May 1998

Learning through play
Inglewood Parent Participation Preschool celebrates 50 years

Jocelyn Purcell

Contributing Writer (original archived article)

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, a group of young mothers decided to start a preschool where their very young children would have a place to play and learn.

The year was 1947, and the mothers would surely have laughed at the thought that their preschool would still be thriving fifty years later.

But it has survived, and beautifully.

On Sunday, May 24th, from 2 to 5 p.m., Inglewood Parent Participation Preschool is hosting a big birthday party in honor of all the families that have participated and contributed to its half century of helping children "learn through play." Everyone is welcome to attend this free celebration.

In 1947, the baby boom era was in its infancy in post war Canada. West Vancouver was still very rural, but much less remote since the construction of the "new" Lions Gate Bridge.

The economy was strong and the community was growing. Marine Drive in Ambleside was a narrow, mostly residential road, when Inglewood Preschool opened its doors at St. Christopher's Church, nestled among the trees on the west side of Sentinel Hill.

The first Inglewood families had much work to do: acquiring the requisite puzzles, games, toys, paints and other supplies; building or fundraising to purchase the classroom and playground facilities; and initially setting up a teaching schedule for the mothers who shared the task.

Later, when licencing requirements called for qualified teachers, "duty days" were established for parents to help in the classroom.

A lot has changed in Inglewood Preschool's first half-century.

While classroom duty was done exclusively by the mothers for many years, it is now very common to see dads at school. With many mothers now working full or part-time, nannies and even grandparents are also involved.

Today, Inglewood Preschool is still located on the main floor of St. Christopher's church.

Bright, colorful and spotless, the large classroom area is used for other purposes on non-school days. "Set up" and "take-down" duty are one of the unique rights of passage for Inglewood parents. Each Tuesday morning the schoolroom emerges out of hiding with relative ease.

Using a system that has been perfected over the years, handmade double bookcase-style cabinets on wheels (hinged shut when not in use), are moved to their proper places and opened to reveal a complete classroom scene.

One becomes the dress-up area, complete with kitchen and murphy bed. Another is the music section, a third the art area. Six cabinets in total (together with other favorites such as the climbing gym, science centre, library, and carpentry workshop) create a wonderful array of toys and activities to exercise and grow young minds.

On Thursday, it's all taken down and carefully put away until the following Tuesday morning. And so it has been, for many years.

How has an operation that demands so much time and commitment from families lasted for so long?

You are invited to come and find out about Inglewood Preschool and its history, meet old friends and new, and enjoy an afternoon of free fun for the whole family on May 24th, from 2-5 p.m., at 1068 Inglewood, West Vancouver.