KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 15174, 3 May 1913, Page 1

KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of the Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association was held in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. . The Mayor (Mr J. Wilson) presided, and there was a large attendance, especially of ladies.

The Mayor opened the proceedings by congratulating the association on the splendid work done by them during the year. The association, he said, were justly recognised as one of the most useful institutions they had. in the City. He noticed that they had close on 300 children attending their schools,' and he trusted that the erection of the new school in Macandrew road would prove the forerunner of other similar buildings to be erected in the City. (Applause.) Miss Kelsey (president) moved the adoption of the annual report and balancesheet. (Her address was reported in last night’s issue.) air W. Davidson- seconded the motion. He said he felt delighted to know that the kindergarten movement had taken such’” a strong and deep root in this community, and that the, pro,--ess vtf.r , marked' 'fed constant. ->He refold to i*e fa-.t fivat recently the president' of the National Kindergarten Association of America offered three prizes ; for the best essays on the-benefits of kindergarten. He had the pleasure of reading the winning essay, and the speaker then related the story of the winner. At a railway station the speaker stated that a lady and gentleman unknown to each other met. They vyere both very much interested in a small child,_ and this led up to a conversation on kindergartens, the end of which was that the gentleman admitted that kindergarten education was the rightful heritage of every child in the community. And he (the speaker) thought that the claim this association made for kindergarten education was the rightful claim for every class of-child in the community, and thev made that claim on the fact that the Uaining received in kindergartens was vital and fundamental. He believed that the time was not far distant when, the complete unification of thc-ir educational system having been brought about, they would find that the foundation of that system would be the kindergarten. (Applause.) Personally he would like to see the sebed age lowered from five to tour years. Ho believed that the time was not far off when the kindergarten would bo.attached to our large primary schools. He believed that the kindergarten methods would be found throughout the whole of their primary schools He said Hat out of 142 sole teachers’ schools within the province of Otago 104 were in charge of women, and he was not at all alarmed at entirely in charge of women. He was delighted to know that it was so. If they could get educated, refined women with the true teaching spirit ard wixh an intense love for chiidhood into tl.sir countiy schools, then the people in the country need not be afraid but that their children woujd gat the benefit of kindergarten teaching. The kindergarten ni'vement, ne concluded, was not confined to New Zealand, but was spreading thrcugl.out the Australian States.

The Rev. W. Slade said that there was a great place in the life of the kindergar ten movement. . A great many of their children. were living in small tenements, and their only playground was tnc kerbstone, which was not the place to develop ™ qualities of mind and soul in the child. They got the pugnacious type there, and the kindergarten supplied those qualities that the kerbstone did not. He ivas pleased with his recent vidt, to the Cargill Road Kindergarten, and he must say that he thought the time had come when the Sunday school and the day school should be palaces of beauty. (Applause.) There were two or three things he noticed when he visited that school One was the wonderful tact displayed by the young lady who led that school He was also struck with the fact that there was an air of freedom—the child was hewing led along, and was not tint the meaning ot the word education—ro tead ont* He thought they neglected {he i. ost valuable gate—he meant the eye gate. The child remembered what he saw. He felt that the Kindergarten Association should have the widest support of the City. Bo commended it to the good wishes of cvtiw. body, and hoped that all parents would do their best to support the kindergarten schools. (Applause.) " The Rev. J H. Ashford said he was heart and soul in favor of kindergarten work in the schools. As a stranger he noticed m regard to the schools .hero that there was a total lacic of the mechanical, which had unfortunately found its way into more than one of the schools in the Homeland. He had been eomewhat distressed to seo that the tendency had been towards the more, mechanical misconception I of the whole thing, because-he thought it iras disastrous to the principles underlying kindergartens. He was extremely pieced however, to see that that was absent in the local schools. The spirit here was one of spontaneity. The object of the kindergarten was not to provide a playground for the child primarily, but rather’to educate the child in the truest sense of the word. He thought that in their propaganda they ought to keep to the front the social effects of this great work. ' It must have a- beneficent effect upon the com4

mxmity generally. Ha thought as a City they owed a great deal to the indomitable work of the ladies on local public bodies. As one who had com© hero as a stranger he ha4_ been deeply impressed with the wonderful resourcefulness which the ladies showed in these matters, and which, in hie humble opinion, was unequalled in any other part of our Empire. In this nobfep work of the kindergarten they ought to feel deeply indebted to the ladies for tha splendid way in which they served tlm, and also the cause of little children. (Applause.) • The motion for the adoption ol annual report was then carried. Mrs W, H. Reynolds, in presenting an association certificate to Miss Lewisham, said that it was evidence that Miss Lewisham possessed the special fitness for one of the most important duties of life—the training and development of littlo children on the wisest and soundest lines. She urged on all those girls who possibly could on- leaving school to take a coarse of study in their kindergartens. Mr M. Cohen moved that the following office-bearers be elected for the ensuing year President, Miss.Kelsey; vice-pro-sidente—Mrs Cameron, Mrs J. A. Johnstone, Mrs Ulrich; treasurer and secretary. Miss Davidson; committee—Mesdames James Allen, S. Batchelor, Duncan, Edwards, Bwen, Aufrere Fenwick, Fulton, Gilkison, E. . Hallenstein, Hancock, Joachim, Kahlenbeig, Loudon, Macassey! Martin, Milne, W. H. Reynolds, J. llosa 1. Iv. Sidey, Waddell . Smith, Wallis, Misses Allen, Hutchison, and Ramsayadvisory committee—Hon. James Allen. Messrs 6. M. Thomson, M.P., Mark Cohen, R. Gilkison, and W. Davidson; non. physicians—Drs Colquhonn and Martm; hon. solicitors—Messrs Holmes, Gilkison, and White and Mr T. £ Sidey M.P. The speaker said that in the pleadent, vice-presidents, and secretary and treasurer they had office-bearers of whom the association and the ■ City might well feel proud on account of their services and enthusiasm. Mr R. Gilkison seconded the motion. He eaid that, _ apart from the fact of kindergarten training for the children, one thing that should be remembered was the fine effect of kindergarten training upon the teacher. The motion was then put and carried Mr T. K. Sidey, .M..P., extended a cordial welcome to all present, to attend th< ceremony- of laying the foundation' stone of the new building in Macandrew road the following afternoon, " MrC. E. Statham, M.P., also his sympathy with the work of the tion, after which A vote of thanks was accorded the Mayor for presiding and for' granting,-the use ou the Council Chambers for the meeting. _ The monthly committee meeting of iha Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association was held on Thursday -afternoon, thoee present being Miss Kelsey (in the chair), Mesdames Edwards, Joachim, Johnstom Reynolds, Sidey, Handcock, W. Smith, S. Batchelor; Cameron. Kahknberg, Misses Ramsay and Hutchison. The treasurero acknowledged the receipt of thfl following sums Mrs; Ewen, £3 fie; J, Speight and Co., Mrs P. R. Sargood, £3 2s each; Mrs Raphael, Mrs M. J. Pif©. Lady Mexican, slib F. C. Batchelor, Union Steam bhip Company, Sir J. Mills, Mr Utwmberlain, Mias Chamberlain, Mrs Kl A, Thomson, £1 Is each; Mr T. A. Hunter, £1; Mrs Hercus, Ml® Watson Shoonan, Mr G. Ritchie, Laidlaw and Mr Wnght, Wm. Taylo;; and Sons.i'.X Hardware Company, Tils 6d each y thi Misses Allen, Mr Bolwell, W.L.S., Ma M; Mrs Dick, Mrs S. - T. Burton, th< Masses Rattray, 5s each; Mrs Maoandrewi Mrs Smith,-Mrs' Russell, Mrs Fraser,Mif De-nford, Mrs Scorgie, 2s fid each,'