The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-05-15
THE HAsKIN LETTER
Kindergarten and Montessori
81 Frederic J. Haskin.

several children may become tired
of a lesson while others are enjoy
4 ing IT, In the Montessori class the
child selects the thing he wants 10
do and continues il until he is tired
Then he puts II away in perfectly
orderly manner and proceeds 10
select something else
The MontesSor1 system is now fac
ing the same difficulties encounter
BY the kindergarten quarter OF a
century ago. Ii has suffered and
will continue 10 suffer from the mis-
directed enthusiasts of a number OF
people who are quick 10 grasp at a
new thing without taking the time
TO master the scientific principle in.
volved. Unframed mothers eagerly
ordered the apparatus and calling IN
few neighboT children endeavorec
10 accomplish in a few weeks that
which an experienced teacher would
no, hope for in months. The kinder.
garten began in the same way. ANY
woman fond of children could pur-
chase kindergarten supplies anc
start a class, the success OF which de-
pends upon whether or not she had
grasped the true principles of the
kindergarten ideal.
Al least hundred and fifty amer
lean women hare gone 10 Rome
during the last two years and taken
OF the school. Most of them are
teaching classes in this country.
Mothers who have attended these
classes are usually able TO utilize the
material proatabIS at home. al
though close application and atten-
ton are necessary TO secure the best
results. 4 considerable amount OF
literature Is now being issued b. the
Mon.essori Educational Association,
which is helpful 10 those out Of
reach of the classes. One mother
upon remote western ranch out of
reach of any educational resources
for her little children. claims that
the Montessori material has wrought
blessed miracle" for her
The kindergarten began, as has the
Montessori system, with few scat
tered classes, first OF rich children,
then OF poor children provided icr
BIZ philanthropy. and eventually its
practical good was recognized. Now
IL has become an integral part OF the
public school system in nearly every
state. The training OF kindergarten
teachers is part OF the work OF most
normal schools. so that the difficult
ties caused by incompetent and IN
trained teacher las been practically
overcome. Nearly 100000 children
are enrolled N the public kinder
OF 100000 or 25 per cent over the
last report. compiled two years ago.
In addition TO these are over 1900
other kindergartens supported by
churches. clubs and various pnilan-
thropic organiza ton. having an en-
rollment app-ozima:ng 35.Ooo. over
10000 kindergarten teachers are IN
lar
Der of women. many OF them mothers
who have taken kindergartens in or
der to be better fitted to meet child
problems
\ number OF The kindergarten
training schools are considering com
bining the Montessori materials with
the Frceheiian materials in order 10
! give the broadcast possible training
Several OF the best known normal
schools have already inaugurated
this work Los Angeles was the first
city to establish Montessori class
in connection with a pubic school.
bur New York and Boston have now
followed the example. In most OF the
LARGE cities a free Montessori class
is now supported through the eff
fcrts OF the Montessori Education
Association. already a large national
body composed of men and women
prominent IN etluCd1iohsah st-ie seSAsb
tifc circles. Aside from their phi
larthroupic purpose of giving the.
benefit OF Montessori education to
children whose parents could not
afford TO pay for =. these schools
serve as public demonstrations of the
value of the system.
/ II is DR.. Montessori's purpose 10
| carry her system OF education by
means of the spontaneous concentra-
! ton of the child throughout the en-
tire public school curriculum She
! has materials for this complete
course now well outlined. and it is
expected that the work OF the e!emen-
tary grades may be started next year
They will be demonstrated during
the sessions OF the international
Training School which has been re-
Gently opened In Los Angeles