CORRESPONDENCE
FREE KINDERGARTEN AND , RETRENCHMENT
(To the Editor.)
Sir, —In view of the fact that I have been a member of the Free Kindergarten Council ever since its inception about 25 years ago, I should like to add my protest to that of many others against the proposed cutting out of the Government grant to these schools.
Of course we all know only too well the need for retrenchment in public expenditure at present, but we feel that the comparatively small saving—about £5500 for the whole of New Zealand—does not justify what may mean the closing'of the Free Kindergartens in all the big centres. As to the value of the work as it now exists, may I point out how great this is (1) to the children? As is well known all modern and advanced educational opinion to-day stresses the economic importance to the child of those early years of life. How much it has meant to all the children who during those 25 years have passed through these schools and have started life under the wise and loving influence of women trained efficiently Ju this all-important work. How much, too, it has meant to the country of which they are, and are to be the citizens.
(2) The value of the student training. This fits them to be either teachers, or wise mothers of the future generation. What work could be of more importance to the country? Are they now, instead of this, to swell the ranks of the unemployed?
(3) The value to the parents of the children. The influence and spirit—a very beautiful one—of those schools spreads into the homes. Fathers and • mothers realise what their little ones are gaining, and learn to co-operate and work with and for the schools in a wonderful way. In conclusion, I would like to point out that when a few years ago the Government' closed their own kindergartens, they gave as one of their reasons for doing so the fact that the Free Kindergartens were doing the work so well that it was better to encourage and subsidise them rather than to have the work done in' the primary schools. Is not this another reason for hoping that the present Government will mot kill this fine and necessary work throughout the whole of the Dominion?— I am, etc., : -
MARY E. SMITH (late principal of Chilton House School)
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19320208.2.51
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1932, Page 8
Word Count
397CORRESPONDENCE Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1932, Page 8
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Evening Post. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in