Patty Smith Hill (1868-1946) was a leader in the kindergarten movement and an advocate of the value of free play in the education of young children. She was a founding member of the International Kindergarten Union, which eventually became the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). She also served as ACEI President in 1909. She joined the faculty of Teachers College at Columbia University in 1905. By 1910, Hill was made head of the College's Department of Kindergarten Education and a full professor by 1922. Here Hill describes what she considers to be the attributes of a successful nursery school. [Excerpts from this article are reprinted from "Childhood Education" v3 n2 1926 in celebration of "Childhood Education's" 125 year anniversary.]