NURSERY FURNITURE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 125, 20 February 1941, Page 10

NURSERY FURNITURE

FROM SCRAP

Scottish Schoolboys’ Work

Schoolboys from the Royal High School. Edinburgh, have made some remarkable nursery furniture, displaying great ingenuity in their choice of materials, writes a correspondent of tlie “Christian Science Alonitor.” Tlie highlight of the exhibition, which was ’sponsored by tlie Women’s Voluntary Service, were tlie tallies made out of ancient school benches which had long since been discarded. As one turned over these beautifully made little tables, fashioned from line old oak, it was amusing to see on tlie under parts tlie initials cut by many generations of High .School laddies. It is even possible that those of Sir .AValter Scott nitty have been there, for he was one of Hie many famous men educated at the High School.

A band of W.V.S. workers, who work under Mrs. Gray at Castleliill School —an elementary school just wilbout the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle —were responsible for a delightful assortment of soft toys and dolls, toddlers’ slippers, bibs, and gay overalls. Nothing is allowed to go to waste at this depot, old towels, scraps of silk, and so on, all are used. Slippers, for instance, are made from old felt or velour hats. The designs for till the articles is of tlie highest standard. The exhibition had the two aims of providing equipment for the nursery schools, whicli will presently be set lip for lhe children of munition workers under tlie new Alinistry of Labour scheme, and also to stimulate interest in nursery school work. Edinburgh has always been a pioneer in nursery schools, and much good work along tliis line was done by private effort long before official recognition was forthcoming.

As a war effort to conserve waste the women deserve every credit. Working under first-class designers, the skill of the women is developing rapidly, and there is no limit to what can be done. The desire to help is abroad and in this useful and vital bit of work Scots women nnd schoolboys have shown what they can do.