100 kindy candles

Many children have enjoyed their time at Freemans Bay kindy, which will soon celebrate its centenary, reports Joanna Davies.
It's free time at Freemans Bay Kindergarten. The crayons and felt pens are out on tables and toys are dragged around the floor. For the 30 children running around it's just another day at kindy.
The walls here are usually covered with bright pictures, but they've been taken down so painting can be finished during the school break.
The kids don't seem to mind. Their biggest concern is that it's still raining and they can't go out to play on the jungle gym.
Freemans Bay Kindergarten is Auckland's oldest and, when the children come back after their holidays, they will celebrate the centre's 100-year anniversary.
Tess Mitchell, whose 3-year-old daughter, Sian, is choosing a book to read, remembers coming to the centre herself in the 1970s.
"I remember that my teacher was called Mrs Hanik, and she had been teaching here forever," says Ms Mitchell. "She was quite strict, but my Mum says I thrived on having a bit of order at kindy because our household was quite liberal.
"We used to play with toy hammers and I remember banging my finger with one and I had to have it bandaged. And there used to be a big playhouse that the teachers couldn't easily get into."
Ms Mitchell says her older brother remembers getting free milk every day.
"That stopped before I came to kindy, though."
The kindy opened as the Logan Campbell Free Kindergarten, in October 1910 in Victoria Park.
The centre was moved in the 1950s to its present site in Tahuna St and the name changed to avoid confusion.
Head teacher Sali Jones wants to invite former students, teachers and parents to an afternoon tea in November to celebrate the anniversary. "When it was established, it was to serve the poor children of Auckland and to give them a safe place to go, away from overcrowded homes," she says.
"We're a bit different now, but we do still rely on donations to keep the centre going."
Auckland Kindergarten Association general manager Tanya Harvey says the centenary is a milestone that must be celebrated.
"We are really pleased that our very first kindergarten, originally named Logan Campbell Kindergarten, is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. We welcome past and present teachers, children, families and community members along to the celebrations."
An afternoon tea will be held on November 1. For more information, email: freemansbay@aka.org.nz
Free kindy
Auckland's first kindergarten building has been deteriorating under Victoria Park's motorway flyover for 20 years.
But the  Transport Agency is upgrading the historic building as part of its Victoria Park Tunnel project. Once the building is restored in 2012, part of it will house communications equipment for the tunnel and the rest will be available for public use.