NURSERY SCHOOL LIFE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 2, 28 September 1943, Page 6

NURSERY SCHOOL LIFE

Child’s Health The First Consideration

The kindergarten authorities .were most concerned at the amount of sickness among children in tlie community year after year, said Miss Enid Wilson, principal of the 'Wellington Free Kindergarten, speaking to members of the Social Progress Movement in Wellington yesterday. Miss Wilson said she didn t agree with the idea that childish ills were inevitable. If a child was well and healthy his constitution could withstand germs. The transition from kindergarten to nursery school, as was taking place in tlie case of the Free Kindergarten in Taranaki -Street, was described and the importance stressed of the way in which the children’s health was studied. Maximum sunlight, fresh air and rest periods had always been part of tlie child’s day at the kindergarten and now that it was an all-day centre, the dietary side was an added interest. The children were fed to create and maintain health. The use of fresh and dried fruits, honey, instead of jam, fresh vegetables, no devitalized or reeooked foods and plenty of milk were already bringing results that proved the value of the diet. By next year Miss Wilson said it was hope'd that the centre in Taranaki Street would be entirely an all-day nursery school. The school was run just like. a home and was open from 7.30 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. There was a resident housekeeper and a member of the staff who was on duty to receive the early coiners, one of whom was a small girl coming in from ’Tawa Flat every day on the first train. The centre had proved a “godsend” to many children and to .parents, said the speaker. If people could see some- of the small crowded homes -with no space for children to -play, where families were living, they too would realize this. One child came from a home where there were seven children, all under eight years of age, and where there were only two bedrooms for the whole family. It was not unusual to hear of three children, all under four years of age, said Miss -Wilson. In such cases the break of sending a child to the centre was good for both it and the mother. . It helped children to adjust themselves to community life with other children and benefited the mother who would otherwise have her child with her every hour of the day. Children were accepted from the age of two and a half to fivd ’ years and the. .centre was primarily for the use of children with mothers in industry. It was hard to imagine that such a beautiful playground as the centre possessed could exist in an area like Taranaki street. There were lawns, trees and flowerbeds where, the children enjoyed creative play designed to give them an outlet for their creative abilities and their energies. Indoor interests were catered for with painting, clay 'work, blocks, dolls, music, singing and story telling. Meals, and rest periods filled the rest of the day. Miss Watson presided. Mrs. L. Cronin sang accompanied by -Mrs. R. Caigou and Miss Dix- gave elocutionary items.