The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-08-13

/, in the finding OF the good and the won
derful in even such lowly creatures that
there may come to the children feel
ing that none Of Gods creatures are
! wholly loathesome, and with this respect
for the humblest workers may come a
higher realization Of the divine plan in
all life.
Willingly to School.
There has been the keenest interest on
the part Of the children, as evinced by
there always being some Of the next-hour
class waiting half an hour before their
time, and sometimes 1t has been an hour
and half before. Some, it is true, have
entered the various classes, only to drop
out thus leaving the daily attendance
below, the registration, which has been
forty-five girls and thirty boys, exclusive
Of the story hour class of thirty kinSer-
gartners. But among those who have
really joined the classes the interest has
been almost oppressive. Six times have
overheard child telling Of having como
without breakfast or dinner" cause I
thought I'd get late The chief trouble
in discipline has been to keep them out
until their hour came, and to drive thens
-literally-away afterward, that others
might take their places.
The one great encouragement has been
the burden Of work. The record for the
one instructor has been: Nine trips to
a park, each with group Of children;
eight to art galleries; two to top Of
courthouse tower; five to Mills four to
st. Anthony falls; four to stone quarry;
eleven to other places Of interest, such
as university, museums. coopershop, cleo
tro- plating works, etc. Twenty five
homes have been visited, ten hours spent
In story telling. forty lessons given in
parliamentary practice or practical civics,
and sixty inside nature lessons. The
mothers who think one picnic week a
heavy burden will understand why the
instructor had to refuse to let the two
afternoon classes come every day, and
compelled them to alternate. Nor can the
highest class Of work be given by
teacher who has already that day ,Aalked
five miles, talked almost steadily as many
hours and watched from six to thirty
children every instant. that no harm
come to them. Yet it is hard to refuse
Just one more story" 3or to "tell us Just
some more about 49, something and
then something more as the afternoon
grows later and later, and strength Is al
ready overtaxed.
A pleasant thing has been the kindness
which has met us everywhere. The most
hearty support has come from all the
parents We have received the kindest
consideration here in our home, and on
our various excursions the unfailing gra.
c1ousness in strangers has been such as
to raise ones estimate Of his fellow
citizens.
The Club Work.
AS to the club work. there have been
three separate club organizations for the
three older. groups. Each Of these has
taken up the simpler forms of parlia-
menfqrv 1oar ,i,,o 70
club, to gain the floor, make motions, do
committee work, debate and follow the
regular order of business.
The personal conduct Of some of tho
members was, at first, such as to pre-
vent the accomplishment of any good
thing. Thru these lessons have come the
thoughts that, In order to do business.
one only must speak at a time. and he
Is taught how to gain the floor; there
must be an established order of business
or confusion results; there must i,e a
trusted chairman at the head; both sides
OF question must be allowed a hear
Ing, and then the voice Of the majority,
not pluster nor physical prowess, shall
govern the entire body.
These thoughts have been further nre
sented thru the medium Of the STORY of
Ab,' a cave-boy in the stone age in the
days before the bow and arrow weTe in
vented. In the boyish exploits of Alb and
his rude companion, Oak, we saw the
intellect Of man winning in the con-
tests with the beasts, so much greater
in physical power We found that the
lack Of all law-even Of "Thou shalt not
kilP'-brought no liberty, only dread. AS
the hero grew to manhood we watched
his greater mental power gain over the
rude strength of his neighbors until hey
gathered around him for greater safety
to themselves, and thus the hard life of
the isolated cave families was replaced
by the first tribal organization, where
each gained most for himself in helping
others. $50
BY means Of these lessons a measure Of
respect for order and the power Of dig
nifty has begun to come, If the improve
ment In conduct during the last weeks
may be considered a criterion
With the boys many phases Of praeti-
cal civics Of today have been presented,
such as that the public buildings are our
property, therefore we protect them; the
police are more for help to the many
orderly citizens than as agents for the
punishm emit Of the few unruIy, and that
laws are not for restriction but to insure
freedom and that not q knowledge Of
lock-, wires and keys, but courteous de-
meanor and honest purpose, are the means
that gain us entrance to places Of in
terest. This has been the thought In
letting the boys find themselves kindly
treated and even welcomed at places they
never hoped to enter. The hardest idea
for them ito grasp has been that more
may. in truth, be gained by fair means
than by FOUL, s, u
# they have gained no other, Il think
the summer will not have been wasted.
We have spent many happy, and. I
trust, to the children, profitable hours to-
gether, and hope their memory may
remain as long with the pupils as It will
with the Instructor