By Thea Jarvis

The holidays are over.

Throughout the state, parents resume their daily grind, and children return, however reluctantly, to the duties of the schoolroom.

But what happens to the children when school is over and parents are still at work?

For many, the familiar white and red minibus makes its pickup at the neighborhood school, depositing the children at a nearby day care facility. There, strangers, more or less well-intentioned, take responsibility for their well-being for the next several hours.

For others, perhaps the older children, an empty house stands waiting at the end of the school day, with a T.V. for company and maybe some homework to do before dinner is begun.

The problem of caring for children while parents work to make ends meet is a double-edged sword with no easy solutions. In a no-win situation, the child is frequently caught in the middle.

It is this child whom St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Tucker reaches out to in its after-school program.

“Our pastor, Dr. Joe Sandifer, was looking for a way to use our facilities that would somehow meet a community need,” says Mildred Wilson, St. Andrew’s Director of Children’s Work who is in charge of the program.

“He became aware of elementary school children going home without anyone there to supervise them.”

What evolved from this need was an after-school alternative to day care and empty houses, using church property which, during that time slot, would otherwise go unused.

“Our program is open to first through sixth graders and includes outdoor exercise, games, art activities, and tutoring,” continues Mrs. Wilson, noting that the program is offered at a cost slightly below the going day care rate.

A typical winter’s day at St. Andrew’s finds a small but energetic group of youngsters romping in a neat, well-equipped playground complete with sandbox, swings, climbing gym, slide, and playhouse.

Marlene Warren, director of the afternoon activities, and her assistant, Mercer theology graduate Chris Hicklin, place themselves squarely in the middle of their young charges, enjoying the play with the children.

Following their time outdoors, which has been preceded by a nutritious snack, the children follow Marlene and Chris inside for some blind-man’s bluff, quiet table games, reading, and art in bright, spacious surroundings – two oversized classrooms that offer a ready welcome to the children.

Mrs. Warren, who holds a masters degree in early childhood education, has designed the program with a focus on older children. It is this age group which is frequently neglected in the day care system.

“Traditional day care puts all ages together and tends to generalize them as ‘children’” observes Marlene. “Here, we are able to give our attention to the older child, from six to twelve years. We don’t have to concentrate on infants and toddlers.”

“When the children first started coming,” she continues, “they asked if they could watch T.V. – that is what they usually did in their day care programs when they weren’t playing with the nursery level toys. They haven’t asked for its since.”

It is easy to see why.

Rodney, a first grader, is too busy playing chess with the set he received for Hanukkah. Mark, the backgammon champion of the group, is very concerned with keeping his title. Sisters Nina and Sonya are deep in a game of “Marco Polo.” And Tracy has developed a consuming interest in “bird seed,” a wonderful blend of M&M’s, peanuts, and raisins frequently offered as an afternoon treat.

For the future, St. Andrew’s hopes to increase its after-school enrollment, running the program through the nine month school year and observing county holidays.

For the present, the church sustains its pioneer status in the area of day care alternatives, winning some young hearts along the way.