The Llano colonist. [volume] (Llano, Calif.) 191?-1937, 1922-12-23
LLANO KINDERGARTEN
IDEAL HOME AND SCHOOL

Il
To chase dull care away, come
for while to the kindergarten at
Llano. What is the best timep Well
some might choose the working hour.
when the Brownies are all busy, raking
and hoeing, spading with little tools, OF
possibly working at the tables, making
wonderful things out of clay or 9th
er materials. Or perhaps you prefer
the organized play, watching the games
and the folk dancing. merry fun and
rhythmic delight for all Come at meal
time. and you'll see the cutest sight on
the Colony campus; for the Col
ony is our University" if you please
The wee folks meal time tables have
all been'laid by the little hands; glasses
and spoons and dishes placed right;
hands and faces washed. They do il
themselves. Dinner is ready; quietly
teachers and children pass to their
places, and all sit moment silent be-
fore the spoons are touched. | have
read Of observers being moved to
tears watching the children at dinner
in Madame Montessorri's school at
Rome. At the time, it seemed to me
an exaggerated statement; but, when
watched this lovely sight, knew it
! might easily have been true. By sug-
gesticns from the teachers, the chill
dren are forming careful habits of eat
ing. After dinner, each child carries
his or her tray to the work table and
stacks the dishes in piles, where the
DISTINGUISHING crew Changed weekly
wash. dry and put away the dishes.
Then, cots are unfolded, and silence
reigns. For an hour every child is
asleep or resting. Do you call that
the best hour at the kindergarten?
For me, better than working, playing,
sleeping, Or eating is the time when
work and play are over. All are glad to
rest and gather together under the oak
trees if pleasant; blythe fire if rainy.
Weltalk, sing, and tell stories till VIC
la, who presides over the kitchen, calls
us to dinner. Clean are the little quiet
hands and upturned faces. AT Myr-
ties suggestion, all are stilI-so still
we could hear the birds sing. Then a
song is started, softly at first, but
mounting up till all in the neighbor-
hood know that the kindergarten is
singing.
Certainly, we have cur trying times.
Maybe crying spell, o., rarely, a
quarrel. But real pride in being brave
soon dries the tears. and the quarrels
don't last long. When justice is be
ing melted out in the child-world to
some small offending brother. we "Iet
them alone, and they come home :
or, if too " survigorous," the angry ones
are given chance to cool down on a
cot for an hour or so.
In fine weather. tree play out doors
is in order. Winte- will demand an in
doors program of constructive work.
!. You know all those cut-out pictures
you've sent in? Son, each child will
have finished really beautiful scrap
book. (The hooking bird is our neigh
Dor and what do you suppose? "A
friend in Chicago is sending us a life
size Perry picture of 'the mocker'' for
the cover of each scrapbook!) The
picture books you sent will come as
near to being devoured as books ever
werel
Happy little ones of Llano! Your
future secure! Opportunity, Educa-
ton, older ones who are carefree
enough to play with, as well as coun-
sci and guide you, are all yours for the
growing years. Little zones on the
outside may the day hasten when
the protecting arm of rightly-ordered
society guards you, also!
| wanted to tell you about our Won
der Walks. but the printer says,
Halt"