Hocken Digital Collections

Dempster, Dorothy L. : Papers relating to the Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association

Details

Reference NumberMS-1894CreatorDempster, DorothyDescriptionThe collection includes research papers and photographs.
Only a small part of this collection is digitised and available through Digital Collections. Information about other items can be found on the Hākena catalogue, through the Library Catalogues link above.History / BiographyThe Free Kindergarten movement in New Zealand had its beginnings in Dunedin in 1889. Rutherford Waddell, the Presbyterian minister, passing up and down Walker Street, longed in some way to help the waifs and strays who played in somewhat unsanitary conditions in the neighbourhood. He mentioned the matter to a Mr Mark Cohen, who said 'why not a free kindergarten?' Bishop Suter lent weight to the idea by addressing a public meeting on 4 March 1889 in the Dunedin Town Hall, telling of visits he had made to free kindergartens in San Francisco. At a second public meeting on 2 May 1889 the Dunedin Association was formed to establish kindergartens free to any child of any race or creed. This was followed by the first kindergarten opening on 10 June 1889 in the Walker Street. At a meeting in Dunedin in 1912, attended by delegates from the four main centres, a move was made to form a national organisation. Subsequently, in 1913 a New Zealand Free Kindergarten Union (NZFKU) was formed but, with the outbreak of war, did not meet again until 1920.
(From New Zealand Kindergartens Incorporated http://www.nzkindergarten.org.nz/history.aspx)

Rachel Reynolds Kindergarten children in classroom

Depicts Or Relates To

SubjectsChildrenEducation, PreschoolKindergartens

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Dempster, Dorothy L. : Papers relating to the Dunedin Free Kindergarten Association

Hocken Collections | Te Uare Taoka o Hākena