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Sisters Across the Bay: Archaeology and the Influence of Two Late Nineteenth-Century Free Kindergartens in Northern California

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Historical and Archaeological Perspectives on Gender Transformations

Part of the book series: Contributions To Global Historical Archaeology ((CGHA))

Abstract

In 1878, Kate Douglas Smith (later, Wiggin) opened the Silver Street Kindergarten in a San Francisco building that had housed a prestigious institute for young girls in a more prosperous decade. A well-connected New Englander, Kate embraced reform principles and studied Froebelian teaching methods. The kindergarten reached out to the poor families in the “Tar Flat” neighborhood and provided a safe, comfortable place for their children’s introduction to learning and middle-class values. The model provided by the first free kindergarten west of the Rockies inspired others to follow, and soon the Silver Street Kindergarten provided training for teachers as well, until the building was dynamited to stay the fire’s progress following the 1906 earthquake that nevertheless destroyed the surrounding neighborhood (Wheelan 1928: 7).

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Acknowledgements

I have been very fortunate in my career to be surrounded by wonderful colleagues and friends. The California Department of Transportation funded much of the research in this chapter in the process of reconstructing the Cypress Freeway in West Oakland and the West Approach to the Bay Bridge in San Francisco. Janet Pape and Thad Van Bueren are particularly to be thanked. Many researchers combed the archives and scrapped the ground: Marta Gutman, Nancy Olmsted, Roger Olmsted, Michael Meyer, Jack Mc Ilroy, Elaine-Maryse Solari, Annita Waghorn, and Aicha Woods, to name a few. Tony Apolloni, Suzanne Spencer-Wood, and Anne Yentsch graciously shared data and references. Maria Ribeiro and Adrian Praetzellis helped construct my figures. Tony Apolloni, Bruce Owen, Adrian Praetzellis, and Suzanne Spencer-Wood reviewed the chapter and provided helpful comments and support. In my stubbornness, I did not take all comments to heart—any errors, omissions, or foolishnesses are my fault entirely.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Anthropological Studies Center, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA, 94928, USA

    Mary Praetzellis

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  1. Mary Praetzellis
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Correspondence to Mary Praetzellis .

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  1. Harvard University, Cambridge MA, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Oakland University, Rochester MI and Pea, N. Squirrel Road 2200, Rochester, 48309-4401, Michigan, USA

    Suzanne M. Spencer-Wood

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Praetzellis, M. (2013). Sisters Across the Bay: Archaeology and the Influence of Two Late Nineteenth-Century Free Kindergartens in Northern California. In: Spencer-Wood, S. (eds) Historical and Archaeological Perspectives on Gender Transformations. Contributions To Global Historical Archaeology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4863-1_14

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