The San Francisco call., 1904-04-10
VITAL MATTERS
ARE DISCUSSED
Trustees of Normal School
Transact Business of In
portance at Joint Session
SUCCESSFUL MEETING
kindergarten Department
Are Discontinued Except
in Los Angeles Normal

With resolutions Of thanks TO Gov-
ernor Psrdee for his attendance and
70 the management OF the st. Francis
Hotel for courteS1es extended, the an
nuai meeting Of the 3oint Board OF
state Normal School Trustees came
10 an end yesterday afternoon. That
the gathering this year has been
the most successful Of any
heretofore held is generally ad-
mitted and the discussion OF
the various subjects Of vital import
sDoe to the normal schools Of the
state has been productive OF much
good. Considerable business OF i'm
portance was transacted. the most i'm
portant action being the abolition OF
kindergarten training departments in
all Of the normal schools except Los
Angeles.
During the discussion on kinder
garten instruction and kindergarten
Departments OF Normal Schools"
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler of
the University OF California took oc-
cssion TO say: The place TO educate
the child is in the home by the
mother, but in the decay OF the home
in the thickly. settled districts the
kindergarten is OF great value TO the
children OF the slums, who cannot
have the training Of the play instincts.
We should have kindergartens in the
slums and the teachers should be
trained in the normal schools, but in
my opinion we should have a course of
instruction in one school and not in
i've. There should be kindergartens
in the San Francisco School Depart
ment in certain districts where the
children are neglected by the parents"
KINDERGARTENSF FAVORED.
In response 10 a question, NJ. E.
DAILY gave the information that
in the school in which he is
the head the kindergarten train
ing course in five years has cost $1,000
and only FIVE graduated. He said he
believed in kindergartens in certain
districts TO make the children cleanly,
II for no other reason.
l. 3. Dockweiler took the floor to
give his views in favor Of kindergar-
tens from a practical standpoint. He
maintained that there were only two
classes OF people competent to speak
man who has attempted TO discharge
some Of the duties to himself and his
family. He Informed those present
that he was the father Of eight chill
dren and that all OF them had attend
ed the kindergarten school No mat
rer what the mother may attempt to
do" said the gentleman from the
south, she cannot give sufficient at
80 -.
The presence Of a child in a well regu-
lated kindergarten can do no harm
and removes il from the influence of
other children in the neighborhood
whose moral tone you do not like.
am IN favor OF the kindergarten and
all Of my children have attended it to
advantage To the mother who has
her hands fun relief should be given.
The kindergarten idea is the result Of
the social conditions under which we
are living
Following Mr.. Dockweiler. a number
of others gave their views on the sub
Ject Incidentally DR.. Wheeler took
occasion 10 make a most pertinent re-
mark He declared it was his belief
that the normal schools should be res
cued from the domination Of local
boards and the power Of administra-
ton centralized in one body.
PLEA FOR NORMAL SCHOOL.
A motion was finally made and unsn-
imously carried that II was the sense
u the board that kindergarten depart
ments in the normal schools. except
in Los Angeles, be discontinued at the
close OF the school term.
DR.. Lewis S. Thorpe OF Los Angeles
provoked considerable discussion by his
plea that the Los Angeles Normal
School be granted permission to extend
the course TO three years and the scope