Evening star., 1936-03-01
d. C. Schools Kindergartens
Observing 38th Anniversary
Interesting Facts Relating to Their
Establishment, Gr0,uth and Work
Recalled by Miss Watkins.


Miss Watkins.
background. Four hundred dollars
per year ($40 per month. for 10
months). the same salary as that Of
beginning teachers in the grades, was
allotted them.
$50 Year Assistants Pay.
The first kindergarten assistants in
our public school system deserve to
rank among the city's benefactors.
During the first year that the kinder
gartens were in existence they gave
their services for $50 year or IS per
month, sum considered equivalent to
paying their car fare.
In 1899. one year after the intro
duction of kindergartens into our pub
lie school system, and one month after
Miss Watkins began her service as q
kindergarten teacher, she was given
jurisdiction over the white kinder
gartens in Washington proper, which
had been increased In number to II,
and over two colored kindergartens in
the area outside. described as "the
county" The remaining colored kin
dergartens were placed under the d.
rection Of a colored teacher who volun-
teered her services as a temporary
supervisor in like spirit of public
service to that which actuated those
first volunteer salaryless kindergarten
assistants.
In 1900, under an act Of Congress
which unified the city and county
school systems under Supt. A. T.
Stuart, both white and colored kinder
gartens came under Miss Watkins
direction, with colored assistant d.
rector to aid in the work with the
colored schools. To Miss Watkins and
the competent associates who worked
shoulder to shoulder with her in car
rying out the ideals which have actu-
ated her long service to public educa-
ton and to the children of kinder
garten age in the city Of Washington,
is largely due the credit for the fact
that our public kindergartens are equal
If not superior to any others in the
large cities Of our Nation.
The colored schools now have their
own director of kindergartens IN the
person of Miss Imogene Wormley,
who comes Of family of Negro leaders
in Washington.
Early kindergarten Teachers.
Among the white teachers who
pioneered with Miss Watkins in the
teaching and the motivating Of those
early kindergartens which set q pat
tern Of excellence for our Nations
Capital were Miss Mary I. Sewall. Miss
Nellie D. Moot, Miss Alice M. Parker,
Miss Mary v. Grifith, Miss Eliza
Green. Miss George c. Vance, Miss
Carrie w. Green, Miss Katharine
Brown, who is now Mrs. d. w.
Prentiss; Miss Emily Carr. Miss Har.
riet Foster, Miss Daisy Prentice, Miss
Isabel Meloy. Miss Juliet Searle, Miss
HALEY and Miss Jane McKnew. Miss
McKnew. after the abandonment Of
Mrs. Hearst's kindergarten College,
became the supervisor Of the demon
stration classes that were conducted
at the Seaton School when our public
schools inaugurated their own train
ing department. These colored teach.
ers were among those associated with
those early days Of kindergartens for
colored children: Miss Florence Rich
ardson. Miss jeanette A. Taylor, Miss
Roberta Quander, Miss Blanche Brad
ford, Miss Eva Ross and Miss Grace r.
Campbell.
Today there is q kindergarten for
both white and colored children in
nearly every school building or group
Of buildings throughout our school
system. Statistics gathered at the
Franklin School show that during
January 3,756 white pupils and 1865
colored children were enrolled in the
public kindergartens Of our city
schools.
79 in Some Classes.
1t is shocking to contemplate, how.
ever. that here in the Nations Capital,
where conditions should approximate
model basis. that 70 children in some
instances have been enrolled to one
teacher in kindergartens thus far dur.
ing 1885. In our white schools I am
informed that there are but five fun
time assistants in the entire system.
At the Bryan and Buchanan Schools
approximately 80 children have been
enrolled per kindergsrten.
Through the: motivation Of Miss
Watkins as director Of kindereartens
washington was the first city in the
United States to inaugurate q general
play festival for kindergarten chill
dren on the grounds Of the National
Museum. With the flags Of their
country flying to the breeze over them
and the Marine Band plavinp the
music for their folk dances and games
the happy faces and tripping feet of
many children at play from widely
dinerent stations in life brought home
the realization in concrete form that
we are members Of q big human
family. The following year. the COL
ored children met in q like kinder
garten gathering upon the campus at
Howard University. Baltimore, Rich
mond and Syracuse have held similar
pay FESTIVALS for kindergarten chill
oren patterned after ours.
One OF the most popular educational
features OF the Panama Exposition as
san Francisco In 1913-14 was the fire.
quent showing Of moving pictures of
Washingtons kindergarten play fes-
tival.
Character Education.
The basis upon which kindergarten
training in our public schools has pro-
gressed has been that upon which We
nave more lately come to use as a
stock term. character education" A
pamphlet entitled Character Educs-
ton IN the Kindergarten" prepared
at Miss Watkins suggestion and re-
quest through group meetings, clearly
epitomizes the avenues of character
training eYnnha sfzad h,, &t.~ ,....