Mmher (. any 1.». flying lhe. coop. Pat Byer. who ovmed and operated Rmuï¬m’lln's Mmrwr “now Aram‘my for 43 years. has dust-d the school. “l tee! that 1 served the community well and it's |ust lime to hang it up. I guess." she sand. Whether it bé the’preschool classroom or kitchen. Ms Bye: is comfortable in both. Mother Goose started in Ms Byers base- ment at the suggestion of the law lnme Boad- way. who. at the time was Summitvicw Public School's principgl. ‘ "I m-wr MI I went In work. It wax a fun iul) lur me." she said. But she hasn't given up teaching Ms Byer. 75. will mtum to‘ “ 'ng cook- ing classes through Epicun; horn: panics. About 30 years ago, aï¬er taking cooking (1.1wa in Markham and Toronto. she catered on the side. : Ms Byer. whb now lives in Mount Albert. was a reading stupcrvisor for the York Region District School Board but she wanted to take time off to raise her ï¬rst child. Ms Byer also conducted cooking classes in the back of ( lard’s Appliances' former location about 27 ago. “It was fun. It was a nice little adventure I gm myself involved in." she said. “ But after about four years. she had to pack up her knives and sauce pans because life became too busy. ‘ Mr. Roadway suggested she run a pm- school at home until she was ready to Mum In school She nevet did retum. "lhe (mtgmew her east-side base- ment and she moved it the Stouï¬ville Pm- [crustal (Ihunh. then In Springvak' Baptist Church in l995. Mother Goose offered three days of pn‘ school as well as iun'mr and senior kinder gam‘n programming that cunsislvd uf prv Retiring ‘Mother Goose’ ' taught generations of town’s preschoolers HY SANDRA BULAN J’IHMNQVYMX cum “Kids enjoy it so much and it's a great way to learn." Ms (gird said of the music compo~ ncm. “II was wonderful.†she said. Even ahcr 40 years. Ms Bycr never tired of teaching the mung ones because they an: “umaime~d by lhv world and very honest. Ewry day sqme child wnuld say something that would make vou sav WOW". “l was shocked 3! what Inm-yearulds could memorize" she Ms Byer thought of closing the school for a link while mm. but parents kept begging her to keep it open so their next Child muld attend. “'I‘hey'n: still saying it. But it's nm going to continue.†Ms Bycr kaid. noting she has no Like Ms (Lard. a numlx’r of farmer students enrolled their children in Mother (1005010 be taught by Auntie Pat. Auntie Jennifer. Auntie Susan and Auntie Julie, This year. Ms Byrr taught her eldest grand- child Like when the kids were working nn lhis vmr’s Mmher’s l ).w an prnien. Ms Byer asked a child when colour his mother's hair was; He said. “black but she makes it blond“. ‘I should haw kept a hook." said. "It leaves a big hale in dayxtarv heran mzw kids an: yum left with daycare centres." Ms (Lard sand. "They thought it was kind of neat to go unnwflwm I had gone." she said. Admission was kept small to maintain ihe “famny environment“. Mopemousewmehedamsraurorauummrmlyov m/thmmmmmrmw mmymmng ‘ Papa" PEOPLE Pat Bycrmdhcrgrandsuxâ€"andstudmtâ€"Samlamy.MsBycrgonolmowhund1-edsof local children asmvncramluperamrofStouï¬vflk'sMothaGooscAmdanyï¬u 43 mhtdmismmthuidcbseddlcpopuhrsdlodkxatedinsmhgvakï¬apï¬stammh.