The efforts of the Society during the past twelve months, have been concentrated in carrying out its programme, begun in 1946, which was designed to encourage girls to take up kindergarten work. This has been done in practical way by continuing the partial scholarship to the Kindergarten Training College, Sydney, originally offered in 1945 and renewed in 1946. In order to publicise and popularize kindergarten work as a profession, the Society has asked teachers who are in contact with girls of school leaving age, to discuss kindergarten work with them, more especially with those girls whose temperament and outlook seemed suitable for this work. A series of broadcast talks has been given, on various aspects of kindergarten work. These talks were given during the morning session, and as it seemed unlikely that prospective students themselves might be listening at that time, the talks were given on the basis of interesting the mothers of girls about to leave school, as the former would influence to some degree the choice of’ profession of the latter. Following these talks a film evening was arranged. The films shown were made available by the National Film Library, who wished it to be known that this service would be extended to any-similar body which might want it. The response to the publicity undertaken by the Society was disappointing, but it is hoped that if continued it will eventually bring results. The students who were awarded the first scholarships offered by the Department of the Interior and the partial scholarship given by the Society, will complete their training at the end of this year, when it is hoped that they will return to Canberra to relieve the staff shortage in pre-school work here. These students gave voluntary assistance at the Recreation Centres, temporarily establ1shed in three suburbs of Canberra during the summer holidays.

Play Leader Training Course
In order to meet to some extent the present shortage of trained personnel, the Department of the Interior has instituted a Play Leader Training Course. Miss Combes is in charge of the students engaged in the course, which is similar to that which has already been undertaken in South Australia.

Several members of the Society have given lectures to the students, and these lectures have been repeated to other groups interested to hear them. The students have now completed their six months training course and have begun working, under supervision, at the Reid Play Centre, and will do similar work at the Occasional Care Centre as soon as it is opened.

In addition to Reid, there are three other Play Centre Committees which are registered with the Department of the Interior. They are Griffith, Turner and Griffith-Narrabundah. Unfortunately it may be some time before the needs of these districts can be fulfilled, as almost all available materials and labour are being concentrated on the housing programme. Work has, in fact, been started on the Griffith Centre, that is the Centre at Monaro Park, and it is hoped that the Centre will be open at the beginning of 1948. At Duntroon, plans are well under way for another play centre, and considerable interest is being shown in the scheme in Ainslie. As the Duntroon committee has been able to find a building, it is likely that this centre may be ready before those in Canberra itself.

Parents’ News Sheet
The Council was asked by Miss Pendred if it would undertake the responsibility of compiling two of the 1947 Parents’ News Sheest (sic), issued by the Australian Association for Pre-School Child Development. The first of these entitled “When children travel” has already appeared, and a limited number, together with other issues of the News Sheests are available at the Library of the Canberra Nursery School. The Society will arrange for members, who wish to do so, to become subscribers to the Parents’ News Sheets.

Australian Association for Pre-School Child Development
The Association, with which the Society is affiliated, held its Biennial Conference at Adelaide in May of this year. Your Society was represented by its President, Mrs. Rudduck and by Mrs. K.H. Bailey, both of whom addressed the Conference. In addition Miss Combes and Miss Jackson attended in their professional capacity. Mrs. Bailey was elected~President of the Association, the headquarters of which have now been trans£erred to Canberra, with an office at the Institute of Anatomy. It. was decided in Adelaide that the next Biennial Conference should be held at Canberra.

Canberra People’s Education Convocation
The Society is affiliated with the Convocation, and a delegate attended a meeting held in September to discuss a motion relating to religious services in the State schools, and also to discuss the need for better recreational facilities for school children. The motion relating to religion was defeated. A deputation was appointed to go to the Department to discuss recreational needs.

Vice-Regal Patronage
Her Excellency Mrs. W. J. McKell graciously consented to become Patroness of the Society, and in April of this year, Her Excellency, together with Miss Betty McKell, paid a visit to the Canberra Nursery School at the invitation of the Society.

Annual Ball
A considerable sum was raised at the Society’s second Annual Ball. It. was a social event of distinction and the Society’s thanks are due to Mrs. F.Sayer and the Committee who organised the Ball.

Research Project
In our previous report, a plan for promoting a research into Nursery School experience was mentioned.’ Since that time we have heard that the non-medical records of the Gowrie” Centres are being analysed. It was thought that this analysis would serve much the same purpose as the project which the Society had in mind, and it was decided therefore, to take no definite steps in the matter for the present. The subject is still being discussed with the Department of the Interior, as it is felt that Canberra offers especially favourable conditions for studying the influence of Nursery School experience on the community and on education in later years. A sub-committee of the Council was formed in the latter part of last year to consider the desireability (sic) or otherwise of having a few places at the Nursery School set aside for cases of “extreme need”, and if this were found to be desireable (sic), to determine by what means they should be allotted. The sub-committee failed to come to agreement on the second point. It was apparent that until some research of the kind already suggested. had been carried out, it was not possible to decide which were the cases of “extreme need”, or to devise a rating scale by which they might be given priority.

Emergency Housekeeper Service
In September of 1945, at the suggestion of this Society, the National Council of Women setup a Standing Committee on Emergency Home Help. After considerable negotiation and discussion, a grant of £625 was made, last Pebruary, through the Department of the Interior. The National Council of Women agreed to accept responsibility for the Emergency Housekeeper Service, as it is now officially called. A Committee of Management, with delegates from this Society, and the Mothercraft Society has been appointed, with Mrs. F.Schwinghammer, representing this Society as Chairwoman.

An Organising Secretary was appointed, and advertisements were put in the Canberra Times and the daily papers of Goulburn, Yass and Sydney, calling for applications for the two positions of housekeeper in this Service. The number of replies was rather disappointing but the Committee was ab1e to make two appointments. One of those appointed has since resigned and at the moment there is only one Housekeeper working for the Service. It is the opinion of the Committee that three housekeepers are needed for Canberra. The response to advertisements for the positions, which from time to time appeared in the press, makes the Committee feel that suitable persons are not easily obtained. Possibly this is because the hours are long and the work is arduous. Attempts are being made through the Immigration Department to have selected in London a suitable person who could be nominated and brought out to assured employment and accommodation, to be a housekeeper w1th the Scheme, The primary aim of the Service is to provide the assistance of a responsible and trustworthy person, to housewives who through illness or other causes may have to abandon temporarily the care of their families. The housekeeper’s role is to keep the home running on a normal routine. The Service is a government subsidised one and is available to all who are 1n need of it, irrespective of ab11ity to pay the fee charged.

Speakers
Two speakers have visited Canberra during the last twelve months who have been of particular interest to ‘the Society. The first was Mss Pendred, whose visit the Society was able to arrange through our affiliation with the Australian Association for Pre-School Child Development <??> the Association and her talk “Living with children” was very-much enjoyed. The second speaker was Miss M.M. Ferguson, who is visiting Australia and New Zealand in connection with the Save the Children Fund. Miss Ferguson spoke at the various schools and addressed a Public Meeting at the Albert Hall on the work of the Fund, and the need for increased financial support to carry on that work. It was decided at the meeting that the Society shou1d become the Branch of the Fund in the Australian Cap1tal Territory. Since then Miss Ferguson has paid a second visit to Canberra to discuss the possibility of forming a Federal Council for the Save the Children Fund in Australia.

The Society is unfortunate in losing at the one time both its President and one Vice President, Mrs. Rudduck and Mrs. Crisp are both travell1ng to England and the Society’s good wishes go with them both on their trip. Both have been connected with the Society for some years and it is hoped that on their return they will again take up their interest in the work of the Society.

Mrs. W.D. Fanning
(Honorary Secretary)

(Transcript by Carolyn Harkness)