KINDERGARTEN WORK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 213, 28 May 1918, Page 7

KINDERGARTEN WORK

. NEW ISUILK WANTED COMMENT ON GOVERNMENT CONTROL

I he annual mooting of tho Wellington hree Kindergarten. Association was held hist evening. The president, Mrs. T. 11. GUI, occupied the chair. There was a largo attendance of members nnd sympathisers, and tho keenest interest was manifested in the pioceedings. The annual report said: "The most important change was ono which was verv regretfully made. 'The jiitmo of Richmond, which was given to (lie association as a mark of respect to tho t'oundei, Miss Mary Richmond, who worked so hard and so zealously in the early days of kindergarten in Wellington, htw had to givo way to the name of Wellington. It was with much regret that this had been considered necessary, but those who had been associated with the work, and particularly with the collecting of money, found that the name, being that of a private, individual, led to much misunderstanding concerning the objects and man-

agement of tho association. The growth of tho work has been such that it is now an incorporated society belonging to the city, nnd as such it is hoped Inat citizens will recogniso it and forward it by their interest and help accordingly. The council wish to inform the citizens that u collector has been appointed, a step which it is expected will result in a largo increase of income collected in tho first possiblo way. "Tho Education Department has shown ils recognition of tho good work done by the kindergartens in the four, centres by increasing the annual subsidy from £2 to A' 2 10s. per head (average attendance). The work of the students has also been recognised by tho Department, as students who have satisfactorily completed a two years' course at a kindergarten recognised by tho Government are now allowed to enter a training college on the samo terms as these offered to pupil teachers and probationers. "The Department has also changed; the rule a-s regards children moving on into the public schools. A letter has been received stating that, owing to the inconvenience- caused by the frequent moving of children, it has been decided to modify tho present arrangement so that children may remain at the kindergarten until January 1, or July 1, whichever is nearest ,U> their iifth birthday. This will do away with the numerous interruptions in ' both types of schools concerned. Tho now school was opened after Easter holidays. Public demonstrations have been helti at Brooklyn and Jierhampore, which were greatly appreciated by parents and friends. An eli'ort was made in November to raise

money for the building fund by a largo kindeitg-irten fair. This was successful to tho extent oi Jl'iMJ. The council owe

their most grateful thanks to all those wno helped to saeis a successful issue." The rejiort and balance-sheet were adopted us presented. In tho courso of her report, tho headmistress (Miss Kiley) said that tho outstanding feature of tho year's work was the regular and good attendance throughout tho iivo kindergartens. As shown in tho report the subsidy was large, and showed an increase from i 283 10s. in 1916 to xm 7s. 6d. in 1917. The excellent attendances showed that the children loved to go to school, and that tho mothers appreciated the kindergartens. Tho averago attendances wero as follow:—Wellington South, 39 (on roll, 46); Maranui, 33 (42); Brooklyn 33 (40); Berhamporo, 30 (36). Total average attendance, 37 (on roll, 45). Tho good attendance was partly due to the parents and also to the regular visiting of tho districts by tho director in charge. Tho report stated that parents id all centres had often expressed their appreciation by gifts of all kinds, voluntary subscriptions, and offers of general help. Miss Kiloy also paid a warm tribute to the committees. "I am convinced," sho said "if tho people of Wellington wovo as united in their effort to further tho cause of kindergarten as arc tho members of our local committees, wo could not only have five, but fifty kindergartens properly housed, properly staffed, and equipped. It is tlio people's work, not that of a private individual or even an association's work. The education of its people should be tlio work of a nation, and why should not a child of five be considered a member of tho nation or its education a work of national importance?" As a proof of the value of the training of teachers, Miss Riley reported that last December four students qualified for the, certificate granted by the association. These were Misses Marion Atkinson, Eileen Ballinger, ! Alfreda Kitson, and Elsie Victors, i Speaking to her report, Miss Eiley ! said that there were 30 pupils waiting for ; admission ut Taranaki Street and 05 at [Wellington South, but to their regret i there w ; ero insufficient funds to house and i stall' tho elasiM. Ten was the Ideal num. ! her of a class, yet the teachers wero j taking classes of from 11 to 20. That '■ was too many children for anyono to look ! niter, as thoy aimed at the- teacher I student being a type of mother, to act ; tho samo to 'lie ••hildren as they would j have a mother do. Sho would not rest ! until thev had a rJecent place- in Taranaki j Street. 'They had as much right to ask for a docent place for : theso children as did tho mem- ■ bers for a decent House of Pnrlia[ment to sit in. Tho question was: Did I they believe it wns a necessary work? i That was the wholo point. If they did I they must show their belief. They had • il scheme, but it was not yet ripe, and t they hoped wh'on it was that it would ! prove a success. It only meant 7jd. a year from everyone in Wellington. If they resolved to get a decent building that building would come. Auckland had not done >so well after all, but they had ono generous mau, Sho did not kiw where he was in Wellington. "You give us a decent kindergarten," said Miss Eiley, "and we'll find tho pupils to couin to it. At this time next year don't let us bo in this hovel of a place. There is nothing that succeeds like success. Build a decor.t house i.ud you'll have plenty of friends to coma ,ml look at it. It was human nature. Well, let us uso human nature to gain our ends. Beliovo in it yourselves, and talk about it everywhere and at any time, and when you're succeeding you'll have plonty of friends to back you up." (Applause.)

Commenting on tho all important mattor of new promises in Taranaki Street, the president stated that tho Government had offered a subsidy of .£6OO towards tho building, but that was not to bo paid until the building was well undor weigh, and was conditional on the property being vested in tho Government. The council bad deemed it inadvisable to accept tho Government's offer seeing that they would have lo raise something like .£2500, and then hand over the wholo of it to tho Government in order to get tho -CtSOO. Mr. R. Pearson said that a great work was being done. The children wcro very happy at the school, and looked upon Miss Riley, and tho other teachers as their mothers. Something, he said, must be dono to 'house the children- properly. At present they had rooms over two Chinese 6hops. They had bought tho property fm X7OO— no\v they had to get .£2500 to erect a building. Surely with tho lmndr»ds of thousands that .wcro being collected for various purposes they could get .£2500 for this important work. They wcro promised £IXO, but on condition that the deeds were vested in the Govormnont. For such a sum was it worth handing over the property to the Government? Ho hoped "that something would bo dono al (he meeting in (ho way of setting up a conunitteo to go into Ihe mattef.

Mr. J. A. Thompson (of Rrrhamnoi'/) said Hint it. should be. made clearer (o the people in the suburbs that the Tarunaki Street place was not only a school, but a training ground for kindergarten Inaohevs. To him it was a disgrace that there were only five of such schools in Wellington—l hey could K pf ns manv impils as were taught in the lot at Bcvliampore alone. But it must be remembered that tlioy wcro not talking to millionaires but to Hie workers. He thought he perceived an inclination on tho par); of flip Government to take up the kindergarten work, and in making the offer of MM, it. was only safeguarding its own interests. Miss Riley 6aid they not only had (n get tho pupils, but they hnd to get the students. Give them, at least, a place

where they could leave their hats, without tho ribbons being stolen off them. .Miss Homes thought it would bo a very great pity to take tho work from Ilio devoted baud of women who had done so much for kindergartens and place it under the Government. It was essentially work for women who knew instinctively the needs of the children, and was work that should bo controlled at least by a majority of women, instead of its aims being' thwarted by officials, who might be sympathetic, lmt who did not really know.

A pfontlemnn sympathiser compliniont- ! oil Miss Riley not only 0:1 tho substance of her remarks, but on tho vigour sho showed, and said that h' tho kinderßarten work was Wt in tho hands of such women ho would liavo no doubt as to results. • Ec, too, hoped that tho work would neve:' lie bunded over to tho Government. For quiio other reasons he had come to tho same conclusion as Miss Homes. He was of opinion that if tho Government took control they would find pressure being applied by headmaster and somo inspectors to have the children made ready for standard work, which had no plato in kindergartens. If the work could go on as at present, it would be done much more effectively, and ho said so as ono having tho greatest respect for our national system of education. He thought that the variety of interest would suffer, and the course would become 'more- stereotyped if tho work were taken over by tho Government. (Applause.) On tho motion of Mr. T. Ballinger tho report of the headmistress was adopted, with tho direction that it bo printed and circulated. Tho election of tho officers resulted as follows:—Misses .England, Helyer, P. Myers, Stowo, Senton, Mesdames J. (!. Anderson, Clark, Dixon, Eichclbaum, Gill, fl ratly, Hannah Dr. Ada Paterson, and 11. Smith, with power to add lo their number. i