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,PAGE 1I4-,, WEDNESDAYý,NOVEM»ER 9,ý1977, WHITBY FREE PRESS Parent, Presehool Centre I holds meetings in1 Whitby A -NIGHT WITH THE KI1NSMEN WE Enjoying anight out at the Legion Hall with the Whitby Kinsmen Club are (left to right), Mrs. Peddar, Mrs. Waddell, CENT AIDSMrs. Jordan and Mrs. Sommerville, aIl residents of Fairview. Lodge. Standing are Frank Van Roessell, Kinsmen Presi- OR RENTdent Gary Harding and Chairman of Senior Citizens Night Chuck Hughes. CoIostomy & Ile@stoniy Whitby K* smen Club .&meýà- à entertains seniors Affleek turns down offer; Ada Schermnann, co- ordinator of the Early Child- hood Program of the Uni- versity of Torontol's Institute of Child Study will be the firsl speaker at a' series of evening programs by the Parent Pre-School Centre for Durham Region, 10 be held in Whitby. Mrs. Schermann will be speaking aI 8 p.mn. Nov. 24 in the Blue Flame Room at the Consumers Gas Building. This will be the first of a series of evening workshop programs for parents of pre- sbihoolers 10 be held at this location on the last Thursday of each month. Mrs. Schermann has spent more than two decades in the field of early child- hood. Besides her role as co- ordinator, she is a consultant fo r many pre-school pro- grams,' such as "The Polka 'Dot Door" on Channel 19 TV, and the series, "The Many Worlds of Childhood." Besides offering tlhe evening workshop program at the Consumer Gas Building, the Parent Pre-School Centre for Durham Region offers a niornigg program at St. George's Anglican Church, Oshawa,on the firsl and Ihird Tuesdays of each monîh from 9:30 a.m. to 1l ;30 a.m. This programn is for parents and features a lending library, workshops and a planned toy1 lending service.à Twventy mothers and 351 children attened the first session Oct. 18.1 The Parent Pre-School Centre is designed for parents1 and people in the Durham1 Region involved with children aged six and tinder.1 Last February a group of' inothers fornied a sleering corniiiittee of seven 10 set Lip the centre. andi this faîl its prograis are getting under way. Thei officers of the stecring comnnîittee are: Kate Sherin, co-chairman; Donna Trenmblay, chairmnan; Graceî Mayers, treasurer and chair- rnan of fund raising. Vicki Gould, l3arb Truaiscli, JI de Bruijn and Lorraine Dixon.t Anyone inlerested ini the centre and ils progranis mnay caîl Mrs. Sherin at 723- 67.The Parent Pre-School Centre is a self supporling group of voltinleers. They got their start by setling up a performance by Channel 5's Mr.Dressup at Eastdale Collegiate in June, which nelted the group $800. Future fund-raising plans in- c1deanaperac .a E- ",Il 15 10w commonly aknowledged Ihat parenting can be a most difficult limne," says Mrs,. Sherin. "The an- swers 10 many questions are sometimes difficult 10 find, indeed, even more confuslng are the' questions that have no set aniswers. "There is no classroom that parents can attend that will offer any easy formula. Parents as well in our tran- sient and mobile society lack support from the extended family which existed in past generations." Mrs. Sherin says that many researchers feel that pressure is greater today for parents, and there is a re- cognition that the pre-sehool years are very important 10 the total development of the child. The mfothers who form- ed the Pre-School Centre for Durhamn Region have varied professional backgrounds, in- cluding a BSC in nursing education primary specialists and elementary sehool teaching. The members of the steering committee are presently working on a cer- tifleate in special education and an early childhood ed- ucation certificate. Some have attended leadership courses and have been actively involved in children's pro- grams previously. Ail belong to the Adler Institute and attend serninars. As well as depending on their broad and varied backgrounds they have re- ceived assistance and support from the Ottawa Pre-School Parent Resource Centre; Mrs. R. Novack, Director of Alexandra Clinic; and Mie. Roberta Adamson of the Oshawa-Whitby Social Plan- ning Council. The steering commitcee would like 10 obtain feedback from parents and community groups following ils imonthly mecetings so that when the centre can be opened on a daily basis, it will reflect the needs of Durhiam Region. Somne of the topies to be discussed at the evening workshops in Whitby are: The Child as an Individual, Creativity, You and Your Bàby, Language Development, and<Fhe Power of Play. A monthly newsletter will outline both da'ytime and evening programrs. Future plans include trips to facilities xvhichi might interest parents and excur- sions for parents and children. There are also hopes to begin varjous discussion groups and set aside lime in the centre for "babies only." The response 10 the rnorning and evening pro- gramns this faîl will delermine the future usefulness of the Pre-school centre for Durhani REgion, says Mrs. Sherin. first $1 ,000 will go 10 the De- velopmental Day Care Centre and the remaining wvill go 10 A.R.C. P.ine Industries tlo help buy equipment. Every- one welcome, for furthçr ln- formation caîl 668-9992 or 839-3953'