The herald. [microfilm reel], March 27, 1896, Page 7, Image 7

About The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900

Image provided by: University of California, Riverside; Riverside, CA

                
KINDERGARTENERS AT WORK
at Our Correspondent Saw in a Train
ing Sohool for Teachers.
PLATING FBOG AND CATERPILLAR.
All Sorts of Queer Games and Kxcr
cises—The Teachers Must Take
the Same Course as Their
Future I'upils.
(Copyright 18M, bjr B»rl.ell tr , Jolnuon k nactaellcr)
"Churrug, churrug, churrugl"
The visitor stands in amazement.
"Churrug, churrugl"
The game of leap-frog still goes ou
Some half-dozen girls arc In the centre,
.lumping about iv frog-like fashion, giv
ing their mournful cry: others form a cir
cle about them, and to a simple air tell
a tnle of the frog and his life.
Ii is n class of Miss Hunter's training
School for young ladies who wish to be
come kindergarten teachers. To be a
member of that class means earnest
work niicl plenty of enthusiasm for the
cause. The onlooker may be amused.
but to the pupils there is nothing ridicu
lous in this game of leap-frog.
One of thd prills, on being asked if she
did not feel embarrassed, replied:
"Why, uo, it's lots of fun. The tall
(.'iris may feel so. but I don't. To me
there is nothing awkward or embarras
sing about these games." Then she re
peated, "But it is such fun!" She con
fessed, however, to stiff limbs when the
day was done. She laughingly said that
one could not .lump a hundred and twen
ty pounds about a room without feeling
it.
The frog game is not the only one that
is played. Another exercise tells tbe
Story of the caterpillar. The caterpillars
crawl about the floor; they retire to C -
coons—represented by the corners of tin
room; they flutter forth as gorgeous
butterflies—the girls stepping lightly
about the room and waving their arms
gracefully to portray the actions of that
insect. Again. Ihe life of the farmer is
told by them. They show how be plows
11io fields, sows the seeds, and reaps the
harvest; and when the day's work is
done, the tired farmer lays himself down
to rest (here Ihe young ladies and their
teacher drop gracefully to the floor and
rest at full length).
All the games art not so boisterous,
however, At long tables, entirely tilling
tho room, sit the Kills, some cutting,
some folding, pieces of colored paper.
All sorts of objects are cut from the pa
per by these deft lingers. They start
with squares, circles, triangles and ob
longs, pasting them in a book arranged
for that purpose. Then the designs be
come more difficult, and mosaic work,
in colors to suit the paster's taste, is
shown on the next pages; still one step
further, and objects of life appear, One
book contained a pier-glass, witli an eb
tmy frame about it.—a source of much
annoyance to the cutter and much mer
riment to her friends. Her brother
would persist in calling that glass a eof
tin.—ln fact, in misnaming everything
In the hook.
Other girls fold papers into various
shapes, making of a square of paper as
many shapes as possible. The result of
this work is also pasted in a Itook.
Tho cutting is Intended to teach form
and color, the folding to keep the Bug
gers flexible.
Rloeks and straws and seeds furnish
other amusements. With blocks they
represent ii locomotive, ut the same
time learning all they can of its me
chanism; they build a stone wall, and
inquire inio the materials used; they
call attention to the fact that a block
bus six sides, eight corners, twelve
edges,—things which we should all be
able to tell Without a moment's thought,
but regarding which we are apt to be so
deplorably ignorant. Thus the play goes
on. day after day, each pupil breathing
into'her soul that sympathy with child
fife so essential to successful kindcr
gartners.
Learning to be a klndergartner. how
ever, is not all play. There is much hard
study necessary. Of perhaps two hun
dred applicants each year. Miss Hunter
selects forty. To be a successful appli
cant one must have either a high school
or a college diploma: the candidate
must have studied geometry, algebra,
botany, music, universal history,—in
short, must have had a thorough scien
tific training.
After entering, a pupil devotes one
year to study of the system. Site at
tends (lie school in the morning, learning
the kindergarten occupations. She takes
precisely the same course as a child,
but completes in one year what a child
does iv three.
Miss Hunter lectures in the afternoon
of two days each week. Tbe lectures
are on botany, zoology, psychology, and
other branches of science. While Miss
Hunter lectures the girls take notes,
from Which each is expected to write a
paper. As the girls grow in wisdom
they take turns at assisting in the kin
dergarten connected with the training
School; and toward the close of the term
tho more courageous go a step further,
serving as substitutes, in schools fo;
poor children in various parts of the city.
It is an embarrassing task to assist
UNDER THE AWNING.
Miss Hunter. The children are used to'
a well trained teacher, aud are apt to
view a novice with distrust. Tliey are,
however, very bright, and respond
quickly to the teacher's thought.
With children from the poorer classes
it is quite different, and many a substi
tute comes back thoroughly dishearten
ed.—it is such a difficult task to make
language aud actions simple enough for
the comprehension of tbe little ones.
One of Miss Hunter's pupils tells bow
sue requested a certain east side class
to rise, and not a child moved. They
didn't understand "rise;" aud not umil
she had repeated her order iv the words
"get up" did they obey. Yet, in spile
of these discouragements, the girls look
forward eagerly to the time when they
will have classes of their owu.
Miss Hunter, who is the daughter of
I'resident Hunter of Normal College
dearly loves bet work. For ten years
she has been teaching l'roebcl's system,
and it has no more enthusiastic advocate
than she. If but a portion of her spirit
is imbibed by the pupils, they will be
fortunate indeed. In the class-room the
very atmosphere breathes of her person
ality. With what admiration did I watch
her attack a- game which one of the pu
pils had rendered almost llfeless.iind give
it a vitality and charm to which the
children responded Immediately, An
opportunity to teach is never allowed to
escape; the slightest incident is made
tbe occasion for a practical lesson. One
child, for instance, has brought a cake
for luncheon. It is somewhat like a
rose in shape. The children have their
at lent ion called to it, and a tiny seed of
knowledge is laid away to spring up by
and by.
After graduating, the girls from this
school open classes of their own in all
parts of the country. When it is remem
bered that forty teachers graduate each
year, it will easily be seen how far
reaching is the good accomplished by
Miss Hunter anil her school.
HOD TWO GIRLS STARTED A KIN
DEKUARTEN.
This is what the enterprising head of
a new flourishing kindergarten school
in New York did when her father be
came involved in financial difficulties,
and she was thrown upon ber own re
sources. The slory is told in her own
words, and will be of especial Interest
and value to young women planning
similar enterprises.
"My father was 70 years old, and out
of a position. I had one younger sister
aud no brothers, and I suddenly waked
up to the realization that 1 was tho
bread winner of the family, l bad an
education, and a friend offered to join
me iv starting a private school.
My friend proposed to share expenses,
and we went to work collect ing pupils
and fixing up our quarters.
We peddled our school from house to'
house, so to speak; and we never hud
the door shut ill our faces. We also
wrote letters to our personal friends,
and these brought us sonic pupils. Oil
one of our errands we were so much
attracted by a very pretty little boy
that we spoke to him. To our dismay,
we looked up and saw thai his mother
had been watching the interview from
a window above us. We explained thai
we had a mania for children and were
fascinated by this one of hers, at which
she was so well pleased Unit site wound
up by promising to send him to our
school.
iii this way we obtained many of our pu
pils; und having enlisted a sufficient num
ber to start our school, we set about fil
ling up our rooms. Through the kind
ness of the chairman of the board cf
education wo were able to get a dis
count on all school supplies.
We lirst bought two largo pieces of
awning cloth for $7.00; with this wi
covered the carpets in the parlors and
ball, and made an awning 50 feet long
>>• IS feet wide. This last was my own
ilea and proved a great success. We
put it out in the back yard, attaching
it to the fence by means of rings sew
ed nine inches apart on the edge of the
awning, and slipped over hooks driven
into the feuee. We Used it for out
door exercises In the mild weather of
the early fall: also for sewing, reading
and writing classes.
Here is a list of our expenses:
Kindergarten table $10.00
13 kindergarten chairs 6.00
Blackboard (with slight imperfec
tion) 2.00
LOS ANGELES HERALD: ,
Blackboard easel 1.00
Kindergarten materials 3.84
Kindergarten hooks 2.W
Complete set of maps, lv case
l slightly imperfect) 8.00
Class sign for window Li.oO
Ink, pencils and stationery 8.85
Drawing Materials 2.06
Printing (cards and circulars) .. 0.44
Awning and floor-cloths 7.50
RESPLENDENT IN RICH BROCADES.
Song books 3.00
Total 960.01
These, properly placed, with the large
back parlor for the kindergarten, and
chairs and tables which we already hail
in the house for the other rooms, trans
formed our pretty parlors into bright,
sunny, attractive school-rooms.
We were anxious to have a carriage
to cany the children to ami fro from
the school; but as we could not afford
this, wo secured the services of a bright
young girl who called for the smaller
children ami took them home, ami at
tended to their wants during school
hours. This we si ill continue to do,niuch
in the satisfaction of o\ir patrons.
We were compelled to borrow the
AS BUTTERFLIES TUFA' FLUTTER ABOUT THE ROOM.
money to defray our Initial expense*;
but as we charged part pay in advance
we were able to pay opr debts at the
close of the lirst day of school.
By scrupulously fullilling every prom
ise wo had made in tho beginning, and
giving good, conscientious instruction,
besides making the pupils exceptionally
and phenomenally happy, we have been
very successful, and are gaining the
confidence of the public more and more
each year. The outlay during the first
year, including servant hire and inci
dental expenses, amounted to $250;
while our income was. iv round num
bers. $1,400.
At the close of tlte school year, cele
brated willi appropriate exercises and
Ihe awarding of medals and prizes to
the best pupils, we arranged a special
summer course.
During those three summer months,
which should have been a vacation, we
took our pupils on an outing with a
fine tally-ho to some country place near
by; so that it was not a case of "all
work and no play" by any means.
Our curriculum includes, besides the
kindergarten and regular primary and
grammar grades as taught in our best
public schools, Fencli. German, music,
sewing in all its branches las dressmak
ing, millinery and embroidery), drawing,
painting and physical culture."
A set of triplets 24 years old are liv
ing in tile town of Inez. Ky., where they
were born. They are finely built men
and remarkably alike iv appearance in
every respect. Two are married.
THE WOMAN OF FASHION.
She is Resplendent in Rich Brocades That
Suggest Wall Paper and Draperies.
POSSIBILITIES IN PETTICOATS.
Some Gowns Scon at a l'ashioiiubl
New York Theatre—The Various
Uses of Grass Linen—The Short
Sleeved Shirt Waist.
There are a great many materials in
the market which one looks at and ad-
|mires, but never thinks of buying. From
a spectacular point of view they are very
pretty, but it is hard to think *if any
thing useful that could be done willi
them. Those large figured silks and
satins thai look like flaming banners
hung up in the Windows are a puzzle
to the utilitarian who cannot imagine an
ordinary woman appearing in such garb.
They look as if they might, make very
pretty hangings or draperies for a win
dow or the walls of a handsome boudoir
where (here is room for a figure to
spend itself before it reaches an edge
or a seam. Bui after one has seen the
effect of one of those Immense seven
yard skirts made out of silk or satin
with a corresponding colossal figure of
leaves, or fanciful scrolls, or bunches of
flowers ,then one believes that they are
magnificent, and not at all out of keep
ing, especially .when worn by a large
woman.
One of the most beautiful gowns I
have seen was made of brocaded satin!
de Lyons woven expressly for tho exhi
bition of fine materials at the World's,
fair. It was too daring for the season
which immediately followed, and was,
therefore, put away by the lady whoi
purchased it to await the time when!
such patterns should become fnshlona-j
We. Since the advent of Hie brocades 1
hare been talking about the gown has
been made up after an original design
by Madame Krelle.- the lending modiste
of Baltimore, The design waa necessar
ily simple for such a pattern, whicli was
a large bunch of red and yellow roses
Willi green leaves ou an ivory white sat
in ground. The skirt had numberless
folds at the back and sides, but was
sufficiently plain to show the figure web
in front. The bodice Was cut low and
trimmed with a bertha of splendid old
point that cost dollars upon dollars a
yard. The sleeves were short but full
puffs of red velvet to match the red
roses. But. the most, fascinating thing
about this gown was the part that didn't
show—the inside lining of the skirt, witli
i it.s finishing Bounces at tho bottom. Tho
• lining was pale yellow taffeta like the
■ yellow in tin 1 loses, and around the bot
i tout were three Bounces of satin ribbon,
1 one each to match the colors In the pat
i tern, namely red. yellow, and green;
• when the skirt was raised these flounces
i showed and the effect was exquisite,
There is not a woman living who is not
' susceptible to the charms of a gown
• with a pretty inner finish, or the fasci
' nations of lissome lingerie. These are
i two tilings which even the fabled new
' woman will stop to admire. And now
i that we are talking of lingerie, we
i might as well remark that, extravagant
' though it may be. those silks with large
' patterns are used for petticoats whicli
' are so pretty that ladies who own them
' often wear them for dress skirts with
' dainty tea jackets for lounging purposes,
i To be sure, they haven't so many gores
|as a dress skirt, but they have flounces
enough to compensate. First there is
i the pinked flounce of soft taffeta; then
• a ideated one of the material of the
i skirt; then a fluff of accordeon pleated
i chiffon veiled Willi exquisite lace. The
. top may be finished here and there with
i a tiny bow of ribbon. A pretty design
i shown me by the Baltimore modiste was
I finished at the lop of the upper flounce
with a band of ribbon run through a
puff of chiffon. To examine a few of
■ the skirts on sale in the large stores one
i would infer that the cost of a petticoat
,s rely a mailer of flounces, averag
ing about live dollars to the flounce. Silk
skirls witli one flounce can be bought
for from four to eight dollars according
to the quality of the silk and the ele
gance of the finishings. The nicest
skirts have throe or four rows of cord
ing m the Bounce, which add greatly lo
their usefulness in keeping the edge of
{ the dress skirt in place. And right here,
though it seems dreadfully out of keep
] ing wiih all this talk of elegant silks
and laces which most of us can only
dream about, let us come down to the
j possibilities of ihe average purse in the
matter of petticoats.
A very nice dark skirt is made of
black sateen. Everybody knows that,
and everybody knows also that sateen
alone is very limp and useless as a sup
port to the present skirt. A flounce or
two of moreen will remedy this difficul
ty, making a useful and respectably
ornamental petticoat which can be
bought ready made for OS cents, and.
if home made, should not be more than
HO cents.
Whole skirls of moreen are very use
ful, but are rather stiff aud harsh.'Some
sateen skirls have a flounce of moreen
and another wide cne of silk corded
around the edge to make it flare. These
sell for tive dollars. As summer ap- '
proaches, we shall see fancy petticoats
] of grass linen to match the linen batiste 1
dresses of which everybody will have at '
least one. I
Bui in Ibis discussion of petticoats we
have digressed from the vision of magni
ficent gowns worn by people of magnifl
! cent purse in the lobby of a magnificent
j New York theatre. The majority of the
gowns had those Immense figures refer
red to above. The brocade was not gen
-1 orally utilized in Ihe waist but formed
only the skirt, being combined with pain 1
silk or satin or chiffon.
A long cloak had a flounce around the i
bottom and was lined with beautiful
figured taffeta In a lavender tint. Fur ■
canes are always correct. Evening is «
the only time when ermine is seen, now
adays; it is too expensive for
ordinary people as arc most of the things
I have been talking about, but one likes :
to get a Heeling glimpse of loveliness
now and then even if it isn't possible
to possess it.
Some of tbe lliings we can have are
the fascinating tilings made out of grass I
Inen, or French linon batiste as the shop t
folks say. They have thought of every-,
thing. There nre handkerchiefs, hats,
ami parasols of it. Siioes are not made:
of the linen Itself, but conic in canvas !
to match. j
MRS. RHODA HOLMES NICHOLLS.
Shirtwaists galore are made of it. with
big. full sleeves that are short with a
three-Inch band reaching just below the
elbow. Many of ihe new shirtwaists
have these short sleeves—a fashion for
which we shall be exceedingly grateful
on hot summer days, and which we will
bewail when it conies to donning the
snowy evening dress wild its ivory set
ting to our Bunbrowned arms.
AN.ME LAURIE WOODS.
7
CLEVER ENGLISH-AMERICAN.
A Woman Who Has Achieved the Highest
Success as an Artist in Water Color.
MRS. RHODA HOLMES NIOHOLLS
V Brief Sketch of Her Career and
Mm k -Her Varied Experience. /
Wide Range ot Subjects and
Breadth of Treatment.
J!K. Rboda Hoi
| mi's Xieholls, ia
~^ v accounted tha
cleverest water*
florist InAmer-
lea. Sbe waa
lx)rn ,n f ' oVPnt ry,
•; -jr,'. '--* : '*"JL England, ou'.y
(laughter of the
' vlcar of uttta
• 'T-J&.i Hampton, a fashionable
-' watt ting place. Her fath
«*r, a graduate of Oxford,
i>W%sffi> ,v:,s a I ,rofounu scholar.
rVs%£» During her school dayn
- drawing and painting
were part of the curried-
lun, l vocal and instrumen.
tal music were not neg
pSSffiffc lcctcd. though now Mr 4.
Bfe§SM/f Nlcholla feels this a rait.
ftSSfctfl use of time.
Later, as an accom.
plishment and with no
thought of a professional
life or of bread-winning, she studied art
in one of the schools of Kensington
Museum. Having passed through the
elementary classes without special dis
tinction, it was a surprise to herself at
the end of several years that she carried
off the Queen's Prize, sixty pounds per
year for three years. To this amount
tlie queen added ten pounds, a special
gift, showing high approval. After one
year's study Mrs. Ntcholls sacrificed this
prize in order to go to Rome—attracted
by the brilliant color of the sunny south.
With Camerano site studied the human
figure, and with Vertunni, landscapes.
Evenings were spent at the Oircilo Ar>
tlstlco, a club of professional artists—
Spanish. Italian. French, German, Amef.
ienn, Dutch. Each criticised his neigh
bor. These Cosmopolitan critics made
an era in Mrs. Nlcbolls' art life. The
pose lasted five evenings, then place*
were changed. This was the most prof
itable period of Mrs. Nieholls' study.
Two hours' work in water colors neces
sitated freedom and dash, quick con
ception of character and broad treat
ment. These characteristics still con
stitute- the chief charm of Mrs. Nieholls'
work, and place ber in the front rank of
artists. She was summoned before the
queen of Italy to receive compliments
and congratulations on her attainments.
After thrfe years she went to South
Africa, wltcre her brothers had an os
trich farm of 25.000 acres, with the
Quest flock in the world. The vast
stretches of desert with its scorched veg
etal ion. bordered by misty mountain
lines, was n new revelation to her Eu
ropean eyes.
This artist had already been recog
nized iv England, her work having been
hung on the line at the Royal Academy
exhibitions. Eater, Mrs. Nieholls. visit
ed Venice again, where she made the
acquaintance of her future husband.
After a year's time Mr, and Mrs. Nieh
olls were married iv England, and set
sail at once for America, in 1884. On
her arrival, her talent met with instant
recognition. Substantial prizes were
won in New York. Boston and Chicago
silver and gold medals.
The wide reach of her subjects is re
markable: shining walls of Italy, shim
mering sands of tho desert, the joyous
water of the lagoon, ostriches, haughty
Kaffirs, gay gondolas, monks and nuns,
landscapes, interiors. More charming
than all these motifs are her two chil
dren, whom she occasionally introduces
in her pictures. How she catches them
is a mystery, for they are veritable but
terflies, humming birds. Wills-o-tbe
wisp. The titles of some of her pictures
iii! oil) are Those Evening Bells.Uaugh
ter of Eve. A. Pastoral, (in water color),
The Scnrlei Letter, Searching the Scrip
tures. The Indian after the Chase.
The Churchman considered her a
painter of religious pictures. Only seri
ous subjects attract her: but iv every
thing she finds joyous color. Mrs. Nieh
olls Is the vice-president of the N. \".
Water Color Club, member of the Wom
an's Art Club of X. Y.,and also of Cana
da and of the Aquarelle Club of Rome.
Though not fond of society, she does
not neglect it. —on account of her chil
dren. She is often seen at late after
noon teas and receptions, and is a mem
ber of the Barnard club.
Her house, on West Fiftieth street, is
the now old-time three-etory-and-base
ment affair, open on every side to sun
shine and fresh air. This home is at the
same time studio, class room, picture
gallery and museum of curios. Mrs.
Nieholls' pupils, whose name is legion,
besiege her there till June locks the
door and allures her to pastures green.
Mrs. Nieholls is best known by her
flower painting, because of wide repro
duction. Her pupils bring so many
beautiful flowers, which can not be re
sisted, even Sunday mornings. Are ser
mons to be found in stones, and not In
flowers a* well? Sbo protests she will
not be held to flower painting; nor will
site renounce oil colors, for in that me
dium her greatest successes have beea
made.
SUSAN M. KETQHAJfc