FREE KINDERGARTENS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 54, 12 September 1928, Page 4

FREE KINDERGARTENS

DOMINION CONFERENCE OPENED BY LADY ALICE EEHGUSSON The New Zealand Free Kindergarten Union Conference was opened yesterday afternoon by Her Excellency Latly Alice Fcrgusson, who is the patroness of the union. The Mayor (Mr. G. A. Troup) presided. Her Excellency said that she was very pleased to have been asked to open the conference, because she had been very warmly interested in the work of the kindergarten schools ever since she had come to New Zealand. The conference, she felt sure, would do an enormous amount of good, because of the stimulus through exchange of ideas and experience which it would give the workers in the kindergarten movement, the growth of which she had read about with great interest. There were now five centres and twentyeight schools, and Her Excellency, who paid a tribute to the work of the movement, said she hoped that in a few years there would be a great many more than that. She had visited Auckland and Wellington kindergarten schools, and she thought there was no greater treat than. to go into one of them and see the children at their work. Her Excellency wished the conference every success. Mr.' Troup read apologies from the Hon. K. A. Wright, Mrs. Troup, Sir John Luke, Mr. T. K. Sidey, M.P., Mrs. Thacker ((Jhristehurch), and Miss Birss (Invercargillj, and to these Sir Truby King later added the name of Miss Mary King. Mr. Troup said that the first kindergarten was established in 1889 at Dmiedin, and later, in 1906, Wellington followed suit, due to the efforts of Miss Richmond, whose great work was recognised and valued by all. Kindergarten had grown up in other districts also, and he hoped that the twenty-eight schools would soon be multiplied by ten. There was no question as to the value of foundations in life. We wanted to give the child the very best from its earliest years, and wo wanted to begin to train it almost from its very babyhood. Kindergartens took the little ones who were running aimlessly about, and instructed them through exercises and amusements. Ho hoped the kindergartens would go from strength to strength, and that those engaged in the work would go on giving of their very best as they had done in the past. The Director of Education (Mr. Strong) said that as the Minister of Education (the Hon. E. A. Wright) was unable to bo present, he would like to extend the Department's welcome to the delegates. All officers of the Department recognised the importance of the work being done in the freo kindergarten schools throughout the Dominion. It laid the foundation for future types of education. Kindergarten work permeated most of the education systems of the world, including our own in Now Zealand. The preparatory divisions of. the State schools showed the influence of kindergartens, inspectors finding that the pupils who had had free kindergarten training had a decided advantage over those who had not. The value of kindergarten work lay very largely in its freedom. Life there was more like the life in the home, and, although infant schools were freer than they used to be, still kindergartens had even more freedom from restraint. The principles underlying the whole kindergarten procedure were of the very highest type. Regarding the inclusion of kindergartens in State education, Mr. Strong said that it was not advocated because those in. charge had so many problems to deal with that they felt they had plenty to do improving the present branches of education which they had to look after. Also there was scarcely any reform which -did not cost money. Until they felt that'they had done their duty by the education system as it at present oxisted they would not feel justified to recommend the inclusion of kindergartens in State education. The Government already helped by subsidy. . Mr.. Strong concluded by wishing the conference every success. „ „, ,„ , Sir Tvubv King (Director of Child Welfare) stressed the value of the kindergarten training to those girls who took the course. The highest ideal for the child was for it to be a member of a large family, and for the children to react upon one another while under the euro of a mother with the time to look after her children. But for children in closely crowded areas it became supremely important to give them the nearest approach to the ideal condition, and in kindergartens the only child, for instance, could get close contact with other children of approximately the same age. They also got occupation and recreation, and fair Truby specially mentioned the value ot handwork which taught the children cooperation, co-ordination, and discipline. Open-air games and classes were another great asset and gave the maximum of benefit He recollected visiting a kindergarten t Launceston, Tasmania, some ten yeaiß go The teacher there, who had previous y been in charge of a kindergarten a Miller's Point, Sydney, a slum t area said that it was unqucs .onab c that the "burl 1 of La^ten. She: thotigM this was because the parents of the M»»ers Point children were stronger and more nr-tivo and married younger than tnose a Launceston. Also at Miller s Point the kiudcrrartcn children had the P"™l-^ ?2a large park near at hand; at LaiSon there was only a small play Jreo The Miller's Point children> were stronger physically and more > quickly xeceptive. This .was an ex ample ot Uw be^rbencficid institution run on good lwl-is the kindergarten, and it was cer-■,-nd said that in connection with the 1 ndergirtens, mothers' clubs were formed. Siveni on such matters^ Plm Wt Society and the kindergarten helped the Plunket So-r-iptv through its mothers clubs. Mis. Skhfy also thanked the other speakers for addressing the conference, and mentioned th mesence that afternoon of Miss Kichn mid and Lady Allen, both connected with the early days of kindergarten work (president.of the local association) thanked Mr. Troup tor presiding and for his interest in their work nt nil times Those present were then l^es'trofMrs. T. PK. Sidey at aftern°Verveipretty posies were presented to Her Excellency and Mrs. Sidey by Mrs. PThe Cconfcrence will conclude to-morrow; THE ANNUAL REPORT. The biennial conference of the New Zea-1-md Free Kindergarten Union was con tinnedl to clay at the Y.W.C.A. Hostel. Mrs. T. K. Sidey presiding. The annual report and balance-sheet were read by the honorary secretary and treasurer, Mrs. Guy Batham (Duuediu) and were adopted. . Since the last conference in Wellington in August, 1926, said the report, the ener "ies of the executive had been mainly directed towards the general broadening ot outlook of the kindergarten movement in New Zealand and the bringing of the centres into closer touch with each other that the standard of work might become more uniform throughout the Dominion This was concentrated into four mam efforts: (1) The sending of a suggested syllabus to the Education Department when the Kindergarten Elementary Certificate Examination syllabus was being reviewed. (2) The establishment of refresher courses to be held biennially. (3) The sending of delegates representing the New Zealand kindergarten movement to the Pan-Pa-cific Women's Conference at Honolulu; and (4) the compiling of a history of the kindergarten movement in New Zealand for the use of these delegates. The first refresher course was held in Duuediu in June, 1927, and proved very successful. Miss Dutton and Miss Mary Seton went to the Pan-Pacific Conference as delegates, and their reports will be made to