FREE KINDERGARTENS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21828, 15 December 1932, Page 13

FREE KINDERGARTENS

ST. KILDA

ANNUAL CLOSING'CEREMONIES

The annual breaking-up ceremony of the St. Hilda Free Kindergarten was held yesterday morning, Mrs H. W. Bundle presiding over a large attendance of parents and friends. Mrs Bundle said that with the generous assistance of Archerfield College scholars, the institution would be able to continue next year. The Archerfield girls’ action was greatly appreciated, and they were helping a worthy object. The speaker paid tribute to the work of Miss Desmoulins (principal) and her staff, and thanked all who had rallied round the kindergarten to help during the past 12 months. Items of a varied nature were presented by the children. Gifts from the Christmas tree were handed out to the children for their parents before the close of the function. In the. afternoon the staff entertained the children at a party. RACHAEL REYNOLDS. The breaking-up ceremony of the Rachael Reynolds Free Kindergarten was attended by a large number of parents and friends, and was presided over by Mrs W. Evans, vice-president of the * Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association.

Mrs Evans said that considering the important work they carried on in the community among the children, it was very questionable whether Government economy in the cost of education should have been exercised so ruthlessly as to cut off the whole of the grant that was given them in the past. The. total loss of the Government grant had thrown a big burden on the shoulders of the authorities, hut they had been fortunate in being able to keep open all but one of the institutions, mainly through the enterprise and generosity of the general and local committees. Miss Buchan (the principal), the directors, and the staff had made heavy sacrifices, and in spite of set-backs the usual bright atmosphere of the schools had been preserved. ' In conclusion, she desired to thank the local committee of parents for continued interest in the school, the Mothers’ Committee for its organisation of various evenings in aid of the school, the Fathers’ Committee for assisting at these evenings, also Miss Scott, Mr and Mrs Cosgrove, Mr and Mrs Lethaby, and Mr Ritchie for donations. A display of work taught in the kindergarten was given by the children, who later accepted the gifts from the Christmas tree, before the ceremony was brought to a close. MORNINGTON. Mrs J. Hanan, secretary of the New Zealand Kindergarten Union, presided over the breaking-up ceremony of the Mornington Kindergarten which was attended by a large .number of parents and friends.

Addressing the mothers, Mrs Hanan said that anyone watching a kindergarten programme at a break-up might think the children were overtaxed; but the programme as presented really represented only one side of the kindergarten’s activities, much time being given to rest and to quiet work, such as handwork. She stressed the value of the teaching to the slightly backward child and to the lonely only child. She also announced on behalf of the principal (Miss Wilkie) that the needs of the rapidly-growing school involved a move to the now Methodist Sunday school, where the kindergarten would reopen next year. Following an entertainment given by the children, a small but efficient Santa Claus distributed gifts from the tree to the children.