'24: 



The income of the association is derived from fees and 

 subscriptions. The outlay for twine and wrappers amounts 

 to quite a large sum during the year. Officers : Lady Tay- 

 lor, president; Mrs. Wickson, acting president ; Mrs. Kirby, 

 secretaiy; Miss Thomson, treasurer; Mrs. Wm. Clark, act- 

 ing treasurer. 



THE FREE KINDERGAETEi^ ASSOCIATIOK 



The Free Kindergarten Association, founded in 1892, 

 gathers the poor cliildren at the north end of the city into their 

 school room in the old Swedish Church, Ellen Street. In 

 the place of liberty to run about the streets, something good 

 has to be given, so the ragged and hungTy little ones are cloth- 

 ed, fed and provided with pleasant occupation of acknowled- 

 ged educational value. 



The work of the association is based upon the principles 

 laid dotwn by the founder of the kindergarten system, Freder- 

 ick Freobel, and the promoters believe that the proper educa- 

 tion of children during the first seven years of their lives does 

 much to reduce poverty and crime in any community. 



But the members of the Free Kindergarten Association 

 do not limit their benevolent work to the children alone. 

 They get acquainted with the homes of the little ones, Aasiting 

 the mothers, tending the sick among them, and organizing 

 mothers' meetings for their improvement. Special classes 

 for sewing are held both for the mothers and little girls, and 

 sometimes the members invite the mothers to a tea, a kind- 

 ness that is much appreciated by these poor overwrought 

 housewives. With the help of some of the gentlemen of the 

 city Boys' Brigades have been recently organized in connec- 

 tion with the work, one for the smaller and one for the big- 

 ger boys. Already some signs of improvement are noticed 

 among the rougher lads. 



The services of Miss Bamett, the principal, have been in- 



