SCARLET AND BLACK

Saturday. Ithmbu 17. V95! ’

 

New Day Cdre Center Opens

By Molly~ McGuire

Since a woman's place cannot always
be in the home, a day care center has
been opened to provide Grinnell pre-
Iehoolers with a place to stay while their
mothers are oft on such undomestic pur~
runs as working or going back to school.

The Grinnell Community Day Caro
Center, in operation [or only two weeks,
l5 located in the basement of the First
United Presbyterian Church at 1015 Filth
Avenue, Having a capacity oi twenty
children, from three to six years old, the
center is open six days a week, it is re-
lying heavily on student, volunteer help,
and more is needed. ‘

The idea of a day care center was
first promoted by the United Church

'Women, a. general council of Grinnell

women. After a survey of the town last
year. they found that there was a defi-
nite need for this type of service. Many
women who wanted to work or return to

- school Idund lt difficult to afford a baby-

iittel‘ for'thelr preschool children.

After realizing the need tor a center,
a board consisting of members of the
community at large was formed. The
project then went out of the hands of the
Church Women and became a communi-
ty project, with people irom all walks or
life contributing to the realization of the
center.

 
 
  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Although it is helped financially by the
United Fund, much or the center’s equip-
Grinnell. A gift of $600 from the office
of President Glenn Leggett is being used
to help pay the rent for this year. Vol-
unteer workers readied the basement of
the church, usually used for Sunday
School, into a child's playroom roll at
games, _toys, andtricycles.

The day care center is more than at

 

glorified babysitting agency. Mrs.
Charles Seller, director of the center an?
ment was donated by townspeople o
a tormer elementary school teacher, has
many “body and mind-developing” acti.
vities planned for the Children, Includlu
ed in a day’s activities are educational
“study" periods in areas like art, simple
science and number readiness, exercise.
and a noon meal followed by nap-time,

Although it has room for twenty chil-
dren, only 12 have enrolled so far. The
fee is on a Sliding scale of $14 per day,
depending on the family’s financial state.

So tar, although there is still a shortage
of equipment and Volunteers, bath the
children and the townspeople seem happy
with the center. The next fund drive
should reveal any dissenting males, it
there are any, who Still feel that math-
ers should stay at home, regardless o
the need or desire to work or go to
school.