Children are the world’s most priceless possession, by guiding their welfare we build hopes for a brighter tomorrow – Marie Kruttschnitt Club Notes.
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With that announcement in 1947, Mount Isa Mines approached the Marie Kruttschnitt Club ladies to have an input into the establishment of a day nursery. Marie Kruttschnitt, wife of MIM general manager Julius Kruttschnitt said,“The mothers of Mount Isa deserve the highest praise for the way they have struggled on through the long war years, but now they should receive some reward for all the hard work they have put in.”
The reward, of a new modern specific built nursery, was extended to include the latest pre-school training methods of Dr Maria Montessori – the Montessori Method. This innovative method of teaching had become popular within Australia after World War II and Mount Isa children were soon at the forefront of pre-school education thanks to the appointment of Betty McKillop who had studied the Method in Townsville.
But for the little girls and boys, the attraction of the new day nursery was not in the Denaro concrete blocks, specially designed with cavities to allow free circulation of air as used in the construction of Casa Grande, or the structural design like the Burke ‘B’ type cottage, it was toys … lots of toys.
Rockers, tricycles, dolls, little tables and chairs, an ‘all electric’ stove and kitchen dresser, a bed for dolls and prams to push them in, boats, books, blackboards and miniature wheelbarrows just like their Dad’s.
The playground was just as exciting with a sandpit, buckets and spades, jungle bars, see-saw, slippery slide and beach umbrellas with beach balls. It was a time for children to learn to mix and play together although for one little girl, Annie Oakley, she was forever getting into trouble for running around the ‘yard’ wanting to hug Denis the Menace and Cowboy Charlie.
For quiet time, the children had small canvas stretchers with little pillows to lie on. Such was the popularity of the day nursery and kindergarten the Marie Kruttschnitt Ladies Club approached the mine to provide a second building to house the growing numbers of children enrolled in kindergarten. As the little girls and boys grew so too did their educational needs which required more structured activities than the day nursery could accommodate. Their new kindergarten, a former Burke ‘B’ type cottage, was moved onto its new site directly opposite the day nursery in South Road, Mineside, and opened to children on Tuesday, April 5, 1955.
And with the belief that the women of Mount Isa had all sorts of unsuspected talents, a call went out seeking a suitably qualified kindergarten teacher or Mothercraft nurse, to lead the classes. All prayers were answered when Mrs A Hopwood came forth with kindergarten teaching credentials from England and Brisbane. Some three months after her appointment she said, “The children are enjoying classes and I believe they are receiving good pre-school training.”
“We encourage the littlies to explore their artistic talents with drawing, finger painting and plasticine work of a morning before recess of a light lunch, and then singing nursery rhymes of an afternoon.
“They are also being taught their ABC and counting, 1,2,3,4 etc. in readiness for year one primary school.
Throughout the year the children celebrated each other’s birthday parties, and an Easter bonnet parade, but the biggest and most exciting party was always the Christmas break-up party with everyone ‘doing something’ in the concert for their parents.
One year, Pamela Tadman, with her angelic smile, blonde hair and big blue eyes, was chosen as Mary alongside Mervyn Sargarent (a policeman’s son) as Joseph while one of the kindergarten dolls was wrapped in a clean tea-towel to represent Jesus in his swathing clothes.
Sadly, with plans in place to extend the mine operations, a decision was made to relocate the original kindergarten to the Town Side, on the corner of Alma and West Sts and with the change of site, it was agreed the kindergarten be given a new name.
“We decided to re-name the kindergarten after Mrs Cardiff because many parents were grateful for what she had done.”
As a member of the Marie Kruttschnitt Ladies Club, Estelle Cardiff worked tirelessly to bring to fruition the dream of a Day Nursery in Mount Isa and then oversaw the establishment of the South Road Kindergarten.
Her contribution to the welfare of the town’s youngest children could be summed up in Christopher Paolini’s - ‘Brisingr’ - when he wrote …. the deeds of the children are a testament to the upbringing they received from their parents.
The Estelle Cardiff Community Kindergarten was named in her honour in 1971. In its new location, Mount Isa’s first kindergarten continued to grow in numbers as it prepared children for their first day in primary school.
Today, little people and their pint-sized chairs and tables can still be navigated in the main room, of the original building, with its walls proudly displaying the latest finger art masterpieces, while outside in the playground the structured toys and equipment take second place to Uncle Shaun’s handmade Gunya.
The only hiccup in the continuing success story of Estelle Cardiff Community Kindergarten, was when in more recent times an employee was found guilty of embezzlement.
“It was only through the good will of our parents and local businesses that we were able to keep our doors open,” said Narelle Elliott.
Today, the kindergarten continues to uphold Estelle Cardiff’s pioneering spirit: to guide the welfare and build hopes for a brighter tomorrow, for our city’s most priceless possessions – our children.
Researched and written by Kim-Maree Burton. www.kimmareeburton.com Photographs courtesy of MIMAG and the North West Star. Information sourced from Marie Kruttschnitt Club Notes, Mt Isa Mail, MIMAG and North West Star.