The McMillan Sisters

Program was designed...

Clinics...

Work Cited...

• Feeny, M. N. (2010). Retrieved from Historical Foundations of Early Childhood Education: http://earlychildhoodhistory.weebly.com/works-cited.html
• Scotland, E. (n.a.). Retrieved from Women in History of Scots Descent: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/women/wh31.htm
• Transpontine. (2009). Retrieved from The McMillan Sistersand Rudolf Steiner in Deptford: http://transpont.blogspot.com/2009/11/mcmillan-sisters-and-rudolf-steiner-in.html

• Identify health problems before they entered into formal schooling
• Focused on education via a child's 'sense of wonder'
• Believed teachers must know what attracts children and engage their attention
• Wished to help parents learn how to interact in a positive manner with their children

• 1908:Opened the country's first school clinic in Bow
• Followed by the Deptford Clinic in 1910
• Provided dental help, surgical aid, and lessons in breathing and posture
• Established a Night Camp, where slum children could wash and wear clean nightclothes

Margaret's Works...

• 1894: Margaret became the Independent Labour Party
• 1896: Margaret wrote Child Labour and the Half Time System
• 1900: Wrote Early Childhood
• 1904: Most important book; Education Through the Imagination
• 1905: The Economic Aspects of Child Labour and Education

Together at last!

• July 1888, Rachel joined Margaret in London
• Remained together for most of the rest of their lives
• Margaret was employed as a junior superintendent in a home for young girls and found Rachel a smilar job

Purpose...

Rachel and Margaret...

• Give low-income children an education
• Education explores their imaginations and self-expression
• Develop their sensory and learn self-care skills
• Wanted to prepare them and close the educational gap between social class

• Attended socialist meetings
• Began contributing to the magazine Christian Socialist
• Gave free evening lessons to working class girls in London
• At that time, they became aware of the connection between the workers' physical environment and their intellectual development

Nursery Schools in the US

Rachel McMillan

In classroom...

• Very first nursery school in the US was opened in New York City in 1913 by Caroline Pratt
• Followed the McMillan's example
• Providing full-day-care for working families, focused on creating intellectually stimulating, child-centric environment and involving parents

• Born March 25, 1859 in New York
• Attended Inverness High School
• After mother's death in 1877-1887, nursed her sick grandmother
• 1888, joined Margaret in London
• Passed away on March 25th, 1917

• Daily schedule are generally large blocks of time when children choose their activities
• Divided by area, spaces for block construction, dramatic play, arts & crafts, sand & water tables, science, math, & language centers
• Teacher's roles; facilitate an environment that fosters learning, supports child's emotional and social development, and provides children with the tools they need to explore and experience their environment

Based in Bradford

Margaret McMillan

• Toured the industrial regions, speaking at meetings and visiting the homes of the poor
• Joined the Fabian Society
• Their worked convinced them that they should concentrate on trying to improve the physical and intellectual welfare of the slum child

• Born on July 20, 1860 in New York
• Contracted Scarlet Fever, lost hearing until age 14
• Attended Inverness High School
• After mother's death, sent away to be trained as a governess
• Passed away on March 29, 1931

In 1892...

1906...

And now today's...

• Margaret joined Dr. James Kerr, Bradford's school medical officer
• Carried out the first medical inspection of elementary school children in Britain
• Began a campaign to improve the health of children, such as; install bathrooms, improve ventilation, and supply free school meals

• Sisters led campaign for school meals
• House of Commons became convinced that hungry children cannot learn
• Led them to pass the Provision of School Meals Act

1914...

• Still reflect the basic principles of earlier nursery schools
• Role of the school is to keep the paths of exploring open so children can develop in their own ways

• Started an Open-Air Nursery School & Training Centre in Peckman
• Called it the Nursery School
• Within a few weeks, there were 30 children at the school ranging from 18 months to 7 years
• Strong beliefs on playing, learning and sleeping outside
• Demonstrate their care and concern with nurture as well as learning

The McMillan Sisters