The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-07
sEND-OFF FOR EMPORIA.
Mexican Government to Adopt Nor
mails Teaching Methods.

Emporia, Kan, Aug. 7-During the year
just closed two Mexican women have been
IN attendance at the Kansas state Normal
school studying American methods in pri-
mary and kindergarten education. Their
first appearance among the student body,
which numbers between 1,500 and 1900,
caused some little stir, but by the close of
the year they could appear upon the cam
pus without more than passing notice.
These two young women, Miss Francisco
Rameriz and Miss Margarita Valdez, were
teachers in the public schools of the city
of Monterey, when the state of Neuvo
Leon, in which Monterey is situated, feel
ing the need of kindergarten instruction,
decided to send them to America to learn
American methods. So Miss RameriZ and
Miss Valdez were given leave of absence
from their work in the schools of Monte
rey, their salaries to continue the same
whom in actual work BY this provision
Miss Rameriz has received during the year
monthly allowance of $o2 in gold, and
Miss Valdez $38 in gold.
Both were well fitted for their mission,
Miss Ranleriz being graduate of both
normal school of Monterey high school;
and Miss Valdez being graduate of the
Monterey high school and the Monterey
normal school,
In the choosing of which institution
among the many American normal schools
a number were taken into consideration.
Of these the Colorado StateNormal school,
the Kansas State Normal school, and
normal school in Boston were chief. The
normal school of Kansas at E1n3oria.
This was because of the special facilities
offered for kindergarten work.
Miss Rameriz and Miss Valdez arrived
at Emporia early in September last and
began their work at once. On their arrival
Miss Rameriz could speak but few words
of English and Miss Valdez none at all.
They found q friend and interpreter in
Miss Crary, an assistant in the depart
ment of natural sciences, and IS Miss
Crazy was the only member of the normal
faculty could not speak Spanish, much OF
their work was done under Miss Crary S
tutoring. In addition to their study OF
kindergarten methods, they did special
work in music. drawing and clay model
ing.
In answer to whether conditions here
seemed strange as compared with life IN
Mexico, Miss RameriZ said
NO, things do not seem strange here at
all. We are perfectly at home here and
like the American people much. We at
tend all the lectures and concerts at the
normal and though we do not always I'M
just as much as if we were at home in
Monterey. The students here are good to
US, and we like them. The only things we
do not like are your meals and YOUR
weather. Your meals can not compare
with ours and your weather is either too
hot or too cold.
The young women say they dress almost
the same here as in Mexico Monterey,
among its citizens. They claim that on
the whole school conditions in Mexico are
good, attendance being compulsory, and
the schools supported by the government.
Next year Miss Rameriz and Miss Val
DEE will attend the University of Chicago
where they will work for degrees. They
will probably be in Chicago two years.
While there. as while in EmDoria, the
Mexican government will pay them their
regular salaries. Upon completing their
work in Chicago they will return to Mon
terey to establish their kindergarten
schools.