“A child, more than all other gifts That earth can offer to declining man, Brings hope with it, and forward-looking thoughts.”
-Wordsworth.
And so, with hope, “and forward-looking thoughts,” Kindergarten has started, in the New Year, with many fresh little faces and shy little feet, the daily round of song and story, and play which is really character- building.
Character-building has, of course, always been necessary, but
“In the elder days of Art, Builders wrought with greatest care, Each minute and unseen part; For the gods see everywhere.”
now, as long as the outside is fairly presentable, most of us are satisfied.”Life is too short,” we are in such a hurry that we forget the graces, the beauty and the depth of meaning of work really well done, of lives well spent, of literature, and art finely executed.
Kindergarten does not, of course, profess to do all these, but they are part of its ideals.
Children need ideals, when fairies slip away, the little folk who dance in the moonlight, whose enchanting music is always just beyond.
“Flitting, passing, seen and gone, Never reached nor found at rest, Baffling search, but beckoning on To the sunset of the Blest.”
* * * * *
Chase we still, with baffled feet, Smiling eye and waving hand”
till the faries have vanished away from the little people of six and seven years old, and only the ideals which have crept in, almost unnoticed, are there to fill their place.
And so they find, instead of fairy palaces and gardens, Fancy’s wonderland, a real world about them, deeds to do, fortunes to make – and no one is too small, or too weak to weild a hammer, or carry a stone, in the Building of the World.
“Isn’t it strange, That princes and kings, And clowns that caper In sawdust rings, And common people, Like you and me, Are builders for eternity.
“Each is given a bag of tools, A shapeless mass, A book of rules; And each must make - Ere life is flown, A stumbling-block Or a stepping-stone.”
Lutana has now 36 little builders, under the care of Miss M. V. Trappes, with Miss M. Schaedel and Miss K. Loney to assist her.
There has been a big drop in attendance, as Kindergarten closed for Christmas vacation with 64 on the register. The majority or those who left have “turned seven,” or gone to the new State School Kindergartern at Moonah, which can now take children from 5 years old. Lutana Kindergarten welcomes the little ones from 2 years to seven, and hopes (and expects) the numbers will increase.
Euchre tournaments are again being held fortnightly, and the committee will be very pleased to welcome new friends on Thursday, March 25, at Lutana-hall.
Mr. and Mrs. Meredith kindly offered to donate a pictutre of the King and Queen, but though it seems a “strange anomaly” in so loyal a city as Hobart, the pictures could not be procured. Does anyone know where they can be purchased?
Miss Trappes is expecting new equipment, which was bought with the 10 pounds kindly donated by the Co-operative Council this week; and Mr. Syd. Harper is going to make a new cupboard to keep it in.
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.”
A.D.B.
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).
“Another day is over, And we are going home, Good-bye, good-bye-e.”
“I wonder if the grey days In which my youth is told Will gay seem and glad seem When I am old . . .” - Llewelyn Lucas.
And kindergartens everywhere are working to dispel the “grey days” – to make all little lives gay and glad, wholesome and happy. Some of the older folk realise this, and pack their “under-sevens” off every morning, but alas! not all parents. Whooping cough and mumps have visited Lutana (as well as other parts of Hobart), so the average percentage of attendance is low for this month – 24. A hearty invitation is extended to all who are interested, but especially to the mothers whose children do not attend, to come any morning and see the little people in kindergarten.
There are miniature chairs and tables and white table cloths and plates for morning lunch; blocks of all sizes, balls and two dolls, reins and coloured wooden beads; and Messrs. W. White and S. Harper have just finished a very nice blackboard for the children to draw on. These two gentlemen have the very hearty thanks of Miss Trappes and the Kindergarten Committee.
Euchre tournaments are still being held every Thursday fortnight to raise funds for the kindergarten, with Mr. T. B. Hack and M.C. The committee thank Mrs. F. Grubb for help in distributing the euchre notices in Lutana. Miss Brownell is helping Miss Trappes to lead the young ideas gently. The subject for this quarter is “People Who Help in the City” which sounds rather advanced perhaps for such small heads, but one remembers that butchers and bakers and candlestick makers give their portion of help in a city, as well as – perhaps – politicians.
My apologies for a scanty contribution this time. A fortnight as Brown’s River has made life rushed since. Doubtless I will have regained the “quiet tenor of my ways” by next issue of “The Electrode.”
