OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1941, Page 6

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

FREE KINDERGARTEN (To the Editor) Sir, —The letters which have appeared in your paper with regard to the kindergarten movement interest me very much. In reply to “Virginibus Puerisque,” I would like to say that here in New Zealand we are not so short of woman power that the mothers of little children are needed for war work. Surely a mother’s greatest work is to bring up her children well for her country. Then why send the child to school so soon? If he goes at five years of age, he will have ten or twelve years at school. Perhaps even more. Surely that is enough for him of that particular phase of life. Does "Virginibus Puerisque” really think that a kindergarten teacher could look after thirty children of under five years of age satisfactorily? It is doubtful. Kindergartens certainly form an important part of any educational system in large cities, where children have so little room to play, and especially where there are slums and the homes are most unsuitable and the mothers very ignorant. But that is not so in Masterton. Here we have plenty of playing space; practically all the homes are very comfortable and the majority of mothers have an abundance of common sense in dealing with their children. Another point I would like to raise is: Where are the.committee going to obtain a competent teacher? In the cities, the young kindergarten teachers are under the skilful control of older and more experienced women. That would not be so in Masterton and an inexperienced person may do irreparable harm to a little child at the outset of his life.

Our Education Department recognises this fact and puts the most skilful and experienced woman on a primary school staff in charge of the infant department. If children of five need such well-trained teachers in case a mistake should be made at the beginning of their school lives how much more do children of three or four need the utmost care and skill? I understand that the committee who are working for a kindergarten in Masterton propose to pay the teacher £l5O a year. How can they possibly expect to get an experienced and skilful woman for that amount?

A person in charge of a kindergarten has to be mother, teacher and nurse to the children under her care. She should have at least three years' training and then further experience in a well-run kindergarten before attempting to take charge of one alone. Will Masterton be able to secure such a person ? Your correspondent "Enquirer" asked where the money for the upkeep was coming from. I think that- is a very important point. I presume that after the building, furnishings and equipment have been paid for, at least £3OO a year will be needed for the upkeep of one kindergarten, let alone the others which are proposed. 'Will the money be forthcoming? It has been whispered that the reason why certain mothers are anxious for a kindergarten is because they cannot be bothered minding their children. I would rather think that it is because they have been misled about the value of kindergarten training. I would like to impress upon Masterton mothers that their children's first five years cannot be more profitably spent than in the home with them.—Yours etc., LOVER OF LITTLE CHILDREN. Masterton, May 10.