FREE KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 13

FREE KINDERGARTEN ASSOCIATION.

!The annual meeting of the Free Kindergarten Association was held on the 27th in the Town Hall, when the Mayor (Mr J. A. Park) presided. There was a good attendance, there being 30 or 40 ladies present. Messrs James Allen, J. A. Millar, and J. F. Arnold, M.H.R "c, W. J. Moore, M. Cohen, and D. R. White also attended the meeting. Apologies for absence were sent by the Revs. W. Curzon-Siggers and I W. A. Sinclair.

The annual report, as published yesterday morning, was read by the Secretary (Mrs J. W. Smith).

! Mrs W. H. Reynolds, in moving the adoption of the report, said that she would like to take the opportunity of expressing her thanks to the members of committee who ! had managed the affairs of the association j during her absence from the colony. On , her return she found everything working | most satisfactorily, and the work done was ' excellent. In San Francieco she had vieited a large kindergarten which was doing a splendid work, and in Santa Barbara she ♦visited another,- which, to hep . mind, was 1 not on so satisfactory a footing. In London j she found a well-equipped kindergarten, in South Kensington, and, coming back to Dunedin in September last, in. time for tlio annual break-up, she never had more reason to be. satisfied with anything than of the , quality oE the work done here. The children I performed their exercises in a most satisfaci tory and delightful manner. She was convinced that the system they had adopted was eminently adapted for young children. After giving some interesting details of the nature of kindergarten work as carried on in the countries sho had visited, Mrs Reynolds said that she had come to the conclusion, from experiences covering a lengthened period, that there was no system that would surpass the kindergarten for the teaching of young children. The four corner etones of the system were cleanliness, courtesy, industry, and obedience. Cleanliness I refined the character; courtesy gave grace and winsomeness ; and obedience was the discipline that fitted a person for the battle of life. The association had been in existence for 13 years, and she was sad to announce that their funds, on which they were existing, would run out at the end of the" year. Unless the public could see it« way to help them in some substantial manner the association would have to close its doors. It might be that some arrangement could be made to attach the kindergarten system to the publio schools, but she trusted that if this were done it would be confined purely to the kindergarten methods as laid down by Froebel. — (Applause.)

Mr W. J. Moore, in seconding the adoption of the report, said he had heard it stated that many school teachers were opposed to the kindergarten method. Sis experience led him to a different conclusion, and kindergarten work had been going on in connection with his school for about seven years. In fact, ho did not know now where they would be without it. It was impossible to estimate how far-reaching th© effects were-. The children knew things in the infant room in connection with drawing and mechanical work that he found were not known by children in the upper classes previously. Dratvirrg was at the bottom of all technical education, and the beginning of it by kindergarten methods laid a foundation of the highest value. — (Hear, hear.)

Mr Jameß Allen, after congratulating Mrs Reynolds on her safe return and the association on its excellent record of worjc done, said ho hoped the public realised what was being accomplished. Evidence of it might not always be obvious to-day, but it would be felt 10, 20, or 50 years hence. He ventured to cay that every boy or girl that went to the public schools from kindergartens went there with better training than they would otherwise have had. They became better scholars in the public echools owing to the grounding they received in the kindergartens. He thought if the community imagined that the work was going to stop they would put their hands in their pockets and come forward with tho necessary funds to keep it going. He doubted if the general public realised how much self-sacrifice there was on the part of the committee of the association which had control of this important work. Mrs Reynolds had suggested that the State should take over the work of the association, but he* did not think that the State would achieve the same results. The success of the association was largely due to the voluntary efforts of those guiding it, and he would appeal to tha- public on their behalf for the neceEEary funds to keep the schools going. There* was no reason why the State should not give a subsidy of pound for pound, and he would suggest that Parliament should be asked to do so. — (Applause.)

Mr Arnold saw no reason why the subsidy mentioned by Mr Allen should not be obtained, and suggested as an alternative that there should be a small capitation allowance. The people of Dunedin owed it to themselves to see that the association did not suffer for want of funds, and the good work being carried on from day to day should not only be continued but extended.

Mr M. Cohen said he was thoiough!y with Mr Allen in saying that it would be a grievous mibfortune if the work of the association were allowed to drop. He was satisfied that if an appeal were made directly to the people of Dunedin for the support of the institution during the next three or four years that support would be forthcoming. — (Hear, hear.) The existence of tho Walker street branch had practically changed the nature of the locality as far as the children were concerned. If that school wore closed to-morrow he feared there would be a return to the unsatisfactory state of things that existed formerly. The Yaralla branch, though not so long established, was becoming a valuablo feeder to the State school in that portion of the district. His own feeling was that if they could satisfy the Government ac to the quality of the work they would be entitled to a capitation allowance. If the Government gave money, they would expect the right, of course, to see that it was being properly expended.

Miss Landels, Mr D. R. White, and Mr J. A. M.'llar, and tho Mayor also spoke to the report, which «as then adopted by the unanimous consent of the meeting.

The election of office-bearers remlted as follows: — President, Mrs Reynolds; vicepresidents — Mrs Ho?king, Mrs G. I>. Denmston, and Mrs E. CJ. Edwards; treasurer, Miss HutchiEon ; secretary, Mrs. Waddell Smith ; committee — Mrs James Allen, Mrs Fels, Mrs Whitson, Mrs Ulrich, Mrs Davidson. Mrs Martin, Mrs Joachim, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs Kahleuberg, Miss Kelsey, Mrs Sinclair Thornton, feifit.e£ M.<u?i@t &&•.& Ckristabeli. trustee^—

Mr W. S. Fitzgerald, Mr James Alien, Dt ' Waddell; Advisory Committee— Messrs D. R. White. James Allen, G. M. Thomson, M. Cohen. W. C. Allnutt; honorary physicians — Dr Colquhoun, Walker streef Kindergarten; Dr Martin, Tarnlla Kinder garten.