The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-05-24
5000 WILL COME
Topeka Gets International
kindergarten Convention.
Twenty-Seyenth Annual Meet
ing Here in 1920.
CREDIT DUE MRS. CHAPMAN
She Is Biggest Booster of slot
School, in State.
Much of Good Done Here Re-
suit of Her Work.
CREDIT DUE MRS. CHAPMAN

Kansas needs more kindergartens-
and she's going to have them II the
convention of the International Kin
dergarten union, to be held here next
year succeeds in arousing any inter-
est and enthusiasm in the proposition
The twenty-sixth annual convention
of the union was concluded in Balti-
more Friday night and the next con-
vention, to be attended by more than
5000 delegates, will be held here.
To Mrs June r. Chapman. 1928
Lane street. belongs the credit OF oo-
tanning the next convention of the
worldwide union for Topeka. Her
victory is the result of years OF en-
deavor and devotion to the task she
has the welfare of Kansas children at
heart she has put up an unceas-
ing fight to get some recognition Tor
them. But her battle has been fought
almost single handed.
Hitherto Kansas has ranked as one
OF the most unprogressiVe states IN
the union in relation to kinderGarteh
work Educators have directed their
thoughts and energies to high schools,
colleges and universities, leaving the
little tots to shift for themselves, I'M
mindful of the fact that in the flrst
few years of their lives they need in
struction that cannot be found IN
books. Until a few years ago, there
was no such thing as a public kinder
Earten in Topeka and the few private
ones organized from time to time
eventually sank into oblivion because
there was no means of maintaining
them.
Eight kindergartcns in City.
Topeka now has eight kindergarten
schools the beginning of which was
largely the work of DR.. Charles NJ.
Sheldon. 1t was more than twenty
five years ago when Doctor Sheldon,
T. L. Bowman and others succeeded in
getting a few private schools started.
But these schools soon disappeared
because there was no way of maintain
ing them. For sixteen years Doctor
Sheldon succeeded in keeping the
Tennessee Town colored school alive
and then started a war on the city
board of education to induce them to
take over the kindergarten. The eXer
ton he put forth to this end will
proba bly, never be told, but he sue
ceeded and gradually, in response to
petitions of tax payers, the Central
Park, Potwin, Sheldon, Parkdale. Lin
coin, Lowman, Grant and Mckinley
schools were opened and now have
total enrolment of nearly 400 chill
dren.
prevailed upon Mrs. Chapman to be-
gin teaching the Tennessee Town
school. 1t was the beginning of her
remarkable career in tbs line of work.
one now IeaCneS Ine central 1d1k
school in the morning and the Potwin
in the afternoon. There are ordinar-
lily from 25 to 80 children on the
waiting list at each school. which goes
to show that more institutions of this
kind are needed in the city.
During the last session of the state
legislature an effort was made by Mrs.
Chapman and a few friends to get n
bill passed providing that when a GER
tain number of taxpayers signed pc
t.tion asking for. a new school. the
board of education would have to
open it. Thru the fault of Senator
Baxter Mclean, however, the bill
failed to pass the senate, after it had
come thru the house in record time.
The present law provides that the
board may open new schools as they
see fit.
Kept Renewing Invitation.
When the international Kinder
Garten union met at San Francisco
two years ago, Mrs. Chapman, real
izing what it would mean to Kansas
to have convention here, sent in
vitations that the next meeting be
held in Topeka. Chicago, however,
was decided upon. Last year Mrs.
Chapman went to Chicago in person,
and there delivered scores of invita-
lions from the most prominent men
of the state. Baltimore was chosen.
Again the Topeka teacher sent invita-
tons. and this time they were ac-
cepted
TOpeka's guests next year will prob
ably be as cosmopolitan as any ever
entertained here. the union being
worldwide organization sending dele
gates from many foreign countries to
the annual meetings. which usually
last a week. Kansas is to be con-
graduated on obtaining this conyen-
ton and the increased interest in the
Riddles and the awakened reaIiza-
ton of what they need most will uE-
doubtedly he the result.