[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 47 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 47

 Commending the establishment in College Point, New York, of the first 
                   kindergarten in the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2005

 Mr. Crowley (for himself, Mr. George Miller of California, Mrs. Jones 
of Ohio, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Bishop of Georgia, Mrs. Maloney, 
     Mr. Owens, and Mr. Wexler) submitted the following concurrent 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 
                               Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Commending the establishment in College Point, New York, of the first 
                   kindergarten in the United States.

Whereas in 1854, Conrad Poppenhusen, a successful businessman from Germany, 
        built a factory in College Point, Queens, New York, and, breaking with 
        many entrepreneurs of his time, worked to create an environment 
        beneficial to the immigrant community, which included schools;
Whereas the Poppenhusen Institute was established in 1868 with a $100,000 
        donation;
Whereas the Poppenhusen Institute was to serve the fundamental educational needs 
        of the community and began as a free adult evening school for the 
        residents of Flushing Town;
Whereas in 1870, the Poppenhusen Institute's services expanded to serve as the 
        first free kindergarten in the United States for the children of Mr. 
        Poppenhusen's factory and the community;
Whereas children who attend kindergarten demonstrate higher levels of reading 
        and mathematics knowledge and skills than those who do not attend 
        kindergarten;
Whereas a number of studies, including studies commissioned by the Department of 
        Education, demonstrate that children enrolled in kindergarten more 
        rapidly acquire the knowledge and skills integral to succeed in school 
        and life;
Whereas the United States is a stronger, better place because of the children 
        who are able to enrich their academic and social development through 
        free, public kindergartens across the country;
Whereas kindergarten is often the first common ground where students from a 
        myriad of cultural, economic, racial, and religious backgrounds come 
        together to learn about their world, each other, and themselves; and
Whereas universal, free, high-quality kindergarten must be accessible to all of 
        the Nation's children, because of the benefits provided both to these 
        children and to society at large: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) the Congress commends the Poppenhusen Institute and the 
        College Point community for establishing the first free 
        kindergarten in the United States; and
            (2) the Congress supports the strong beginnings 
        kindergartens across the United States provide for the Nation's 
        children.
                                 <all>