KINDERGARTEN WORK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 275, 9 August 1918, Page 7

KINDERGARTEN WORK

Sir,—The Hon. Minister of Education has come ro the conclusion thai the Department should tako over to some extent kindergarten "classes," and will consider taking over tho free kindergartens of New Zealand under the condition that the public schools aro made continuation homes, well ventilated, well staffed, well equipped, and "attractive" to children. It would be tho right thing to join up all educational societies for child welfare from tho Plunket to the University. Unless the public infant schools havo a better chance tho free.kindergartens are totter left to tho far-seeing volunteer women and men enthusiasts who value tho child in its surroundings and its world, and who value tho specially-edu-cated nursery teacher. There is no place at tho present time nearer than Sydney where a girl may bo educated for two years in child study and child handicraft except at the free kindergartens, and the Department has valued this hy admitting their students to the Kelburn Training College, if they so wish, also by subsidising the attendanco of tho children. Wo might have had towards a Wellington training building had we been willing to give up land anil houso valued at <£'I<loo on demand. It was not sound finance, 60 we trust to the public.. Mr. Hanan would need ,£GS,OQO to im-

prove his infant schools. Why not givo it to him? Givo him another JS.OOO.OIIU or more if need be; it will bo a good investment for the farmer and the business man for tho nest ten years. "Tho children aro tho greatest asset of the nation," to politicians say. Tho word classes sounds very formal and institu-tion-like. It reminds us once again of tho overcrowded, ill-ventilated, uiidusted, and under-staffed places that wo • havo allowed very many of our Stato schools to become. This has come about not for want of good teachers, but just for tho want of money, and the want of money has been caused by the neglected ideal of tho fathers and mothers of our children.' We havo not realised how neglectful wo have been during the last 10 years until pulled up by this clrfcadfuJ war to know that enemy countries aro getting ahe»d of us. No thoughtful person would allow a baby from threo to five years to enter a State school kindergarten unless tho surroundings woro mado something like a home nursery- Wherever it is possiblo these children from three to eight should bo in their own homes; but economic conditions have made this very difficult. No ono would want a kindergarten in Clyde Quay playground, for instance, or at To Aro Infant School. The infant teachers would also need to be free from red tapo men inspection, unless men inspectors would trouble to study the baby mind, and even so women aro needed on all boards of management connected with children. "Talk as much as you like; this is your morning hour. Tell wo -what you saw since yesterday. Play out in the suu your frisky games, walk about in your free playroom as much as you need, so long as you do not disturb your fellows." Theso are some of the daily ways of a kindergarten. Though each child is following a law and does not know that ho is being trained to obedience and order. This is so different from the crowded State schoolrooms, where- tliu general order is "Don't talk. Sit still. No time for a sunny walk. No time to watch tho grasses grow. No time for questions. No time to express the long, long thoughts of childhood. No time for Dick Wluttington. May be time at night for an un-child-liko picture film." ■ In spite of all these difficulties there is good work being done, and if Mr. JJauau and his teachers, kindergarten and Plunket societies, the Hoalth Department, the Mental Health Department, could take from the Cabinet 6tore all the money that is needed, they would in a few years equip our children with modern requirements, physical, social, moral, and spiritual. We need overy sort of technical training to tench their fingers how to work in unison with tho brain, (Think of the hours spent by thousands of our children in destroying, things because they are not taught to .construct.) We need continuation schools. Wo need every kind of scholarship, increasing, not decreasing, for research work, as well as travelling scholarships to the world centres of science, art, industry, and education.

Where is tho money? It is in New Zealand at the present time, and we shall not need a revolution to obtain it. The war profits of the men and women who have jiofc been able to die for the Empire will easily produce' some millions of pounds that may bo needed for reconstruction in education during the next five to ten years. We have not been afraid to invest millions in New Zealand War Loans. Let us not be afraid to invest an extra million or two in a loan for the preservation of the children of our race.—l am, etc., C. ANDERSEN.