Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-22
CHILDREN'S FIELD DAY
KINDERGARTENS ON NATIONAL
MUSEUM LAWN.
Lesson and Pastimes Combined, Nearly
Thousand Little Ones Partici-
pating in Exercises.

Iooay was neld day Tor TIM wash
lngton kindergartens, and the forces were
marshaled early in the morning and pro-
ceeded to the beautiful lawn of the Ma
tional Museum, where for two hours. be-
ginning at 10 O'Clock, the children engaged
In their lessons and pastmes.
1t is rarely that 1t is given to one to
see in one cluster nearly thousand chill
dren, all of practically the same age and
size. yet this was the sight in the brill
liant sunshine this morning as the scores
and hundreds gathered for their festival al
fresco. They were accompanied by the
hfty-four teachers of the public school
kindergartens, and many of the children
brought with them their mothers and IA
theirs, for 1t is certain that. the day belong
ing wholly to the children, the parents did
not bring them, but reversed the regular
order and submitted to being brought.
The colored children of the public school
kindergartens have their outing al How
ard University, and were not in evidence
today at the drills of these tots. In the
exercises on the museum lawn it was most
clearly shown to the grown-up visitors that
the system is one calculated to materially
benefit the children. 1t is the connecting
link between the home of the little ones
and the school that must follow within a
year or two. The members of the classes
ranged from four to six years In age, and
none were above the last figure. They
came from all parts of the city, and were
clad in the habiliments of the rich and the
moderately successful citizen. But they
were all pre-eminenty children, and each
associated with the other on a social equal
ity that was most pointedly democratic.
What the Children Are Taught.
The children taught politeness. self
denial and self-restraint, where either is
essential to their improvement. They learn
gentleness and order and method. and a
simplicity Of action and manner that are
both charming and elementary to the
cess OF the battle with the world which is
later to come to them. Their teachers are
all Interested in their work, and showed to-
day that the efforts they have made had
not been in vain. The children like
wise interested in their teachers and their
playmates and schoolmates, and to see
them dancing together and romping over
the lawns was calculated to teach an OBJ
ject lesson to their elders which they
might lose nothing by initiating.
They danced and they sang, and there
was order and politeneSS in all. First they
marched, two abreast about the open
space, then counter-marched, finally form
ing great circle, a teacher to each class.
There was music provided by violin and
a piano, and led by the voices of the
teachers and joined in by the little ones.
1t had been expected that band would be
on hand to make music, but II disappoint-
ed the promoters of the plan for the out
were requisitoned in its stead. The music
was not farreaching in its power, but the
children all knew their songs well, and the
voices of the teachers carried pretty we'll
over the large space in which the demon
stration took place.
Songs and Dances.
After the great circle was formed the sew
eral classes acted In harmony and INDUCED
in regular program of songs and dances.
Every dance was accompanied by song to
illustrate it, and the vocal music was con-
seouently practically continuous. AS they
skipped over the emerald grass, which had
been freshly mown, their twinkling little
figures looked like a great group of butter
flies, and the perfume Of sweet clover rising
from the lawn in the warm sunlight gave an
added fascination to the occasion. After
the conclusion of the program the several
classes marched in body to the gate, from
whence they took various courses to their
respective schools.
The program follows:
Songs-"Good Morning to YOU Wake
Says the Sunshine" "A Little Boy Went
Walking" over the Bare Hills Mother
delion.' There's Wee Little Nest My
Pigeon House I'll Open Wide There's
Some One Tapping on the Maple Tree, In
NY Little Garden Bed Shoemaker"
There's a Little Wee Man in a Little Wee
House" There Are Many Flags in Many
Lands.
Games-Ring song, Little Children,
Come" visiting game, come and skip with
me- King of France, the young musician,
lads and lasses out walking, oats, peas,
beans and barley grows; fly, little birdie;
come little pigeons, come into the ring;
caterpillar and butterfly, see-saw, slack
smith, soldier boy.