WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3090, 22 May 1917, Page 3

WOMAN'S WORLD.

■■• (Continued from page 2.) RICHMOND FREE KINDER- ' GARTEN UNION -.ANNUAL MEETING.. The annual meeting of tie Richmond Ifree 'Kindergarten Union was held inSt. John's Schoolroom last evening, The Major'(Mr. J. P. Luke) presided. The report of work accomplished _ durin" the year presented by the president (Mrs. Gill) stated that durinjr the year 1918 substantial progress had been made jn the kindergartens. ■ The four were in full -working order, with -waiting lists at each. A fifth school, at Berhamiiore, opened this year, -was also full. The council had again' to thank the City ■Council and the Macarthy Trust for donations of ,£IOO each, i besides which a Government grant, amounting to .£283 10s. had been earned by the schools. The most important step taken by the council during the year liad been the purchase of a site for V new building in Taranaki

Street. This building was, to constitute the chief home of the kindergartens, and was to include a eohoolroom for Taranaki Street, an office for the principal, class rooms for the students, and large verandahs for wet days' play. A small committee Bad been formed, which, with Miss Helyer as convener, had worked very hard in sending out cards of appeal to .the citizens, very few of which met with an unfavourable answer. A produce 6ale was held in the Concert Chamber, and brought in over .£BO. In various ways the amount of j£7so had been raised, and the site, which cost .£7OO, now belonged to the Free Kindergarten Union, free of all encumbrances. The council had; decided to have a 6ale in September, including a , surprise bag street sale, and hoped that the friends of the kindergartens would bear that in mind. During, the early part of last year a box had been packed, consisting of toys made "by the children themselves, and gifts from the mothers, and sent to tho destitute Belgian children. In conclusion the council made an appeal to all subscribers, and to the general public, for more annual subscriptions. They had now five schools in full working order, and had requests from other portions of the city that more might be opened.

This could only be done if the citizens could be relied on for regular help. This year tho incotuo required would be at least .£9OO. of which tho Government grant earned by tho schools could not amount to quite half, leaving tho rest to be collected. Now that the City Council Was- prepared to support tho work, tho counoil felt it could confidently assure all citizens that the money given would be well expended. In moving the adoption of tho report and balance-sheet, tho Mayor stated that they were assembled that evening upon, common ground in connection with kindergarten work. Hβ had a great appreciation of what it was doing for the community., and during this timo of tho world's history, when wo were passing through so jrreat a war. every casualty, whether on land or sea, meant that we had to safeguard more than ever before the interests of the children of the nation. Hβ hoped to see the people of Wellington enthused by the value of this work, and he wished to pay a tribute to tho splendid work done by Mrs. Gill in season and out in connection with the Sergartens, and also to the secretary, Mis* Seaton. Their recompense "rid be the satisfaction of having, done all that they could for tho he P]e«s Mr. Luke also proceeded to say that he wished that the Kindergarten Union had received ,£SOO from the City Council, instead of .£IOO, and he suggested that next year they should mako an appeal to tho City Council for a. larger sum, in consideration ot the now building. The City Council divorce itself from having a praotical interest in the kindergartens. Mis.3 Eiley, the headmistress of- the kindergartens, next presented her report. In the course of her remarks she stressed the value of the students' .training, and told her audience that, briefly, the course of training was divided into two parts, each as important as the other. The practical work was carried out in the kindergarten each morning, and tlio theoretical training four afternoons a week at the Taranaki Street Kindergarten. The Byllabus published by tho Government for the elementary kindergarten certificates included the following subjects:—Knowledge of child• nature, Nature knowledge, kindergarten principles, kindergarten, practice, class reading, educational handiwork, blackboard drawing, and singing.- Kindergarten principles were based upon, the principles and history of education from which they have evolved. Miss England had offered to take a year's course with tho students, in the history of education. Mrs. James Hannah had given courses in blackboard drawing and painting in. water-colours. Knowledge of child nature included many practical details of the physical care of a child, as well as its mental development. Tho question had often been asked why was so much time 'devoted to handwork, and the answer was because it was the chief means of expression with, a child and with'most adults.

After Miss Riley's report had been adopted by the meeting, Mr. W. Ferguson moved that the necessary formalities be taken to change tlio namo of the Richmond Free Kindergarten to that of the Wellington. Free Kindergarten Association (Incorporated). Mr. Ferguson said that some people thought it desirable that the name Kindergarten Bhould be deleted, but since it had become part and parcel of the national system of education, and as the Government of the country had adopted the word in its educational policy, he did not think that the change was necessary.

Several speakers, the Mayor among them, expressed regret that euch a change should be made, eince they had the highest regard and appreciation of the work that Miss Richmond had done for the Kindergartens which she had founded. It was pointed out, however, by Mr. Ferguson and Mr. Shirtcliffe that in their efforts to raise funds for the upkeep of the work a great deal of misunderstanding existed in regard to the Kindergartens, many people thinking that they were private institutions instead of really being associated with tho State. For that reason and that alone it had been deemed desirable to change the namo.

The motion was finally carried, and Mr. A. Sando proposed the following resolution: "That this meeting, in sanctioning the alteration of namo of the union, desire to place on record their vory great appreciation of tho invaluablo services rendered to tho kindergarten eaitso in Wellington by Miss Richmond, and rogrets that circumstances have made it desirable, in order to givo wider ecope to future work, to -use a name showing that the institution is a public and not a private one." This motion wns carried.

The following council was fiel: up: Mesdamea .T. C. Andrews, Burnett, Clarlc, Dixon, S. Eichelbaum, Ewen (senior), W. A. Ewon, Gill, Grady, Hannali, MoTan, Honry Smith, Misses Ensland, Helyer, Jtyers, Newton, Seaton, Stowe, and Dr. Ada Paterson, also a representative from each of the three local committees.