Hoosier Courts Nursery School to celebrate 60th anniversary

Hoosier Courts Nursery School opened its doors in Bloomington in 1948 to accommodate the families of World War II veterans. Sixty years later, it has a reputation of raising successful 3- to 5-year-old children by embedding life skills in kids through play.

Hoosier Courts alumni, parents and staff will attend the 60th anniversary celebration Saturday.

Mayor Mark Kruzan will read a proclamation recognizing Hoosier Courts’ years of service to the community, and IU President Michael McRobbie is writing a congratulatory letter, also to be read at the celebration.

The school, now located at 1150 N. Union Court, opened after World War II when veterans were provided the opportunity to attend college for free. This resulted in an influx of non-traditional students at many universities, including IU.

Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., attended the school.

Hoosier Courts Director Carol E. Spencer said families quickly became familiar with one another and had an idea to open a nursery school. 

IU president Herman B Wells granted permission to a parent group to open the nursery school and provided them with an old, abandoned barn on University property to serve as the location of the school.

“It really began as a grassroots thing,” Spencer said.

Hoosier Courts parent Sarah Pearce said she spent many hours planning the 60th anniversary celebration because she hopes to recapture the passion for progressive education. Pearce said the idea for the school originated during the feminist movement. Combining childcare with learning was innovative for its time.

Hoosier Courts still has a commitment to working with parents with the goal of forming a mutual trust between parents and teachers, Spencer said. 

“The partnership between parents and professionals adds to the richness of our program,” Spencer said. “We benefit from having more people involved.”

Parents do more than help with advisory boards and volunteer in the classroom. They also assist with classroom chores and special projects, such as performing their musical talents for the children and translating intake material.

Pearce said it’s inspiring to be at the school. She takes note of the teachers’ interactions with the children and said she even learns with them. Pearce enjoys how every parent’s influence is present in the classroom.

“It’s a totally exciting experience,” she said. 

But Hoosier Courts isn’t just for Indiana natives. International families also bring their children to the school, and they quickly learn English. Hoosier Courts has a rich international background and works with children to break the language and cultural barriers. Jitka Horne began working at Hoosier Courts in 1990 after coming to America from the Czech Republic. She said she appreciates the exposure children get to the various cultures represented at the nursery school. 

“Children being exposed to different countries, the mingling of children and parents all learning in one place is ... marvelous,” Horne said.

Spencer said Hoosier Courts emphasizes that children learn best through experiencing their environment. The school hopes to instill a lifelong love of learning, problem solving and creative thinking in children to provide them with the skills they need for a successful life.