems to be the theme
which runs through the work and play OF OF
the day. Now If we play house, we VIII
want to build things 10 put In the mouse mouse >.
says the teacher. What shall We ouiiu
Clock" says Clarence
All right wen have a clock, and whaI
else? What will you Duild, Howard!
Clock" says Howard. Roberta ana MAJ ,
gle and all the rest of the class VIII Duliu
clocks. too.
But we want other things in our house
safes. and stoves. and tables ana chairs,
protests teacher Now, I'm the express
wagon and I'm coming with the building
things so every little girl and boy pick
out something TO make for house and III
give him the blocks TO make IL with.
ROBERTA'S CHOICE.
Roberta. who sits at one end of the l.
shaped table with her soft brown hair twist
ed into tiny knots. each one caught by
huge hairpin, chooses to make the house it
self The small girl next will make a stove.
Maggie sticks to the original clock idea and
Howard will make a safe Clara chooses
to be a tabe-maker. IS does also the wee
one next to her, aud George thinks "frigi-
nator' will suit his abilities. Ellen will
make a bed and Pearl, a plump bit of
blackness, hesitates between a chair,
table, floor, house and a cot. Then the
choice comes to Edward, who sits at the
farther end of the table. Edwards eyes
when he comes to tell it he only wiggles
his toes, beats his slim brown fingers
nervously on the table and chews the ends
OF his white silk tie; finally he manages
beaming whisper into teachers ear.
Just Think" says teacher with a de-
lighted look. Edward wants to build us
something to go riding In after our house
is done. But wouldn't IL be better for
Edward to make something with his blocks
that we can use In the house now and leave
the carriage until the house is Furnished"
Th H. " Nn1llIn
and has another grand idea With the
former prelminaries it is impaired to
teacher. Edward will take his blocks and
build a baby as part OF the house-furnish-
ing.
Edward has new baby at his house
and that's why he thinks it is a necessary
part of the furnishing explains teacher
aside. 1T is finally arranged that Edward
shall build a cot for the baby, which. con-
structed of a bit of oilcloth and napkin,
IS laid in front of him on the table. So
they all build away prefectly happy.
When everything is built-the tables and
chairs having very much the look of the
stove and the cot. it must be confessed
there is pie-making. There are real dishes
in which to put the pies, but the pies them
selves are constructed from such stuff as
dreams are made of. The children all work
at ii seriously and the prettiest part of the
thing Is the way the teacher herself enters
into the spirit of the play and work. She
is Miss Coleman, one OF the two colored
teachers of the school Deeply interested
whole heart into the thing and the little
class follows her. eagerly fed by her en-
thusiasm. When il is pie-making it is as
serious business as ever real kitchen with
it's molding hoard and rolling pin and pie
ingredients saw; when it is putting the
Daby 10 sleep. everything is hushed and still
Ior fear the baby Will wake; no outside dis
fractions are allowed to mar the spirit of the
illusion and the eager children, following
her, learn gentleness, and quietness and
consideration unconsciously. Now and then
No from far nd fhar,
the other classes stop, too, to listen while
the rich contralto voice swells out.
SUCCESSFUL WORK.
Miss Daniels, also young colored wom-
an. is another of the teachers in the school,
| and her work with the little ones of her own
| race is also signally successful There are
four other teachers and the principal, and
| these. with the caretaker. Mrs. Francis.
make up the faculty. The bell rings for the
recreation period. "Now, children, you
| know what the bell means-get ready. oh,
Maggie isn't near ready says teacher.
| "Ah is pipes Roberta, her small brown
/ fingers trinity folded before her on the
| table
And Clara isn't ready. either-nor Ed
| ward"
''Ah is pipes Roberta again.
| Come now. everybody take his chair
After while Wen come back again and
| make cake"
| In the circle once more there are songs
| and games. One game is the flower-garden
game. in which the little minds and hands
| are taught how the flowers grow and how
| TO coax them TO grow.
| what did the rain do to the seeds yes
| terday?" asks the teacher.
| 'Watered EN-" Made the coats bust
| OPEN Those were two of the answers.
| And what do We plant even before we
| plant the seeds children?
| Nobody knows at first "Oh, what was il
VIC nj. cd i'm he hon in 1icIao
| Bugs" shrills one small voice triumph
antly, and then everybody sings out bugs "
The bulbs from which long. slender shoots
OF green are growing are brought out into
| the center OF the room for an object les
! son. then the game IS begun and three
! fourth 10 rake 1t over. Seriously and en-.
| Enthusiastically they dig and throw imaginary
dirt; then when the ground is all ready
the gardeners choose small boys and girls
| from the circle TO be bulbs and be planted
IN the garden. At first all the bulbs chosen
are little boy bulbs. for all the gardener:
are masculine but finally one of the gar
! deners OveTcOmeS his shynesS and lead:
forth pretty Isabel. who kneels down among
the little boy bulbs, as sweet as a flower
herself Sometimes the bugs" lead tn,
gardeners. so eager are they to get TO tn,
garden. and finally the circle chosen for tin,
garden plot Is full and il is time for tn,
sunbeams to get in their work. BY TIN:
time all the bulbs are fiat on their faces anC
the little sunbeams, one trim, golden
faced little maid In plaid frock the othel
| a pleasing black and white study. face ane
frock In sharp contrast, run in and out anC
round about TO warm the bulbs way dowl
in the ground. The gardeners fly for the
watering cans, but before they can b,
brought one bulb starts 10 grow right up
and the Others encoura ged by his example
shoot up into stalks aud flowers. disregard
ing the drought. Only one bulb doesn'
grow at all. In a little round heap ii lie.
| and SunbcamS, water cans, and spades ant
all. fail to bulge him from his position
| The blossoms are all selected and gathered
and given away until the garden is empty
of ali save the lone. lOrn little bulb. which
lies little curled up. brOwn-faced ball
The children are joyous. The bulb tina
won't come up is a distinct innovation il
the game.
| GRINS OVER HIS STUNT.
''It's no use; that bulb won't grow" say
the teacher. I'VE must carry him off.
Teacher at his head one of the gardener
at his feet. the bulb is carried out int,
the kitchen, which serves in this game 70
the backyard, from whence he present..
returns grinning with delight over his new
and original stunt
The infant class is. of course, one of tn
most engaging departments of the kinder
garten. There are eight dusky tots in il, o
whom the smallest, Victoria, brown o
face and white of dress, runs 10 meet tn
visitor, twisting wee brown fingers int
hands, pocketbOok. muff, or whateve
comes handy, i'm the most friendly way
| Bessie, whose shining countenance an,
glistening eyes need no more tongue speed
than they seem To own, which is none a
| all. Marvin. the bad boy. round headet
nd mir sian n nd lit -fG