FOR THE VERY YOUNG

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 8

FOR THE VERY YOUNG

KINDERGARTENS AND DAY NURSERIES

A submission that kindergartens Should be attached to State schools is made by Mrs. E. R. Mitchell, supervisor, of the Pixie Kindergarten, Lower Hutt, in a report to the Pre-school Consultative - Committee, Wellington. Schools are centrally situated, and the little ones can be taken to and from school by the older children, thus enabling children from the age of three to attend, her report states. This system has been in operation in England and other countries since State schools were inaugurated. There was a strong movement in favour of increasing kindergarten facilities, and the majority of people considered that it was primarily the responsibility of the community as a whole. The Government should therefore provide all the money necessary for the erection of buildings and the upkeep of the scheme, as was done with the State primary schools."This service would relieve the nervous strain on the mothers during the busiest part of .heir day and ensure the safety and happiness of young children, thus particularly eliminating the much-discussed problem of domestic help, as well as providing a vocation for girls leaving school, as all teachers will be specially trained for this work," Mrs. Mitchell continued. There was also r need for residential nurseries near public maternity homes for the young children of sick mothers, especially during confinement, said Mrs. Mitchell. The personnel of the nurseries could. consist of a matron, assisted by Karitane nurses. A nominal fee for each child could be collected from the parents, the remainder of the cost being borne by the State.

In the planning of every suburb, provision should be made for an extensive play area, on which Plunket rooms, mothers' rest rooms, and day nurseries could be erected. The initial ccst of the establishment of such a scheme could be borne by the community as war memorials, subsidised by> the Government, and it could be maintained by the social service of the suburb.