FREE KINDERGARTEN UNION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1097, 8 April 1911, Page 6

FREE KINDERGARTEN UNION.

— I THE ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of the Free Kindergarten Union was held in the Marino Engineers' Institute last evening; Miss Coates was callcd upon to occupy the chair, and in her opening remarks spoke, of the interest and sym-pathy-which she took in the work of the free kindergarten work —work that had been carried on in so quiet a way, and with such marked success. Miss Freeman, tho headmistress of tho Free Kindergarten was called upon to read the annual report. It stated that,- in April, 1906, the union opened its first kindergarten with a roll of 13. In December, 1910, four kindergartens had closed ivitl; an aggregate roll of 219. The original teaching staff had consisted of a headmistress and threo students. It now' comprised a headmistress, oho fully qualified head assistant, and twelve students. Begun as aii experiment, it had developed into a permanent and'valuable institution. At the end of September, Miss StaCe resigned her position as headmistress of'tho Free Kindergartens, and shortly after left for Sydney, taking with bathe. affectionate remembrance of parents, children, and staff. Oil October 1 Miss Freeman took her place, after being in charge of the Constable Street branchy since tho beginning of the year. Another change had been the removal of the Taranaki Street School from St. Peter's Mission Hall to rented promises at tho corner of Frederick and Taranaki ' Streets. Here there were three large airy rooms, with plenty of light and sun. ' In/ all the centres the parents were visited, and these visits were of great value to the teachers, as they frequently threw light 011 the characteristics of the children while, at the same time, they were means of giving helpful advice to parents. To further strengthen tho bond between parents and teachers social meetings were held one quarter. These meetings had been a means of increasing the interest of. tlio parents, and had in fact roused, the parents in Constable Street to such enthusiasm that in 1910 they had subscribed and collected £25 towards the funds. At the close of tlio year each kindergarten held a • Christmas party. Large halls were kindly lent, and in each centre a splendid afternoon was enjoyed. One of the most pleasing features was that tho Christmas trees bore a present for each child, and. for every mother as well—one made by' her littlo one. Thanks .were due 'to thoso who, by. their interest and sympathy, as well as by their gifts, had helped so much in the past. • ■ Mrs. Burnett "read tlio balance-sheet, which showed a bank balauco of £158 17s. 9d. Among the receipts was a Government- subsidy of £200*. Subscriptions and donations "totalled' £151 17s. Id., and the proceeds from tho Children's Pageant £421 9s. ,ld. 'l'he report and' balance-sheet were adopted. Sirs. Gill (tlio president of tho Free Kindergarten Unions), who has recently returned from a visit to Sydney ana Melbourne, gave an account of tho way in which tho Kindergartens aro conducted in those cities. A very noticeable difference between the Australian schools and those in Wellington-was ill' regard to school.furnishings-and materials. 111 every way the former were fitted up in a. superior fashion. There were more cupboards, more toys, more pictures, sand heaps, pot plants, and even 'a canary and howls of gold fish. 111 Sydney and' Melbourne students wero 011 a different footing to that which they occupied . here.; .There they paid so much a t year, for their- training, Be&de's. students ..who'iwcrc receiving the training course and making it their life study, there, were girls and young women who had become interested in the work, and who gave up two or threo mornings a week to help the director in one or other of the freo kindergartens. These were , voluntary workers. There was another thing which might be copied here.. The district nurse visited tile school once a week at least, and if anything was wrong with a child it was pointed out to iler. Then the mother was' interviewed, and if necessary a doctor. . Miss Helper moved that the Free Kindergartens should .be called the "Richmond Kindergartens" as a slight tribute to the work which has been done by Miss Richmond. • Sir Robert Stout, in seconding the proposal, said that forty years ago the first agitation for kindergartens was raised by Mr. M'Leod in Duncdin. He ■ was unsuccessful in-bringing them about himself, but. his two daughters who went to Africa became eminent teachers there. He then went 011 to speak of Judge Richmond, .his high character, learning, and eloquence. He was exceedingly pleased that the name of Richmond should bo perpetuat'ed in this_ manner. , Miss . Richmond expressed gratitude for the compliment that had been paid, her, but stated that she would prefer that ■the kindergartens should be'named after her father.

Subsequently, in a brief speech, .Miss Richmond, said that sho could not Jiolp thinking that there was a lack of idealism in regard to our educational standards. Knowledgo. was valued as a wage earner only,.not for itself, - Sho would like- to seo a- great change in our educational system—women taking their 1 proper-.place in this system. Women ill tho Dominion bad their rights as citizens, but they did not make use of 'them. As a whole they knew nothing, did nothing, and cared nothing for tlio causo of education— tho whole domain of it was left in the hands of men. Women did not trouble' their beads about tlio matter enough to wish,for a voice in tho management, and this was not the fault of the men, but of the women. The work had to bo done, and the men had to do it. As regarded our girls, the intellectual girl was catered for, but-, for tho girl whose vocation was the family, the home, husband and children, no right education was provided. Yet she was more important to the State than the purely intellectual girl, and sho ought to bo provided with a sound-, full, and generous education. That would never come to pass until women wero represented on the education boards of tlio colony, and in the Education Department. AVomen should bo represented on tho education boards and on every school committee, and every girl should take a course of kindergarten work at tho end of her school career. Mr. J. P. .Luko endorsed the remarks which had been made concerning Judge Richmond. • He also spoke of civic duties in regard to educational matters. Mrs. A. R. Atkinson, on behalf of those present, proposed a vote of thanks to Miss Coat-cs for presiding at tho meeting, anil to tlio Marine Engineers' Institute authorities for tho use of their building. Mrs. Luke, who seconded the motion, spoke of tho • time and interest which Miss C-oatos had displayed in the welfare of many institutions in 'Wellington. , ' ' Tlio following members of tho Free Kindergarten . Council wero elected:— President, Mrs. T.' H. Gill; vice-presi-dents, Mrs. Burnett and Miss Richmond; treasm'er and-recording secretary, Mrs. 1 Cleghorne; organising secretary, Miss -Richmond; council, Mrs. A. R. Atkinson, Mrs. Winder, -Miss P. .Myers, Mrs. Gradv, Mrs. I.indsav, Mrs. W. Grey, Mrs. Corliss, Mrs. Darling, Mrs. D. M'l.ean, Mrs.'Cohen, Mrs. AY. Veil, Mrs. Henry Smith, Mrs. Reveridge, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs, Chatlield, Mrs. Kane, -Mrs. Pete, .Mrs. Duncan' Mrs. Fitch, and Lady Osborne-Gibbes.'