This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website
America’s
First Kindergarten
150
years
1856 - 2006
The
Watertown, Wisconsin, Historical Society, owners and operators of the famed
Octagon House Museum and America’s First Kindergarten, paid special tribute to
the 150th anniversary of the founding of the kindergarten on
The
event was held on the grounds of the historical society, located at 919 Charles
St., Watertown, WI. The public was
cordially invited to attend the afternoon festivities which included brief
speeches from Mrs. Jessica Doyle, wife of the Governor of the State of
Wisconsin, Elizabeth Burmeister, Secretary of Education for the State of
Wisconsin, John David, Mayor of the City of Watertown, Joel Kleefisch, State
Representative, Dr. Doug Keiser, Watertown Unified School District
Superintendent, as well as officials from the Watertown Historical Society. The
celebration began at
The
kindergarten was founded in America by Margarethe Meyer Schurz, wife of the
famous German-American statesman Carl Schurz. Mrs. Schurz was a native of Hamburg, Germany,
and as a young woman learned the principles of the kindergarten from its
creator, Friedrich Froebel. In the 1850s
she came to London, where her sister had founded the first kindergarten there.
While
in London she met and married Carl Schurz, then a fugitive from a Prussian
jail. They came to America shortly thereafter and settled at first on the east
coast and then in 1855 they came to Watertown where Carl Schurz had relatives.
Once here Carl began an active career in politics, while his wife set up
housekeeping. But she longed for something that would give purpose to her life,
so she began a small kindergarten class in the Schurz
family home, which was at one time located at
The
class proved to be very successful, but the noise of the children was too much
for her husband, so she was forced to move her class to a small frame building
located originally on the corner of N. Second and Jones Streets in Watertown.
At the time the dwelling was being used as a private home by Carl Schurz’s
parents.
It was
in this little building that the kindergarten took off. The original class numbered
only about five students, the Schurz children Agathe and Marianne, two Juessen
girls (cousins of the Schurz’s) and the lone boy Franklin Blumenfeld, son of
the editor of the local German-language newspaper. Mrs. Schurz ran her school
through 1857 when the Schurz family moved to Milwaukee. The kindergarten
continued sporadically here, always operated as a private school, through the
nineteenth century, finally becoming a part of the public school curriculum
after the turn of the last century.
Mrs.
Schurz died from complications of child birth in 1876 and her remains are
believed to have been transferred to her native Hamburg, Germany. Her husband,
Carl, rose through the political ranks, first aiding Lincoln in his bid for
president in 1860, then becoming a general in the Union Army during the Civil
War, later Secretary of the Interior under Pres. Rutherford B. Hayes and
ultimately he went to work in the publishing field. He died in New York in
1906.
As for
the kindergarten building, after the Schurz family left Watertown, the building
passed through many hands, becoming a cigar factory, fish store and religious
book store. In the 1920s a local women’s
club, the Saturday Club, erected a memorial marker to designate the historical
significance of the building. Then in 1956, exactly 100 years after the
founding of the kindergarten, the little building was in danger of being
razed. It was through the efforts of
Mrs. Rudy Herman and Gladys Mollart of the Watertown Historical Society that
the structure was saved and moved to the grounds of the Octagon House, where it
now rests. It has been open to the public since 1957.
Image Portfolio
Click to enlarge
150th program Watertown Mayor Jessica Doyle
Charlotte Groth John David Wife of WI Governor
Elizabeth Burmeister Douglas Keiser Joel Kleefisch
Sec of Education School Superintendent State Representative
Unveiling
of Marker
Mrs.
Carl Schurz Honored
Watertown Gazette, 05 09 1929
Last Thursday night a very
large number of our citizens and many from nearby places, were present at the
unveiling of the marker at the southwest corner of North Second and Jones
streets, erected by the Saturday club in honor of the Mrs. Carl Schurz of this
city, who conducted the first kindergarten school in country at that corner in
the building now occupied by Charles Heimsehr and his sister. The boy scouts had charge of the unveiling of
the marker, and kindergarten pupils scattered rose petals about the stone. The pupils of the three kindergarten classes
under direction of their teachers the Misses Adelia L. Siegler, Florence
Brownlee and Harriet Blakely, gave a series of dance games, which delighted all
present, and the High School band gave a fine musical program. Mrs. E. E. Fischer, president of the Saturday
club presented the tablet and the granite marker to the city, and Alderman
George W. Block of the city council, made the acceptance speech, the mayor
being unable to be present on account of illness. Joseph Schaefer, superintendent of the State
Historical Society at Madison, was the principal speaker of the evening’s
program at the Elks club, and Miss Hilda Schneider of the High School faculty
directed a vocal program by the High school glee club. City Attorney R. W. Lueck was master of
ceremonies.
Among other things in
his address Mr. Schaefer said:
“Beginnings of great
movements are always interesting and since the kindergarten has grown into a
tremendous system of education for the children, the fact that the movement had
its American origin in Watertown ought to prompt citizens of this town,
especially, to feel proud.”
He
said that he had spent much time in reading, looking up records and in personal
investigations and has satisfied himself that in honoring Mrs. Schurz as the
founder of the movement in America that honor is not misplaced, that the
kindergarten here was the first one in America and that its influence had
brought about the kindergarten system in this country.
Little
is actually known of her when one compares it with what is known of her
illustrious husband. Coming from a
relatively wealthy family, brought up in luxury and comfortable surroundings,
with every advantage, it is to her credit as a pioneer that she consented to
come to America, and especially to what was then the great undeveloped
west. She did so reluctantly, to be
sure, but once she had arrived here she made the best of it. Although she always did long for Europe, she
nevertheless played her part as a leader in this territory and her influence
has been great. Her need for occupation
and love of children induced her to start a kindergarten class here.
He
praised the citizens of Watertown and the members of the Saturday Club
especially for their great interest in perpetuating the memory of Mrs.
Schurz. The bronze tablet on the granite
stone contains the following
. . .
2006
Roots
of Kindergarten Firm in Watertown
Watertown Daily Times,
commentary, 08 29 2006
This
past Sunday Watertown and area residents came to the famed Octagon House
grounds to pay tribute to the 150th anniversary of the first kindergarten in
the United States.
It was
fitting that this ceremony be held at the site that now houses that first
kindergarten building which was first used for that purpose back in 1856 by
Margarethe Meyer Schurz. Although for much of her life she was overshadowed by
the political legend of her husband Carl, it was her contribution to American
education that has elevated her to prominence in that field.
Kindergarten
started as a rather small program for two of the Schurz children and a couple
neighbor children in this wild territory known as Watertown. It was only 20
years after this community was settled that her contribution to education was
started.
Since that
time, kindergarten expanded throughout the country and years ago became the
standard offering in' all schools, public and private. Today the program has expanded so far it is
now offered in forms we're sure Margarethe never even imagined - pre-kindergarten,
full-day kindergarten and even 4-year-old kindergarten. All of these programs
are extensions of what this remarkable lady accomplished back in 1856.
While
Margarethe and her husband, Carl, called Watertown their home only a few years
a century and a half ago, the marks they both left on Watertown are indelible
and are forever part of our community's rich heritage.
The
fact that Elizabeth Burmeister, Wisconsin superintendent of public instruction,
took the time to be at the anniversary program places special emphasis on the
importance this tool is in the educational community.
Watertown
and Margarethe Meyer Schurz are famous because of this novel program that is
now 150 years old but it is the generations of children who have passed through
kindergarten who have benefited the most.
Our
congratulations and appreciation go out to the Watertown Historical Society and
all those who worked hard to, make this celebration successful.
Cross
References:
2006 Webster School
kindergartners scurried around the First Kindergarten building playing
olden day games and learning about Margarethe Schurz. The event was held in celebration of the 150th
anniversary of the First Kindergarten. Watertown
Daily Times, 06 28 2006
2006 Kindergarten
anniversary brings out state dignitaries
Watertown Daily Times, 08 28
2006
2009 First Kindergarten
video, YouTube
