By Jessica Anstice
Over the past 60 years Nar Nar Goon Kindergarten has seen thousands of children play make-believe, share in story time, and prepare for primary school.
More than 80 people gathered to mark the kindergarten’s milestone birthday with afternoon tea, a tour of the ground and memorabilia on Sunday 20 October.
The kindergarten started in the Infant Welfare Centre in the third term of 1959 with 12 children and voluntary teacher and parent Joan Rose.
Both the land and the building for the centre were provided by the community – a unique historical fact that was expanded on by Pauline ‘Bones’ Mackinnon as she spoke about the earliest history of the kindergarten at the event.
A ‘Popular Baby’ contest was one of the fundraising events held by the community
to raise funds for the much needed extensions in 1966 as the kindergarten program grew.
Current teacher, Linda English, who has been working at the kinder for 10 years, welcomed everyone and acknowledged her assistant Denise Mason who has been with the kindergarten for 17 years, before inviting current and past students to perform an acknowledgement of the land.
Michelle Adams, who taught in 1991 to 2001, travelled from Mt Gambier to attend the event and spoke fondly about her love for the kindergarten and what great memories she had from teaching.
Cardinia Shire Council Mayor Graeme Moore recounted his family move from Dandenong specifically for the Nar Nar Goon Kindergarten and school which two of his three children attended.
“There was much conversing throughout the afternoon as the adults exchanged memories and made notes in the collated history and the youngsters played eagerly on the equipment and in the gardens,” Sharon Park said.
Val Carroll, who taught at the kindergarten from 1971 to 1993, said she was “so excited” that she couldn’t eat her cake and had to take it home with her. She even recognised one of her past students Kerry Harley who is current PAG president, and whose children have and
currently attend the kindergarten.
Other familiar faces included Val Porter (assistant from 1992 to 2002), Deb Sillcock (teacher from 1988 to 2005), Gladys Quigley, mother to Mark and Rusell who were amongst the first students to attend the kinder when it opened and Diane Henwood, Jenni McPhee, Tricia Scanlon, Susan McQualter who all attended kinder in the 1960s.
Other past students who attended, and now have their own children attending were Meagan Rogers and Kerrie Johnson.
With such a rich history built on community support, and many years of serving the community over multiple generations, it was clear to all that this is a kindergarten worth celebrating.
