PREPARING FOR SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 283, 26 November 1908, Page 7

PREPARING FOR SCHOOL.

TRAINING THE MITES. KINDERGARTENS FOR AUCKLAND. The work of preparing for school the children who are too young, in the eyes Of the law, to attend an ordinary school, is occupying the attention of a certain section of people interested in the training and education of the mites. The Auckland Kindergarten Association has communicated with the Board of Education, soliciting the assistance of the Board in the extension of the Froebel system of education among the children of Auckland.

There are at present two kindergarten schools in Auckland, one at Remuera and the other a-t Epsom. These two schools are fairly well attended, and a third school will probably be opened near Symonds-street next February in connection with the Kindergarten Association.

The Association solicited the aid of the Board of Education in the training of teachers for young children under the Froebel system, by adding a special kindergarten trainer to the staff of the Training College, by recommending the Education Department to grant facilities for the admission of kindergarten student teachers to certain lectures, and by recommending the Department to grant such student teachers free a.nd assisted education at the 1 raining College to fit them to become directors of the kindergartens, and to endow them with certificates of efficiency on the termination of their course.

A letter was received from Mr. H. A. Milnes, principal of the Training College, in which the writer stated that he was in sympathy with the movement, but expressing the opinion that it could not be helped on unless the following suggestions were carried out: A specially trained kindergarten instructress to take charge of a free kindergarten school (of not over fifteen children) to be added to the Normal school; such mistress would have to be imported from Kngland or America at a salary of, sa}% £ 150. The letter from the' Association, too, had pointed out the necessity of an efficient person at the head ot the proposed new department, stating that in order that the Froebel system should be satisfactorily taught it was necessary that the school should have a thoroughly trained director and a number of suitable girl teachers.

When the matter was under discussion by the Board, Mr. E. C. Purdy said that kindergarten work had been carried on successfully in other countries. Kindergarten teaching was distinctly preparatory training.

The Chairman of the Board (Mr. C. J. Parr) said that the move was one in a right direction. After all, the question was one of finance. It would be a question of whether the Department could afford the money. The Education Board was not in a position to afford the expense. The object, as had been pointed out by Mr. Bagnall, was to create a number of free schools throughout the city. New Zealand was already spending nearly £100.000 a year on "education. Under the New Zealand Act, no child under five years of age could be admitted to a public school, and it was with children of that age that the preparatory work would deal.

The Board decided to forward the re commendation to the Minister.