Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1922-05-19
THE KINDERGARTEN.
shreveport Journal

of children between the ages of 4
and years in every public schoo
in Louisiana is the object Of . worthy
campaign launched in Shreveport
some months ago. Men and women
who appreciate the Importance oi
foundation schooling, such as comes
through the kindergarten, comprise
the membership Of the association
having this movement in carge. They
are hoping that plans for statewide
activity will be adopted by the legis-
lature at its present session. To that
end they have sent copies Of q letter
explaining the proposition to the va.
rious solons, urging them to give
favorable attention to a bill that i
to be introduced, providing for kin.
dergarten service.
The Journal, in today's issue, il
publishing this letter in full, also the
proposed kindergarten bill. Those
who are concerned in the best de-
velopment Of the youthful mind
should study this proposition, and
enlist their cooperation with the
kindergarten association. The move
ment has as its chief goal the pro-
motion of an educational system
through which a better citizenship
can be produced. In proposing that
this service be offered through the
kindergarten, the association says:
IF we spend a year or two
preparing the child's mind for
what is to come, by laying .
foundation for character, integri-
ty and fair play, we may expect
that child to be q better citizen
when he grows up."
In other words, the best time to
begin the construction of character
is during the period Of youth. Early
impressions are the ones that are
most apt to stick.
1t is not proposed to make the
establishment Of kindergartens COM
pulsory. The plan provides for q local
option system. There must first be
q petition Of parents or guardians Of
twenty-five or more children of kim
dergarten age. Funds shall be raised
under a definite plan, whereby It
will be voluntary on the part Of the
taxpayers.
Wonderful progress has been noted
in states in which the kindergarten
service is provided. Experience shows
that the investment pays big divi-
dends.
Recently q demonstration Of what
it is possible to accomplish with the
mind Of the child too young to enter
the first school grade was given with
the public kindergarten class in
Shreveport. The work that is done
through this institution should be an
Of the statewide kim
dergarten movement. There should be
more of this instruction. All parishes
Of the state should have it.
Copy Of Letter ssnt to Msmbsrs Of
The Louisiana Legislature By the
Shreveport Kindsrsartsn
Association.
The Shreveport kindergarten As
sociaton was formed by q number
Of busy men and women who appre-
ciate the value Of the right kind Of
sducation--the education which is
built upon the proper foundation.
Dur sole interest lies in our desire
10 promote an educational system
FOR our state which win produce a
better citizenship, and this we be-
ieve can best be done by thu estah-
ishment Of kindergartens.
In asking members Of the legisla-
ture to vote for the kindergarten
bill. we have been asked by some
IF them: "Just what is . kindergar-
ten, and what does it do for the
child? Men as a rule, have been
too busy to visit kindergartens, or
10 give this phase Of education the
it deserves, and so we
feel it will not be amiss to explain
more fully just what it is we are
lsking you to vote for.
kindergarten, as its name i'm
plies, is "child garden," q place
where the plastic mind Of the little
:hild il cultivated and the soil pre-
pared for future production. A good
farmer gives a great dea, Of time,
attention and money to the prep
lration Of the soil before planting
lime, not that his land may pro-
luce two or three crops q season,
put that the crop that It viii pro-
luce may be bett r and larger. And
70 with the mini II the child. II
ws spend a year or two preparing
he child's mind for what is to
come, by laying a foundation icg'
character, integrity All far play
We may expect ,ha. chi.J 10 DC .
better citizen when he grows up.
The kinergartsr, tcr 'uga tong.
tory and play, teaches the child
low to meet the situations he will
ater find in the game of life. 10
There is game the chill