Historical information

The Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria commenced teacher training in 1909. A two year course was run in cooperation with the Education Department in 1910-14, but from 1917 the Union trained its students independently. In 1922 the Kindergarten Training College was established in Mooroolbeek, Kew. In 1965, the institution, as the Melbourne Kindergarten Teachers' College, became an entity separate from the Union, and in 1973 joined the State College of Victoria as the Institute of Early Childhood Development. It subsequently amalgamated with the University of Melbourne to become the Department of Early Childhood Studies and moved from Madden Grove, Kew, to 234 Queensberry St, Carlton, early in July 1997.

Significance

Plaque recognising the site of an important educational institution for teacher training.

Physical description

Bronze plaque with raised lettering commemorating the role of the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria which had opened in 1916

Inscriptions & markings

"This plaque commemorates the pioneer work of the Free Kindergarten Union of Victoria in the field of teacher education, the Union established training for kindergarten teachers in Victoria in 1916, opened the college on this site in 1922, and granted it autonomy on 1965."