New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-21
Italian Educator Says Their
Children Are More
Eager to Learn.
PUPILS HERE TELL
OF THEIR PROGRESS
Teacher Amazed by Develop
ment to Thirty Schools
in City.
Nv HENRIETTA R0DMAN.

Yesterday the Dottoressa Maria
uontessori held the first conference
with her pupils in America. 1t was at
tho Cbildren's House, $40 East Seven
tv-seventh Street. The Chlldren's3
EoTsa is one of the thirty Montessorl
scbools which have Lprung up IN Ne"
WORK during the last three years.
The conference was impressive. Inc
great Italian teacher greeted her PuPlis,
her disciples, If you like, win deush'
and apparent amazement at th9 ue'eI-
opment of her work in New YORK -,
This beautiful house OF the cnli-
dren!" she cried. you nave 80 so nluCh
here; in Italy we cannot give tne cHiI-
dren ali this. we have it not to give,
bnt little is much when children are
free. AL,
In the districts which have been deyas-
.tIuuQUakc5 twelve SCHOOLS
have been established.
II have now developed method OF
educating children from five TO ten
vcars old. By it they learn reading,
writing. arithmetic very easlly-but es-
necially nature, science, the languages.
/ Then they are ready to enter the nlgh
schools. / believe you call It,. Two
years are saved in the school lie OF
"Nv elementary methods have been
nut into sixteen schools in Italy. sig
no mi Macaroni is training teachers
and opening our schools in Spain, 9,
Miss Annie George, who introduced
DR.. Montessori's work into this com
munity, asked how Montesorri teachers
in the United States could learn the
methods for older pupils.
"Signorina Fidele might come. mere
/ AMI supervise the elementary classes
which you form" q,
"Bu you, Dottoressa," exclaimed
Margaret Naumberg, why won't you
stay and help u.s."
/ Dir. Montessori didn't say she would,
/ but noticed particularly that she
didn't say she wouldn't She is now on
( her way TO California, where she Will
give q four months course in Montes-
/ sori methods i'm Los ANGLE s and San
/ Diego. Her latest book, describing her
work with older children, will be pup
/ lished in the fall.
"Now, that is all my news, and |
want to hear what you are doing. |
want always to keep in close touch
with you and with your work. Tell me
what you are doing"
Mrs. A. Reno Margulies, of 534 West
! 18th Street, told of her work with
deaf and backward children Miss
| George spoke of hers.
"Ah," said DR.. Montessori, "but are
you not working with the children or
the well-to-do? Tell me what you are
doing for the children Of the poor"
Miss Zoe Bateman, secretary OF the
Montessori Association, explained that
| the Children's House in which the con-
/ ference was held was a free school,
supported by contributions.
! at is very nard 70 get the work
taken up by the public schools" SAID
Margaret Naumberg. ave have just
secured permission to establish class
| in Public School 4. II was only pos
sible because of the enthusiasm Of the
principal, Simon Hirsdansky, for DR..
/ Montessori's work.
until the work is developed By the
Board Of Education it cannot be car
red very far among the poor, Tor
/ teachers must live as well as each"
/ at is easier 10 teach the children OF
/ the poor" said DR. Montessori. They
are more eager to learn"
"Oh, no." cried her pupils in chorus.
1.-THE children who have better homes,
better food and better care learn
much faster than the poorer children"
81 had a group of poor children last
winter. and a group Of well-to-do chill
/ dren this winter" said Margaret Naum-
berg, land the latter learned in six
weeks more than the former learned in
/ q wear"