Margaret GrahamMBE (5 June 1889 – 25 January 1966) was an Australian kindergarten teacher and radio presenter known for voicing the radio program Kindergarten of the Air.
Students of the Kindergarten Training College in Perth, Western Australia, 1915. Margaret Graham is in the back row, first on the left.
Born to Scottish parents Maggie MacKeddie and John Graham in Ballarat, Victoria, Margaret was the fourth of six children. The family moved to Western Australia and settled in Leederville in 1893.[1] Margaret attended the Kindergarten Training College in West Perth, graduating in 1916.[1]
Kindergarten of the Airedit
In 1942 the kindergartens in Perth and Fremantle were forced to close under threat of Japanese air raids.[2] Members of the Kindergarten Union of Western Australia, led by Catherine King, proposed a daily radio program aimed at kindergarten children to Conrad Charlton, State manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission.[1][3]
The program was accepted and named Kindergarten of the Air on 19 February 1942, and a series of trials were held to find a presenter. Graham was chosen after two other kindergarten teachers had auditioned.
Her first program was broadcast live on 23 February 1942, with a pianist and two children in the studio. The program began at 9.30am and ran for 20 minutes. It was unscripted and included participation from the children present in the live audience.[1] Each session could include songs, a story, exercise routines, health instruction and hints for making toys.[4] Piano accompaniment was provided by Jean McKinlay.[1]
Influenceedit
The Western Australian Kindergarten of the Air became the model for the rest of the country, with other states following its format and style for their own programs. In 1943 the ABC centralised the program in Sydney, but the time difference between the states meant that Graham's program retained its individuality and popularity.[1]
Later life and deathedit
The popularity of the program gave Graham the chance to speak in other forums about children's education and behaviour. She spoke on Catherine King's program, the ABC Women's Session,[1] and on the Children's Book Week 'Storytime' program in 1949.[5]
In 1956, she was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).[1]
Graham continued as the sole voice of the Kindergarten of the Air until her health forced her to retire in 1960.[1] She died in 1966, after suffering a stroke, and was cremated in Mount Lawley, Western Australia.
^"Meerilinga". Heritage Perth. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
^"The Newsletter of the de Lissa Institute Association of Early Childhood Graduates Inc" (PDF). Graduates of Early Childhood Education. October 2003. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
^"Dell Discusses 'Kindergarten of the Air' ; Western Mail". Trove Digitised Newspapers. National Library of Australia. 19 November 1942. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
^"The hope of the future: The Kindergarten Union and the campaign for children's libraries in Western Australia". Issues in Educational Research. 1993. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
May 03, 2024
margaret, graham, broadcaster, margaret, graham, june, 1889, january, 1966, australian, kindergarten, teacher, radio, presenter, known, voicing, radio, program, kindergarten, students, kindergarten, training, college, perth, western, australia, 1915, margaret,. Margaret Graham MBE 5 June 1889 25 January 1966 was an Australian kindergarten teacher and radio presenter known for voicing the radio program Kindergarten of the Air Students of the Kindergarten Training College in Perth Western Australia 1915 Margaret Graham is in the back row first on the left Contents 1 Early years and education 2 Kindergarten of the Air 3 Influence 4 Later life and death 5 ReferencesEarly years and education editBorn to Scottish parents Maggie MacKeddie and John Graham in Ballarat Victoria Margaret was the fourth of six children The family moved to Western Australia and settled in Leederville in 1893 1 Margaret attended the Kindergarten Training College in West Perth graduating in 1916 1 Kindergarten of the Air editIn 1942 the kindergartens in Perth and Fremantle were forced to close under threat of Japanese air raids 2 Members of the Kindergarten Union of Western Australia led by Catherine King proposed a daily radio program aimed at kindergarten children to Conrad Charlton State manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission 1 3 The program was accepted and named Kindergarten of the Air on 19 February 1942 and a series of trials were held to find a presenter Graham was chosen after two other kindergarten teachers had auditioned Her first program was broadcast live on 23 February 1942 with a pianist and two children in the studio The program began at 9 30am and ran for 20 minutes It was unscripted and included participation from the children present in the live audience 1 Each session could include songs a story exercise routines health instruction and hints for making toys 4 Piano accompaniment was provided by Jean McKinlay 1 Influence editThe Western Australian Kindergarten of the Air became the model for the rest of the country with other states following its format and style for their own programs In 1943 the ABC centralised the program in Sydney but the time difference between the states meant that Graham s program retained its individuality and popularity 1 Later life and death editThe popularity of the program gave Graham the chance to speak in other forums about children s education and behaviour She spoke on Catherine King s program the ABC Women s Session 1 and on the Children s Book Week Storytime program in 1949 5 In 1956 she was made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire MBE 1 Graham continued as the sole voice of the Kindergarten of the Air until her health forced her to retire in 1960 1 She died in 1966 after suffering a stroke and was cremated in Mount Lawley Western Australia References edit a b c d e f g h i Graham Taylor Sue 1996 Graham Margaret 1889 1966 Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol 14 National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Retrieved 26 February 2015 Meerilinga Heritage Perth Retrieved 26 February 2015 The Newsletter of the de Lissa Institute Association of Early Childhood Graduates Inc PDF Graduates of Early Childhood Education October 2003 Retrieved 26 February 2015 Dell Discusses Kindergarten of the Air Western Mail Trove Digitised Newspapers National Library of Australia 19 November 1942 Retrieved 26 February 2015 The hope of the future The Kindergarten Union and the campaign for children s libraries in Western Australia Issues in Educational Research 1993 Retrieved 26 February 2015 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Margaret Graham broadcaster amp oldid 1203583959, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
