The Harris Memorial College: The Pioneer in Kindergarten Education in the Philippines

Abstract

This is one of the chief legacies of the Methodist Episcopal Church (United Methodist Church) in the Philippines. The History of Kindergarten Education in the Philippines is claimed to be an idea were inspired by Sunday School teacher’s children ministry from Deaconesses of the Harris Memorial Training School (Harris Memorial College) an institution for women in 1903. Since 1898 when the United States epitomizes its colonization with its imperial design of missionary endeavor and Christian education in the colony, with their utmost concern of mission and early childhood education was informally handed over to the men, women and primarily children to the capital city and throughout the country. It was only during their early colonization in the later years of the first quarter of the 20th century, and it waited until 1923 when Ms. Brigida Garcia who first conceptualized and implemented it. This paper uses Historical Institutionalism as a theory that will guide the researcher throughout this study. This paper examines the contribution to the development of kindergarten education of Harris Memorial College in the Philippines as its legacy of the United Methodist Church.