FREE KINDERGARTEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 April 1941, Page 4

FREE KINDERGARTEN

FAIR IN COLLEGE GROUNDS GOOD RESPONSE MADE. MANY ATTRACTIVE FEATURES. The fair held at the Wairarapa College grounds on Saturday afternoon by the Masterton West Free Kindergarten Committee, attracted a large attendance of the public. The weather was beautifully fine and the grounds were in splendid order. The function proved most successful; a sum of £5O being raised during the afternoon. Efforts made before the fair and concluded at the function resulted in a further £2O being raised. The sideshows and stalls were thronged with patrons and excellent business resulted in a total clearance being made. Continuous concerts organised by Misses Merle Dickson. H. Douglas and the pupils of Solway College were well patronised. Hedgerow donkeys, a wheelbarrow derby, haircutting competitions, clock golf, etc., provided those present with plenty of entertainment.

The fair was officially opened by Mr. J. Robertson, M.P., who outlined the growth of the free kindergarten movement and emphasised the part played by the Government in promoting the scheme in this country. He urged the people of Masterton to give their fullest support to the movement. ,■ Mr. Robertson dealt with cal, educational and social the free kindergarten schemtY*’ The kindergarten is one of the new social institutions that have sprung up with the object of assisting the child and protecting it during its pre-school years,” he said. “It is a place where, in security and absorbed in trying out the child’s own powers and in exploring its immediate environment, it learns to adjust itself to the life of the group and to co-operate with its fellows. .Working on the lines of exploitation of the child’s natural instincts the kindergarten tries to ensure for the child a natural, unrepressed, stable development—a' happy social unfolding in the company of its fellows. The scheme has a most worthy aim: ‘He who helps a child helps humanity-’ ” Mr. W. R. Nicol, chairman of the Wairarapa College Board of Governors and a member of the Wellington Education Board, quoted instances of the value of the free kindergarten movement and stated that the Education Board was one hundred per cent, behind the movement. Mr. M. G. Mackay, chairman of the Fair Committee,- said that the free kindergarten scheme was the greatest movement today. It was not sufficient for people to make a donation and then* forget about the idea, but all should think and work for it. Twenty-five years after the universal adoption of the movement they could hope for a better world. Dictators could not rise in a world of 170.000.000 youth trained in the art of intelligent thinking. Competition results were: Lucky babies. Bernard Greenlees, 34 Cornwall Street, ticket no. 8963. Baby Ashworth. 17a Bennington Street, ticket no. B 886: coathanger, E. Milne. Masters Crescent, ticket no 51: doll. T. Jones, c/o J. R. McKenzie. Ltd., Queen Street, ticket no. C 114: dinner. K. Ross. Solwnjf; clock golf, G. Ward, Masters Crescent; croquet. Mrs. Neil McKay. Cornwall Street: nail-driving, men. B. McMaster. Masters Crescent, ladies. Miss V. Rigg.