FREE KINDERGARTEN

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 68, 14 December 1931, Page 5

FREE KINDERGARTEN

Party for Children “Surrender gloom all ye who enter here!” would be an excellent motto to have been placed over the door of the Wesley schoolroom in Taranaki Street on Saturday afternoon last. The occasion was the Christmas party of the Taranaki Street Free Kindergarten, and it was an altogether joyful one. Between SO and 90 present pupils were there with mothers and fathers. past pupils, and pupils of the future. Such a charming procession ot little ones. led by Miss Scott, who was in charge, and with Misses Hamilton, Morris, I’reshaw, Liddle, Price and Gower at intervals to keep an' orderly and even line, entered when the visitors were all seated, and took their places in a c’-cle in the centre of the room. Paper streamers, balloons, flowers, and 1 the gay little chain of blue, green, gold or scarlet made a proper setting for shining faces and best party frocks and suits, to say nothing of many pairs of new shoes, the pride and darlings of their possessors. The Christmas welcome song was sung facing one way and then repeated facing the opposite. so that everyone had, as it were, a personal good wish from each child. Before the singing Mrs. Gibbs, president of the Wellington Free Kindergarten Council, very briefly welcomed the guests, explaining that Miss Wilson, the principal, was absent on extended leave in < order to visit her people. She asked that there should be no applause and that all should smile with the little ones. Among members of the council present were Mesdames Gill. Dowsctt (hon. secretary), Davidson, Peacock, W. Blundell. Miller, and Misses Seaton. Wilson, and England. The children did several pretty and quaint action songs and gambs, often whistling the air after singing it. Imagine" the circle of. little puckered mouths and all so serious in performance that not one' laughed. Trains that, walked and those that skipped and those that ran all guided by the tempo of the music. Fairies also who only \valked or ran or danced, to say nothing of the realistic giants who tramped, tramped, tramped all guided in the same way. Presently there was a hush of expectation. , the curtains at the stage were drawn, and behold ,the Christmas tree in all its glory of gifts and gay decorations. The tree and the gifts for the children were given by the members of the council. Misses Corkhill, Newton, Wardell, and Liardct were kept busy unloading it of its treasures. First came a gift from.and made by each child for its mother and father. Varied, pretty and

useful were- these, and each little one made its own presentation. Then followed boats, hobby horses, balls, dolls, satchells, and many other things to delight the hearts of the very young. Miss Scott was given a leather week-end case and a pretty hatbox from the mothers’ club members, and Miss Preshaw a pretty hat-box. Each teacher got a calendar from the children. Then a tea-table was carried in, decorated with miniature Christmas trees aud loaded with pretty cakes for the children’s tea. This was followed by a most delectable afternoon tea for the grownups provided and served by the mothers chib. It was the end of a perfect afternoon, when, clasping their treasures, all the little boys aud girls, with rosy cheeks or flaxen curls, went tripping jind skipping'home with a loving mother, instead of after a Pied Piper through a hillside portal. , , , Something 1 of beauty, of the love of orderliness, of the nobility of work well .and faithfully done, of one’s duty to one’s neighbour and consideration of others, of all that means the first princip’.'.-s of true citizenship, has been indelibly fixed in the growing minds of all these little ones, and what greater reward, at the close of the year, than this knowledge could possibly come to the council, the mothers’ club, and the teachers, who nre together responsible for this fine work, always remembering too the happiness of the children.:

CHILDREN’S THEATRE Attractive Frocking The large audience of children who attended the pantomime “Cinderella” on Saturdav afternoon was sorry when • the entertainment was over and wanted to stay on long after? the .final curtain. The Children’s Theatre Players, a cast of 20 grown-ups, were all dressed in “powder and patches” period. They wore some attractive clothes. The girls, in their silky white wigs, quilted satin petticoats, floral panniers, fans, mittens, and high-heeled shoes, looked most effective. And' the men, in suits of vel-