The Washington herald., 1913-06-16
HOUSE BOUGHT
FORPLAYGR0UND
Montessori School Committee
Plan Ideal Children's
House.
TO OPEN NEXT OCTOBER
Structure and Grounds at 1910 Kalo.
rama Road Is Selected
by Workers.

An ideal children's house. with large
grounds. we'll shaded. upon which most
approved playground equipment is to be
placed, is being put into order at 1870
Kalorama Road for the benefit of kin
dergarten pupils. to be taught by the
Montessori methods by the Montessori
School committee, of which Mrs. Alex
ander Graham Bell is one of the leading
members. This school is TO be opened
next October.
The Montessori method of training lit
tie children was introduced in Wash
ington by Miss Anne S. George, who
taught a small class at l33l Connecticut
Avenue last winter. The new method of
interesting children in their work great
ly pleased the mothers of the little
pupils by the results obtained, and good
report Of the system brought so many
applicat tons for places in next years
class that a larger home for the school
had to be sought. The work of finding
and fitting out the new home properly
fell to the care of the Washington Mon
tessori School committee, which Is a
part OF the larger Montessori Educa-
tional Association.
After a long search an unfinished house
was chosen. The requirements that made
selection of a place difficult were that
the rooms of tine house should be large
and open to sunlight and fresh air. that
it should have big porches. where the
children could take their work in sum-
mer. and that it should be within easy
reach of a car line. The house on Kali
Drama Road measured up TO all require
ments.
Mrs. Bell Is Pleased.
The Montessori School committee is
composed of the parents Of the children
who attended Miss Georges school last
winter. They are enthusiastic in their
praise of the new method, and plan TO
make its adoption for the little children
of Washington as wide as possible. Mrs.
Bell believes that the establishment OF
free Montessori schools In connection
with social settlements In this city would
be OF great benefit. In speaking of the
plans for the new school, Mrs. Bell says:
I'VE have Ueen most fortunate in secur-
ing for its directors Miss Anne s. George
and Miss r. Fletcher, who will he Joined
by other experienced teachers. We were
indeed particularly fortunate in inducing
these women to remain in washington.
as they were besieged with many requests
last winter to establish schools from Bos-
ton to San Francisco.
THE search for the house was pursued
for more than a month. So great was
the interest to get just the right one, that
pra ctically all OF the mothers and most
of the fathers joined in the search. 1t waa
found that there were many lovely big
houses. with large grounds where fine
trees grew. but they were all in the old
parts OF the town. In the new city OF
the Northwest. where the young parents
dwelt. there are practically no large
house spaces and grounds. So that when
the house we have chosen was discovered,
we deemed ourselves very fortunate.
During the summer the porches will
be put on and alterations will be made
to adapt the house still further for the
children's use. The grounds will he laid
out under the direction of the director
of the District Bureau Of Fairgrounds.
Everything. in short, will be done L
make this an ideal Children's home