The National Association for Lakewood, N. J., in a letter to the Study and Education of of the REVIEW, gives an interesting Exceptional Children Children offers a account of the work of the Internine-months' training course (Oc- national Sunshine Society in its tober-June) for teachers wishing to homes for blind babies and children prepare themselves for special work at Brooklyn and Summit, N. J. with exceptional children. This She says:— course will be conducted in the Institution at Plainfield, and will include a comprehensive program of lectures, research work, and practical teaching and supervision of a selected group of children. Training and living expenses are free. Successful completion of the course entitles the student to a certificate. The Wheelock Kindergarten Training School, Boston, offers a course of training for social service in response to an increasing demand from social settlements and other institutions promoting child-welfare for trained directors of children's clubs and classes. A study of Froebelian methods and means of child-culture will be a central feature of the course, supplemented by field-work, observation, and practice in various institutions for the care of children. Two schools at Chambersburg, Pa., increased their accommodations for pupils by having portable buildings placed in the school yard. The Hewitt and Washington schools each have one of these structures, which are used for the kindergarten classes. Work of International Sunshine. Society "I taught in these homes four years and know how well they are conducted. Here the Kindergarten, House of Childhood, and the Exceptionable Home are practically combined under one roof. "Into the regular morning kindergarten are introduced frames for buttoning, hooking, tying, etc. tie, chain crochet, etc. With large cord the children braid, In the afternoon they sleep, dance, play social games, as calling, serving tea, etc. With their toys they imitate the trades and household attend the story hour at the city duties. They go for drives and library. They are encouraged to ask questions, are carefully trained in thoughtful courtesy, and any special talent is carefully nurtured. From the time they open their eyes in the morning until the prayers and good-night confidences these children are being taught through play. "These children are blind, and their parents enter them here for special instruction. But the parents are surprised and overjoyed to find that, through good food, sanitary sanitary surroundings, regular habits, exercise in a big playground, and other good influences, the children, besides advancing in school work, become healthy, happy, and courteous. "All the household loves each child, and there is always a close MISS ADELAIDE J. WORTH, of attachment between the children and their nurses and teachers. When taken home for a visit they sometimes cry to return, but, while they are happy here, they grow in love and respect for their parents. "One of these children, Rachel, known by many cultured New York city people, was presented to Governor Dix and his assistants, and by her courtesy and loveliness was instrumental in passing the New York State bill for the educa tion of blind babies. "All this in an institution for special children--and yet, now that I am in public school work, it seems to me a pity that so much of the kindergarten influence must be lost or overcome when the little ones return to homes and to the street. Poverty, drunkenness, immorality, nagging, or even a slavish love can retard their development. their "Much has been said, truthfully, against institutions for children, but there is no doubt that these International Sunshine Homes are far superior to many private homes. Wouldn't many of our normal children develop into better citizens if they could live in such homes during the impressionable age, from two to twelve years and thus be fortified for the rest of life?" Need for the Kindergarten in THE need of more kindergartens is felt in North Dakota, and the subject is being agitated throughout the state. Miss Genevieve Lyford, head of the kindergarten department at the State Normal School, at Valley City, in an article in the School Bulletin, writes: essential to our crowded cities for "The kindergarten is not only essential to our crowded cities for the foreign child, and the indulged wealthy child, but we need it here in the towns and homes of North Dakota, here where our homes are neither wealthy nor poor, but homes which are comfortable and full of love and interest for every child. We need it not only to meet the social and constructive instincts and the love for stories and play of the children between the ages of five and six, but we need it for the whole future of our public schools and the good of our communities. *** The laws of North Dakota allow the child to enter school when five years old, and parents, as well as educators, usually object to a child of that age entering the first grade. It seems as if we have little reason to hesitate in starting kindergartens in our towns and cities, if we find the room and money to pay Taylor writes: 'Cities will soon the teacher. State Superintendent avail themselves of the opportunity the law offers.' "We have a public school kindergarten in Bismarck and one in Lidgerwood, a private one in Fargo and Cando, a public one has been opened in connection with the primary grade at Beach, and the last two summers Litchville has had a kindergarten in its public school. "At Valley City we have in our State Normal Model School, a kindergarten conducted as a kindergarten in a public school should be conducted. The Normal School offers a two-year special course for young ladies, fitting them to teach kindergarten." PROBLEMS vs. SUBJECT MATTER AS A BASIS FOR KINDERGARTEN CURRICULA* By Luella A. Palmer, Assistant Director Kindergartens, New York City WHAT HAT is a problem and how can it be used in education? It has long been thought that subject matter, with its characteristics, is the only proper basis upon which to plan a course of study. Histories, geographies, and other text-books present subject matter in a logical sequence and children are required to store up bits of information in regular order. This generally results in a plentiful supply of encyclopedic facts, but when it comes to actual living we find that the knowledge cannot be brought forth when occasion demands it, it is not in usable form. In order to have knowledge carry over into action when needed in a situation, it must have been acquired through action in a similar situation. This is the reason we need problems as a basis for curricula. *Paper read before the Department of Kindergarten Education, N. E. A., St. Paul, July, 1914. Education is to fit for life and living; it must give the knowledge needed at the present moment, not only that which may be needed at some future time. An educational problem is a situation which appeals to a child to use what knowledge and effort he has, and to acquire and develop more in the process of his activity. It is when there is an obstacle in the way of reaching some desired end that an individual recalls the knowledge which he has gained in similar experiences; he rearranges this and hunts for more. In planning for the child's educational problems, there must be a situation which will stimulate a child to wish to reach some end and which will be just difficult enough to encourage him to put forth his whole effort and to search for knowledge. A toy train is such a situation for a little child. It presents an |