Play Groups In British Housing Developments

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31881, 8 January 1969, Page 2

Play Groups In British Housing Developments

Centres where preschool children play in the shadow of towering apartment blocks, or in the slums of industrial areas, are a fast - developing aspect of the Save The Children Fund’s domestic work in Britain. Miss J. Pearse, who recently retired as the fund’s child welfare organiser, has seen the play groups expand in the last 14 years from six London centres to 80 throughout England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. She and her sister, Miss R. N. Pearse, who has also recently retired from the teaching profession, are on a holiday visit to their brother, Mr J. I. Pearse, of Idris Road. “With so many high blocks of flats being built our work in this field has increased greatly over the last few years,” said Miss J. Pearse. “Living 28 storeys up has a detrimental effect on

mothers psychologically, and on children. I don’t suppose falling from that height would be worse than from five storeys up, but mothers still worry more. “Some keep their balcony doors shut all day and though the flats vary in size very much, according to the rent, there is little room for children to play. Some children get out for only about half an hour a day,” she said.

Miss Pearse admires the way young mothers, often with several pre-school children, cope, especially those in poor living conditions. Friendships “But it’s amazing how the centres create friendships. The mothers get to know each other, and many who have not been able to go out in the evenings for years find baby-sitters among their new friends,” she said.

The playgrounds grew from concern at the plight of young children in badly bombed areas of London after the Second World War.

The early centres often had no playgrounds, and were established in housing that was often sub-standard. Now new, attractive buildings with open-air playgrounds are being built as more councils support the fund’s effort with grants. Play groups have also been started for young children in hospital.

Children have been Miss Pearse’s vocation since her training at the Rachel Macmillan Nursery School in London. She plans to continue her work, for which she was recently.awarded an M.8.E., with the S.C.F. in a voluntary capacity. Miss R. N. Pearse, who is on her second visit to Christchurch, retired last year after serving 30 years as a headmistress. For the last 17 years she has been headmistress of the Mary Datchelor Girls’ School in London.

The schobl is supported by the Cloth Workers’ Company of the City of London, aided by the Inner London Educational Authority.

“All the city companies have many philanthropic concerns. The school was originally founded by a trust, but early on in its history the company was asked if it would give its support and took over responsibility for the school well before the end of the last century,” said Miss Pearse.

The company had taken an increasing interest in the school ever since and this “kind, personal interest is a great encouragement for the school.” Noted For Music As well as its large sixth form, which all its pupils now attend, the school is noted for its musical tradition. Music for the young is one of Miss Pearse’s special interests. She is on the executive committee of the National Youth Orchestra and this is one of the activities she plans to continue in her retirement Others include membership of the Girls’ Public Day Schools Trust which will involve visiting many schools, and participation in the Association of Headmistresses, of which she was president for two years. In this capacity she attended international conferences, travelling as far as Rio de Janeiro, and often met the Minister of Education When the association’s views on educational matters, including teachers’ salaries and plans for comprehensive schooling, were sought. The photograph shows Miss J. Pearse, left, and Miss R. N. Pearse, right, with Mr Pearse.