The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-11-17
KINDERGARTEN ADVANCE
Five More States Have Joined the Move
ment

The l0l7.l9lS schcol term finds five
more states with better kindergarten
laws, as advocated by the United States
bureau of education, the National Kin
dergarten association and organization OF
mothers and club women everywhere.
In Maine and Texas, the new laws
authorize the school boards to open a
kindergarten wherever parents petition
for them. This makes it possible for a
community to determine for itself, with
the slightest degree Of difficulty, whether
| it desires the advantages Of kindergar-
ten training for its children, In Maine
feature of the legislative campaign was
the presence OF ten of The kindergarten
children OF Bangor before the education
committee of the House on the hearing
of the kindergarten bill. In Texas the
congress OF mothers and the women S
clubs were effective in arousing senti-
ment for kindergartens all over the state
The education officials of the state sup
ported the measure from the start and
the result was not only successful legis-
ation but widespread public sentiment
for the best type of kindergarten train
ing.
law, although it does not expressly state
that parents may petition for kinder
garten, is practically the same in effect,
since it provides that a kindergarten
shall constitute part Of the regular
school system and shall be supported in
the same way that primary and gram
mar courses are supported. The result
is that when fathers and mothers make
known their wishes for kindergarten
as part Of the public school system OF
their community. class will be started.
The following arguments, presented by a
representative of the congress OF moth |
ers in Washington, were effective in Sc
curing legislation: ~ The early years
are the most impressionable and in a
wise educational system these years
should not be left unproyided for l2l |
Little children are given good start |
not only in school but in life through the
excellent training which the kindergarten |
gives. (3) The majority of parents who |
want kindergarten training for their I
children cannot afford TO pay tuition at
private kindergartens a. The kinder
garten is democratic in that it brings /
additional educational advantages TO all /
children before any must leave school 70
20 to work 90 One dollar spent in right
formation is better than a hundred spent /
for reformation later
In Oregon progress was made in kin
dergarten legislation despite consider
able opposition The new law applies
only to the city of Portland, and has
the further restriction that not more
han Ave and not less than three kinder
yartens must be installed during the
year 1t is hoped that Oregon will find
the Portland experiment so desirable
hat the legislature will extend the kin
lergarten advantages throughout the
state.
In Tennessee the school authorities
nave usually felt that since the state
aw did not permit the use of state and
.ity school money for kindergartens
here was no way to maintain them.
The new kindergarten law, secured large
v through the efforts of the Tennessee
tate branch of the congress for mothers,
Ioes not add to school taxation and does
lot affect the basis of school population
mt simply gives cities and towns the
light to supplement their grade work
With adequate training in the kinder
arten.