FREE KINDERGARTEN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2948, 7 December 1916, Page 3

FREE KINDERGARTEN

PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATES. A large gathering of friends and those interested in the Richmond Freo Kindergarten movement assembled at Mrs. Grady's resideneo last night, to witness the presentation of certificates to tho senior and junior students. Tho Major and Mayoress were present, and also ; Mrs. Gill, tho president. The students looked very iresh and girlish in their white frocks, and each wore a tiny, scarlet bow. First of all sonic charming little kindergarten songs and choruses were sung, under the direction of Miss Riley, 'the lady principal, and Miss Phoebe Ronaync played tho accompaniments. His Worship the Mayor mado the introductory speech, and said that for many years ho had been most interested in tho Free Kindergartens and in tho excellent work that was being done in connection with them. Ho disagreed with , tho view that many people held, that the Government ought to take over the work. Ho also regretted that at present the City Council was unable to donate grounds for the very necessary building which undoubtedly 'should'be built for a kindergarten in Taranaki Street. He also disagreed with tho view that as it is war time the education grant should •be,stripped as bare as possible. Tho children aro tho State's greatest asset for the future, and they should have tho greatest care expended, on them. His Worship then paid a tribute to Miss Riley, and referred to the excellent training she was giving to all tho students who pass through her very capable hands. Mrs. Gill, the president, was also mentioned by Mr. Luke as being a lady always ready with help and sympathy, and one of tho keenest workers for the cause. Miss Riloy then read her report of the year's work, and also explained the class of work in which the students are engaged. During the morning tho young teachers aro with the children, and in the afternoon they are with Miss Riley, and do a good deal of reading and. study. They learn mother-play, hygiene, and the history of education, and study tho educational works of .Rousseau, Froebel, and Slontessori. Then she read the reports of the examiners, Mesdames' Gill, Hannah, Anderson, and Miss England, who were very pleased with the handyork sent in by the students. This handwork is much in favour, and so at last it was decided to have most of it displayed in some shop windows in Cuba Street and Manners Street, and then it will be ticketed and sold. Seven seniors, and four juniors are at present in training. Miss Riley hoped earnestly that a more commodious and suitable building would bo soon erected in Taranaki Street, as tho present building contains only three rooms, and is quite inadequate for the accommodation of the sixty or seventy children who attend school there. Sho hoped some'generous donor, like Mr. Myers, of Auckland, would soon come forward and present some ground for a new building. Miss Riley brought her remarks to a, close by wishing the students who are shortly leaving to take up the work in other districts a useful and a happy career. ' The Mayoress, in a few w'cll-ohosen words, said that she had always been interested in tho work of tho Kindergarten ever since Miss Richmond had elected her first committee here, some years ago. She said that the schools had been doing excellent work in two ways, in a practical way by keeping many children olf the streets, and m a higher and spiritual sense of the word by training them and teaching them the value of honour, truth, obedience, and discipline. If people only visited some of these institutions ' and saw tho children at work and 1 ' at play, they would probably . dorivo more benefit from it than by attending nothing but plays acted by adults. Mrs. Luke then presented certificates to Edna Morris, It. Herzog, A. C. Denton, A. Newton, G. Lake, and, D. H., MaoAndrcw, the seniors, and to M. R. Atkinson, E. Ballinger, A. Kidsoii, and E. Yickers, the. juniors. The Misses Myers aiid L. Salmon'd were heartily thanked for their voluntary services during the year. Miss Riley specially referred with regret to the loss sustained by tho Taranaki Street branch when Mifes Fuller left for Gisborne.

Mr. Pope sang during the evening, and ■ afterwards an .adjournment was made into the dining-room, -where a dainty , supper was awaiting Mrs. Grady's guests. 'Silver vases of pink sweet peas decorated the supper-table. In an adjoining room were some excellent specimens of the students' handwork—dolls'' furniture with quaint little clothes-pegs, a really most ingenious aiid effective exhibit; little garments for dolls, silk-covered" clotheshangers with 6cent-sachets attached to each end, neat''wooden boxes, leatherbag purses, beaded mocassins and slippers, with swastikas designs in heads on the 'toes.' And very effective, too, -were the gilded helnicts of cardboard with their nodding plumes and the banners and pennons.

Miss Mina Caldow is singing at Napier tomorrow' evening, and leaves by the mail train this morning.

A meeting of the Trustees of the 'Wellington Convalescent ' Home was held at Mrs. Litchfield's yesterday; There were present Mesdames W. S. Moorhouse (in the chair), Litchfield, D.- S. Watkins, AV. Young, A. Martin, Miss Coates, Miss Harcourt (lion, treasurer), Miss Miles (lion. . secretary). The Matron reported that nine patients were admitted and eleven discharged from the home during the month. Gifts had been received from Mrs. Rotheram.