Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-01-13


legal opinions are to the contrary.
Mr.. John L. Kelly, city attorney Of
Milwaukee, says, 81 am of the
opinion that such an amendment, If
adopted, would have the effect of
apolishing free kindergarten instruc-
tion in public schools tor children
under years of age. The same
opinion is given by he members of
the firm of Cary Upham and Black,
attorneys of Milwaukee.
The cities of Milwaukee and
Superior, wishing to retain the
kindergarten as part Of the public
schools, sought the opinion of the
Attorney General concerning this
matter The following statement was
made by him to the city of Milwau
kee in reply. If the amendment be
adopted, children below the age of
years will have no lawful claim upon
the school system, or to be admit
ted, or to receive instruction in said
school.
In reply to the inquiry from
Superior he asys-
The Legislature would be pro-
hiblted from establishing as part OF
district school, a department of
children below the age of g. and pay
ing for said school out of the public
funds -
BY the adoption of this amendment
then, as has been shown concIusively
the 20 to 80. 900 children now being
ably instructed in kindergartens
would be debarred from school
privileges. and many of them turned
out on the city streets. Is this fair,
wise. or just?
Does the condition in rural schools
demand sacrifice of such magnitude,
waste of the years of effort and ex-
pense to prepare the kindergarten
departments with their sunny rooms.
games, music and reaching in
fuence for good? What are the con-
ditio1s in rural schools2 Do they de-
mand the exclusion of the four year
old? The County Superintendent,
who eIe certainly in a position to
know, do not think so. But four out
of the 70 questioned considered the
younger children problem. and As
declared they were not. Besides not
nearly all of the scholars in rural
schools remain at school until fitted
for high schools. so that it would
hardly seem fair to still further cut
down the period of school life.
There are other avenues open for
would-be reformers in educational
work, beside the age limit. Here are
some of the useful suggestions given
by Prof O'Shea. of the University
of Wisconsin, in the Wis. Journal
Of Education.
THE SORT OF REFORM NEEDED.
The school as it is now equipped
is not the most ideal place for a child
from four to six; one may make this
statement without qualitiu alton. But
the way to correct this difficulty is to
get to work and make the school
better adapted for child life than it
now is. Of course, it is eaiser to
keep children out Of school, but if we
do this it will be heavy loss to the
children themselves, and to society
in the end We could solve this pro-
blem if we would get busy along
these lines: (1) Let us establish a
system of medical inspection of SC hool'.
Let every community secule a man
who knows his business and who
will see to 1t that the school is made
hygiepic in respect to light, ventila-
ton, seating, and contagious diseases.
(2) Let us in the next place abolish
most of our formal training in the
earliest years, and introduce in its
stead the study Of nature and con
structive activities. Let us also
adopt the fundamental principle OF
the kindergalten-ed education through
play, organized, educative play. (3)
Let us make the school day shorter,
but let us see to it that when the
child is in the school he applies
himself to the things which are
proper for that place. "a Let us
place in charge of the youngest
pupils the gest-calibered teachers
we can find. teachers who have poise
and force, SO that they can lead chill
dren, and inspire them with respect
for the things they ought to revere.
''These suggestions are perfectly
practicable. 1t is recognized that in
order to carry them through we
would need to exert ourselves more
than if we pass law to keep children
out of school until their sixth year,
but if we do this latter thing, we are
going at the business in the wrong
way. We are not solving the problem