KINDERGARTEN DAY

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15773, 14 December 1916, Page 2

KINDERGARTEN DAY

"A PLAY FESTIVAL."

A little oyer five years ago a number of ladies took up the kindergarten method of teaching very young children and Instituted free first at St. Albans, and later at Phillipstown and Sydenham. Yesterday, to show the progress of the work a "Play Festival" was held in the Art Gallery. It was expected that it would be patronised by a gocd many, but the committee were absolutely taken aback by the large number that applied for admittance. Every seat in the Gallery was occupied, and the overflow was accommodated in the outer room. In this were a number of most interesting exhibits. One table was given over to toys made out of waste material, and they demonstrated that playthings could be made locally as good, if not better, than anything imported. There were also specimens of the work of the children, which was remarkably clever. An interesting display was the art work cf the trainee:. There were also a number of stalls with goods for disposal, as, the schools being free, it is only by such means that they can be carried on I in an adequate manner. At 2.30 p.m. her Excellency the Countess of Liverpool arrived, and, escorted bv Mrs T. E. Taylor, president of the Society, and the Mayoress (Mrs H. Holland), took her seat at the head j of the Gallery. . Mi-3 Taylor, in a preliminary address, spoke of the work of the Society, and stated that its success depended on the assistance of the public. The present demonstration was held to show the public what- the kindergarten and Montessori teaching was, and how much it tended to develop the children. She ask'v) the audienco not to applaud the children. rier Excellency, who was received with applause, stated it gave her the greatest satisfaction to open such a function as this. She had just recently, in "Wellington, opened two similar exhibition!. In the kindergarten schools she reoC'-inised a great source of help to the mothers, as well as educational ralue to the children, and therefore sho had the greatest pleasure in opening such another exhibition in Christchurch. Three little children then entered the room, and, noing up to the dais, presented her Excellency. Mrs Holland, and Mrs Taylor each with artificial flowers made by the children themselves. The children then entered, in groups, under Miss Hull and her assistants, and went through different forms of their training. One group was engaged in "table" gardening, planting boughs in areas of.sa.nd. and decking them with flowers, and another group in building houses out of blocks. This done, the children formed a '"i'iay Circle," in which they gave a most interesting performance, consisting of dancing, the recitation of nursery rhymes, singing, skipping, and many other exercises, concluding with the singing of "God Save the King."