Year erial N HELP EACH OTHER. That is the thought. If you know a good thing-have actually tried it out in your school room---PASS IT ALONG through the columns of this department. Of course we de. aire NEW IDEAS, but will accept old ideas worked out in NEW WAYS. Strive to be ORIGINAL. WRITERS FOR THE "HELPING EACH OTHER" DEPARTMENT BLANCHE S. S. BLACKWELL, Brandon, Manitoba. BLANCHE CHAPIN, Wolcott, N. Y. MARY E. COTTING, Waltham, Mass. MABEL HELENA CROFTS, Public School No. 23. Richmond Borough, New York City. HELEN P. DAVIS, Portland, Me. MILDRED DONALDSON. 1020 Dovercourt Road, Toronto, Ont. JESSIE S. EASLEY, Ringgold, Texas. ROTHA E. GATES, 73 Fayette St., Palmyra, N. Y. JENNIE F. GRIMES. 190 Madison St., Brooklyn, 1. Y. MARY MOORE, 501 Lincoln St., Hibbing, Minn. MRS. ARTIE R. KRIBS, New Lathrop, Mich. Minneapolis, Minn. FLORA MARGETTS, Shandon, Calif. ORPHA A. HILLMAN, Stanley, Iowa. S. MINNIE A. HOGAN, 660 Crest Road, Chattanooga, Tenn. PEARL JONES, Orting, Washington. AMY KAHN, 375 Central Park, New York City. MRS. MAME BRADFORD HAMPTON, Durango, Colo. MRS. G. N. HINDSON, 336 Broadway, Winnepeg. Manitoba. CLARA L. PENN, Rockford, Ohio. FLORENCE PEASLEY, R-4, Kenosha, Wis. P. E. REYNOLDS, 3336 Central Court, Niagara Falls, X. Y. MABEL L. STRAUB, 1137 Arrot St., Frankford, Philadelphia. HARRIET L. SHAFTER, 156 Chestnut St., New Bedford, Mass. GERTRUDE VAUGHAN, Logan, Iowa. JOSEPHINE WEAKLEY, Liberty Centre, Ohio. LOUISE WHITCOMB, 4228 Winnetka St., Dallas, Техал. MARY YARBROUGH, R. 12, Farmington, Tenn. ANNIE N. PIKE, 141 Bracewell Ave., North Adams, Masa. MISS ROXIE MARTIN, 2250 Fulton St., Berkeley, Caif. MRS. HATTIE KNAPP, 470 Hariilton Ave., Aurora, IIL THURSA WASSON HARGITT, Bloomington, Ind. EDNA GENE MCGEE, 116 East Tenth St., Oklahoma City, Okla. MARION E. ADLINGTON, Queensboro, New York. OLIVE WILI.S, Cheyenne, Wyo. SUSAN SMEDLEY, 401 So. Church St., West Chester, Ра TELL YOUR TROUBLES Every live Kindergartner or Primary Teacher has PROBLEMS to solve. Write to this department and some of our many writers may be able to help you, A FIRST GIFT GAME By Mary E. Cotting, Waltham (54) Mass. Place as many balls as there are children in the group in a pretty basket and set it in the middle of the ring. If one is fortunate enough to have enough balls to make it possible for each child to have two turns at selecting all the better. This game is often played when the children sit instead of stand in a circle. After the basket has been placed sing to music of old time game Ring-a-round-a-rosy :Ring-a-round-a-rosy, My little (boy, girl or child's name) Bessie has found a posy; Red, orange, yellow, green blue purple While singing the first and second lines Bessie has been skipping about the basket; and at-found a posy-she has dipped courtesy fashion and taken one ball. She now shows it to any playmate as she stands before him. If he can tell the color he takes Bessie's place and does as she did. Bessie hides her "posy" somewhere about her person and the new child plays his part. When all the posies have been picked some child takes the empty basket, all tell the color of the ball she puts back into it: She then asks (while standing before some child) Please, give me a red posy. If he hasn't it the child continues to ask until she finds it. The child who has the red posy puts it into the basket, which he now takes and goes searching for an orange. Thus the game continues until all balls have been collected. If the children have sufficient knowledge of flowers to be able to name flowers of each color-ask for red rose- -(columbine ;) orange. A DANCING GAME By Mary E. Cotting, Waltham (54) Mass. Dingle-dingle, dingle dee Who'll my partner be? (Child in middle of ring beckons some one) Marjorie will my partner be. Dingle, dingle, dingle dee, Dingle, dingle, dingle, dee Merry dancers now are we. Now the partners with joined hands who have been skipping either within, or outside the ring, bow and Marjorie stands in the middle of ring-her partner returns to his place "on the circle" while Marjorie proceeds to choose a partner. The children can sing to the same music everytime, or only piano can be used and the rhythm tone changed as often as desired. HOUSE BUILDING FOR PRIMARY PUPILS By Mrs. Ella V. Archer, Teigen, Mont. I have discovered a way to interest pupils, beginners chiefly, in not only learning but accomplishing the complete memorizing of many memory facts. This plan might be impractical for large classes but in small rural schools where the number of primary pupils is small it can be easily and successfully carried out. I use old calendars, the kind that are usually given out by druggists containing the numbers in inch squares or larger, and are so made that instead of tearing off the sheets each one may be turned back. However if these are unavailable any large size note-books will do-one for each pupil. On the backs of these calendar sheets I make the house by drawing a large square almost as large as the page leaving merely enough space at the top for a roof. Then I divide the square up into one or one and a half inch squares according to the number needed. Across the gable end I write "John's Alphabet House," or whatever kind of house it is to be. Then each child must fill up his own house by learning all the memory facts necessary for that page. In the case of the "Alphabet House" he must learn each letter so that he will recognize it anywhere. Each letter as learned is placed in the square that shows it's proper place in the alphabet-in the children's words it is put to bed in it's own room. When the house is completely filled I give some little inexpensive prize. Following are the houses my boys' calendar books contain: 1st, The Alphabet House (Capitals written and printed.) 2nd, The Number House (numbers to be read, 100 spaces.) 3rd, The small Alphabet House (small printed and written letters.) 4th, The Counting House (100 spaces.) 5th, The Number Writing House. 6th, The Word House (When filled new one may be made.) 7th, The Printed Word House. 8th, The Spelling House. 9th, Number Combination House (adding.) 10th, The Letter Writing House (Small letters and capitals made in squares by children.) 11th, The Letter Sounding House. 12th, Number Combination House (subtracting.) My prizes are always samples of my cookery such as small cakes, cookies, little pies, gingerbread man, popcorn, home-made candy and the like. Any rural teacher living in her own cottage, boarding herself, can easily do the same. Or if she wishes she may give pencils, merit cards, or she might find that the satisfaction of showing the completed cards to parents would be reward enough. My own opinion is that children will work harder for some tangible reward. I write the name of the reward under each house so that the little pupil will know exactly what reward 136 he is to get. After getting one prize he will be even more anxious to get another. Finally, these play houses furnish a valuable record of the child's progress. It is something that may be exhibited to parents, visitors, and superintendents, as proof of what has actually been accomplished. The parents themselves will not only be glad to see these records but will be proud of them. And lastly they will be a great help to the teacher by showing her just what children need extra help and how. SCRAP BOOKS By Eunice Winn Smith, Independence, Mo. At the beginning of the school year; I asked the mothers of my kindergarten class to provide the children with scrap-books. These were made of cloth, muslin, cambric or chambry, size of pages 9 x 12 inches. I printed their names on the front in ink, and permitted them to paste a picture for decoration, They have a regular place in the kindergarten closet and tell of everything we are doing. In these books the children paste bits of hand-work which record the stories of our projects. For instance, in the autumn, there were pictures of birds, autumn leaves, caterpillars, pumpkins, late garden vegetables, and squirrels. These pictures were drawn, cut out, colored, or otherwise made by the children. Beneath the pictures they pasted the type-written song or story about these pictures. At Hallowe'en there were black cats, Jack o'lanterns, brownies, and other symbolic pictures, while the verses and songs pertaining to them were pasted in close proximity. At Thanksgiving time, the books showed the farmer and his animals; his fruits and vegetables; as well as Indians, tepees and pilgrims. There was also a loaf of bread, a bottle of milk, a home, various articles of clothing; and mother, father, brothers and sisters (which the children named as good gifts for which to thank God.) The turkey and the flag also were prominent at this time, and stories in verse were pasted near the pictures. Their Zoo project was represented by favorite animals, with the verses that told about them. And so on, through Christmas, winter time, and community work, throughout the year. The children read their books in kindergarten, and on occasions take them home and read them to their parents. Their parents are able to understand and join in their songs, to help them with their language work in rhymes, to watch their improvement in art work, and to appreciate their conversation about the kindergarten. The books are a definite connecting link between the homes and the kindergarten. Best of all they give the children much pleasure. Seventy-seven traveling teachers are employed in Cuba to give instruction in 187 centers in sparsely populated districts. They instruct 3,639 children. All girls who enter the high school of Oswego, N. Y. are required to take a course of 10 weeks in home nursing. The superintendent of the Oswego Hospital is the intructor. HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS Bertha Johnston HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR MAY By Bertha Johnston April first made a grand April Fool of all in the vicinity of New York City when she treated us to a heavy thunder-storm accompanied by the thunder and lightning of mid-summer. But she followed it with a day of balmy sunshine and one feels that this was Winter's parting shot before leaving Spring a clean sweep. Winds and showers have prepared for the young life of May and this is the teacher's and parents' opportunity to let the child share the joy of awakening life as observed in the growing things of woods and field and garden; and the feeble, helpless young of dogs, and cats, birds and farm animals. 137 ed at present is a high regard and reverence for the well-springs of life--a sense of the wonder and responsibility of parenthood. In this connection we would say that Mrs. Mabel Irwin, who has lectured before the evening courses of the New York Public Schools on Eugenics has a notable message and can speak with facility and con. vincing power on the difficult question of sex before an audience of young and old awakening a spiritual sense of reverence for the body and for parenthood. and Mothers' Meeting cannot do better than to engage her to speak, Her message is what the young people of the period sorely need. GIFTS AND OCCUPATIONS While many kindergartners are following the socalled project methods with their larger blocks and freer material, there is still a new use for the regular Froebelian Gifts and Occupations. By this time of the year the children will have graduated from the use of the First Gift. Color, form, motion, tossing hiding and the like will have been learned and exercised. But very young children may still like to find a point of resemblance between the red ball and the robin redbreast, the bluebird and the blue gall, and to play they are hopping, flying and the like. Tell of the man who had a flock of chickens and called them to dinner with a dinner-bell. Talk of the needs of the wild birds and the domestic ones. Where do the wild birds find shelter, water and food? Where have they been all winter? Do any stay with us all winter? In many respects this seems to be an age that encourages selfishness, thoughtfulness and self-indulgence; every occasion should be utilized that gives opportunity for the child to exercise his natural instincts of kindness, tenderness and nurture. A helpless kitten or puppy makes a great appeal to the child even if for but a moment at a time. Give the child occasion to feed, water and prepare a comfortable place for the little creature's rest and so exercise these impulses. Also the opportunity to prepare the ground for seeds, to plant and care for the growing things that cause such joy when their green tops are seen appearing above the brown soil. Do not, however, require too much such care from very young children. If too much is expected the effort may have just the opposite effect from that desired. We must not allow the little one who requires so much nurture himself, to become weary of well-doing. Bring pictures of puppies, kittens, nestlings and the like, and speak of the parental care that feeds, and teaches to fly and to secure the necessary food. If possible bring to kindergarten a pair of birds and let the children observe for themselves how the mother patiently sits on the eggs; how the father-bird feeds her, and later feeds the nestlings. Some kindergartners manage at this time to have a setting-hen in kindergarten where the children can observe her motherliness. Of course the above suggestions are more needed in the city than on a farm. The important object of so doing, is not to teach the children so much, how many legs or eyes or tails an animal has, but what we are after now, is to demonstrate the loving care of parent for offspring and to awaken in the child a sense of this beautiful instinct and a desire to express it himself. The high school children of today can write beautiful verse, and wonderful essays, dance long hours and take care of themselves, or think they can, in a remarkably independent way-but what is most need Some years ago we had the absorbing pleasure of watching a mother bird as she returned again and again to her two little ones that sat perched on a branch with yawning caverns of mouths. Over and over she placed a tidbit in one mouth and then one in the other. How did she remember which one she had fed last? The Mother Plays of the Little Gardener and the Farmyard Gate naturally pair off. They hint the same lesson of care of the weak and helpless. So that the Balls may represent the farmyard animals and we may build a fence for them of Second Gift Beads. Or inside the fence we may let the beads of various shapes represent the animals, and also make watering-troughs, and trees beneath which they seek shelter in sun or storm. Building-Gift-Make stable, stalls for horses, trough, barnyard, well, birdhouse. Play visit the park and build park-bench, fountain, drinking-fountain, box in which we put trash so as not to disfigure the beauty of the landscape, goldfish pond, arbor, bridge tunnel etc. Also boat-landing and boats. Preeminent at this time, however, is work with brush, paint and crayon, for the sky grows blue, the grass green, the tulips brighten the flower beds, and bluebirds, robins, yellow ducklings and the like, cry aloud to be pictured by the eager hands. We must not forget the Maypole with all of its perennial charms and we offer the simple little rhyme as something the children may sing while winding in and out, under and over. It will be interest Weaving bands of colors bright. Mr. Tomlins, conductor of the wonderful Children's Chorus at the World's Fair, in Chicago, published about that time through McClurg's a most beautiful book of songs for little children, words and music simple but exquisite and childlike, and illustratons good as to drawing and delicate as to color. The plates were subsequently lost in a fire and the McClurg's did not republish. One of the songs was often used in kindergarten on patriotic occasions, simply dramatized, thus: The words were "Soldier boy, soldier boy, where are you going, Bearing so proudly your red, white and blue?" "I go where my country and duty are calling, If you'd be a soldier boy, you may go too." One child would ask the question of a child carrying a number of flags, who as he replied, would give one to the questioner. The two would then march while the others repeated the question, and number three would be given one and so on until all were carrying a flag. For Memorial Day we would paraphrase the little song thus: "Children dear, children dear, where are you going, Bearing so proudly the red, white and blue?" "We go to place flowers on graves of our patriots, If you'd like to join us, then you may go to." This does not exclude from the idea of patriot, teachers, poets, philanthropists and others, who often in face of misunderstanding and danger have shown equal if different patriotism from the soldier. All honor to the men who gave their lives for their 1. Aminals for everry-go-round make tims of these. country on the field of battle, but let us also honor those who have suffered for their country in other ways. MY OLD SHOES By Marie Hunter Dawson One thing I know--perhaps you've guessed- Of course they're not so shiny new, A boy don't have to walk just so. I want some room to move my toes, I hate to worry about my hose; But when I wear my brand new shoes So, since new shoes are such a pest, KINDERGARTEN ACTIVITIES FOR JUNE By Bertha Johnston The program and projects for June will in part be a continuation of those for May and may also, according to Froebel's suggestion, include a summing up of the program for the Year. Let the children recall what topics they have taken up through the year and then illustrate them with crayon, paint, and clay, or any other medium they like. They might make booklets of these as a permanent reminder. Clay-The allurement of the outdoors makes for more active occupational work. We think of the joys of the park, the seashore, the farm and decide to represent them in the sand-table. What does the Park offer in way of occupation work, connected with the sand-table? We can mould birds, and nests, ponies, squirrels, fountains, pigeons. Cardboard-Make swings, slides, boats, boxes for trash. Cut animals for merry-go-round as shown in illustration, at end of strip. Bend at A. Attach with pin to cylinder of Second Gift and let revolve. Cut various animals seen in the zoo. Also make park benches. Make light-houses seen on shore of lake or ocean or river. Make boats, pails, shovels, used at shore. Also piers extending out into water. Cut and color birds that are returning from distant regions, to bring up their families near us. Cut and paint pictures of the goldfish seen in the pool in the park. Some years ago we described a little play suggested by experiences at the shore, thus: A row of children take hands, representing the line of the advancing tide, irregular in movement. Other children play at gathering shells or advance toward the row (surf) as if approaching as near as possible without wetting the feet. The line of surf runs up quickly and tries to catch some unwary child, who in turn becomes part of the surf. To this we would now add the further idea, that some of the children seat themselves as if sewing on the beach, or having lunch, or making wells, with their backs to the surf. The line of children forming the surf sing as they slowly advance and retreat in irregular line, Hear us sing our little song, Giving folks a grand surprise; At line 5 they make a sudden rush, trying to surround one of the groups. As they retreat they drop a few shells here and there, real or imaginary. Tom Sawyer is famous for many amusing chapters of which he is the center of interest but perhaps the best known is that of the way in which he got the fence whitewashed by his neighbor boys. We would here suggest a way in which active boys might be kept happily busy, and one conductive to aesthetics if done under supervision. The Ethical Culture School of Brooklyn is in a lot that runs from one street to the next; the fence at the rear was an eyesore until Miss Manning, a landscape gardener and teacher, painted it with what at a distance forms a charming view of evergreen and deciduous trees, a blue pond, and grassy sward. A really attractive background to the yard in which the children have their out-door lessons and games, and their swing, slides and the like. At one end is now placed a rabbit hutch made by the children. which will have its own space enclosed by wire netting. Let children experiment. On page 103 of the April number will be found a reference to a little Meadow-Lark refrain written by Mrs. May Owens Kinsey of Chicago. The music and illustration were inadvertently omitted and will be found in this number of the MAGAZINE. This same Mrs. Kinsey is Chairman of Transportation Committee of a very delightful excursion being planned by the Chicago Teachers' Federation. Unfortunately the data reached us too late to be of service to our readers this year, but may serve to prepare them for the opportunity next year, if such offers. This is planned for the Spring Vacation and includes a trip to Muscle Shoals and back, by train to St. Louis and thence by boat down the Mississippi. It reads most invitingly, with best of food promised, and good music for dancing, with a Masque ball, etc. The round fare is $65. "Lyrical Lines for Lassie and Lad, Including a few for Mother and Dad" is a collection of verses that have appeared in the KINDERGARTEN MAGAZINE during the past twenty years, by Miss Bertha John 139 attitudes. Moss and bark and a fence railing give the atmosphere of park or woods, enhanced by several squirrels. Several bird-an-squirrel-houses are shown, made by the pupils of Public School 15, while one somewhat larger and more ornate, with its decorations of birchbark is made by a pupil of P. S. 9. Copies are shown of several humane journals, among them "Our Dumb Animals" "The Humane Review" and the humane number of "Moral Welfare." On Saturday, April 12, was held in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, a Bird and Squirrel Festival, inaugurated a few years ago by Mrs. A. G. Allis. About the appointed time a procession of Boy and Girl Scouts and other school children marched to the Music Grove the excellent Boy Scout Band having already taken its place in the Music Stand.. American flags were carried, besides banners bearing various slogans such as "Regular Fellows Bird and Squirrel Brigade:" "Humanity to Animals" etc. And the school-boys who had made bird-houses carried these proudly aloft. Some of these were very simple as to architecture; others displayed invention both as to style and color design. Being seated, the Star-Spangled Banner was played followed by the salute to the flag. Then Mrs. Allis made a few timely remarks, among other things reminding the children that a park was not made in a day, yet a tree could be killed in less than a day, and she called upon the children to help care for the Park and to be always kind to animals. The band then played an appropriate sweet, birdlike air, which was followed by speeches from three Park Officials. A flight of pigeons followed. The boys from the several public schools represented, then presented to the Park the bird-houses they had made, one boy having made four. The official who accepted said the houses were all so attractive that if he were a bird he would not know which one to choose. He also reminded the children of the value of the birds to the Park and asked them to help preserve the beauty and charm of the Park by not scattering papers over paths and lawns and by not mutilating shrubs and trees. He said that the houses would be distributed in different parts of the park. A ladder had been placed in readiness against a conspicuous tree and two park employees cooperated in nailing to it one of the houses. Meadow-Lark Soh | Soh me doh 1. Meadow Lark American Starling ston. It includes a few clock songs, wind songs, and others, appropriate to kindergarten use, and also a little play in verse, based on a favorite tale of the Arabian Nights. Bound in blue paper with an attractive cover design, the regular price of the little book is sixty cents, but readers of the MAGAZINE may obtain it for thirty if they send payment with letter, thus saving postage and time. Address Miss Bertha Johnston, 389 Clinton Street, Brooklyn, New York. We note that Namm's a department store in Brooklyn, has an appropriate window display for "Kindness to Animals" week. In the background is a large sign "Regular Fellows Bird and Squirrel Brigade," in front of which stand attractive life-sized figures of a boy and girl of about twelve years, in easy natural all day eng. The ceremonies concluded by the playing of America and the distribution of leaflets published by the Humane Dept., Presbyterian Board. We describe this incident as a suggestion to other cities and schools. The making of bird-houses is alluring to boys and girls and relates itself intimately to the appreciation of what animals do for us; our obligations to them, and the desire to preserve the beanty of park and countryside; to conserve and not destroy. Kindergarten children can make parks in miniature and bird-houses also, following in part Froebel's mother-play of the Pigeon-house with all its implications, |