Using an assemblage of data sources, including personal letter, archival records, photographs and newspaper clippings, we describe the beginnings of Happy Hours Kindergarten (HHK) in Calgary in 1955 from a fledgling basement program through its evolution over the following decade. Four broad themes emerge from these data that provide insights into how Frances Roessingh, manager of HHK, was able to use her position to influence policy on where early childhood education should be situation, supervised/administered and funded. At the time, providing for kindergarten was highly contested and continued to be over the following decades. In 1975, HHK transitioned to the Calgary Board of Education, and Frances and her Colleague Marg Huston, retired. The goal of this paper is to add a chapter that is missing to the historical records of early childhood education in Alberta.
Roessingh et al. (Thu,) studied this question.