KINDERGARTEN DELEGATES

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 183, 30 April 1940, Page 4

KINDERGARTEN DELEGATES

Official Welcome At The Exhibition The official welcome to delegates attending the kindergarten refresher course in AVellington was held at the Exhibition yesterday afternoon, when a visit to the model kindergarten and a bullet tea in the banquet hall was sponsored by the AVellington council. Those who attended members of the New Zealand Free Kindergarten Union from all over New Zealand, directors, staff representatives, delegates, and graduates from all centres, and many other friends. An hour was spent inspecting the model kindergarten, and this was followed by the welcome and buffet tea. The banquet hall was beautifully decorated for the occasion by council members, and the stage, decorated with autumn foliage, chrysanthemums and dahlias, formed a charming background for the speakers. Mrs. li. B. Gibbons, who deputized for Mrs. J. A. Doctor, president of the Wellington council, welcomed the delegates and read greetings from exstudents and others interested in the kindergarten movement. This was the first time a refresher course had been held in Wellington, she said, and she knew what a thrill the delegates would get from meeting others who were doing the same work. An astonishing number of people had visited the model kindergarten, many of these were fathers who were interested in the education of their small children. Air. A. F. AlcAlurtrle, Assistant Director of Education, who deputized for the director, Dr. C. E. Beeby, welcomed tlie visitors on behalf of the Education Department, and expressed the hope that the course would be a very successful one. He hade been to many refresher courses and had always come away refreshed and uplifted in spirit. There was a spiritual quality in these meetings which thrilled the participants with the realization of the value of the work they were doing and sent them away uplifted and more determined than ever to devote themselves to it more fully than ever before.

Mr. McAlurtrie described a visit lie had paid to the Wellington Free Kindergarten, and said it reminded him of a haven. The word “haven,” he said, surely described a kindergarten, for it was a place of security and safety for children, where all though was directed to their welfare, where they learnt emotional stability aud how to live socially with their fellows. Barents did not appreciate enough, the difficulties of a child living in a home designed for adults, and one needed to visit a kindergarten to understand the world they lived in. History of Movement. The history of the Free Kindergarten Movement in New Zealand was outlined by the speaker. It started in Dunedin in June, 1889, with the purpose of providing a safe place for the children whose only playground was the streets, he said. It was not till 1905 that any help was given by the Government, when the first grant to free kindergartens in New Zealand was made. Since then the purpose of the kindergarten had greatly enlarged in scope, but the movement had not gone far enough yet. Mr. AlcAlurtrie paid a. tribute to the spirit of devotion aud self-sacrifice of the voluntary workers aud others in tlie movement. There was no doubt of the social value of the work, he said, and he hoped that some day soon it would 'be accepted as part of the education system.

Conditions had never been very favourable for the movement, and there were mauy difficulties to be overcome. With the difficult situation being faced today, tiie strain of life, specially in the home, was likely to become intensified, and there was a grave likelihood of the child suffering. In view of this, the kindergarten movement was imperative. “Havens” for children would be needed more than ever.

A special vote of thanks was passed to Air. Fletcher and to business firms responsible for tlie construction and furnishing of the kindergarten model at the Exhibition. The wife of the Prime Aliuister, Mrs. Frirser, was specially welcomed by .Mrs, Gibbous. Others present included: Lady Fraser, Airs. Stewart, AI.P., Lady Sidey and Mrs. Ewing (Dunedin) ; Mrs. Thacker (Christchurch), Mrs. Kidd (Auckland), Airs. Wilson (Hastings), Aliss Al. Englund, Aliss Calder (Dunedin), Airs. Guy Didsbury, Airs. Alartin Luckie, Mrs. Edward Gibbs, Airs. John Alurray, Mrs. Litchfield, Mrs. 11. Newton, Airs. Roy Alathews, Airs. B. Fuller, Airs. Simpson, Mrs. Jacobsen, Airs. Edward Beil, Airs. Frank AlcLean, Aliss Al. Cooper, Airs. Seed, Airs. Parr, Aliss Elizabeth Atkinson, Air. and Aire. D. C. Peacock, Dr. Sylvia Chapman, Air. A. Hamilton, members of Hie United Alothers’ Club, mid the principals from Hie four .centres, Miss C. Colegrove (Auckland), Aliss A. Duthie (Dunedin), Miss R. Wilkie (Christchurch), and Miss E. Wilson (Wellington)'. Full Programme. A full programme b;r« been planned for delegates and students, and the course will conclude on Thursday, Yesterday alTeruoou they were the guests of the Wellington council at the National Art Gallery when Mrs. Murray Fuller conducted them round the Centennial Art Exhibition and explained the collection. Different kindergartens will be visited each morning, and discussion groups held in the afternoon. Tonight the United Alothers’ Clubs will hold an evening in honour of Hie visitors at the Berlianipore Free Kindergarten.