An informal babysitting rotation evolved into a popular church operation that kept the warmth and added kindergarten readiness lessons.
By JEAN JOHNSON
Published October 4, 2003
SPRING HILL - Back in 1971, when Spring Hill lacked many of the services modern families take for granted, a group of mothers decided they could offer one thing to make their lives more pleasant: babysitting.
"Day care was unheard of in Spring Hill and you couldn't take a job without finding a grandma or grandpa to watch your kids. It was in a different day and a different life," said Roz Bennett, who moved with her husband, the Rev. Ernest Bennett, from Naples to Spring Hill when he became the pastor of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on Sept. 1, 1971.
"We decided that our kids needed companionship and started a play group each Wednesday morning," said the 58-year-old mother of two grown sons. "With four of us, that meant that each of us had to (babysit) one week and have the other three weeks off."
The play group formed by Bennett and her three friends grew to become Spring Hill's first preschool/day care center, which celebrated its 30th anniversary recently.
Gradually, through word of mouth, other mothers joined the group, which soon became too large to continue in each other's homes. They moved the group to the church.
They began meeting two days a week and then four days a week. They hired a teacher, began charging a fee and "we were free all week," said Roz Bennett. "That's how it started."
Bennett remembers that around 1974 or 1975, the group decided to incorporate a little more than babysitting and began looking into education programs to give the kids an academic base.
"Even though we weren't a grade school, we were giving them a great foundation for going into kindergarten," she said.
Geri Anderson, who with her husband and daughter moved to Spring Hill from Ossining, N.Y., in September 1979, was hired as the school's director and teacher 21 years ago after her predecessor resigned. Back then, the school had 25 4-year-olds who met four days a week.
Around 1990, the school went to five days a week and added 3-year-olds; in 1997, day care and 2-year-olds were added. Currently, 35 preschoolers and eight day care students attend the school under the tutelage of three teachers and three assistants. The largest group and the longest waiting list consist of the 2-year-olds.
In addition to Anderson, Mary Seaman has her director credentials. Seaman, a Lindenhurst, N.Y., transplant, is the assistant director and teacher of the 3-year-olds. She has been with the center for 13 years.
Ruth McHollan, 84, taught at the preschool from 1977 to 1989 "because I loved being with children. I stayed 12 wonderful years."
McHollan said she left only because when she reached the age of 70 she thought it was time to leave.
"And Geri worked out so beautifully, evolving from just playing with the children to being an able director," she said. "The school is very well run."
Second generations are not unheard of at the St. Andrew's preschool. Sandra Gigante's son, Scott McLaren, was a student in 1983 and 1984. Scott's son, Jordan McLaren, who is being raised by Gigante, now attends the preschool.
Gigante said she had just moved to Spring Hill from Chicago in 1983, and was looking for a Christian day school. "I was lonely and wanted to meet new people and did," she said.
"Spirituality is important to me and my husband," Gigante said. "One hour a week (in church) is not enough. (At the preschool) they have structure and discipline, but it is dealt with kindness and Christian love, like at home.
Her grandson "thrives there. I feel like the teachers know each child and are responsive to each of the children's needs. Jordan is doing beautiful there. It takes special people to deal with small people."
Jennifer Foyt's son, Shane, is one of those small people. Shane, who will be 5 in February, has been at the preschool since he was 2. After moving from Clearwater to Hudson and getting a job in Spring Hill, Foyt began looking for a day care.
"I looked at about five and drove by at least 10 more," Foyt said. "When I walked into St. Andrew's and spoke to Geri, (I knew) I would put my son there.
"The rooms were so colorful and it was for and about the kids," Foyt said. She said although Shane had attended a church-operated day school in Fort Lauderdale, it didn't offer studies of Bible verses or prayers, which St. Andrew's does.
How important is it for Shane to attend a Christian preschool?
"It is pretty important to me because they learn to pray and take time to talk about Jesus," Foyt said. "It's such a big help to the parent at such a young age, particularly working parents."
Foyt said when Shane comes home he's always eager to tell his mother about his accomplishments that day.
"He tells me about his snacks and saying the Pledge of Allegiance and Bible lessons. It's a wonderful, wonderful school."
Foyt is expecting her second child and is looking forward to enrolling him or her at St. Andrew's.
"Parents like our small, home-town atmosphere, with a caring, friendly staff and also the fact that the campus is so beautiful and off the road," said Anderson, the director. "They also like that the staff has been here a while, our Christian teachings and emphasis on good character building and proper manners. These are all things that parents like, along with kindergarten preparation."
To learn more
For information about St. Andrew's preschool and day care, call 683-2010.
