The Electrode – Vol. 3. December, 1925 No. 14. – page 401-402

THE WEE SOCK.

Santa Claus came to a tiny wee cot,
He ruffled his hair – and thought a lot.
“I’ve dollies, and trumpets, and drums, and a ball,
But this wee sock’s so exceedingly small
That nothing I own will go into it -
No childish foot can that sock fit.”

So he turned the coverlet gently down,
And there lay a doll , in her nighty gown
With her eyes wide open in frankest stare,
“I’ve nothing for you, my lady fair,
Only the babes who shut their eyes,
Wake up in the morning to find a surprise.”

The dolly ne’er cried or murmered at all,
But, away in her bed, her mother small,
Buried her head, with a soft, stifled cry -
“A little white hanky to wipe her eye,
Would just go inside that tiny sock -
‘Twould stop her from wipin’ them on her frock!”

So Santa Claus smiled, and winked his eye,
“I’ll come back to dolly and you, by-and-bye.”

Childish dreams are full of Christmas now, and waking-time is question-time, “How many days now till Christmas Mum?” Kindergarten also has an atmosphere of excited expectancy, though the Rotarians’ kindness in preparing Christmas Trees for all the Kindergartens this year is half a secret to the small folk who will benefit on December 17th, at the City-hall.

There are now 60 children on the roll at Lutana, with an average attendance for November of 39. Three more small tables have been added to the Kindergarten furniture, and the children can now sit comfortably to model with plasticine, or make patterns with beads, sticks, or parquetry. A very satisfactory report was received from the Government Supervisor, and the Director and Students are to be congratulated on the improvement of the children. The report also mentioned the suitability and sunniness of the hall, and the satisfying appearance of the children.

Visiting Day was held on Wednesday, December 2nd, when 45 children demonstrated, by singing and games, their improvement for the year. An enthusiastic audience nearly filled the seating accomodation round the hall, Mr. and Mrs. David Meredith being among the friends, and mothers, who helped to make the day successful. During the interval, the children presented their Christmas Gifts to their mothers, who were very pleased with them, and later on, the Director and Students, Misses M. V. Trappes, J. Piesse, and M. Burrows, were the pleased recipients of Christmas Gifts from the Kindergarten and Committee. The raffle for a Doll’s Cot, made by Mr. C. Hare, and left over from the Fair, was drawn by Baby Jean Armstrong. The winning number being 297, Mr. Absolom. Tea and cakes were partaken of, after which the children sang “God Save the King,” “Good-bye to Friends,” and then to each other, afterwards Kindergarten-way, hand in hand, marching out, while their little song of farewell lingered pleasantly, yet sadly (for days grow into years).

A.D.B.

“Green gravel, Green gravel, the grass is so green,
The fairest young lady that ever was seen.
We’ll dress her in silk and bathe her in milk,
And write down her name with a gold pen and ink.”

And its only connection, or excuse, at the heading of these notes lies in the few last words in the very last line, for, metaphorically, I am writing with a “gold pen and ink,” in order that this small portion of “The Electrode” may be bright – if only in that way.

For what is a humble amateur to do when the Editor send a little note like this?
“Help to make this year’s Christmas number the best yet by submitting something bright and breezy for it.”

So I contribute the brightness in gold ink, and the “breeziness” I am endeavouring to keep unnoticed.

The request has so near a kinship to that of the kindly photographer when one sits nervously on the edge of the photographer’s artistic chair, and he cheerfully asks one to “Now, please, look pleasant.”

However, there are one or two items in the kindergarten realm which are little points of brightness in the small page of kindergarten history which contains the chapter headed Lutana, and dated October, 1927. One is that there are now 55 children on the register, and promise of more.

Item two. That the fair help at Moonah this year was successful to the tune of about 50 pound, which is a help at least towards our annual effort of 100 pound. Nothing has been done in the way of entertainments this year, such as euchre and dance parties, which were held last year, but there is still another six months left in which to try and raise 50 pound more.

The third item was a very nice musical evening held in the Glen tea-rooms in honour of the students who have passed their examinations, and are now qualified to act as directors, or teachers, of kindergarten. The diplomas were presented by Lady Jones, who is one of the foundation members of the Kindergarten Association. The programme was arranged by Mr. Jas. Marsh. A little play was given by Mr. E. E. Unwin and Miss M. Rowlands. They spoke of the uplift that a well-trained little child can give to a whole family, of the need to train up a child in the way he should go while he is yet small, of the need to make him a good little citizen, and to give him an opportunity for some social life, so that he never be like the little boy the the poem by Patricia Ardley, who said:-

Sometimes I march wiv cap an’ drum,
An’ tend I am a band,
An’ muvver claps her hand an’says,
‘O John, that’s really grand!’
She’s just the dearest muvver,
But it’s not the same;
A fellow needs anuvver man
To play a mannish game.”

For kindergarten provides quite a lot of men (in the making) to play a mannish game.

Another bright item is the very welcome donation of 10 pound from the Co-operative Council. The committee wish to that the Council very much for their generosity.

And there is just one more item, and this also is really a bright one (to the children certainly) – the Christmas tree. December 14th has been selected as a suitable day for Father Christmas to arrive, and the committee are looking for a suitable tree. If anyone can procure one, we should be glad – and does Mr. Bryant know what a very nice Father Christmas came to Lutana last year?

Once acted, twice proficient, Mr. Bryant. Parents are friends are invited on the afternoon of December 14th to meet Father Christmas (Wednesday at 3 p.m.), and will the ladies please bring a basket?

And now, as Mr. Pepys says, “to bed,” for

“When the shades of night are falling, and the sun goes down,
O! the Dustman comes a-creeping in from Shut-eye Town,
And he throws dust in the eyes of all the babies that he meets,
No matter where he finds them, in the house or in the streets.
Then the babies’ eyes grow heavy and the lids drop down,
When the Dustman comes a-creeping in from Shut-eye Town.
When mother lights the lamp and draws the curtains down,
O! the Dustman comes a-creeping in from Shut-eye Town;
And the babies think the Dustman is as mean as he can be,
For he shuts their eyes at nightfall, just when they want to see.
But their little limbs are weary, for all they fret and frown,
When the Dustman comes a-creeping in from Shut-eye Town.”

Wishing everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year from the Lutana Free Kindergarten.