The Washington times., 1913-05-01
URGE MODEL SCHOOL
ON ADVANCED LINES
St. Louis Women in Capital to
Place New Method Before
Teachers Meeting.

There IL In washington a little band
Of women and children from St. Louis
whose mission Ii to have created a na-
tional school for children. to be used
as a model. to revolutionize the teach
ing of children.
The entire educational system will
hinge upon the teaching of music by
colors. From this central point will
radiate learning In mathematics. me-
chanics. languages. nature studies, do
mestic art, dancing, drawing, writing.
reading, and every other subject needed
in life.
The inventor" of the new method of
teaching children is Mrs. Fannie E.
Hughey, Of st. Louis. In her campaign
she is accompanied by two model
mothers and two model children, a
business manager and an advance
agent.
Novelty In Trip.
The trip of the party was made pos
sible in a novel way. Miss Olga Harris.
and who was one Of the teachers under
Mrs. Hughey's method. recited to Will
liam H. Albers, a wealthy citizen Of st.
l<ouiS, tIe Oh the methO0.
Mr.. Albers' wife had just died leaving
him with two small children
He became interested. and when the
need of the establishment in New York
or Washington of a national model
school was mentioned. donated the
to his dead wife.
The model mothers and children are
Mrs. Anna McClain Sankey, Virginia
Sankey, aged five years, and Mrs. Scott
Parsons. and Jane Parsons. aged seven.
Mrs. Parsons is the wife Of DR.. Scott
Parsons. Mrs. sankey is the daughter
of the late w. H. McClain. Miss Alice
Pettinsill, one Of the leading musicians
Of st. Louis. the advance agent. Is now
in New York.
Marks Advance.
The Hughey system, 1t Is asserted, is
an advance over the Montesorri method
by which the famous Italian woman
educator, DR.. Montessori startled the
after careful training developing them
mentally and physically until they were
normal.
The Hughey method has been brought
to the attention of DR.. p. P. Claxton.
Commissioner of the United States Bu-
reau Of Education, and Is being given
consideration. 1t will later be presented
to the Indian Bureau and its use In
Indian schools advocated. Mrs. Hughey
has been invited to address the Con-
gressional Club upon her return from
New York.
Under the Hughey system. the early
training Of the youngest children begins
with playing with dolls.
These plays" Mrs. Hughey said to-
day. mot only make for digital skill.
but develop self-confdence and self
respect. gentleness, order. love tor and
skill In home-making. thoughtfulness. |
and self reliance in execution and an |
unconscious growth In the appreciation |
OF the beauty Of social service
Gives Basis.
I'm the play with dolls, the making
of doll furniture. and the care of tiny |
the way is easily opened for
beautiful foundationaI lessons in ma
lure studies and other training.
In teaching music by color, the les
;on is indelibly impressed upon the
'ounS mind by the application OF na-
ure study. frightened by fairy tale IL
usetrtions.
THE work begins with a bird of the
,olor red, which is the first color rec
'gnized by baby. and the first of the
colors of the rainbow. This
ed bird comes from music land, the
lome of the happy music fairies; he
caves there as a pure white bird. but
s directed by the fairies to fly through
ainbow land and choose a color bring
o the children. The musical tone in
rusted TO 1t is the central lone of music
namely: The tone is sit
Iated just half way between the treble
md bass cleffs. and known as middle
:. This tone is the root of the tonic
hord. which Is the natural root of full
onality, and in after years will be rec
Snized as the logical introduction into
music land which he received in the
calm of babylon.
Logical Steps.
AT the psychological moment, when
xpectation rises at its height from the
story by the teacher, the red
ird is shown to the delightful childr en-
nd the lesson developed by easy and
rg!cal steps. Thus the first bird intro
uces the fundamental color of visual
nd artistic perceptions with the tonic
one of the art and science of music
nd the keynote of the mortal and spir-
.ual conceptions.
.'Other birds of other colors follow,
II illustrated upon a board each bring
ng its own associated ideas. With
hem came practice in numbers, lessons
n voice placing. tone quality, ear and
ye training, and development of