Image TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage TileImage Tile
Image size: 6144x9216 Scale: 35% - PanoJS3
Page overview thumbnail

Article text

TRAINING LITTLE CHILDREN.
_As no other enterprise is more fruit
ful ..of lasting profit to a community
than the Tight education.of its infant
members, the general pqblic may .be
gratified at the prosperity- which has
enabled the Kindergarten Union to unT
dertake the erection of, a new home in
Franklin street. Although this truly
patriotic organization . is .little older
than the mites for whom it cares, its
work has already won -warm sympathy
anil practical support Its teachers are
entrusted with the holy mission of
moulding the child mind when in its
most plastic stage,: and the results so
far achieved indicate that they are ful
filling the task well. -Under their loving
care the little ones' menial powers are
gently nurtured in a congenial environ
ment, and prepared for the later and
more serious business of orthodox edu
cation. Kindergarten work is essen
tially preparatory and formative, and
should be regarded as the first rung of
a correlated educational -ladder— as the
nucleus of a' system- rather than as a
system in itself. To this extent there
fore, one may echo the suggestion of
Mr. Bice at Tuesday's ceremony that
the kindergartens should be associated
with^the general education scheme; but
the aim should be co-operation in pre
ference to, incorporation. While the
broad principle is sound that the State
should supervise all branches and de
grees of education, because uniformity
of method and result can best be at
tained through uniformity of .control,
undue^ interference with the work in
augurated and successfully continued
by the Kindergarten Union might dis
courage the unselfish labours of the
ladies and gentlemen comprising that
body and prov^ unprofitable to the chil
dren concerned. So long as the Go
vernment is. satisfied that its pecuniary
aid is being devoted to the best pur
poses, and so long as the kindergarten
training is not out of harmony with
the State curriculum, there seems to be
no reason why the present control
should not be preserved. If the direc
tors should some day deem it advisable
to hand over the management to the
Education Department, well and good,
but meanwhile they may be cordially
congratulated upon the evident success
of their beneficent enterprise. The
public will heartily unite with Lady
Bosanquetin^ hoping that the work- in
the new building will be as prolific of
good as ?fias.been that in theiOld, and
that It will be a blessing to many chilT
dren as it will certainly be a- comfort
and help to numerous hardworking
mothers. '?? ' . ; ' ;
$