Newspaper Tidbits from Rick B Tuesday, March 21, 2006 "The South Bend Weekly Tribune", Saturday, January 15, 1898, page 5 KINDERGARTEN ENTERTAINMENT. An Enjoyable Time at the Progress Club Rooms Saturday. The regular entertainment of the Progress club last Saturday afternoon was in charge of the philanthropic department, and the principal feature was an exhibition of the free kindergarten supported by the department in the west part of the city. This school held in a building rented for the purpose in Linden place is now entering upon its third year and numbers 36 little pupils all children of the poorer classes. It is taught by Miss Calvert with Miss Mamie Taylor as assistant, and their work has been very successful as the Saturday entertainment gave very good evidence. The children were brought down to the club rooms in the Coonley building on Jefferson street, in the Franklin street kindergarten's carryall, and found a large audience of ladies to greet them. Keeping perfect time to the music of the piano as played by Miss Taylor, they went through a long exercise without a break and without any coaching from their instructors. Their efforts surprised the spectators, and many were compliments they and their teachers received. The philanthropic department of the Progress club is certainly doing a good work in sustaining this free kindergarten. It has become one of the permanent institutions of the west end and is continually increasing its numbers and influence. Other features of the Saturday meeting were a piano solo by Prof. Frederick Nelson, an excellent paper by Mrs. M. L. Hine, giving a complete history of the free kindergarten and an interesting address by Miss Lloyd, director of the Froebel Training institute, of Chicago, who gave a general talk on kindergarten work. Mrs. Kirby presided over the meeting, which was acknowledged to be one of the best in the club's history. At the close of the exercises the ladies were treated to light refreshments. There were about 125 present.