The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-02
WORK OF FREE KINDERGARTENS AMONG
 THE FOREIGN COLONIES OF BIRMINGHAM

of kindergarten work in Brming-
 ham is the number of alien chll- dren who come in to the schools from the Syrian, Greek and Italian neighbor- hoods. Almost all of the free kinder tens have several nationalities among the pupils There are more American chil- dren of course attending all the kinder sartens than European, although Bir mingham's foreign colonies are increasing rapidly and the number of foreign chl dren in the schools grows correspond ingly.
 The foreign children come into the kin dergartens speaking English-the English of the street In many cases the mothers of the children cannot understand word of English and the children are not al-' ways able to speak their native language, which is rather strange and explained only by the fact that they hear Eng fish spoken entirely on the street-and the street is their playground.
 Two bright little Syrians in one of the free kindergartens speak English with only a slight accent. Their mother does not understand single English word. When the kindergarten teacher, visit ing in the Syrian neighborhood found these two children, Sam and Abraham, she found it necessary to have an in- terpreter before the mother could be made to understand about the kindergar- ten And yet the children had lab sorbed" enough English to take hold of their kindergarten work as readily as th1 English child. But that is one of tho beauties of Kindergarten work. It appeals to children of every nationality.
 These little Syrians have been very earnest workers the past year. One of the..l is only four years old and in only the first branches of Kindergarten work. But he expects after q few years longer in the Kindergarten. to be 'peddler' and to be able to buy sandwiches and ''weiner wurst." This is his greatest am bition. His brother Is two years older, but for all that he can not run as fast or sing as loud, at least this is what the brown-eyed little Syrian said very em- phatically, in good English, so there could be no mistake about it.
 here have been two little Greek girls fin one of the kindergartens. They were exceedingly interesting and loved the Kindergarten. They wore their hair plait- ed in two long paits. spoke good Eng fish when they came to the kindergar- tens and were the most satisfactory of pupils.
 They were timid when they first en- tered the Kindergarten, but this Is a na tural characteristic of children, particu larly those in the neghborhoods of the free kindergartens. Some of the little aliens refuse to say word for week, but day or two Is usually long enough for many of them to overcome their l,nff 4xith SD n V children whom they have never seen be- fore. Italian children come into the kinder gartens every year. They make the most picturesque of types, speak English pick ed up from the streets, and are most enthusiastic over the kindergarten games. All of the foreign children. as rule, quickly adapt themselves to kindergar- ten training They are intensely interest in- to the kindergarten teacher.
 In a Kindergarten where several na- tionalties are represented the teachers have wide opportunities for chld-study. Not only are they in daily contact with the children but they meet the parents, go to see the mothers of the children and attempt through the interpreter to find out how they are pleased with the kin dergarten. Through the kindergarten the teacher knows something OI lhe eilNlfou- ment of the children.
 In all the foreign neighborhoods, the Syria 1 the Italian, the German, the kin dergartner follows her pupils to their very households. She learns how the Syrian woman lives when away from her temple worship. her swinging lamps of incense. She sees how she adapts her self in the little home that her hus- band has made for her and her chill dren in America. Sometimes this home is only two rooms and there is a large family. Sometimes the little Syrians who come to the kindergartens bring their mothers or their baby sisters.
 Now and then there are little stray vls- ito-s from the foreign settlements and often children of American percentage