Tots Cavort at University's Nursery School

One of the University's less well-known projects, the Harvard Nursery School, is nevertheless an important part of the Cambridge scene to but parents with young children.

The school is housed in two large quonset huts at 5 Kirkland Place, and was originally founded after the war as a Veteran's Administration project for the children of veteran students. The University took over the project from the VA last fall and is now operating it for the benefit of youngsters whose parents are students or faculty members at the University. Some Cambridge parents also send their children to the school.

The nursery is under the supervision of the School of Education, and has been planned, as a model for its kind. As such, it fulfills two needs: It takes care of children, and offers sociologists a perfect setting for the study of child psychology and intra-group relationships.

Children at the school have a schedule of planned activities for the whole day. Weather permitting, they play outdoor games in the morning when they arrive; otherwise, they take part in supervised indoor activities. In the afternoons there are rest periods, story-reading hours, and more games, both indoor and outdoor. Crackers and fruit juices are served twice a day by the supervisors.

The head of the school is Mrs. Jessie R. Turtle. Her staff consists of four trained child specialists, who teach the children such skills as weaving and painting, and supervise them at play. All are paid employees; they like their work and consider it a privilege to be associated with the school.