space fillers. Three small pictures at the ends of the two vertical panels might be added.

Another question arises as to the kind of picture one should select. Posters are highly recommended because they are flat in tone and harmonious in color. (See Plate III). The reason that the poster is to be preferred in the class room as a mural decoration is that it is a pattern, having a flat and mural quality which goes well with any wall space. It suggests out-of-doors to you but also has the pleasing quality of seeming to stay in the same plane as the wall. It does not "make a hole" or suggest depth, which are not desirable. Also posters show much diverse subject matter and those telling stories of children, boats, fishermen, dogs, rabbits, birds, etc., are easily obtainable at moderate cost. Landscapes, interiors showing various occupations, Dutch, Indian, and Japanese life, the Prang pictures of Mother Goose Tales, the series showing the five senses by Jessie Wilcox Smith, many by Elizabeth Shipper Green are all of great interest. They are flat and decorative and if passepartouted and hung low where the children can easily see them, add much to the attractions of the kindergarten.

We now come to the window (See Plate IV) curtains in the school room, for the most part, are to be deprecated. If they are necessary, they may be made of some neutral toned thin stuff, and decorated with a block print cut in wood, of a flying bird, a swimming fish or a growing tree. (See

PLATE VI

Plate V). The design may run in two borders, at top and bottom, or it may be repeated in an all-over pattern. Use oil paints so that the curtains may be laundried. Imitation of stained glass or colored papers pasted to the window are less good.

All is design. Even the arrangement of pots on a window sill is a pattern. It is the relation of one mass or space of light and dark to another. In this way we are all If the designers, whether we will or no. room is very dark and gloomy, a little wooden basket made to hold a pot in which grows a vine or a piece of Japanese ivy, adds a dash of color. Keep all a bit formal, with an eve to having the spots of color well arranged.

In the center of the window sill one could have a vivarium, a cage of wire, containing soil, a wee turtle or two, plants and seeds. cocoons, a saucerful of water with a tadpole slopping around in it. This is always a great source of delight to the children. Fish seek the dark, so do not place them in a globe in the window. But for plant and animal life that thrive in the light a vivarium is a good thing.

In regard to the blackboard, the major part must of necessity and choice be left free for the teacher and children to draw upon. But the higher part may be utilized in a decorative way by drawings of things in touch with the season. Even if you cannot draw well, remember the decorative quality of spots. For instance, the most humble-minded of kindergartners who ever attacked a blackboard could draw birds in a border, with a suggestion of clouds. (See Plate V). Boats, flower forms, trees, animals, children, all kept very simple, prove the best motifs.

Avoid the picture drawn in September and erased in May! It takes cleverness to do this well and is generally weak imitation. To make formal, conventional borders.

་་་་་་--CO
PLATE V

takes much less skill and is more spontaneous and better in every way. Keep the technique flat, so that the form properly takes its place on the surface of the board. In the summer time use flowers and birds; in the winter, wreaths, red berries and green leaves. Hearts, doves and ribbons speak of St. Valentine's Day, and kites, tops, bats and balls, of the outdoor life. Illustrate a story, if desired, in a flat, outlined, mural way, and rub off in a week

or so.

Back of the sand-table which stands in the corner of the room, could be placed pieces of cartridge paper and on these drawings made which are in keeping with

PLATE VI.

the story worked out in the sand. (See Plate VI).

As all children are fanciful and love mystery, hang a curtain in front of the cabinet, so that the objects kept there may only be seen and used on occasions. Take an idea for a day and bring to light such toys and bright little vases as will further the thought in mind. The German toys are often delightful and the children instinctively see the fun in them and greatly enjoy their bright and gay color.

Keep examples of children's work in a scrapbook made of strong, softly toned paper, called, say, "The Book of Art" or "The Book of the Gold Star." Do not keep many samples, but fill the book up gradually throughout the term. Another good way is to make up little screens, a piece of work on each page. Or the portfolio idea may be preferred. Mount each piece of children's work or magazine clipping on bogus or cover paper and keep all filed away in the portfolio. Such a collection on which to draw is necessary to each kindergartner who is going to live in this House Beautiful.

So, to sum up, I leave a few admonitions. Do not crowd the room. Have few pictures,

few toys, but these of the best, refined and good. Do not paste things upon the walls or upon the wainscoating, for this is not good design. The decorations should be kept in their proper places and pictures should have respect paid to them. Do not keep things up long. Dust covered, curled up with the heat, it becomes agony to see them. Better nothing, than things that are past their prime. Do not have a Xmas tree kept weeks after its time, its candy gone, its glorv quite departed. The spirit of things is to be maintained and one wants no bedraggled finery Our Kindergarten Beautiful must be sim ple, showing a gay and childlike spirit and to make this possible we must have the Kindergarten Beautiful, with hands and heart ever willing and loving.

THE OTHER LAND OF THE
FLOWERS.

VIOLA SHEPHERD MARSH.

"Oh Mother, look my lovely golden rods. are all brown and old!" said little Ruth gazing out upon the meadow and garden from her small window.

"Yes dear," said Mother, "they must be dying."

a

A pair of deep blue eyes looked startled denial back into hers, and the smallest of mouths answered: "Miss Lillian said that the flowers just went to sleep, and Miss Lillian is always right." adding after a moment, "Will I get brown when I die, Mother?"

"Run away and don't bother Mother now," was the answer.

Still pondering this child problem, Ruth walked out into the sunny meadow, hoping that her lovely vellow friends had not heard what was said. "I guess I'd better just whisper and tell them not to be afraid 'cause I go to bed every night," thought

she.

So laying her small hand on one of the bronzed clusters, Ruth said softly: "Dear golden rods, I hope that God will send you beautiful dreams when the Sandman comes 'round tonight. Will you tell me what they are when the sunshine kisses you and makes you all really truly yellow again?"

The golden rods nodded drowsily as they bent their heads lower and 1-o-w-e-r.

"What makes my little girlie look so sad," called a gentle voice behind her, and

turning around Ruth saw Miss Lillian with her tender smile.

"Oh Miss Lillian!" cried she broken heartedly. "Mother said that the dear golden rods were dying and you told us. that they just went to sleep."

Miss Lillian did not talk much, she just understood, and so she answered soothingly, "Perhaps Mother did not notice how sleepy they grow when the long winter comes. Why, dear golden rods are going to sleep now, they have their eyes nearly shut."

"When Dream Lady comes to bid you good night tonight," added she "you must ask her where all your friends go when the long winter comes, for I am sure that the flowers are just as busy then as now."

"I will, Miss Lillian," answered Ruth joyfully, and I will send her to talk with Mother."

"Goodnight little one," said the Dream Ladv, standing by Ruth's pillow.

"Good-night. Oh don't go, dear Lady! Take me with you and show me where all my friends go in the winter," said Ruth, adding anxiously, "You do know, don't you?"

"Yes, indeed," said Lady Dreams. "We can get there in a few minutes, if you will jump on this little shooting star." Hardly had she spoken when they were both whizzing away.

The star made a little path of light and they could see the blue skv, the silvery moon, and the little sister and brother stars playing soldiers, and each one carrying his or her bedroom candle.

Quietly they were swept along, and silently dropped into a soft, moonlit, cloudy garden.

"How beautiful, Dreams," said Ruth. "Tell me what are those lovely lights which shine such a beautiful yellow, pointing as she spoke, to the nearest corner of the garden?"

"Come closer, and you will see," said her guide.

"Dear golden rods!" exclaimed Ruth. "My own, own golden rods!" and she jumped up and down.

"Yes," said the fairy, "God put each little flower into the world for some really good reason. Perhaps because of its lovely color, or sometimes it may be only a baby floweret with a lovely perfume, then a

great gorgeous blossom, just good to see. If they do their very best, each one; shine out a beautiful color, give a sweet perfume, just grow lovely in God's own way, then the fairies of the flowerland go down to earth, and pick out all the best ones, and put them to sleep."

"How do you do that?" said Ruth. "I have to go to bed first."

"We fairies each have a wand," said Lady Dreams, and when it is dark, and we can go down from our cloud homes, we visit the fields and the gardens and lifting up our wands we say:

'Sleep baby flowerets 'till Springtime again, Warmed by the snow flakes, and washed by the rain,

Stronger and stronger each floweret will grow, Kissed by the dew drops, and warmed by the snow.'

"When they are all fast asleep, we pick out the most beautiful, those which have done their very best, and these we carry off to flower land."

"What a beautiful place for golden rods," said Ruth looking about her.

"Yes indeed," answered the fairy. "You see what a lovely, golden light they give over there by the wall. Why they make a little path of brightness for us to walk in." Sure enough, as Ruth looked down she was walking in her dear golden rods' yellow light. It looked just like Miss Lillian's "Merry Sunshine," she thought.

Suddenly Ruth caught the passing whiff of a delicate perfume. "What is that faint perfume, Dreams, and from where does it come?" said she.

"Another friend of yours," came the answer." Late last spring we found some baby flowerets hidden away, and so we planted them here where they might teach their sweet lesson of giving, to others."

"The blue violets, I am sure," said Ruth. "I think their lesson is lovelier than the sunshine's message."

"And they are only babies, too, my dear,' said the fairy.

Everywhere Ruth met with surprises, and the look of denial that had flashed from her eyes in the afternoon, gradually gave place to one of content and satisfaction, for Miss Lillian was right.

Almost unnoticed, the grey cloudy garden had been fading away. Lady Dreams prepared to go. Far off in the sky the earliest beams of morning were glowing and growing.

"Let us ride down on the first sunbeam, girlie," said Dreams.

"Wouldn't that be splendid, Dreams!" answered Ruth.

"Make haste then," answered her companion.

Ruth turned to catch the last pale gleam of the golden rod clusters, but the sunbeam waits for no one, and both were caught up in a rosy haze, and swept away. The dream fairy and her wand melted away slowly until nothing remained to remind Ruth of her cloudy journey, but the faint delicate perfume, coming from a little vase by the side of her bed. Perhaps Lady Dreams had really spoken to Mother after ali

In writing a program of work to be read by workers in widely differing fields one feels how far short of meeting the actual problems it must necessarily fall. If a teacher follows a set program she will not develop individuality in her work. Neither will her work be closely related to the daily needs arising from the environment in which she finds herself. It is not intended that the suggestions that are to be made in this department this year shall be followed in detail. It is rather hoped that a picture of each month will be drawn in which the reader will see her own conditions involved. It will be hers to adopt, discard or add to as she sees fit. Another thing to be borne in mind is that the subjects discussed in the kindergarten need not be taken up exhaustively. It should be the purpose of the kindergartner to clarify the hazy ideas that the five year olds have acquired instead of making them walking encyclopedias. Let us remember there are classes above. How many grade teachers complain that the freshness of their subjects have been taken away by too much. dabbling with them in the kindergarten?

The development of the idea of social interdependence is so important a part of the kindergarten work that a definite "Helper" will be chosen each month to assist in achieving this end. One month the policeman will be the "Helper" for consideration, another month the postman. In September we will take the mother as the "Helper."