Today in History: Elizabeth Palmer Peabody & Kindergarten

Today in History–May 16–the Library of Congress features educator Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, born on this day in 1804. Peabody opened the first English-language kindergarten in the United States in 1860. Learn more about this teacher, writer, and prominent figure in the Transcendental movement by visiting the Today in History section, then follow the links below to access primary sources related to kindergarten.

“Kindergarten messenger” monthly journal edited by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody (May, 1873 through December, 1874)

Record of Mr. Alcott’s school, exemplifying the principles and methods of moral culture by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody (1874)

Guide to the kindergarten and intermediate class by Elizabeth P. Peabody (1877)

After kindergarten-what! by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody (1878)

First steps to the study of history by Elizabeth Palmer Peabody (1832)

Elizabeth Palmer Peabody historical newspaper coverage through 1894

Making The Kindergarten More Effective by Baker Brownell Abilene Weekly Reflector (Abilene, Kan.), 27 April 1916

Free kindergartens : Mr. Mitchell, of Wisconsin presented the following statement of Hon. William Harris, Commissioner of Education

Kindergarten legislation

Kindergarten books & articles

Kindergarten sheet music

Kindergarten ball game (film, 1904)

Kindergarten images

Related image sets

• Children: primary source images
• Children & community: primary source images
• The Water-Babies: Illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith
• When They Were Young: A Photographic Retrospective of Childhood

Teaching resources

• Analyzing Primary Sources: Sensory Exploration
• Connecting to the Common Core: Kindergarten Writing Prompts & Activities
• Engaging Young Learners with Primary Sources video
• Guided primary source analysis activities
  • Gauchos, Argentina
  • Grandma’s Toilet
  • Lessons for My Community
  • Little Rory Borealis
  • Twentieth-century transportation
  • What do you hear?
• History’s Mysteries: Kindergarten
  • What is the difference between then and now?
  • Where do people work?
  • How is work different now than in the past?
  • Where is the history in a name?
  • What shared traditions make your family special?
  • Why do we have a day off from school?
  • How does a tradition become a holiday?
• KidCitizen digital interactive episodes
  • What Are Primary Sources?
  • A Bird’s Eye View: Wondering with Maps
  • Capture the Flag
  • Community Helpers
  • Welcome to Congress
• Kindergarten Historians: Primary Sources in an Early Elementary Classroom Teaching with the Library of Congress March 12, 2013
• Kindergarten Historians video
• Kindergarten Music – 5 Image Opening Day Activity
• Learning from the Source lessons
  • Abraham Lincoln & Me Activity Book
  • The Star Spangled Banner K-2
• The Life cycle of Plants – a Gallery Walk for kindergarten students
• Literature Links: And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street
• Picture Books & Primary Sources AASL blog posts by Tom Bober
• Primary Sources for the Primary Classroom Teaching with the Library of Congress blog posts
• Thanksgiving Then & Now – a historic newspaper exercise for kindergarten
• Young Learners Explore Library of Congress Images video

More primary source sets

• The Alcotts
• Rare Children’s Books
• Primary Source Spotlight: Teddy Bears