This year marks the Village Nursery School’s 60th anniversary as an educational organization that nurtures a love of learning for children ages two through six. Started by members of the Couples Club of the Harvard Unitarian Church in 1953, the Village Nursery School (VNS) began with 16 students as a nonsectarian preschool in rooms of the old Unitarian Church. When Dr. Abigail Eliot joined the board of advisors in 1955, she established the guiding educational policies. Dr. Eliot was a nationally known pioneer in early childhood education and the founder and director of the Eliot-Pearson School of Nursery Education at Tufts University.
As the school grew, it moved first to the Finkelpearl house in Shaker Village, then to the Fellowship Building of the Unitarian Church, and next to what is now the Hildreth Elementary School. Finally, in 1996, the school raised funds to build its own building on Poor Farm Road. The school continues to evolve, expanding the school grounds in the last year to include a ball field for more outdoor activities and to allow use of adjacent conservation trails for lessons on nature, wildlife, and ecosystems. The school has also added new programs, including toddler, extended day, and after-school science and art programs.
The school’s new director, Erin Keiran, was once a student at VNS, taught at the school for nearly 20 years, and is now leading the school into the future. VNS, at age 60, is one of the oldest continuously operating schools in the area and has educated thousands of students.
To celebrate its anniversary, VNS will hold a gala on Saturday, Nov. 2, from 6 to 11 p.m. at Shaker Hills Country Club, 146 Shaker Road.. The Gala will be an evening of heralding the school’s milestones and enjoying cocktails and dinner with friends while raising funds to support the plans and mission of the school. A variety of auction items will be available. Tickets are $50 and are available at www.villagenurseryschool.org or 978-456-3993.
