Viewing page 71 of 132

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

MISSISSIPPI HEADSTART     ENDRES

point out my hopes that they might get the children off their chairs and moving about in child-oriented activities, that this might be done by taking the wrappings off the dolls and the toys and putting them in the hands of the children, and that the children might devise their own activities. Moreover, I pointed out that the space could be at least doubled by moving some of the activities out of doors. We thought of how we could use some of the things already in the community to build simple apparatus and to help in creative activities. We found interesting seed pods, pine cones, and grasses which could be used in art work. We discovered that we could make our own clay using mud from the play yard. We thought of ways of building sand boxes and securing tubs of water which could be placed under the trees for play activities. We gathered together old clothes for dress-up and found some broken mirrors so children would have a chance to see themselves, many for the first time. Parents began to be interested in Headstart also. This was late summer, a year ago. 

I returned from Mississippi in early July and found that I could no longer refrain from proclaiming to anyone who will listen, "My, how they have grown!" I'm happy, I know it, I want to clap my hands. There are many changes in the appearance and behavior of the central office personnel, the professional staff, the cooks in the kitchens, the drivers of the car pools, the parents in the communities. But the biggest and best change is in the behavior and appearance of the children. They are beautiful children with faces filled out, eyes bright, complexions clear. They are active, curious, eager, questioning, feeling, touching, learning, understanding, and valuing their world: their faces show it. The change in the appearance and the behavior of the children justifies the program, even makes it seem very economical. These energetic children are communicating with each other, with the adults around them, with all who will listen. Do you suppose-dare we hope-that, for them, the cycle of poverty is broken?

The educational program, too, has made great strides. The activities are child-centered, many of them carried on out of doors. In one school yard, I saw small clusters of children painting at easels, playing in huge tubs of water, and building with blocks left over from carpenter projects. Others were using large toys purchased by Headstart funds, and some were playing games, singing, and dressing up in old clothes. One group was under a tree listening to stories read and told by their teacher.

365

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-13 00:50:27 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-13 18:17:53 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-14 12:03:56 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2024-02-14 12:19:25