The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-07-10
OUTDOOR SCHOOL IS
FAVORED BY TEACHERS
Open Air Kindergartens
Fosn Topic for Depart
mental Discussion.

The kindergarten education department
OF the n. L. A held an interesting meet
Ing Yesterday afternoon in the Firs
Christian Science church.
The first topic was The Value OF Out
door klndergartens' which was abl,
handled by Miss Ada Mae Brooks, presi
dent OF Broadoaks school. Pasadena
Cal. Miss Brooks said, In part:
All children are better and happier
outdoors than man is, but our plea
for the open-air school is based on
larger considerations than its benefit
70 health. We hold that an indoor
life cramps the child's mind as we'll
as its body; that children educa ted
among the trees and flowers have a
broader outlook than children edu-
Gated within four walls. with every
opportunity Of observing the ways Of
nature. their lima ginatlve, scientific
and artistic tendencies are constantly
stimulated. They do not make that
rigid distinction between the world Of
things and the world OF books which
Is so common and so disastrous. They
understand that the one is an eX-
preston of the other.
Experience. being more convincing
than theory; let me describe my own
dena. Cal 1t has been established
four years and we have between
thirty and forty pupils. We have two
houses which stand back TO back
tween them. Flowers in rich abund-
ance, a sand pit swings. etc, make
the place a chldren's paradise.
There are two splendid oak trees
climb about among the branches.
Each child has light chair. and
each pair Of children has a light
desk table. These can be moved
about easily and We arrange them
under the shade OF our oaks and
olives. On those rare days when 1t
rains the children in the grades move
their desks into two large open
window schoolrooms and the kinder
garten is accommodated in glass
sided porch,
Working in these ideal conditions
we have seen nervous children grow
calm, delicate children grow strong,
and robust, high-spirited children de-
velop their talents naturally, with
out friction.
'The Effect of the Scientific Spirit II
Upon the Kindergarten in Re
la tion TO Materials was the subject OF
paper by Miss Louise Alder OF the stat
normal school of Emporla. Kan. An eX
tract from Miss Alders address follows
The progressive kindergarten does
not regard the gifts and occupations
as a series OF material value and
worth in itself. Certain OF the gitts
and occupations, however, she holds
in high esteem because they stimulate
and satisfy In the child valuable in
stincts and impulses which are seek
ing expression. The Kindergarten
must study each child and try TO FUR
nish him with materials which VIII
satisfy his present need, and Will lead
him on 10 the next step in his deVel-
opment This will lead her to study
each separate material in order to de-
termine its special function and value
in organizing the child'S present OK
perlences and activities,
Miss Elizabeth R. Shaw Of the chill
study department OF the public schools @
Evanston, H., ''The Effect OF the Scien
tifc Spirit OF Education In Rela tion to III
Distinctive Characteristics OF the Mon
teSsori Method" In part Miss Shaw said
The chief feature Of the Montessori
method is that she tries to adapt her
self 10 her children, first individually
and then collectively. 1t would be
much easier Tor us TO accept The re-
suits Of her experiments. right or
wrong. than to develop the Insight and
ers ourselves. The only honest way to
initiate u successful teacher Is to cul-
tivate her attitude toward her work.
Montessori has done us great SER
vice In reminding us TO develop and
TO appreciate all those simple and
graceful forms of service by which a
little child can be helpful In the home
and garden; but in addition to this we
must also yirillze education by adapt
Ing TO II the idea of the modern play
ground movement-not play Tor Its
own sake, bur frequent periods of
strenuous non-habitual activity for
self-development, for alertness, for
swiftness and wholeness of mind ac-
tlon. This would necessitate the full
est use Of all the senses. for the sake
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