THE KELSEY-YARALLA KINDERGARTEN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19013, 8 November 1923, Page 13

THE KELSEY-YARALLA KINDERGARTEN.

EXHIBITION OF HANDWORK. Abo past two days a most interesting exhibition of handwork by students and also by-infants has been on view at the Kelsey-Yaralla Kindergarten. Miss N E. Dutton, who is in charge of the kindergarten work, has 17 students in training under and part of their course is instruotion in a wide variety of handwork They are expected to acquire an expert knowledge themselves of the various types of useful and beautiful activities into which the little kindergarten children are led, and the work on view yesterday certainly shows that they have done so. In the first section devoted to raffia work there are large numbers of baskets, bags, and toys of many kinds. Som'e coil baskets in particular have been beautifully done. There are needle-books of canvas and raffia bags woven with little looms, and such’ toys as rattles, whips, skipping ropes, and reins for the little children. A special section for dolls has two divisions, one for dolls showing suitable kindergarten dresses and one for Maori dolls dressed in native fashion. Some ingenious and effective work has been put into the little Maori mate which have been hand-made according to native methods. In the section for posterwork illustrating Christmas themes qnd kindergarten stories, there is evidence of much imaginative originality and artistic skill. There ejre also many beautiful designs for book covers for children’s songs. All these hvc been done by paper tearing and cutting, the pictures being the work of the students thcmselvs and not cut from prints. A fourth section of the exhibition illustrates what can be done with otherwise waste material like tins, match boxes, cotton reels, old slate frames, and so forth. These have been worked up into a variety of at-tractive-looking toys and models. Very dainty and interesting are the miniature scenes worked out to illustrate familiar stories and fairy tales Kke “The Water Babies,” “Cinderella.” (he “Three Bears ” “Red Riding Hood,” and the “Mad Hatter.” Each student in addition to displaying her own handwork is required to show how her knowledge has been applied in actual classwork with her little pupils by exhibiting some of the things that they have made under her direction. On little tables there are groups of the curious little models and pictures and articles that the busylittle fingers have devised. Some of the work shows such skill and accuracy that it is difficult to believe that it has ail been done by children between the ages of three and five years. All along the back wall there are hung samples of the brush work, cruyomvork, and water colours that the art class has learned under the inspiring leadership of Miss Scott. The whole display is a most attractive as well as a most suggestive and informative one. It is a, pleasure to think that so many little children now have opportunity to learn beautiful and usofud things in an entirely natural way amid the most dlelightful surroundings. No one could see the exhibition without wishing for somewhat similar opportunities for every child in the land. The exhibition, which was greatly enjoyed by many visitors, closed yesterday afternoon.