18 songs from Kindergarten Chimes (1885, 1887)
I give in this collection chiefly those songs and games which were composed or arranged
on the spur of the moment, and fitted to the special needs of children in the Kindergartens
under my care. Many of them seemed to be absolutely necessary to various occasions,
and for various purposes. All have been thoroughly tested, and their publication has for a
long time been requested by the Kindergartners of California; hence, like every other
book placed before a kindly public, it is issued to supply a "long-felt need."
—
Music by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Father, we thank you for the night!
And for the pleasant morning light;
For rest and food and loving care,
And all that makes the world so fair!
Help us to do the things we should:
To be to others kind and good;
In all we do, in work or play,
To grow more loving every day.
—
Words and Music by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Father in heaven, help Thy little children
To love and serve Thee throughout this day;
Help us to be truthful, help us to be kindly,
That we may please Thee in all we do or say!
Dear Lord, we pray Thee, keep Thy little children
From doing wrong through this happy day;
Hear our morning promise, Father, help us keep it,
That we may please Thee in all we do or say!
—
S. S. Hymn — Music by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
See the shining dewdrops, on the flowers strewed,
Proving as they sparkle, God is ever good;
See the morning sunbeams, lighting up the wood,
Silently proclaiming, God is ever good!
Hear the mountain streamlet, in the solitude,
With its ripple saying, God is ever good;
In the leafy treetops, where no fears intrude,
Merry birds are singing, God is ever good!
—
Music by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
When I run about all day, when I kneel at night to pray, God sees — God sees!
When I'm dreaming in the dark, when I lie awake and hark, God sees — God sees!
Need I ever know a fear, night and day my Father's near, God sees — God sees!
—
Music by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Now the sun is sinking in the golden west,
Birds and bees and children all have gone to rest.
And the merry streamlet, as it runs along,
With a voice of sweetness sings its evening song.
Pansy, daisy, violet, in their little beds
All along the grasses, hide their sleepy heads.
There they'll all, sweet darlings, lie in happy dreams,
Till the rosy morning wakes them with its beams.
—
Words and Arr. by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Good morning, little children dear!
How pleasant 'tis to see you here!
With faces bright and hands so white,
A very welcome, happy sight;
Good morning to all, good morning to all,
Good morning, good morning, good morning to all!
My handkerchief I've brought today;
Have you one too? now show it pray,
Then take them out and wave them high,
Like white snow sails against the sky;
Good morning to all, good morning to all,
Good morning, good morning, good morning to all!
—
Words and Refrain by K. D. W. — Music arranged from Andre
free online sheet music of this composition
Good morning, dear playmates, how glad we should be,
To meet all together so happy and free;
The fresh, dewy blossom, the bird and the bee,
All welcome the sunshine, as gladly as we,
All welcome the sunshine, as gladly as we.
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la la, la la la la!
Good morning, dear teachers, your children are here;
They'll spend a glad morning, without frown or tear,
They'll try to be patient, they'll try to do right,
They wish you "good morning!" so joyous and bright,
They wish you "good morning!" so joyous and bright.
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la la, la la la la!
God sends us the darkness for sleep and for rest;
He teaches the birdies to seek their warm nest;
He sends us bright sunshine for work and for play,
Good morning, bright sunshine, good morning, new day;
Good morning, bright sunshine, good morning, new day.
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la la!
Tra la la la, la la la la!
—
K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Our play is o'er, our work is done,
Our things are in their places;
So to our homes we'll quickly run,
With cheerful hearts and faces.
So now we part in right good cheer,
Without a thought of sadness;
We'll gladly go, but, teacher dear,
We'll all return in gladness.
We'll all return, we'll all return,
We'll all return in gladness.
We'll all return, we'll all return,
We'll all return in gladness.
—
Words and Music by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Merry Christmas has come! Merry Christmas has come!
Our mirth and our laughter have surely begun;
Sing it out every girl, sing it out every boy,
For all the great world's brimming over with joy;
Merry Christmas has come, and our mirth has begun;
Merry Christmas has come, and our mirth has begun!
'Tis the gay Christmas time, 'tis the gay Christmas time,
Full of joy and of gladness and musical chime;
Santa Claus will appear in a trice, never fear, [in a trice = instantly]
With his pack full of toys and his tiny reindeer;
'Tis the gay Christmas time, gladdest time of the year;
'Tis the gay Christmas time, gladdest time of the year!
Hear the glad Christmas bells, hear the glad Christmas bells,
What joy for the children their music foretells;
Hear the sound, sweet and clear, ringing out far and near,
Their tones bringing comfort and mirth and good cheer;
Ringing "peace upon earth, and good will to all men;"
Ringing "peace upon earth, and good will to all men!"
—
Words by K. D. W. — Music from Gottschalk
free online sheet music of this composition
In a country far away, sleeping in a manger, lay
One so holy, One so mild, Jesus, blessed Christmas-child.
He was born upon this day, in David's town so far away,
He the good and loving One, Mary's ever blessed son.
Let us all our voices lend, for He was the children's friend,
He so lovely, He so mild, Jesus blessed Christmas-child.
Shepherds watching flocks at night, saw a clear and heav'nly light;
Bells of David's town rang clear, bringing peace and Christmas-cheer;
Angels sang their anthems sweet, wise men worshipp'd at His feet,
Brought their gifts from near and far, guided by the Eastern star.
Let us all our voices lend, for He was the children's friend,
He so lovely, He so mild, Jesus blessed Christmas-child.
—
Music Arr. from Schumann — Words by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Four little wee birdies all left their warm nest,
They flew north and south and they flew east and west:
They fluttered o'er flowers, they sung to the bees,
They drank from the brooklet, they swung on the trees.
And when homeward winging, they sought their warm nest,
They said "dearest mother, we love home the best!"
—
Music by K. D. W. — From Froebel's "Mother Play"
free online sheet music of this composition
Oh see the little window bright;
It fills the room with cheerful light,
It shines all day and makes thee gay;
Be like the light so pure and bright,
Be like the light so pure, so bright.
Peep-bo! Peep-bo! Thou lovely light!
Peep-bo, Peep-bo, thou lovely light!
Child, I've quickly sped to thee,
From the great clear sun set free;
Though long the way, yet seemed it short,
While of my dear child I thought,
While of my dear child I thought.
Peep-bo! Peep-bo! Thou lovely light!
Peep-bo, Peep-bo, thou lovely light!
—
TO FLORENCE. JAN. 13, 1884.
Words of Hymn and Music of Prelude by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
"Inasmuch, inasmuch, inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these,
Ye have done it unto Me, ye have done it unto Me.
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto Me."
These words of hope the Master spoke,
In accents sweet and tender;
To Him above with grateful love,
Our filial praise we render,
Our filial praise we tender.
Dear willing hands, so quiet, thou
Hast finished thine endeavor;
Save, as the angels help their Lord
In works of love forever,
In works of love forever.
Beloved eyes, forever closed,
Since thou art spared life's weeping,
Though sorrowing still, the living will
Rejoice that thou art sleeping,
Rejoice that thou art sleeping.
Farewell, thou dear and cherished one,
Our love is with thee ever;
For though thou'rt dead, not even death
Our hearts from thine can sever,
Our hearts from thine can sever.
—
Music (American Hymn) used by permission — Words by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Herald of Freedom, for childhood's sweet sake
Let all our voices in melody wake;
Here at thy feet our thank-off'rings we bring;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing!
Here at thy feet our thank-off'rings we bring;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing!
Thanks never ceasing we give thee tonight;
Thy voice inspir'd us to toil for the right;
Blessings we give thee, thy wisdom proclaim;
Childhood's discov'rer, we honor thy name;
Childhood's discov'rer, we honor thy name!
Here at thy feet our thank-off'rings we bring;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing!
We thy disciples right loyally raise
Paeans of song in continual praise;
Ring out, ye voices, with chorus above,
Thanks never ending and infinite love;
Thanks never ending and infinite love!
Here at thy feet our thank-off'rings we bring;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing;
Childhood's defender, thy praises we sing!
—
Words by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
I've many little children around me every day,—
They laugh, and talk, and chatter, they sing, and work, and play.
They often say they love me, but is it really true?
They often say they love me, they often say they love me,
But do you really think they do? they do?
Do you really think they do? they do?
They come here every morning, so fresh, and clean, and sweet,
With willing little fingers, and willing little feet.
They say they won't get angry, but will each other love,
They say they won't get angry, they say they won't get angry,
Don't you think, sometimes, they do? they do?
Don't you think, sometimes, they do? they do?
They skip, and dance, and scamble, they dance, and shout, and play,
They stir up such a turmoil, they frighten folks away.
Sometimes they will be naughty, sometimes they will do wrong,
And yet they say they love me, and yet they say they love me,
Do you really think they do? they do?
Do you really think they do? they do?
—
Words and Arrangement by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Oh! we are little waiters now, we're busy all day long;
Your orders now we'll take, your orders now we'll take.
Oh! we are little waiters now, we're busy all day long;
We will wait on you politely while we sing our merry song!
Our plates are white and clean for we all scrub, scrub, scrub!
With soap and water hot, we give a rub, rub, rub!
We polish them so nicely till they shine, shine, shine,
We're ready now for dinner, won't you come with us to dine?
Oh, we are little waiters now, we're busy as you see,
Little cups and spoons have we, won't you have a cup of tea?
Oh, we are little waiters now, we're busy as you see;
We will wait on you politely, if you'll have a cup of tea.
Our cups and saucers clatter gaily, clink, clink, clink;
The teaspoons make a jingle, hear them chink, chink, chink.
When we add the cream and sugar, don't you think, think, think,
The tea will taste so nicely, that you'll like to have a drink.
We waiter girls wear aprons that are white as driven snow.
We must keep them smooth and clean, we must keep them smooth and clean.
A freshly ironed towel we hang on our shoulders — so —
That's to polish off the glasses when they need it, don't you know?
And when we've done a service, and you thank us with a bow,
We say we're very glad to please. And curtsy — so!
We'll do our service rightly, we will smile upon you brightly,
When you thank us so politely we will always curtsy — so!
—FINALE
Just like this; just like this;
Don't you think it's pleasant to be thanked like this?
To do the thing politely, we bow and smile so brightly,
Don't you think it's very pleasant to be thanked like this?
—[repeat]
—
Words and arr. by K. D. W. — Old English Tune
free online sheet music of this composition
Come children all, both great and small, away to the dance we'll go
With music sweet and with twinkling feet, as light as the falling snow.
Now Harry shall dance with Jane, and Dolly shall go with John,
And ev'ryone shall trip it, trip it, trip it up and down,
And ev'ryone shall trip it, trip it, trip it up and down.
We're ready, says Nell, "Strike up" says Will, now pray, Mister Fiddler, play
A lively jig with a sparkling tune, for this is a holiday.
Then every lad did doff his hat unto his lass,
And ev'ry girl did curtsy, curtsy, curtsy to the grass,
And ev'ry girl did curtsy, curtsy, curtsy to the grass.
"Good-night," says Harry, "Good-night," says Mary, "Good-night," says Dolly to John;
"Good-night," says Sam to his partner, Ann; "Good-night," says ev'ry one.
Then home by the shining stars, and under the moon's soft ray,
All laughing, dancing, skipping, tripping, singing along the way,
All laughing, dancing, skipping, tripping, singing along the way.
—
Words and Music by K. D. W.
free online sheet music of this composition
Now Jenny her walk is taking, this bright and sunny day,
And Johnny is sure to meet her, he's passing along that way.
She bows and smiles so brightly, delighted her friend to greet.
He lifts his hat politely, how pleasant it is to meet!
"Good morning, my little playmate, pray, tell me, how you do?"
"Good morning, I'm well, I thank you, and greatly obliged to you."
—
from My Garden of Memory: An Autobiography by Kate Douglas Wiggin, 1923
My volume of children's songs and games ("Kindergarten Chimes"), the fruit of my daily
teaching, had now also appeared under the imprint of Oliver Ditson and Company, Boston,
and was soon in steady demand among kindergartners and primary teachers.
|
|
