The Scheme of Things

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 44, 20 August 1938, Page 19

The Scheme of Things

By M.H.C.

Reading ithe report, of the National Society Of Day Nurseries in Great Briiain-^tis interesting to find that to a certain ..extent-they are made selfsupporting- They were started for the s?ime- reason ais that in Wellington—to pio ( yide ba. place of safety arid comfort for rthe children of poeple who. have to earn their own- living, and who have no one; v with whom to leave their little ones, or, perhaps, no home in; which it would be safe to leave them. The English nurseries are open all the year round, from >8 a.m. till 6.30 p.m„ and the mothers pay from sixpence to one shilling per 'day. r for leaving their children... The. society was established in i?p6 to ensure the efficiency of these nurseries, to-encourage the establishment "6f new ones wherever they were needed,, and* where funds permit, to give them financial assistance. The society -was incorporated under the Companies Act in -1923, and is governed hy a council of from twenty-four to forty members, elected.annually. There is a minimum subscription for mem-j bership of. 10s per annum. There are j nbw approximately 110 day nurseries i in.Grreat Britain with sixty homes for children under five years of age. These i homes <are mainly for friendless, ille-! gitunate, •or convalescent children. Members, of. the Standing Committee visit the .nurseries and report from tiple.to time to the Executive Committee,'and: these reports are kept filed for* reference''purposes.

"This, seems a: very businesslike and sensible way of- keeping an important work dike that of the.nurseries going. It is specially good on the lines of getting regular' members .or subscribers who'will provide funds to pay. for those Who aire absolutely unable to pay anything, and to extend buildings and do' other /necessary work. .It seems as ii the people in England do expect to pay-something'for benefits received, and } are' not always ready to allow either, Governments or other people to take all the: responsibility of the comfort and safety, of their families off their hands. There Is a pride in independence; which is a right sentiment, and which is too precious a thing to be lost to a nation. Without it people ane apt. to lean anywhere or on anyone Awho will helpi and gradually get to vEeel, first, that everything they get is 'their right,- and secondly that they are jbeihg badly treated if the world is 'not mad£ asr easy as possible for them. .....There is no.fineness of character .possible > under such circumstances, a|i<fc it would be a very terrible thing, for ahy,- nation. if it were treated in! such; a way that character was urider-/ mined-; and.a nation; of. weaklings the result. :Such -a nation would be the prey-of any other/nation brought up on. harder lines, and, as history has shown, this . has happened. more. than once-in. the story of the world. While it is .quite right, for there" to be 10s a year subscribers among those who can, and are/rOady^.fp help! others; less fortunate, :it "is Surely a fine • thing - for the beneficiaries to be able to feel that the^aire; doing; their bit, even if that bit -is, quite infinitesimal.' It provides a/much better /spirit for ? the children, too, for they : are.,- very earl y sensitive tp:\ahythirigjike.pauperising, and; they suffer-a good deal; when made-to feel that they are: less ,'.welL dressed and set/out in the world/thus breeding in- ■ feriorify complexes which are very disastrous to happiness and welfare later: on in life. :

with the needs of the parents and children who need the assistance given so finely at the nursery. There is urgent need for extension of building, and, as a matter of fact, at least two more would be of great benefit-if established, one at Thorndo/i and one at South Wellington. If, now work is so plentiful and well paid, a parerits' fund could be established, and this be added to by outside sympathisers who would give regular donations and become members of a National Society, on the same lines as the British one, it Would open a vista of help which Would lessen the anxieties and difficulties of the committee which has coped so gallantly with them in the past. The committee is certainly faced now with the fact that there is not room enough for the little clients; and it is not a pleasant reflection that those

who have to be refused admittance suffer in consequence. Something definite must be done, and it is far more self-respecting for a combination pf effort to be made by those who benefit and those.who are able and willing to help,.than that there should be a running .to "authorities" to provide everything and make personal efforts unnecessary. In England it has been possible to extend the work to holiday homes. One is open all the time at Tunbridge Wells, and takes child-

The : Pay Nursery-system, needs ex-] ren Trom tne Day Nurseries for three tension in .Wellington, for the one and' weeks or longer if necessary. Convaoriiy'establishehint is not able to.copelescent children are sent there in the

winter.. Then.there *is : a "Shelter"-af Battersea Park where children- under five years of age are left in charge ;of a trained staff during the summer holidays. Another contact is the ■ "Knitting- Guild" which has members jail ;over the country, arid the members of which have time and good will to knit away. They produce many iittle garments which..mean warmth, comfort, and health to r.iany children and mothers. This, again, in. these days of "energetic knitters, is quite a possible way of employing, many useful needles, and getting a special contact wltlrthe nurseries by knitters.

• Another '• development is the training of ' young' nurses for the nursery work. Lectures, and practical instruction are given, followed by practical examinations w^ith certificates awarded, which mean that ;the trainees when they have given a certain time to the nursery Work become eligible for a number of useful positions.. For these nurses.an;insurance scheme has been arranged,-so that they do not stand to lose anything if they stick to the work.

The nurseries are :•■ all/ kept in touch with each other, and experts on child welfare - ; and others lecture and also give practical help ifrom the health point of view,to both .children and nurses. It is', stated .that the .mothers' coritributions Only cover a third of the expenses, and the rest is made up by grants frorh societies, donations, legacies, and subscriptions. .-What is. r so pleasant about, the whole thing is that it appears tp rim.so well, and op such a large scale..,lt/seems pbssihl'e for something or, trie sort to he evolved here; in "connection with the fine and useful work , already being done.