FREE KINDERGARTENS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 138, 12 June 1911, Page 7

FREE KINDERGARTENS.

MEETING AT GOVERN__ENT HOUSE. SOME INTERESTLNG SPEECHES. PRESENTATION OP DIPLOMAS. A meeting of a unique description was fceld on Saturday afternoon by kind invitation of Lady Islington in the ballroom at Government House. Ostensibly called for the presentation of the diplomas won by seven successful students, advantage was taken of the occasion to explain more fully the kindergarten system of tuition, and also to make an earnest appeal for sympathy with and financial aid for the establishment of free kindergartens in various parts of the city. Dr. W. McDowell presided, and with him on the dais were the members of the council of the Kindergarten Association and the principals of the schools at Epsom and Remuera. Others present were: Mr. C. J. Parr (Mayor of Auckland), Mr. L. J. Bagnall, Mr. T. W. Leys, Mr. G. J. Garland (chairman of the Board of Education), Mr. Mulgan (Chief Inspector of Schools), Mr. E. C. Tunks, Mr. Brooke-Smith J secretary to the association). In spite of the unpropitious weather there was quite a large gathering of ladies. All present rose to receive Lady Islington, who was escorted to a seat near the chairman. CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS. Dr. McDowell, in opening the meeting, said he wished to express first of all the gratitude of the association to Lady Islington for becoming patroness of the association, and also for placing at their! disposal the use of that room for the meeting. Lady Islington had already visited the kindergarten, and expressed great interest in its operations. (Ap-, plause.) Dr. McDowell then traced the progress of the association since its inception in 1908. He said the generosity of the Harbour Board provided a site for a school in Freeman's Bay, and then Sir John Campbell donated £1500 for the' erection of the building. The Auckland West Kindergarten gave £100, and the Hon. George Fowlds, who attended a demonstration, evinced keen interest in the work. The Government was prepared to give £1 for £1 subsidy up to £2 for each child, but to get that the association must raise £120. Fifteen students had completed their two years' course of training, and it was desirable that kindergartens should be formed in, various parts of the city now they had the teachers. Kindergarten work had lofty aims. The system was based upon religion. Although religion was not actually taught, still there was an atmosphere of it in the desire to improve the condition of child life. The formation of character was the first great work. (Applause.) Kindergarten teaching was individualistic, and in a sense socialistic, as far as the latter word really meant "each for all and all for each." In connection with the kindergarten there was a Mothers' Club, so that the influence reached the homes. AN EXPERT'S SPEECH. I Miss Gibson delivered an interesting address explanatory of how kindergartens originated, and what is the real object aimed at. The speaker related how Froebel spent some time in the Pestalozzi Institute in Switzerland, then visited other educational places, and was 31 years old before 2> considered himself fit to teach, and after that founded the kindergarten system. He aimed at the development of bone, muscle, and will power in connection with education. It was recognised that the child who played well worked well. In their play children learned to be imitative, and in so doing also learned to understand. If a child's attention was secured 'by the method of teaching then he would learn. Miss Gibson caused a laugh by relating how a child who was presented with a lot of mechanical toys, asked, "What's there left for mc to do?" Miss Gibson said also that one of the first things to be done was to improve home life, so that careless parents would realise their responsibilities. She laid stress upon the fact that "the kindergarten is not a school, and does not intend to be one." The aim was to occupy the activities of the little child, to keep him tmsy, happy, and also instil some instruction. The word "don't" should be banished and replaced by the word "do" in training the little ones. It was easy to do that in the kindergarten, where there was nothing much to be spoiled, as the furniture was strong, and the school was designed for the benefit of the little ones. It was good for the little ones to learn to obey one who "was not stronger than them." They wished to teach the little ones a love of Nature; to interest them in everythings around them; and although religion was not in due time must come to every child's mind the question of how the world exfeted, and how it is governed In conclusion, Miss Gibson ■thanked the students for the excellent work done during the past year. PRESENTATjtON OF DIPLOMAS. Lady Islington then presented the diplomas to the successful students, whose names were published in the annual report. THE MAYOR'S REMARKS. Mr. C. J. Parr said after the two excellent and exhaustive addresses, .he need not refer to kindergarten work,. He wondered why the State did not undertake such a manifestly important' adjunct to the school system. Austria, Belgium, and some parts of the United I States were far ahead of New Zealand in' the matter of kindergartens. Of course, it must not be forgotten that the Do-1 minion already expended over £ 1,000,000 per annum upon education, which was about as much as they could stand at . the present time. The time must come j when the State would undertake kinderI garten work, but _ntil then it must be supported privately, and he cordially ! reccanniended the Kindergarten Association to tie citizens of Auckland (Ap- , plause.) In conclusion Mr. Parr thanked 1 Lady Islington for the kindly interest manifested in the Association. CApplause.) He also wished to thank her Excellency on behalf of the citizens of Auckland for her keen practical interest I in, and sympathy with every good work during her three months' residence in their city. Mr. Parr also added that he had thought a Mayor a hard worked man, but he believed that Lord Islington had 'been nearly worked to death during his residence in Auckland. . CHIEF INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS. Mr. Mulgan dealt with the broader aspects of the education question. He looked forward to a time when New Zealand would develop into a strong and vigorous nation. To do that they must be prepared to give more attention to, and spend considerably more money upon education. The ideas of fifty years ago regarding education had already been cast to the winds. They should aim at strengthening the will, and building up the characters of the children. (Applause.) They must attend to the physical, mental, and moral train-

ing of children, and also proper ventilatm _'> lighting, and heating of their schools. Mr. Mulgan pointed out that as a nation progressed in civilisation, the time for the tuition of the young lengthened until a man was approaching thirty before he settled down to his career. One of the charges brought against the primary school system was that in many cases the teachers were not thoroughly trained. He wondered if it had ever occurred to his hearers that a man had to undergo five years' tuition before he could run a locomotive, yet almost anyone was allowed to start teaching and experiment upon a much more complicated machine than a locomotive —a child's brain, and that without any training whatever. In conclusion Mr. Mulgan expressed the hope that kindergartens would be started at Newton and Newmarket. The chairman read a letter expressing regret that Sir John and Lady Campbell were«unable to attend, also enclosing a donation of two guineas. APPEAL FOR AID. Mrs. Leo Myers, in an admirable address, well delivered, urged the claims of the kindergarten upon the sympathies and generosity of the people. She referred to kindergarten as being, instead of the three "R's," the three "H's," hand, head and heart. Auckland was a rapidly growing city, and yet according to the population, Dunedin, Wellington, and Christchurch had more kindergartens than they had in the metropolis of the Dominion. In conclusion Mrs. Myers urged those present to give both their sympathy and their sovereigns. HER EXCELLENCY'S REMARKS. Lady Islington said she had not intended to speak, but to listen. The kind remarks of the Mayor and other speakers had made her feel that she would appear uncourteous did she not make some reply. Khe had experienced great pleasure in visiting the kindergarten on Friday morning, and considered it to be a most excellent institution. It was far better for the little children to be there than wandering about the streets as she had often seen them at Home. Lp.'y Islington caused a laugh by relating a story about a boy who was lost at Home, and when someone asked him, "How do you come to be. here?" he replied in a rather bored manner, "Mothers been and lost mc, I told the darned thing she would." Her Excellency said Mr. Mulgan's remarks about the time for tuition lengthening as (civilisation progressed, held out a <bright future for grown up people, when youth would be extended to old age. (Laughter.) In conclusion Lady Islington said his Excellency and herself had been so happy in Auckland that she felt it was not they who had been kind, but the people of Auckland. This terminated a most enjoyable function.