RICHMOND KINDERGARTEN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1986, 17 February 1914, Page 2

RICHMOND KINDERGARTEN.

ANXILVL MEETINGS. ' Tire annual meeting of the Richmond Free Kindergarten union was held in the I'ioncer Club rooms last evening, the chair being occupied by Mr. M. Bnrnett. I'lio ropdrt stated that the work carried on during the year had been closely related to tlm children's interests. It had dealt with simple facts very Bear the. children, but, at the same time, farreaching in their extent. The Ktlhimio Kindergarten had been moved to Maraiiui, where the Church Hall (with piano) had been obtained, and the change had been justified by the increased number who Were now attending. There, as in all the other kinder£aitcns, more children could bo taken in if < uly young wonie-n of seventeen and upwards would come forward, and teach or take the course- of training offered by the council. The year's training had bceii particularly, fruitful to students, and they had proved its value by the high number of marks which they had attained. Besides the regular training in theory and practical work by the headmistress and Miss Mathieson (assistant trainer), ' students had attended lectures in history and practice of education given by Mr. "Teunant at the. Training College; Miss Richmond had given courses in "Child Study," and the ''Education of Man," ' and MissXawson in brushwork. At the filial examinations the examiners were , Mrs. Gill, Mrs.' Hanc.ox, Mrs. Hannah, and Mr. Teimnnt The list of certiii- ; cntf2S gained by students has already been published. Women's Inertia. ' In moving the adoption of the report ■ and balance-sheet, Miss Richmond spoke of tho movement which was going on in connection with the federation of all the kindergartens in the Dominion. When tliat was achieved the Qovern- . ment would, the speaker thought, undertake the examinations, which would \ Jesuit in students gaining a stains in their work which they had not had hefore. The work was rapidly becoming' ; a part of tho national system of education, and woiiSd bo of benefit to evcry-

one. Mi.?s Richmond told Hiose present thnfc she was going to.visit Ronio (liiring hor tfavoJs ahreacl, and hoped to sec Dr. Mdntessori, to learn'what slm'could of her methods. In the course of her romarfcs, Miss Richmond esprcssed the opinion that women needed more initiative—the}' distrusted themselves too much. She would like to seo women govern women for women. Men organised movements, and usually Rot tile women to do tho work or a Krcat part of it, and far. too often women did not havq tho courage of tlreir coiivietions. Sometimes they wtrs eyeii too lazy to ttiink.

Miss England seconded the motion to adopt the report and balance-sheet.

Opfioftrtiiity was taken by Miss Myers to say.a wwd regarding what women Were now beginning to do in .tho way of nftding out their own powers. Women, said the Speaker, had to hr in the centre of thiitgs, with prnt'er i>' their hands before they cdntd really be fiffrotivo,

Miss Helyer thought that tho existence of the Richmond Free Kindergartens proved,what woni«i could do. If tllev enuM. :M%ftt ;yea f:,, they. bad tlopo swstethmjf.iliat wiis 'raertivc; : At the tiihe they Were perhaps 100 tact fid; latOi . 'riio bnlttiK'/Miliept "aitd ■ aniiUal] report wcrfe addptod! . \\

Ectectton of officers. The election of officers wasas follows: •—President, Mrs, Gill; vtod-pfcsf dents, Mrs. Burnett, Mrs, Cohen;' organising committee, .Mrs. Gill, Mrs. Burnett, Mrs. Ijaiteox, Mrs. It. Smith, ami Miss 'England; treasurer and secretary. Miss JliscoeU; assistant treasurer,. Mr. Gunn ; auditor, Mr. W. C. Stephens; council, Mrs. A, A, Atkinson, Mrs. Bevcridge, Mrs. Hates, Mrs, Campbell, Mrs. Chat-' field. Mrs. Cohen, Mrs, Clark, Mrs, Darling. Mrs, D. A. Ewh, Mrs. Foil, Mrs. Fletcher. Mrs. Grady. Mrs. Han-' , cos, Mrs. Hannah, Mrs. Lindsay, Mrs. Mania ren, Mrs. 11. Smith, Mrs. Tonlifint, Mrs. Winder, Miss EnnlaixT.: Miss Finlayson, Miss limes, Miss Jlolver, Miss Myers, Miss Newton, Miss Siscock. j Other Speeches. I Mrs. Gill spoke of the difficulty which was encountered .in obtaining students 'to help in the kindergartens. Thoro ! wero many girls in Wellington who had practically nothing to da with their time, and she thought that, if tlicy would give their services as volunteer ; assistants, they would soon find an ■■>.!>- sorbins outlet for their energies. No : gid spend a year, or two years in the kindergartens without feeding hotter for doing it, They need only go to the schools twice, or even oneo a week if there were a 'dozen of them, and she could hardly doubt but that ; they would soon greatly love their •work.

Mr. Burnett spoke briefly on the (inancial aspect. He, strongly advoc.itctl a house-to-house canvass when funds were next needed, instead of spending

strength and time in organising entertainments. ' Few people, he thought, would refuse to contribute. He also expressed tho opinion that it behoved the city, or the public authorities, to give assistance, and set nside one or move sites for free kindergartens. They should approach the City Council, or tho Harbour Board, and urge this question. Irt Auckland and in Dnnedin the Harbour Board had given free sites, ami in Sydney, in addition to giving a site, the Harbour Board had built a kindergarten as well. A clause could easilv be framed by Parliament enabling the Harbour Board in Wellington to do such ft thing.

Mr. D. M'Larcn mentioned the national aspect of the kindergarten work, and -Mrs, J. P. Luke, the Mayoress, spoke of the work which bad been achieved by Miss Richmond in the city, and of how much she would be missed while atfay.

Votes of thanks wero passed to Mr. Stephens for work as auditor, and to Mr. Gunn for work as assistant-trea-surer. *