STANFORD FREE KINDERGARTEN.................Eighth and Brannan Streets

Class No. 2, Organized January 26, 1885.

MISS ANNIE HERRICK....

PRINCIPAL.

STANFORD FREE KINDERGARTEN.....3270 Mission Street, cor. 29th

The Menlo Park and Mayfield Kindergartens were organized, and are carried on under the special supervision of Mrs. Stanford.

Total Number of Children Enrolled during the Year, 1105.*

* The large increase in enrollment the present year is due to the fact of so many of the children having passed into the Public Schools at the opening of the school year in July, and new children having taken their places. Nearly one-half of the children at Stanford No. 2 were new pupils.

EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

Golden Gate Kindergarten Association.

Eight years of earnest, faithful work among the needy little children of San Francisco, and what of substantial results have we to show for this labor? Let us see! Before the close of our first year's work at 116 Jackson street, many voluntary testimonies like the following, came from landords and business firms in that locality: "You are doing a good work among the 'hoodlum' element; we don't have so many broken windows as we used to have." Another came in the shape of a generous annual subscription, with this simple announcement, "Keep on with the little urchins; they 'nip' no more fruit and vegetables nowa-days." Still another testimonial came at the second Christmas festival from the dealers in that neighborhood, in the shape of a generous purse of money, laid upon the table, with the brief suggestion: "A voluntary offering to the very best sort of work that can be done for the city." Then came a large donation from the Produce Exchange, inspired by brief visits to the Kindergarten and witnessing the results of the training. And this Annual Donation has become a fixed thing, increasing with each year, until now the Produce Exchange Kindergarten is one of the most attractive of our Free Kindergartens.

STILL MORE IMPORTANT RESULTS.

That the moral tone of the locality has been uplifted, is best demonstrated by the fact that gradually the wretched parents in many instances have been led to feel that their children must have a better chance to live decently than the Barbary Coast affords. And so, one by one, the families have moved into better surroundings. During the two months of June and July last, eight families thus bettered themselves. And it is fair to

hope, that with this fresh longing for the betterment of their children, may come a new desire to live better lives themselves. The Kindergarten seems to act as a revelator to these parents, showing them that their children have a substantial value; and recognizing this fact, they set about making better conditions for family life. The removal of so many families from the Barbary Coast, together with the establishment of a Free Kindergarten at Silver Star Hall, only three squares from Jackson street, determined us to seek new quarters, where a larger number of children could be reached.

PRODUCE EXCHANGE FREE KINDERGARTEN.

After a careful survey of different localities, it was decided to open the new Kindergarten at 1233 Pacific street, near the corner of Leavenworth. A large roomy house admirably suited to the needs of the work was secured, including a spacious yard with shrubbery and flowers. A conservatory, just back of the class room, adds new beauty to the surroundings. The walls are covered with bright and suggestive pictures, such as the little folks delight in, and nothing has been left undone to make this a model Kindergarten after the true home type. It has been christened the "PRODUCE EXCHANGE FREE KINDERGARTEN," as that organization contributes so liberally to its support.

We have spoken of the physical and moral results of the work accomplished on the Barbary Coast. But we have abundant testimony, also, in regard to intellectual results. For the aim of the Kindergarten is to harmoniously develop and unfold the three-fold nature of the child, and in fair order and freshness lead him on in ways of pleasantness and paths of peace.

A SIGNIFICANT FACT-AN UNANSWERABLE ARGUMENT.

It should be understood that the Kindergarten concerns itself with the development of faculty, rather than the mere learning of set lessons; it devotes itself more to ideas than to words; more to things than to books. Its mission is to beget within the child the power of assimilating knowledge, and turning it into practical That the Kindergarten does this is proved, over and over

use.

again, by the record of the children that go from our Kindergartens into the Public Schools. By sheer development of faculty, by having learned how to learn, they often distance children several years older than themselves. And it is a fact, that two out of three of the Prize Pupils of the Irving Primary School were from very early childhood pupils of the Jackson-street Kindergarten. Their bright faces illumined the columns of the Daily Examiner, in July, and it is a regret that we are unable to reproduce them in this Report. It is fair to expect to hear good things of these promising children as the years go by, and we doubt not that the faithful work of the Kindergarten has had much to do with the developing of essential character and faculty in these children. This is what the Examiner says regarding them:

Lena Zaun, one of the children at the head of the list of girl graduates of the Irving Primary School, is the daughter of Henry Zaun, who keeps a bakery at No. 362 Broadway street. Lena was born in this city, and is 11 years of age. When very young she attended the Jackson-street Kindergarten, from which she entered the Irving Primary School, where her progress has been most wonderful. She has studied for the past year in Miss Brady's class, and has fully realized that lady's estimate of her abilities. The young graduate is a prepossessing child, with dark hair and eyes, and classical features.

Her father, who is a German, intends sending the child to school until she passes through all the grades of the department. Her standing in the school for the past year is the same as Florence Edgar, so the competition for first honor has resulted in a tie.

John Bole, who has won the first place at the head of the boy graduates of the Irving Primary School, was born in San Francisco, and is 13 years of age. His father is a teamster in the employment of J. Carr, coal merchant, and resides at No. 609 Battery street.

The young lad went to the Jackson-street Kindergarten until he was old enough to enter Miss Barlow's school-the Irving Primary. During his stay in this school he has progressed most

rapidly in his studies, and during the past twelve months has worked assiduously in Miss L. F. Brady's class, who speaks well of the Boy's capacity. Miss Barlow also entertains a high opinion of the young graduate, who will enter the grammar school at the conclusion of vacation.

RAPID GROWTH OF THE KINDERGARTEN.

Rapid as has been the growth of the Kindergarten work, only a mere beginning has been made, in comparison with what needs to be done to save San Francisco from increased pauperism and crime. The rapid growth of the Golden Gate Association will be best shown by the summarized statement of progress made from year to year.

We take the following article from the Sacramento RecordUnion. It tells the story of the growth of the Kindergarten work of the Golden Gate Association, and shows the potential causes of success. The italics are ours: