Time capsule keeps kids' dreams

DO YOU remember what you wanted to be when "you grow up" as a youngster?

The preschoolers at Fox Street Preschool in Ballina recently were asked what their dreams were for the future.

And, as part of the preschool's 40th anniversary celebrations last Saturday, the questionnaires were placed in a time capsule, to be opened and sent back to them in 10 years time.

State Member for Ballina Don Page was given the honour of burying the time capsule.

He had the opportunity to read through the preschoolers' aspirations beforehand.

He said one of the "cutest" responses to the question "What to do you want to be when you grow up?" was: "I just want to be myself."

He said Fox Street was the first community preschool in Ballina.

While admitting the centre has had its struggles over the years, he said the NSW Government's transfer of early childhood education from the Community Services portfolio into the Education portfolio meant there was now a bigger pool of money on which preschools could draw.

Fox Street Preschool has, over the years, been active in lobbying for more government funding.

Bertha Kapeen gave the Welcome to Country at the 40th anniversary celebrations.

Preschool director Isabel Borreli told the gathering Aunty Bertha was the first local indigenous Elder to send a child to preschool. Her son had attended Fox Street Preschool 39 years ago. And Aunty Bertha has remained involved in the preschool, regularly reading stories to the children.

Fox Street Preschool had its roots in the late 1960s when Elizabeth Wiggs ran a private preschool in church halls in Ballina. In 1970, a public meeting was held to discuss the issue, and Ballina Council later came on board by agreeing to reserve a portion of Crown Land for the preschool and taking out a loan to construct the building.

The preschool opened in February, 1972, with an enrolment of 30 children.

Elizabeth Wiggs became the first director at Fox Street Preschool, a position she held for 21 years.