OUTSTANDING YEAR

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 121, 15 February 1941, Page 6

OUTSTANDING YEAR

Wellington South Free Kindergarten DIRECTOR'S REPORT

An interesting report on the past year’s activities at the Wellington South Free Kindergarten was given to the annual meeting of the Wellington South Kindergarten Committee by Miss E. S. Hamilton, who was director last year, and who this year has taken the position of director of the Newtown Free Kindergarten. The meeting took place on Thursday. Mrs. Martin, the president, was in the chair. She announced that the year had been an outstanding one. The committee and the Mother’s Club had successfully combined to meet all the running costs of the kindergarten and had paid to the full the quota of general administrative costs. In presenting her report Miss Hamilton acknowledged the keen inteies shown by the members of the committee and the Mothers’ Club in all the activities of the kindergarten, lie roll throughout the year numbered 40, and as far as possible the staff endeavoured to put into practise the theory of building up correct attitudes and creating an environment within which the children could feel secure and free to develop physically, mentally, socially and emotionally according to the capacity of each individual child. . , Miss Hamilton detailed some ol the children’s .activities to indicate the educative value of creative work and play, and its value in the general development of the children. Then activities included excursions, near and far, which, said Miss Hamilton, ‘■stimulated the children to further effort in creative work, enriched their general knowledge and experience and gave them a common background for discussion and dramatic nlay.” The excursions included visits to such places as the zoo. a furniture factory, radio factory, the railway station, aerodrome, boat harbour, milk depot, to see a baby bathed, and to other kindergartens. Valuable social development was also gained on these occasions. Some outstanding results wcie gained with the older children in a carpentering shed, where the children learnt such creative work as constructing boats, aeroplanes, and houses out of cardboard boxes, cotton reels and other materials. Not only did it give the children skill in manipulating the different shapes, fitting them together, and selecting objects to answer the purpose, but it developed their powers of observation and gave them a minor satisfaction which encouraged seiconfidence and developed the personal-

Another remarkable experiment with the children was in the building of a house out of picking cases, with the aid of a carpenter. “For at least three weeks,” said Miss Hamilton, "the older boys were thoroughly absorbed in the work. They hammered on the boards, puttying the cracks, and eventually they' painted the whole house. The girls did the finishing touches and painted the chimney. Photographs were taken at different stages of the construction which clearly indicated the enjoyment and satisfaction derived from this wholehearted effort. Ihe experience was inspired by the erection of a house next to the kindergarten, and with this for stimulation, and the adults to supply the necessary guidance and suggestions, the experiment proved a valuable educational experience. During the year the younger groups ir. the kindergarten acquired a firm background of habit formation to give them'a true sense of independence and consideration for others. “As far as possible, the kindergarten and the home have been in close touch, making Wellington South ‘our kindergarten.' where children, parents, staff and interested friends all work toward one objective.” said Miss Hamilton in conclusion. “That is, to provide in every way possible for the development of 'our children.’”