FREE KINDERGARTENS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23528, 17 June 1938, Page 17

FREE KINDERGARTENS

A YEAR OF PROGRESS ANNUAL REPORT The annual report of the Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association, to be presented at the annual meeting on Tuesday, states, inter alia:— The work among the 324 children attending the Kelsey-Yaralla. R. S. Reynolds, Richard Hudson Memorial, Kaikorai, St. Kilda, and NorthEast Valley Kindergartens has been much appreciated by the parents, and has always proved of great interest to visitors. During the year word was received from the Government that, in future, capitation would be paid on the average roll number instead of the average attendance on the same basis of 25s for every £1 raised, up to £4 per child per annum. Because of this alteration, the council was able to increase the salaries paid to the staff to the scale in operation before 1931, and to bring all the equipment in the kindergartens up to The number of children attending each kindergarten has increased, that at North-East Valley being double the number attending at the reopening at this time last year. The roll numbers are: Kelsey-Yaralla 48, R S. Reynolds 65, Richard Hudson Memorial 63, Kaikorai 46. St. Kilda 55, and North-East Valley 47. For the fifth year ir succession the Archerfield School girls have shown their interest in kindergarten work by raising £"0 towards the upkeep of the St. Kilda Kindergarten. They have also made severe’ visits to the kindergarten to seethe children at their work and play. The council is also grateful to Messrs Hudson Bros., who continue to show their interest in the Richard Hudson Memorial Kindergarten by contributing 50 guineas yearly towards the upkeep of that kindergarten. This kindergarten also benefited to the extnet of 100 guineas under the will of Mrs Richard Hudsipn. A legacy was also received from the estate of Miss A. B Waters, who was one of the first students to graduate. It was felt that this amount should be spent on a special piece of outside equipment as a memorial to Miss Waters. The local committees Have worked well in the interests of their respective kindergartens, and by various means have raised £255 12s for incidental expenses. The members of the mothers’ clubs have given £6O 6s 5d towards the running of the kindergartens, while by special efforts for special purposes the St. Kilda Club raised £l7 8s 9d, Kel-sey-Yaralla Club £ls, and the North-East Valley Club £39 0s 2d, making a total of £7l 8s lid. The members of the Kindergarten Graduates’ Association handed over a donation of £ 10 16s 9d, for which the council was very grateful. The council was also particularly grateful to an anonymous friend who gave £SO both last year and this year to enable an extra assistant to be appointed for that time. It was also very gratifying to receive a donation of £SO from the Nuffield Fund, £lO of which was used to purchase equipment for the newlyreopened kindergarten at North-East Valley. The annual street day was held in June, this resulting in £153 2s lOd being added to the funds. Another effort, selling cushions at Is each, resulted in £4l 17s 6d being added, while the returns from the Bookstall at the Winter Show amounted to £3O 4s. The council is greatly indebted to the sub-committees who so capably organised these efforts, and congratulatates them on the success attained. Thanks are due to the members of the Repertory Society, who produced the play “ Indoor Fireworks ’’ in aid of kindergarten funds, and handed over £54 3s 6d. Daring the year the principal (Miss Dutton) and the members of the teaching staff have given very efficient sex-vice to the council and to the children, and this opportunity is taken to express gratitude for their loyalty and devotion to duty. At present the staff is;—Principal, Miss Dutton; directors —KelseyYaralla, Miss Holland; R. S. Reynolds, Miss J. Stewart; Hudson Memorial, Miss Martin; Kaikorai, Miss Reilly; St. Kilda, Miss Hetherington; and North-East Valley, Miss Shiel. The assistants are Misses Burnside, Seddon, Fairbairn, Fraser, Neil, Somerville, Whiteside and Thompson. The president (Mrs R. A. Ewing) was granted leave of absence to visit Great Britain, and during her absence Mesdames Phillips, Jenkins and Batham have carried out the duties of the chair.

The council also desires to thank all subscribers for their generosity; the City Council for its annual grant of £SO, Messrs Coulls, Somerville and Wilkie, and Messrs Stone and Son for sundry printing; Mr Tannock for supplying Christmas trees; Mr Brash for auditing books; and the many friends who have given beautiful and useful gifts to the various kindergartens. Thanks are also extended to the Kaikorai Presbyterian Church, to the Ocean Beach Boy Scout and Wolf Cub Pack Committee, and to the North-East Valley Bowling Club for the use of their halls for kindergarten purposes, and to the Otago Women’s Club foi' the use of rooms for meetings.