Kindergarten

[W. Gray]

Kansas was the first state in the West and the third state in the nation to establish a kindergarten as part of the public school system.

In conjunction with Kansas being the third state in the Union to have a kindergarten:

What year, what county, and what city was the first to have a kindergarten in the public school system?

[W. Gray]

Kansas was the first state in the West and the third state in the nation to establish a kindergarten as part of the public school system.

In conjunction with Kansas being the third state in the Union to have a kindergarten:

What year, what county, and what city was the first to have a kindergarten in the public school system?

The year: 1906

The county: Elk

The city: Howard

[frawin]

Waldo, that really surprises me. I started to the 1st grade in Howard in 1946 and they didn't have Kindergarten then. I don't know when they stopped it. I really had great teachers all the way thru to graduating from High School there. Unfortunately all of my Teachers have passed on. This old age sure isn't for sissies.

[Ross]

Very interesting.

Is there a web site or interlink that references this information.

I'd like to read more on the subject.

[W. Gray]

Waldo, that really surprises me. I started to the 1st grade in Howard in 1946 and they didn't have Kindergarten then. I don't know when they stopped it. I really had great teachers all the way thru to graduating from High School there. Unfortunately all of my Teachers have passed on. This old age sure isn't for sissies.

Now you have me interested in when Howard dropped Kindergarten from the 1906 date.....

I will keep my eye out.

[W. Gray]

Very interesting.

Is there a web site or interlink that references this information.

I'd like to read more on the subject.

If it is on the Internet, I have yet to find it. I may have first known about it a few years ago from information printed by the Kansas State Historical Society, but cannot recall.

Good old library digging on Kansas History provided some information but I could not find anything other than that information.

However, it is also in the Elk County History Book.

[Ross]

Thanks.

[W. Gray]

Waldo, that really surprises me. I started to the 1st grade in Howard in 1946 and they didn't have Kindergarten then. I don't know when they stopped it. I really had great teachers all the way thru to graduating from High School there. Unfortunately all of my Teachers have passed on. This old age sure isn't for sissies.

Frank, here is my recollection of Kindergarten in Independence, Mo.

School day was half a day. We had to bring a throw rug and keep it in a cubicle along with other supplies. At some time during that half day, we were required to take a nap on that rug. At that point in time, it was not strange to be sleeping with a bunch of girls on the floor between the rows of desks.

My teacher discovered that I needed eyeglasses and told my parents. They took me to town and had my eyes tested and I soon had a set of wire rim "Froggie" eyeglasses (Like those Froggie wore in the Our Gang series.)

That is not all she told my folks as she thought I was a problem. I can recall her getting on to me because I would not color my coloring book with light color. I wanted to press down hard with my crayons and break them. I also would not stay within the lines of the objects in my coloring book.

The first day I wore the eyeglasses, I was set to go home after class was let out at noon. However, I decided to do some rock climbing at school before leaving. I slipped, fell, and busted one lenses. It was a wonder that I had not cut my eye. Those glasses were pure glass. I soon got the broken lens replaced and have been wearing glasses ever since.

I still have that first pair.

[frawin]

Waldo, they have really raised the bar on what is required to go to Kindergarten since my 3 Children started to school in the early 70s. My Grandchildren here in Texas, have to know a lot of things and be able to do a lot when they start . They go to Preschool to be prepared for the public Schools.