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Contents

Preface ix
About the Authors xiii
Acknowledgments xiv

Part I Administration 1

CHAPTER 1 The Director: A Broad View 3


A Brief History of Child Care in the United States 5
Child Care Today 5
Program Administration 6
The Director as Leader 7
The Director as Manager 10
The Director-Manager as Delegator 14
The Director-Manager as Organizer 16
The Director-Manager as Planner 17
The Director-Manager as Communicator 18
Ethical Management Practices 21
Professional Development 23
Evaluating Director Competencies 24
The Director’s Relation to Boards of Directors 28

CHAPTER 2 Diversity and Early Education 34


The Changing Face of America 35
The Need for Culturally Aligned Services 36
Pathways to Cultural Competence 37
Why Is It Important to Preserve Diversity? 39
Becoming a Culturally Competent Organization 40
The Administrator’s Role 40
A Guide for Administrators 42
Clarifying Your Vision and Mission 43
Classrooms That Respect Diversity 44
Managing Conflict 45

CHAPTER 3 Choices: Schools and Programs 52


Child Care Today 53
Types of Programs—Characteristics 54
Military-Based Child Care 63
Inclusive Programs: Including Children with Diverse Abilities 66
School Age Care 66
Foster Care 67
Infant-Care Programs 68

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
vi Contents

Part II Planning: Program and Environment 73

CHAPTER 4 Administering Program Plans 75


Program Planning 76
Goals 78
Curriculum 83
Assessment 88
Policies and Procedures 93

CHAPTER 5 Planning: Infants and Toddlers 100


Brain Research 101
Infant-Toddler Development 102
Characteristics of a Developmentally Appropriate Infant-Toddler Program 105
Responding to Families in Culturally Sensitive Ways 113
Program: Infant and Toddler Activities 115
Space: Infant-Toddler Environment 116
Specific Areas 118
Adaptations for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs 124

CHAPTER 6 Planning: Preschool-Age Children 129


Preschool Development 130
Characteristics of a Developmentally Appropriate Program 134
Supporting a Developmentally Appropriate Program 139
Program Space 147
Diversity in the Program 151
Planning Program Spaces by Area 153
Outdoor Areas 159
Adaptations for Children with Special Needs 161

CHAPTER 7 Planning: School-Age Children 166


School-Age Programs 167
School-Age Children 168
Characteristics of a Developmentally Appropriate Program 172
Supporting Developmentally Appropriate Programs 174
Space 178
Planning Space for Specific Areas 180
Outdoor Environment 185

CHAPTER 8 Family Child Care 190


Family Child Care: An Overview 192
Regulation of Family Child Care 194
The Choice of Family Child Care 195
Provider Characteristics 197
The Family Child Care Provider as Administrator 198
The Future of Family Child Care 201

Part III Staff Administration 209

CHAPTER 9 Staff Selection/Personnel Policies 211


Staff Turnover 212
Staff Selection 212
Staff Recruitment 216

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Contents vii

Application Information 218


Selection Process 219
Evaluating 224
Personnel Practices 226
Personnel Records 235
Classroom Substitute Personnel 237

CHAPTER 10 Staff Supervision and Training 241


Director as Supervisor 242
Evaluation of Staff Performance 243
Professional Development 248
Planning Effective Meetings 253
Burnout 256
Staff Turnover and Retention 258

PART IV Management 265

CHAPTER 11 Budget 267


The Budget 268
Development of the Budget 268
Expenses — Personnel 273
Expenses — Variable 273
Fixed Expenses 274
Income 275
Summary of Budget Cycle 277
Budget Analysis 278
Keeping Budget Records 279
Other Sources of Income 280

CHAPTER 12 Nutrition, Health, and Safety for the Program 288


Nutrition 289
Cooking Experiences for Children 295
Food Purchasing 297
Food Preparation 298
Food Safety 298
Food Service for Children 299
Physical Activity 300
Health 300
Safety 309

CHAPTER 13 Beginnings: A New Program/A New Year 321


A Business Plan 322
Location 322
Finances 328
Staff Selection 333
Working Checklist 334
Planning for Opening Day 334
Enrollment 336
Parents 341
The New School Year 344
Retaining Families 348

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
viii Contents

Part V Beyond the School Itself 353

CHAPTER 14 Including Families and the Community 355


Changing Roles of Families 356
Parent Involvement 356
Community Involvement 363
Parent Education 364
The School and the Community 371

CHAPTER 15 Maintaining the Quality of Child Care 381


Upgrading the Quality of Programs 382
Child Abuse 387
Laws and Issues Pertaining to Child Care Settings 393
Directors as “Gatekeepers to Quality” 395
Leading with a Vision 396

APPENDIX A  AEYC’s Code of Ethical Conduct: Guidelines for Responsible Behavior in Early
N
Childhood Education 401

APPENDIX B Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving
Children from Birth through Age 8 408

Glossary 429
Index 433

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Preface

Rationale
Administration of Programs for Young Children was first published in 1976, when interest
in the education of very young children was just beginning. Today the importance of those
early years is well established, and there is universal recognition that quality programs
must have well-trained and knowledgeable teachers, as well as leaders or directors who can
meet the challenges of operating these programs. Each year, new research offers additional
insight into the needs of young children. The job of an administrator is so multifaceted that
it is imperative that every leader be well versed in the latest information. Therefore, the
availability of courses and up-to-date training materials is essential. This book can serve
that purpose. The text is appropriate for a course at a 2-year college, a 4-year university,
or at the graduate level. It can also be a source for working directors, planners of training
programs, or people who want to start a child care program.

Organization
The organization of this edition reflects a logical progression of information needed by a
director. It is divided into five sections with chapters containing relevant information.
Part I—Administration, includes the general responsibilities of a director and
­discusses the different kinds of settings. Chapter 1 emphasizes the importance of creating
a democratic or collegial environment for staff members. Chapter 2 is new to this edition
and explains the importance of incorporating diversity into an early education program.
Chapter 3 discusses the different kinds of programs and how the responsibilities of the job
of administrator change according to the needs and scope of each program type.
Part II—Planning: Program and Environment, details the process for establishing,
organizing and designing a specific, well thought-out child care program. Chapter 4 dis-
cusses how to plan and organize a curriculum by setting creating a vision and mission and
then setting goals to achieve the desired results. The reader is taken through the steps that
lead to the development of goals, and then shown how to take action to provide excellent
curriculum. Chapters 5 to 7 document planning for three age levels: infants and toddlers,
preschool children, and school-age children. Each highlights developmental milestones
and then discusses how to plan a developmentally appropriate programs and curriculum
with emphasis on domain-specific activities. In each chapter, examples of program stan-
dards are discussed (e.g. health, safety, developmentally appropriate practice etc), along
with specific guidelines and suggestions for activities and areas to include in both the
­indoor and outdoor environment. This enables the reader to get a complete picture of how
to plan for each age level. Chapter 8 discusses family child care and describes the adminis-
trative details for this unique family setting.
Part III—Staff Administration, covers hiring staff and developing personnel ­policies
that encourage staff retention. Chapter 9, Staff Selection/Personnel Policies, takes the
­director through the process of determining staff qualifications, recruiting, and selecting.
There are also sections on developing personnel policies, preventing staff turnover, and
writing a personnel manual. Chapter 9 also has a section on managing substitute person-
nel. Chapter 10, Staff Supervision and Training, suggests effective methods of supervising
and evaluating staff, as well as planning for staff development and training activities.

ix

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x Preface

Part IV—Management, includes the tasks that are needed to successfully ­operate a
program. Chapter 11 details the process of putting together a budget, which includes a
break-even budget, and operating a program using effective business practices. The new
Chapter 12 discusses how to maintain a safe environment, ensure the health of ­children,
and operate a good nutritional food program that is also economically feasible and
­sensitive to cultural differences. Chapter 13, Beginnings: A New Program/A New Year,
­discusses the processes that are needed to start a new program or begin a school year after
a summer break.
Part V—Beyond the School Itself, takes the reader outside the facility to consider
external influences. Chapter 14, Including Families and the Community, considers the role
of families in early childhood education and how the surrounding community can impact
the program. The final chapter, Maintaining the Quality of Child Care, addresses the issues
of how to determine quality, how to measure it, and how to maintain it. This chapter also
contains a discussion of the laws and issues that pertain to personnel and families, as well
as a discussion of liability insurance coverage.
Appendix A contains the complete National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct.
Appendix B contains the complete NAEYC position paper on technology and
interactive media in early childhood programs.
This new edition of the text addresses requests by reviewers for the most current
­information and responds to their concerns and requirements. However, these updates
may not always meet the needs of each group of students or individual instructors. That
said, each chapter has been written to allow instructors to change the order in which the
chapters are presented to best align with their course objectives.

Features
An important new feature of this edition is the placement of the NAEYC icon within each
chapter to indicate where the text addresses specific NAEYC Standards for ­Professional
Development. The Standards covered in each chapter are listed on the chapter opening
page, along with the chapter objectives and key terms.
Another new feature in this edition is the inclusion of TeachSource Videos. This award-
winning video series captures in-the-classroom footage of early childhood ­programs, care-
givers, teachers, and children. Each chapter features one to two video call-out boxes with
questions for readers to think about as they watch the videos. Questions can be assigned
or merely used to focus readers’ attention on specific topics. Videos can be viewed on the
Education CourseMate at CengageBrain.com.
New Digital Downloads also have been added throughout the book. The reader will
find Digital Download icons next to Figures that show samples of forms used in ­program
administration. These forms can be downloaded from the Education CourseMate at
­CengageBrain.com, adapted, and used by students and instructors as a practical tool in
early childhood programs.
A final new feature, “Did You Get It?” quizzes, can now be found at the end of ­every ­major
section of the chapters. These questions will spur readers to check their ­understanding of what
they just read and encourage them to visit the Education ­CourseMate at CengageBrain.com
to take the full quiz.
The instructors will still find the vignettes “A day in the life of . . .” in this edition.
These snapshots of a director’s activities give the student an opportunity to glimpse what it
is like to be a program leader. They sometimes provide a bit of humor to spark interest in
the content as examples of “real life”—not to suggest appropriate practices.
Each chapter ends with a Case Study and Helpful Websites. The case study poses
­questions that foster critical thinking; the websites provide access to additional informa-
tion if the student chooses to pursue it.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Preface xi

Internet Disclaimer
The authors and Cengage Learning affirm that the website URLs referenced herein were
accurate at the time of printing. However, due to the fluid nature of the Internet, we cannot
guarantee their accuracy for the life of this edition.

New to This Edition


This edition reflects the changes that are taking place in early childhood education. The
following topics have either been expanded or added to this edition.
• Emphasis on the leadership role of the administrator.
• More attention to the professional development of a program administrator.
• Focus on standards, including NAEYC Professional Development Standards in
e­ very chapter.
• Up-to-date references throughout the text.
• Focus on program and quality improvement, including the Program Administrator
Scales.
• Increased information on planning that includes mission and vision statements, as
well as goals.
• A brand new Chapter 2 on diversity within the early childhood program.
• More extensive information on curriculum delivery systems.
• Greater emphasis on developmentally appropriate activities.
• Focus on technology and interactive media.
• Health, safety, and nutritional information combined in one concise chapter.
• Updated “Selected Further Reading” at the end of each chapter.
• Detailed information on the newest trends within early child care and education.
• Updated information on marketing your program.

Resources for Students


Education CourseMate
Education CourseMate brings course concepts to life with interactive learning, study, and
exam preparation tools that support the printed textbook. CourseMate includes an inte-
grated eBook, Did You Get It? quizzes, flashcards, videos, and more. Visit CengageBrain.com
for access.

TeachSource Video Cases


The TeachSource Video Cases feature footage from the classroom to help students relate
key chapter content to real-life scenarios. Critical-thinking questions, artifacts, and bonus
video help the student reflect on the content in the video.

Resources for Instructors


Online Instructor’s Manual with Test Bank
An online Instructor’s Manual accompanies this book. It contains information to assist the
instructor in designing the course, including sample syllabi, discussion questions, ­teaching

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
xii Preface

and learning activities, field experiences, learning objectives, and additional ­online
­resources. For assessment support, the updated test bank includes true/false, multiple-
choice, matching, short-answer, and essay questions for each chapter.

PowerLecture with ExamView


This one-stop digital library and presentation tool includes preassembled Microsoft®
­PowerPoint® lecture slides. In addition to the full Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank,
­PowerLecture also includes ExamView® testing software with all the test items from the
printed Test Bank in electronic format, enabling instructors to create customized tests in
print or online, with all of your media resources in one place, including an image library
with graphics from the textbook itself and TeachSource Videos.

How to Use This Text


The sequence of chapters provides the student with a logical progression of topics that have
been field-tested by many instructors using the text. The order can be adopted as is or
changed to suit the needs of a particular setting. Review questions and activities at the end
of each chapter also make it applicable to a self-study plan by individual readers.
A significant resource for students is the list of websites at the end of each chapter.
Many students have computers and are comfortable searching for information on the
­Internet. The instructor can assign topics or pose questions to be answered by logging on
to one of the sites. Additionally, the premium website provides the instructor with ways to
enhance students’ learning. Downloadable forms can be used as worksheets for in-class
discussions or reproduced as transparencies to accompany lectures. The case studies are
a rich source for augmenting learning. Students can read and discuss the cases online or
in groups during class time. The author has posed questions at the end of each case and
­welcomes the instructor to pose additional ones.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
About the Authors

Phyllis Click obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of
­California at Berkeley in psychology and child development. Throughout a long career, she
worked in various settings with both children and adults. She taught in preschools, worked
in summer camps, and developed and taught in a program for autistic children. She then
began working with adults, teaching college students, administering grant programs, and
designing a curriculum for a private college for prospective teachers.
Upon retirement, she served as a consultant, helping others start or administer
­programs, and published widely. Her publications included another textbook, articles in
­professional journals, and ancillary materials for other authors’ texts.

Kimberly Karkos was awarded a bachelor’s degree in child development and family rela-
tions from the University of Connecticut and a master’s degree in early childhood educa-
tion from the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut. She received a
Director’s Administrative Credential from the National Institute of Childcare Management
in 2004. She has been an administrator for various early childhood programs, a consultant,
and a child development specialist for over 40 years. Ms. Karkos is a professor of Child
Development at Ventura College in Ventura, California and the University of LaVerne. She
belongs to the National Association for the Education of Young Children, is a member
of the ­Ventura County Child Care Planning Council, and serves on several other advi-
sory boards. In 2013, she was awarded a Community College Early Childhood Education
­Fellowship from the Simms/Mann Institute for Education and Community Development.

Cathie Robertson, who extensively revised information in Chapters 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, and


12, received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from San Diego State University and did
much of her undergraduate work at California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo.
She is a professor of Child Development and Family Studies at Grossmont College near
San Diego, California. A number of her students are directors so she is very familiar with
the issues they face. She has taught child development and childhood nutrition courses
for more than 25 years and is now semi-retired and teaches mainly online. Ms. Robertson
has made numerous national, state, and local professional presentations and has been the
recipient of a number of grants. She is a long-time member of the National Association
for the Education of Young Children. Ms. Robertson volunteers regularly in several early
elementary classes to keep current. She is married, the mother of three adult children and
one elementary school-age child, and a grandmother to eight.

xiii

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Acknowledgments

Our thanks to those who generously gave of their time to make this edition of Administra-
tion of Programs for Young Children an effective tool for both new and experienced admin-
istrators. Our special thanks to Mark D. Kerr, Acquisitions Editor, and Caitlin Cox and
Linda Stewart, Developmental Editors. We want to express our appreciation for the other
Cengage Learning staff members who carried the project from one step to another until
the final pages were put together.
A special thanks to the reviewers who took the time to read the previous edition and
offer excellent suggestions for changes and additions to this edition:
Teresa Clark Cedarville University
Debra Dyer Keuka College
Deb Farrer California University of Pennsylvania
Colleen Fawcett Palm Beach State College
Jamie Harmount Ohio University
Barbara June Baker College
Karri Kerns Iowa State University – Child Development ­
Laboratory School
Maureen O’Neil Tallahassee Community College
Dianne Russom College of the Desert
Barbara Tamialis Saddleback College
Kresha Warnock Ball State University

xiv

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Nenov Brothers Images/Shutterstock.com
Part 1

Administration

CHAPTER 1 The Director: A Broad View

CHAPTER 2 Diversity and Early Education

CHAPTER 3 Choices: Schools and Programs

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
C h apte r

1
© Cengage Learning

Objectives
After reading this chapter, you should
be able to:
• State the responsibilities of a
director.
• Describe management styles
and methods.
• Describe leadership qualities.
• Identify ways a director allocates

The Director: •
school resources.
Discuss the role of a director as a

A Broad View
communicator.
• Devise and use a self-evaluation
tool.
• Discuss the relationship of a
­director to a board of trustees.
A Day in the Life of . . .
A Director of a For-Profit Center Standards
The following NAEYC Standards
6:30 a.m. Arrive to open center. One parent waiting; the first teacher is late. The phone for Early Childhood Professional ­
Preparation Programs are
is ringing: it’s a sick teacher. Child and I go to classroom to set out a few materials. ­addressed in this chapter:
­Finally a teacher arrives. Standard 1: Promoting Child
­Development and Learning (1a)
6:45 a.m. I go to my office: there are notes from my assistant on my desk. They concern
Standard 2: Building Family and
a request from Michelle (an assistant teacher) to leave early; an upset mother; two
Community Relationships (2 a, b)
requested tours with prospective families; and that it is time to order rubber gloves,
Standard 4: Using Develop-
paper towels, and tissues. The parents are arriving and the phone continues to ring, mentally Effective Approaches
heralding further changes in attendance. I take out my daily schedule to make the to Connect with Children and
changes, then call a substitute teacher from our list. She will come, but cannot get ­Families (4a, b, d)
there for an hour and a half. No substitute assistant teacher, so Michelle cannot leave Standard 6: Becoming a
­Professional (6a, b, c, e)
early. Maybe I’ll be able to figure it out later.

7:00 a.m. Jordan’s mom comes into the office and without closing the door ­demands
to talk to me. “I thought you had a policy that you won’t release a child to anyone other
than who is listed on the enrollment form by the parents!” Yesterday, her daughter

K e y T er m s

ethics morality
leadership nonverbal messages
management values

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4 Part I Administration

was released to her uncle. Even though he was known to the staff, he should not have
been allowed to pick her up. “I expect that you are going to look into this and give me a full
report. And I just want you to know how upset I am!”
I apologize and assure her that I will investigate it and that this incident does not ­reflect
our policy. I tell her I will give her a report by the end of the day.

7:30 a.m. I am in the toddler room welcoming parents and explaining why I am there. I
tell them that the regular teacher is sick and reassure them that a substitute teacher is on
her way. I spend 45 minutes in the room helping the children separate from their parents.
The phone continues to ring. I answer from the classroom. Three more children have been
called in as sick.
The cook enters the room to tell me that the milk expired yesterday and that there is
no pancake mix for the morning snack. She stays in the room while I get petty cash so she
can go to the store for more. I have to remember to tell the teachers that the snack will be
about 20 minutes late.

8:20 a.m. The substitute has arrived. I walk through the classrooms to see if everything is fine.
I count the children to check that the teacher/child ratio is correct. A parent comes in and
hands me her tuition check. She waits for a receipt and requests a conference with her child’s
teacher. She wants me to attend the conference because the teacher intimidates her.

8:40 a.m. I finally get to my desk. A staff member comes to request a day off the ­following
week. I talk to a prospective parent for 10 minutes and schedule a tour for this afternoon
at 2:00.

9:00 a.m. My administrative assistant arrives. We talk briefly about what needs to get done
today and what transpired with Jordan yesterday afternoon. She takes messages off the
answering machine. By now there is an extra teacher, a floater, in one room.
I begin to work on the payroll report, the cash flow report, and the payment status log.
This usually takes one hour if there are no interruptions. I almost finish, but my tour arrives
10 minutes early. We tour the building and then sit in the office.

10:30 a.m. The tour leaves and I return to my paperwork. I meet with the staff that let
Jordan go yesterday with her uncle. I reiterate our policy and ensure that they understand
their error and responsibility.

11:00 a.m. The phone rings with another inquiry from a prospective parent. I take her
phone number and promise to call back.

12:00 p.m. I leave the building to make a bank deposit and to purchase tomorrow’s supplies. I
return to the center, have some leftovers from lunch, and review the daily ­schedule to decide
if I can let Michelle leave early. I shift an extra teacher to Michelle’s room. She’s very happy.

1:00 p.m. I begin tomorrow’s schedule and look at today’s to-do list. I call the upset ­parent
and give her a full report. I write a thank you note to the parents who participated in last
week’s fundraiser, ask my assistant to send reminders to 10 parents to pay tuition, and
call back the prospective parent who wants to tour the school. I begin work on a grant
­application that is due next week.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Chapter 1 The Director: A Broad View  5

2:00 p.m. My tour arrives and we spend about 20 minutes together. I give my assistant a list
of three things to do that I did not get done today. I make a new list for tomorrow.

3:00 p.m. I begin the agenda for Friday’s staff in-service. My doctor’s office calls to inform me
that I missed my ­appointment this morning and will be charged.
I look at the clock and realize I am going to be late for a Child Care Planning Council
meeting. I run out of the building and tell my assistant to call my cell phone if there are any
emergencies.
 Karen, Director of Kiddie Academy

A Brief History of Child Care in the United States


Throughout history, families have often relied on others to care for their children. The
beginning of the daycare movement originated with the welfare and reform movements
of the 19th century. It was founded to alleviate the child care problems of working par-
ents and to prevent children from wandering the streets. “Daycare grew out of a welfare
­movement to care for immigrant and working class children while their impoverished
mothers worked” (Boschee & Jacobs, 2006). Today’s daycare centers evolved from these
day nurseries, which began in Boston settlement houses in the 1840s. The nurseries cared
for children of economically deprived wives, widows, and immigrants. Child care in the
United States has evolved. During the Great Depression, the federal government spon-
sored daycare to employ adults who were out of work. During World War II, the fed-
eral government sponsored daycare for 400,000 preschool children so that their mothers
could work in industries producing war materials. After the war, the government removed
all support for daycare and encouraged women to stay home and care for their children.
Many women, however, rejected that advice and, consequently, the ranks of working
women have been steadily increasing since World War II (Boschee & Jacobs, 2006).

Did You Get It?


While touring a daycare center, a parent comments to the director,
“What a lovely and well-run center! It seems far removed from the
first American daycare centers, which were a function of the welfare
movement.” This statement about the beginnings of the daycare
movement
a. is accurate.
b. is inaccurate.
c. is true regarding only centers located in big cities, not in rural towns.
d. is true regarding only centers located in rural towns, not in big cities.
Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

Child Care Today


The dramatic increase in the labor force participation of mothers has been the
most ­important factor affecting the demand for child care in the last 40 years. Cur-
rently, in a ­majority of American families with children, including those with tod-
dlers, the mother works (Glynn, 2012). According to the Employment Characteristics of
Families 2011, 69 percent of married women with children and 75 percent of single women
with children are in the workforce (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012). Approximately
9 to 11 ­million children are in some form of organized daycare while their mothers work (U.S.
Census Bureau, 2011; Child Care Aware, 2012). More than one-third of ­children of working
mothers and one-quarter of children whose mothers do not work are in some type of daycare
arrangement (Glynn, 2012; Child Care Aware 2012). The U.S. ­Department of Labor believes

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
6 Part I Administration

that the need for programs that serve young children and their families will remain on the rise
and the need for daycare providers and teachers will increase at a rapid rate in the near future.
Similarly, an increasingly significant trend affecting the demand for child care is the
proportion of mothers who are the sole or primary financial supporters of their ­children.
Additionally, child care has been a significant issue in debates about moving welfare
­recipients toward employment and self-sufficiency; mothers on welfare may have difficulty
entering the labor force because of child care problems. Finally, the impact of child care on
children is the subject of ongoing discussions about whether low-income children benefit
from participation in programs with a focus on early childhood development.
As women’s labor force participation has grown over the past several decades, ­concerns
about the quality of child care have increased. The relationship between quality of child
care and children’s development is of increasing interest to parents, researchers, and policy­
makers. A growing body of research now examines the factors that correspond to quality
child care, measurements of those factors, and their short- and long-term effects on children.
Knowing that the quality of early care and education that young children receive lays the
building blocks for future success in school motivates child care programs and ­daycare pro-
viders to meet higher standards. Thus, organizations such as the National ­Association for the
Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National Child Care ­Association (NCCA), the
National After school Association (NAA), and the National ­Association for Family Child Care
(NAFCC) promote professional development, accreditation, and other quality care initiatives.
Standards are an important part of today’s child care and early ­elementary education envi-
ronments. The NAEYC has set standards for professional development and competencies for
Program Administrators; and the NAA has set standards for quality environments for ­After
school care. A fairly new quality assessment rating system for administrators is now found in
the Program Administration Scale (2011) from the McCormick Center for Early Childhood
Leadership at http://cecl.nl.edu/evaluation/resources/PAS_StandardsandCriteria.pdf. There
are also other quality assurance tracking systems—such as the Early Childhood Education
Rating Systems (ECERS) and School Age Care Education Rating Systems ­(SACERS)—that
are in place to assess quality in programs. These will be covered in other chapters.

Did You Get It?


Jamie, a mother of a 4-year-old and a one-year-old, works 30 hours a
week. Statistically, her work and parenting status places her
a. in the majority.
b. in the minority.
c. In the minority, but she would be in the majority if she had two children
and worked more than 40 hours a week.
d. In the minority, but she would be in the majority if she had more than
two children and worked.

Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

Program Administration
Being a program administrator is challenging. It is like being circus juggler with all the
different facets that must be managed and addressed. The first step to being a program
­administrator, which we will often refer to as “director,” is to understand what that entails.
To do this, we can look to the NAEYC Program Administrator Definition:
The program administrator is the individual responsible for planning, ­implementing
and evaluating a child care, preschool or kindergarten program. The role of adminis-
trator covers both leadership and management functions. Leadership functions ­relate
to the broad plan of helping and organization clarify and affirms values, set goals,
­articulate a vision and chart a course of action to achieve that vision. Managerial func-
tions relate to the actual orchestration of tasks and the setting up of system to carry
out the organization’s mission. (NAEYC, 2007)

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Chapter 1 The Director: A Broad View  7

The core competencies are in the areas that the


TeachSource Video Case 1.1 ­ irectors need to be involved in, such as staff management,
d
legal and fiscal management, educational programming,
­family ­support, and leadership and advocacy. For the en-
tire list of administrator competencies, review the NAEYC
Program Administrator Definition and Competencies
document, available at http://www.naeyc.org.
Providing quality services to children and families
while running a successful business is both a complex task
and what makes child care administration a daunting chal-
lenge. How do you retain competent staff, offer a program
that prepares children for later school success, and man-
age a business at the same time? The task becomes harder
BBC Motion Gallery

every day. During slow economic times, businesses of all


sizes face layoffs, closures, or restructuring. Employees
may have shortened hours, a lack of raises, reduced pay,
split shifts, and/or multiple jobs to make ends meet.
Directors play a key role in building and maintaining
Go to the CengageBrain.com to watch the video high-quality early childhood programs (Ryan et al., 2011).
The Quality of Child Care where you will learn They know the impact of modern day realities on the
about what constitutes high-quality child care. program and must work around them to sustain quality.
Watch the video with-these questions in mind: The recent economic downturn saw shifting enrollments,
1. Describe the components of quality care more part-time enrollments, and difficulty collecting fees.
2. What can a director do to ensure quality in There was more competition, increased costs, and a grow-
child care? ing number of “customers” with fewer resources. What can
the program administrator do to maintain program qual-
Watch at CengageBrain.com ity while managing to keep the business afloat? Quality is
easier to maintain when the director has a strong commit-
ment to children and follows quality standards. Financial
solvency is easier to attain by exercising the basics of sound business practices for small
businesses. Small businesses all face stiff competition, rising costs, and shifting consumer
demand. Many do not survive. However, many last because they monitor consumer needs,
customer satisfaction, and cost controls.
A successful program director needs more than a strong commitment to children and
families. Such a director must be, at the least, a wise leader and a knowledgeable manager.

Did You Get It?


A director notes that in the past six months, the center experienced more
part-time enrollments of children. She has also had difficulty collecting
payment from parents. What is the most likely explanation for these changes?
a. The director has not been sufficiently committed to maintaining a
­quality program.
b. Another daycare center opened on the same street.
c. There has been an economic downturn that affected many families.
d. The parents have colluded against the director to oppose the center’s
high fees.
Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

The Director as Leader


Understanding the difference between leadership and management is as important as
­understanding what each is. Leadership is setting a direction or vision for a group to fol-
low. A leader should be able to: articulate a vision, clarify values, and create a culture for the
program that is built on a strong foundation, allow for continuous improvement, and value

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
8 Part I Administration

ethical conduct. A leader provides guidance for program direction. ­Management controls
or directs resources according to established principles, such as core values. Management
without leadership maintains the status quo and ensures that things ­happen according
to established plans, but does not see the whole picture of possibilities for ­improvement,
change, and growth. Leadership combined with management designates a new ­direction
and manages the resources to achieve it. “Today’s early care and ­education … leaders must
be politically astute, aware of and engaged in a multitude of context ­extending ­beyond
one’s day-to day work, and skilled in envisioning and facilitating change” (Whitebook
et al., 2012). In recent years, there has been increasing emphasis on the director’s lead-
ership. A director who truly leads has the power to shape the environment and to meet
current program ­conditions with imagination and creativity. Carter & Curtis (2010) call
this type of leader a “visionary director”; another name might be a “transformational
leader.” A transformational leader emphasizes behaviors that inspire and nurture others,
which is ­especially ­beneficial in child care settings. This type of leadership meets both the
­challenges of a rapidly changing environment and the need to engage everyone emotion-
ally within the program.
Transformational leadership behaviors include:
• Developing and sharing an inspiring vision of the program’s future.
• Behaving in ways that bring out the best in individuals and teams.
• Showing genuine concern and respect for others.
• Investing continuously in the development of oneself and others.
• Developing a culture of collaboration in which change is welcomed as an
­opportunity—as opposed to a culture of command and control, where change is
viewed as a threat.
• Recognizing that leadership needs to be demonstrated at times by everyone in the
organization.
In addition to these behaviors, there are certain characteristics that a good leader has
that allow her to be effective and that encourage others to follow her lead. The following
five characteristics allow for more a successful best practice of leadership skills.

The Five C’s of Leadership


1. C haracter: People will not follow someone whom they cannot trust. Leaders have
to be trustworthy to produce sustainable results.
2. Caring: Leaders demonstrate care for their team personally and professionally.
A leader is interested in staff concerns, while sensitive to individual needs; is pa-
tient, creative, and flexible; is respected as knowledgeable and fair; is able to share
­responsibility and credit with others; promotes consensus, compromise, and trade-
offs; and integrates different perspectives.
3. Commitment: Leaders are committed; they are doers. Their high level of commit-
ment is the inspiration that motivates their staff to achieve program goals. They are
committed to being a change agent who involves staff in the process.
4. C onfidence: Leaders are confident about what must be done and in their own
­capabilities to accomplish those tasks. Furthermore, they want others to be success-
ful with them. They instill confidence in others and make everyone on the team
feel like a winner. They know how to delegate leadership in their absence and can
cultivate needed qualities in others.
5. Communication: Leaders have compelling visions and clearly communicate them
to their staff. Leaders utilize good communication and group interaction skills.
In addition to being clear and understandable, leaders are exceptional listeners.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Chapter 1 The Director: A Broad View  9

­ irectors who develop these qualities create an environment in which their teams
D
willingly do more tasks.

Other Qualities of Effective Leaders


There is a direct correlation between the way people view their directors and the way
they perform themselves. Strong leadership is imperative for shaping a group of people
into a force that serves as a competitive business advantage. One of the major differences
­between a leader and a manager is the way each motivates the staff who work for or follow
them. This sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do. The director’s ability to use
leadership behaviors—not just to get a job done but to lead both the staff and program to
success—is a measurement of quality (Robertson, 2011).
Leaders work “on” the system to create new opportunities, transform organizational
rules when necessary, provide a vision and strategic alignment, coordinate efforts, and sup-
port and empower people. They are change agents. Leadership requires motivating people
to abandon outmoded habits and achieve new results. Therefore, it is about change and,
subsequently, about inspiring, helping, and sometimes enforcing change in people. A good
leader will know that, sometimes, change needs to be made in small steps. Making change
one step at a time is a way to demonstrate success (Bella, 2008).
Talan (2010) stated, “One thing I know for certain—the need for effective early child-
hood leadership has never been greater than in this time of global economic crisis, de-
mand for standards-based practice, and increased accountability for program outcomes.”
So many different outside influences are making demands of child care programs and
the directors who lead them. An effective director understands the importance of a well-­
qualified staff. She knows that some leadership can be delegated to others in certain situ-
ations. A good leader appreciates the interdependency between the leader, the followers,
and the situation (Talan, 2010). Good leaders will encourage others to be involved in
leadership as situations arise for which they have the skills and knowledge to help lead.
A demo­cratic leadership approach allows others to share in decision making and helps
them to feel that they have a greater stake in the program and its outcomes. Collaborative
efforts make situations and change more manageable. When staff is involved in making
decisions, they have “ownership” in the outcomes as well as in the entire process. In addi-
tion, cultivating leadership in others allows them to flourish in their abilities. Good leaders
should be willing to grow their own replacements who can step in when they are ill, retire,
or move on ­(Sullivan, 2009).
The shifting demographics of this country is an outside force that will need good lead-
ership and the involvement of staff to deal with the necessary changes. Almost 30 percent of
homes in this country speak a language other than English as their first language. More than
80 percent of Head Start programs have children who speak a total of 140 different lan-
guages (Hernandez, 2009). The challenge is how best to serve these children and their
families in this time of changing demographics. A transformational leader will work to
understand and convey the reasons for this shift to their staff. Guiding staff to under-
stand that they need to be aware of the demographic changes—and to understand those
changes—can lead to action that best serves the children and the program. Collaboration
around this situation is crucial: leading staff to envision the changing needs of the more
diverse population in the program is a starting point (see Chapter 2). Staff can contribute
practical ideas and strategies that would work best for the population in the program. Re-
cruit staff members who may not have English as their first language to help lead. Partner
with community resources and agencies that are familiar with diverse populations. Involve
families who are part of the diverse population to help create solutions. A good leader cre-
ates an atmosphere that encourages collaboration and “buy in” from many stakeholders to
address this situation and involve everyone in the decision-making process for change and
adaptation.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
10 Part I Administration

© Cengage Learning 2014


The director acts as organizer, manager, and communicator of the institution.

Did You Get It?


A teacher comes to a program director and explains that her husband
has been hospitalized due to pneumonia. While he is in the hospital, the
director allows the teacher to leave early every day, and regularly asks
how her husband is feeling. This director is demonstrating the leadership
quality of
a. commitment.
b. confidence.
c. character.
d. caring.
Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

The Director as Manager


The role of the classic manager is to work within the existing system to maintain the status
quo, minimize risks, enforce organizational rules, steer people in the right direction, react,
and provide instruction and direction. But management is a very important task that links
leadership with a program’s effectiveness. It is the nuts and bolts that keep the program
running like a well-oiled machine. Managing a child care facility can be an exhausting job
that requires much more than a typical 40-hour workweek. Stress and burnout often occur,
resulting in substandard child care. The child care program manager in the 21st century
must learn to work smarter, not harder. What does intelligent management include?
Today’s successful child care program manager performs such valuable practices as:
• Learning how to run a successful business.
• Automating the facility for maximum efficiency, such as by introducing manage-
ment software to: keep track of children and families; update records; monitor fees
to collect, bills to pay, and reports to write; and more. Using such software enables
the director to accomplish tasks significantly faster.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Chapter 1 The Director: A Broad View  11

• Practicing financial planning, which includes maintaining a balanced budget;


­ eveloping profit and loss forecasts, break-even points, and strategies to identify
d
cash flow or funding gaps; and creating strategies—such as fundraising, grants, and
gifts—to meet funding gaps.
• Establishing effective marketing and public relations strategies to promote
­services; staying abreast of market trends in the area; and maintaining a competi-
tive edge.
• Interpreting, implementing, and—often—exceeding licensing standards.
• Appraising legal issues such as legislation affecting child care, including national
standards, health and safety, fire safety and first aid, child protection, equality of
opportunity, employment law, insurance, and environmental health.
• Developing a work plan that includes assigning roles and responsibilities, as well as
developing timetables of work and a SWOT analysis. SWOT analysis is a tool for
auditing an organization and its environment. The acronym stands for strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. While strengths and weaknesses are inter-
nal factors, opportunities and threats are external factors.
• Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your operation on a constant basis, and
developing action plans to improve program performance.
A director will be called upon to manage many tasks in the child care program. These
tasks vary by type of program, composition of age of children in program, staff, and ­general
duties expected of a director pertinent to that program. Some examples of duties can be
found in the following paragraphs.

The Director Has General Responsibilities


(Chapters 1–3)
Determines the requirements that must be met regarding licensing, health, and safety
­regulations from the state and local regulatory agencies. Works with agencies to meet
requirements. Serves as an ex officio member of the board of directors and attends
committee meetings as necessary.
Provides leadership for setting overall goals for the school—to be used as a basis for
­curriculum objectives.
Creates reports on the school as required by the board or corporation.
Evaluates own work as a director and plans for continuing professional growth.
Provides a culturally aligned program.
Plans for the diversity present in the program.
Practices cultural competency.
Practices conflict resolution in regards to cultural issues.

The Director Supervises Program Planning


and Curriculum (Chapters 4–7)
Displays strong depth of knowledge of child development, including current information
and latest research.
Develops or assists in development of philosophy, vision, and mission statements.
Formulates program plans.
Creates, implements, and revises management policies for staff, children, and families.
Understands and can apply standards, quality assessment, and other program ­improvement
strategies.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
12 Part I Administration

Demonstrates knowledge of best practices for developmentally appropriate practice.


Analyzes and helps to choose appropriate delivery methods for curriculum.
Provides direction to staff in setting curriculum objectives/outcomes that are
­developmentally appropriate and align with the school goals.
Works with staff to implement and maintain goals and objectives in an age- and
­developmentally appropriate manner.
Provides leadership in evaluating curriculum.
Provides up-to-date information on curriculum issues.
Applies knowledge of age and developmentally appropriate practice to the design of the
classroom.
Directs modification of classroom design, materials, and curriculum adaptation for
­children with special needs.

A Child Care Provider Who Acts as a Director


in Family CHILD CARE (CHAPTER 8)
Displays knowledge of child development.
Understands and complies with all local and state regulations pertinent to family
child care.
Demonstrates knowledge of business in terms of family child care.
Practices good budgeting, marketing, and record keeping skills.
Demonstrates developmentally appropriate practice.

The Director Is Concerned with Staff Relationships


(Chapters 9 and 10)
Recruits and hires staff.
Plans and conducts staff orientation.
Prepares job descriptions for each position.
Formulates and implements personnel policies.
Maintains effective personnel policies and procedures for all phases of staff employment.
Assists staff in implementing school goals.
Provides a continuing assessment of staff development needs.
Plans with staff for in-service training.
Encourages staff involvement in community activities.
Meets with staff members to resolve problems.
Prepares a staff handbook and keeps it current.
Keeps personnel records.

The Director Is in Charge of Finances (Chapter 11)


Plans a budget.
Controls budget expenditures.
Collects fees and tuition.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Chapter 1 The Director: A Broad View  13

Manages disbursements for payroll, equipment, and supplies.


Keeps adequate records of income and expenditures.
Handles petty cash disbursements.
Prepares monthly reports on expenditures to date.
Prepares a year-end analysis of budget and expenditures.
Reports to board or corporation.

The Director Must Plan for Food Programs, Health,


and Safety (Chapter 12)
Demonstrates understanding basic nutrition.
Demonstrates understanding of legal obligations for Child and Adult Care Food Program
(CACFP) funding programs for food supplies.
Plans or assists in planning of food program, including menus.
Manages supplies, reordering as needed.
Keeps records such as inventories, repair schedules, and purchase information.
Maintains an adequate health program for the school.
Keeps health records on all enrolled children.
Keeps staff informed concerning the health status of each child.
Confers with parents as needed about child’s health and nutritional status.
Refers families to community agencies for special help when necessary.
Keeps informed of the school’s legal responsibilities in relation to safety.
Plans activities for staff and children to teach safety.
Plans, allocates, and uses space effectively.
Maintains the physical space by providing custodial care and repair services.
Plans for the future space and equipment needs of the school.
Monitors the health and safety aspects of the environment.

The Director Has Enrollment Duties (Chapter 13)


Enrolls children and keeps an accurate waiting list.
Interviews prospective parents and provides information about the school.
Plans orientation for new parents.
Knows the changing needs of the community to maintain full enrollment.
Prepares a parent handbook and keeps it current.

The Director Builds and Maintains Good Community


Relations (Chapter 14)
Interprets the school’s goals to visitors.
Maintains an effective public relations and advertising process.
Represents the school at community functions.
Establishes contacts with community agencies.
Involves self and staff in professional and legislative activities.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
14 Part I Administration

© Cengage Learning 2014


Effective managers involve staff in planning.

The Director Provides Leadership in Parent


Involvement and Education (Chapters 14 and 15)
Implements policies that promote partnerships with families who are responsive to the
­diversity of school families’ preferences and styles.
Communicates goals of the school to parents.
Plans and implements parent education activities.
Confers with parents regarding their child’s progress.
Encourages various ways for parents to be involved in school activities.
Keeps adequate records of parent involvement and education activities.

Did You Get It?


A program director whose program is struggling financially decides
to make cuts in the program. Rather than reduce the number of staff
members and compromise on the quality of care, she decides to reduce
each staff member’s pay by a small percentage. Which term best
describes the role she is taking?
a. Manager.
b. Leader.
c. Financial director.
d. Staff supervisor.
Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

The Director-Manager as Delegator


To accomplish the many tasks required, directors must be good organizers. This means
they must make the best possible use of the resources available to them. The first step
is to learn to delegate responsibilities to others. By doing so, directors will accomplish

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Chapter 1 The Director: A Broad View  15

Average directors’ salaries differ greatly among states. In some states, salaries are figured
F Y I as an hourly rate; in others, directors receive a yearly salary. In 2013, a director’s salary
was between $21,155 and $49,466—with the median being $32,540. The range is
dependent upon years on the job and area of the country.

Source: Retrieved from the Internet March 2013.


http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Director%2c_Child_Care/Salary

more themselves and achieve greater participation from staff members. Many program
­administrators find it difficult to delegate responsibility to others, feeling that it puts
an unnecessary burden on their staff or that they cannot be certain the job will be done
­properly. Some directors cannot delegate well for a number of reasons, including some of
the following:
• Inability to let go of control
• Concern that staff does not measure up to expectations
• Fear of staff repercussions and dissatisfaction if delegating occurs
• Perfectionism and concern about the quality of the job to be delegated
• Concern that the staff perceives them as pushing work onto the staff; fear of
­imposing on others
• Caretaking personality
• Lack of organization to get help in time
Directors in all-day centers may have an assistant director who handles some
a­ dministrative tasks. When a program is open many hours, one person may open the
school in the morning, set the daily schedules, and talk to parents as they drop off their
children. The other may close the school and help parents and children reunite. In ­between,
they may divide other administrative tasks.
The division of labor between the director and assistant should be based on an
­assessment of their skills and interests. Some people like to do the necessary myriad daily
paperwork; others like to interact with the people involved in the program. Both the direc-
tor and assistant should decide which jobs each is more comfortable with, who does which
better, and who has primary responsibility for each task. Once the primary responsibilities
are assigned, assistants should be allowed to perform those tasks without interference. The
director still bears ultimate responsibility for the performance of the assistant; therefore,
communication between them is important.
In today’s economic atmosphere, directors are less likely to have an assistant
­d irector than previously. Responsibilities also can be delegated to other staff mem-
bers. The cook can order supplies, compile information on new equipment to be pur-
chased, or plan schedules for serving snacks and meals. The maintenance person can
create the cleaning schedule or suggest ways to recycle and reuse disposable materials.
A secretary may assume responsibility for scheduling classroom field trips that have
been suggested by ­teachers or for calling a qualified substitute from a list. The director
should decide who can best accomplish a task. This requires the director to assess the
necessary skills and then to find the best person for the job. The person who does the
task needs to benefit. No one should be asked to perform extra duties merely to help
the director with administrative functions. Delegating a task does not mean forgetting
about it and expecting it to be done. It is important to establish a schedule and proce-
dure for supervising delegated responsibilities. The director may meet with the staff
person once a week or once a month, or they may just have that person provide written
updates periodically.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
16 Part I Administration

When first delegating responsibilities, some directors may find that the task takes more
time than if they had done the work themselves. However, as employees learn and gain
confidence, directors find that their time is freed for those tasks that only they can do. They
also discover that both they and their staff benefit immeasurably from the team effort.

Did You Get It?


A director asks a staff member to handle communication with parents,
then spends longer than 30 minutes each day helping the staff member
emotionally deal with her various issues with parents. This director has
trouble delegating due to her
a. lack of organization.
b. intrusive style.
c. caretaking personality.
d. love for children.
Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

The Director-Manager as Organizer


Time is a precious commodity to busy directors. They can accomplish much more each
day if they make a list starting with either urgent jobs or daily jobs; these should take top
priority. Next come jobs that should be done as soon as possible or need to be done once a
week. Last are the jobs that they would like to do or only have to do infrequently.
The director should set aside a specific time to do jobs that must be done every day. Some-
times it helps, for instance, to get to work a half-hour before opening time so that ­certain jobs
can be done before the center becomes busy. Some of the daily jobs can be done later in the day.
It may be difficult to follow a precise schedule for accomplishing these tasks, but if done with
persistence, other staff members will begin to honor the time commitments of the director.
It is helpful to schedule one day a week or specific days during the month to do tasks
that need to be completed less frequently. Ordering materials, compiling financial reports,
and writing a newsletter are examples. The director should mark the day on the calendar,
block out some time, go into the office, close the door, and get to work. It is surprising how
quickly it will be finished when there are no interruptions.
Directors should plan for those tasks they would like to do when they have time. Read-
ing professional materials, writing an article, or making long-range plans may fall into this
category. These all are important and directors should not feel guilty about setting aside an
afternoon each month to accomplish any of these tasks.
Emergencies will arise—by definition, at the most inopportune times—but if one is
prepared, they are manageable. What kinds of emergencies come up in a school for young
children? The same kinds that happen in a busy household: the plumbing stops working
or leaks occur; the licensing worker is coming to visit and two teachers call in sick; a child
falls and is bleeding from a cut on his forehead. No one will panic in any of these situations
if procedures have been established ahead of time.
For possible building and equipment emergencies, it is useful to keep an up-to-date
list of repairmen. When new equipment is purchased, repair information should be added
to the list immediately. For staff emergencies, a list of reliable substitutes is essential.
­Qualified people can often be found by advertising in a local newspaper or online.
Students may be found through the local community college or university. If a desir-
able teacher applies for a position at the school and there is no opening, she should be
encouraged to accept placement on the substitute list.
Additionally, several staff members should know first aid and be Red Cross® ­certified,
if possible. A written procedure to care for children’s injuries should be posted in a

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
Chapter 1 The Director: A Broad View  17

­ rominent place so that any staff member can follow the correct procedure. Training of the
p
procedure should be part of orientation.
Other kinds of emergencies arise, depending upon the area of the country. In
­California, schools are required to have an earthquake disaster plan. In some hillside areas,
schools have developed a plan for evacuating children in case of a brush fire. A tornado
drill for schools in the Midwest, Texas, and New England is appropriate. States along the
southeastern seaboard may need plans for managing children in case of a severe storm.
There may be other disasters requiring an evacuation or lockdown of the building, such
as community violence or a bomb scare. Drills should be planned and executed so that all
staff members and children react quickly and without panic.
Computer technology is essential to the child care program. It can help keep financial
records, budgets, personnel records, and correspondence. A computer can manage a great
deal of communication between the director and staff in addition to the director and fami-
lies. Having a computer allows the director to e-mail families and create newsletters and a
webpage as tools of communication. It can help maintain databases of useful information,
such as addresses of parents, staff, community organizations, and food and equipment ven-
dors. There is a great deal of software available to preschool and other early childhood
programs. Although specific references to computers appear in later chapters, Appendix A
contains a lengthy discussion.

Did You Get It?


Once a week, a daycare director schedules a day in which she blocks out
time to sit by herself and complete certain tasks. Which task is she most
likely to perform during that time?
a. Calling prospective parents who have expressed interest in the center.
b. Writing the weekly newsletter.
c. Listening to phone messages.
d. Reading articles about best practice for daycare centers.

Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

The Director-Manager as Planner


Faced with the pressures of everyday activities, it is easy to overlook planning of any kind,
which is an essential part of managing a child care center. Each day is filled with so many
occurrences that must be dealt with immediately that it is difficult to find time to focus on
what should happen the next day, let alone the next month.
However, both short- and long-term planning are necessary for the smooth op-
eration of the facility. Short-term planning ensures the smooth running of each day
and provides contingency plans when the unexpected occurs. At the beginning of each
day and each week, the director must know what has to be done; then he or she must
ensure that those tasks are finished throughout that day or week. However, there will
be inevitable emergencies. It is important to anticipate which past emergencies are
likely to reoccur, and then develop backup plans. Although this kind of planning can-
not eliminate temporary disruptions caused by emergencies, it does make it easier to
manage them.
Long-term planning will help the director to provide the environment and services
set forth in the goals for the center. The director decides which goals should be addressed
at a particular time and then sets a schedule for implementation. For example, one of the
program goals might be that The Child Learning Center will offer various experiences de-
signed to help children acquire the skills needed for kindergarten entrance. To implement
that goal, staff members need to know which skills are included, when it is developmentally

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
18 Part I Administration

appropriate to introduce experiences designed to teach those skills, and how to evaluate
children’s progress. The director should carefully plan a series of learning experiences to
inform the teachers. This project may take place over several months or even a year.
The most effective planning will involve the staff as much as possible. Everyone
should have a copy of daily and weekly schedules, as well as changes for rainy or snowy
days. ­Additionally, they should identify long-term goals to work toward during a particu-
lar period of time. The director should solicit suggestions for implementing the goals and
­provide a method for obtaining feedback to evaluate progress.

Did You Get It?


A director realizes that emergencies continuously pop up and interfere with his
plan for managing the center. Therefore, he spends several hours every evening
catching up on work. What is the best thing he can do to fix the situation?
a. Appoint one staff member to handle all emergencies so the director will
not be distracted from his job duties.
b. Consider emergencies that have occurred in the past, and develop backup
plans accordingly.
c. Instruct all staff members to handle emergencies on their own.
d. Arrive at work a few hours early each morning, so he can accomplish most
tasks before the students arrive.
Take the full quiz at CengageBrain.com

The Director-Manager as Communicator


Directors spend a great deal of time talking to people. It is important to develop
­communication skills to prevent problems, as well as to provide a model for other staff
members. Everyone experiences some difficulty in communicating with others. We know
what we mean, and we are sure the other person understands. Often, though, we are sur-
prised at how others interpret what we have said. We think, “How could they have gotten
that meaning out of what I said?”

Verbal Messages
Words are a coding system by which our thoughts are conveyed to others. Although
each word in a language has a meaning, coloration of that meaning comes from our own
­experiences. Because words may have different meanings to each of us based on our past,
miscommunication may occur when we do not all share the same experiences. People who
hear our words bring their own interpretations, so misunderstandings can arise, ­especially
for families, children, and staff for whom English may be a second language. A key to
­successful communication is being aware of potential misinterpretations and showing
­respect for people from diverse backgrounds.
Sometimes a particular word triggers an emotional response based on a past experi-
ence or an association that causes us to stop listening to the rest of the communication and
focus on that one word. The speaker’s tone of voice or the emphasis on one word may elicit
a similar reaction. For example, “How are you today?” can convey many messages depend-
ing on the way it is uttered. It can be merely a polite contact, a real concern, or an irritated
inquiry meaning, “Are you really all right today because usually you are not?”

Nonverbal Messages
Another reason for problems in communication is that we communicate nonverbally as
well as verbally. Nonverbal messages are facial expressions, movements, and postures we
use while speaking. Additionally, we maintain eye contact or we look away; we sit or stand
close to the listener, or we maintain a distance between ourselves and the listener.

Copyright 2013 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned, or duplicated, in whole or in part.
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Title: Heures d'Afrique

Author: Jean Lorrain

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Language: French

Original publication: Paris: Fasquelle, 1899

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HEURES


D'AFRIQUE ***
JEAN LORRAIN

HEURES
D’AFRIQUE
DEUXIÈME MILLE

PARIS
BIBLIOTHÈQUE-CHARPENTIER
EUGÈNE FASQUELLE, ÉDITEUR
11, R U E D E G R E N E L L E , 11

1899
Tous droits réservés
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HEURES D’AFRIQUE

FRUTTI DI MARE

MARSEILLE

LA VILLE

Marseille, le brouhaha de sons et de couleurs de sa Cannebière,


la flânerie heureuse de ses négociants déambulant de cafés en
cafés, l’air de commis voyageurs en vins et en huile, l’exubérance de
leurs gestes, leur assent et la gaieté comique de leurs grands yeux
noirs, la mimique expressive de leurs belles faces d’hommes, té, tout
ce tumulte et cette joie changeant presque en ville d’Orient, mi-
italienne et mi-espagnole, ce coin animé des rues Paradis et Saint-
Ferréol et jusqu’à ce cours Belzunce, avec son grouillement de Nervi
en chemises molles et pantalons à la hussarde et de petits cireurs,
se disputant la chaussure du promeneur.
Et là-dessus du soleil, un ciel d’un bleu profond, à souhait pour
découper l’arête vive des montagnes, et des étals de fleuristes
encombrés de narcisses et de branches d’arbousiers en fleurs ; et
des rires à dents blanches de belles filles un peu sales, et des
paroles qui sentent l’ail, et à tous les coins de rue des marchands de
coquillages, et des attroupements d’hommes du peuple et d’hommes
bien mis, pêle-mêle autour de la moule, de l’huître et de l’oursin. Oh !
ces rues fourmillantes, odorantes et rieuses, dont trois corps de
métiers semblent avoir accaparé les boutiques : les confiseurs, les
lieux d’aisances et les coiffeurs.
Et c’est, dans l’atmosphère, une odeur d’aïoli, de brandade et de
vanille qui s’exaspère au bon soleil.
Et dire qu’à Paris, il gèle, il vente et qu’on patine… Ah ! qu’il est
doux de s’y laisser vivre, dans ces pays enfantins et roublards,
compromis par Daudet et réhabilités, té, par Paul Arène, loin du
Paris boueux, haineux et tout à l’égout des brasseurs d’affaires, de
délations et de toutes les besognes, poussés, comme les helmintes
de la charogne, autour du cercueil du colonel Henry.
Oh ! l’invitation aux voyages de Charles Beaudelaire :

Oh ! viens, ô ma sœur,
Songe à la douceur
D’aller là-bas vivre ensemble.

Comme elle la chante, cette invitation, la Méditerranée, dans


chacune de ses vagues d’une transparence si bleue que le fond de
roches de ses bords resplendit à travers comme une pâleur entrevue
de naïade, et jusque dans l’eau croupie du vieux port, dans cette
eau huileuse et figée, aux reflets et aux senteurs de plomb. Elle la
chante encore, la nostalgique invitation pour ailleurs, la Méditerranée
des Roucas Blancs, et de Mayrargues, et de la Corniche, à travers
les drisses, les vergues et les mâtures, dressées, telle une forêt,
entre le fort Saint-Jean et les bastions du Faro, sous l’œil de la
Bonne-Mère, Notre-Dame de la Garde, dont la gigantesque statue
dorée, hissée haut dans le ciel, au fin sommet de son clocher de
pierre, surveille et protège la ville et ses deux ports.
Ici, la Joliette, avec le môle de son interminable jetée, ses
bassins bondés de navires, la coque noire des transatlantiques
perpétuellement en partance pour des destinations enivrantes, ces
villes d’or et d’azur dont la sonorité chante et frémit avec un bruit de
soie à travers les poèmes de Victor Hugo : Oran, Alger, Tunis,
Messine et Barcelone, et voilà que des sons de guitare, aigres et
perçants, égratignent l’air…
Messine, Barcelone ! Nous revoici dans le vieux port, sur ces
vieux quais de la Marine, obstrués de bateaux, de barques et de
barquettes, sur ces quais poussiéreux aux hautes maisons étroites
d’un autre siècle, rongées par le mistral, le soleil et la mer, avec leur
enfilade de ruelles en escaliers, tortueuses et puantes, où chaque
embrasure de porte encadre une silhouette de fille en peignoir ; et
c’est bien Messine et Barcelone, en effet, que promènent de bar en
bar et de maison en maison le farniente tout italien et le rut à coups
de couteau de tous ces matelots de race latine, Gênois, Corses,
Espagnols, Maltais et Levantins, débarqués de la veille qui se
rembarqueront demain, descendus là gaspiller, en une journée de
bordée et de crapule, leur gain de trois à six mois, en une escale
entre Trieste et Malaga ou entre Smyrne et Rotterdam.
Et des nasillements d’accordéon grincent et se mêlent à des
refrains de beuglant parisien ; couplets de l’avant-veille lancés dans
la journée par quelque étoile de troisième ordre à la répétition du
Palais de Cristal, « Pa-na-ma-boum-de-là-haut », blague française et
gigue anglo-saxonne, pot-pourri imprévu d’une musique de
paquebot anglais donnant aubade à quelque patron de bar mal famé
de chiqueurs (souteneurs marseillais). Les chiqueurs, les hommes à
grands feutres gris et à pantalons trop larges qui flânent, cravatés de
rouge, de midi à minuit, sur le port, pendant qu’aux bords des quais,
dans une lumineuse poussière d’or, halètent et se démènent, les
bras et les reins nus, comme moirés de sueur, les portefaix
déchargeurs de farine, de blé, d’alfa ou de pains d’huile, ceux-là
même dont Puget a immortalisé, dans ses cariatides, les profils de
médailles et les pectoraux musclés de gladiateurs.
Marseille !
LES BAS QUARTIERS

Marseille !

Au fond d’un bouge obscur où boivent des marins,


Bathyle, le beau Thrace aux bras sveltes et pâles,
Danse au son de la flûte et des gais tambourins.

Dans le quartier du vieux port, au cœur même des rues chaudes


où la prostitution bat son quart au milieu des écorces d’orange et
des détritus de toutes sortes, un bar de matelots : devanture étroite
aux carreaux dépolis, où s’encadrent de faux vitraux.
C’est la nuit de Noël ; des trôlées d’hommes en ribotte dévalent
par les escaliers glissants des hautes rues montantes ; des injures et
des chansons font balle, vomies dans tous les idiomes de la
Méditerranée et de l’Océan. Ce sont des voix enrouées, qui sont des
voix du Nord et des voix du Midi, qui sont toutes zézayantes.
Vareuses et tricots rayés, bérets et bonnets de laine descendent, qui
par deux, qui par groupes, jamais seuls, les yeux riants et la bouche
tordue par le chique, avec des gestes de grands enfants échappés
de l’école. Il y en a de toutes les nationalités, de toutes les tailles ; et,
la démarche titubante, quoique encore solides sur leurs reins
sanglés de tayolles, ils avancent par grandes poussées ; leurs
saccades vont heurter dans la porte de quelque bouge, où toute la
bande tout à coup s’engouffre ; puis d’autres suivent, et c’est, dans
le clair-obscur des ruelles, taché çà et là par la flambée d’un numéro
géant, une lente promenade de mathurins en bordée, plus
préoccupés de beuveries que d’amoureuses lippées, et que les filles
lasses invectivent au passage.
Et pourtant, dans tout ce quartier empestant l’anis, le blanc gras
et l’alcool, c’est le défilé de toutes les rues célèbres dans les annales
de la prostitution, la rue de la Bouterie, celle de la Prison, la rue des
Bassins, la rue Vantomagy, enfin, où Pranzini, encore tout chaud de
l’égorgement de Mme de Montille, alla si bêtement s’échouer et se
faire prendre avec sa passivité d’aventurier gras et jouisseur, en bon
Levantin qu’il était, cet assassin à peau fine dont le cadavre, adoré
des femmes, étonna même les carabins ; puis, autour de la place
Neuve, la rue de la Rose (cette antithèse !) et toutes les via puantes
affectées aux Italiens ; et sur chaque trottoir, au rez-de-chaussée de
chaque maison toute noire dans la nuit, s’ouvre, violemment
éclairée, la chambre avec le lit, la chaise longue et la table de toilette
d’une fille attifée et fardée, telle la cella d’une courtisane antique, sa
boutique installée à même sur la rue avec la marchandise debout
sur le seuil. D’autres, rassemblées en commandite, apparaissent
haut perchées sous le linteau d’une grande baie lumineuse, murée à
mi-hauteur.
Les cheveux tire-bouchonnés piqués de fleurs en papier ou de
papillons métalliques, elles se tiennent accoudées, les seins et les
bras nus, dans les percales claires des prostituées d’Espagne… et,
sous le maquillage rose qu’aiment les hommes du Midi, c’est, à la
lueur crue des lampes à pétrole, comme une vision de grandes
marionnettes appuyées au rebord de quelque fantastique guignol ; et
les : mon pétit ! eh, joli bébé ! belle face d’homme ! et tous les
appels, toutes les sollicitations, toutes les promesses gazouillées par
des voix d’Anglaises ou comme arrachées par de rauques gosiers
d’Espagnoles, tombent et s’effeuillent, fleurs d’amour pourries, de
ces masques de carmin et de plâtre, étrangement pareils les uns
aux autres sous l’identique coloriage brutal.
Parfois un homme se détache d’un groupe et, comme honteux,
s’esquive et se glisse chez ces dames ; une porte vitrée se ferme, un
rideau se tire et Vénus compte un sacrifice de plus à son autel, une
victime de plus à l’hôpital. Aussi un marin qui se débauche et quitte
sa bande est l’exception ; en général, qu’ils soient Maltais ou
Italiens, Espagnols ou Grecs, les matelots stationnent, s’attroupent
devant un seuil, goguenardent la fille et puis passent : tous vont et
disparaissent dans le petit bar aux carreaux dépolis garnis de faux
vitraux.
Une curiosité m’emporte, je les suis. Dans un couloir en boyau,
aux murs peints de fresques grossières, boivent, entassés, des
matelots de tous pays. On a peine à se frayer un passage entre les
rangs de tables et le comptoir en zinc encombré de liqueurs ; au
fond, l’étroit corridor s’ouvre, comme un théâtre, sur une salle carrée
où courent, peints à la détrempe, d’exotiques paysages de cascades
et de palmiers ; de la gaze verte s’y fronce en manière de rideaux,
et, dans cette espèce d’Eldorado pour imaginations naïves, des
matelots gênois et napolitains valsent en se tenant par la taille ;
l’orchestre est un accordéon. Pas une seule femme dans
l’assistance, hors la musicienne, une vieille niçoise en marmotte,
écroulée sur une chaise à l’entrée du bal. L’accordéon chevrote une
valse de Métra et les Italiens, les yeux en extase, tournent
éperdument aux bras les uns des autres, et la fumée des pipes et la
buée des vins chauds tendent comme un voile sur leurs faces
brunies, éclairées de dents blanches.

NUIT DE NOËL

Et cette joyeuse nuit de Noël, commencée en flâneries à travers


les mauvaises rues de la ville, en visites aux filles et en stations
devant le comptoir nickelé des bars, pendant que les cloches
sonnaient à toute volée des allées de Meilhan à la placette de Saint-
Augustin, qui aurait dit qu’elle se terminerait dans le sang, les
couteaux catalans et navajas tirés entre Maltais et Mahonnais,
Italiens et Grecs, dans une de ces rixes entre Marseillais et Corses
qui prennent feu pour une fille, pour un verre ou pour une chaise,
animés qu’ils sont les uns contre les autres par une vieille haine
séculaire : rixes qui, une fois les couteaux au clair, entraînent tout un
quartier, toute une ville, jetant toutes les nations aux prises et taillant,
à travers les ruisseaux des rues, de la besogne pour les croque-
morts et les internes de l’Hopital.
Et ce joli petit matelot espagnol, d’une joliesse grimaçante et
dégingandée, avec deux grands yeux brasillants dans une face de
cire ! Ce svelte et fin gabier de Malaga qui, la veille encore, dansait
si furieusement les danses de son pays dans ce bar de Matelots !
qui eût dit, alors qu’il mimait avec une verve si endiablée le boléro de
Séville et la Jota Catalane aux applaudissements de tout son
équipage entassé là pêle-mêle avec des Grecs, des Yankees, des
Anglo-Saxons, qui eût dit qu’on le ramasserait, le lendemain, au coin
de la poissonnerie, échoué, le crâne ouvert contre une borne, avec
trois trous béants entre les deux épaules et une lame d’acier dans la
région du cœur.
Il l’avait dansée gaiement, fiévreusement, avec l’espèce d’ivresse
frénétique et funèbre d’un condamné à mort (ou du moins, les
événements voulaient qu’il l’eût dansée ainsi), le crâne assassiné de
la nuit, sa dernière cachucha, fière comme un défi, lascive et
déhanchée comme une danse gitane !

Au fond d’un bouge obscur où boivent des marins,


Buthyle, le beau Thrace, aux bras sveltes et pâles,
Danse au son de la flûte et des gais tambourins.
Ses pieds fins et nerveux font claquer sur les dalles
Leurs talons pleins de pourpre où sonnent des crotales
Et, tandis qu’il effeuille en fuyant brins à brins
Des roses, comme un lys entr’ouvrant ses pétales
Sa tunique s’écarte . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bathyle alors s’arrête et, d’un œil inhumain
Fixant les matelots rouges de convoitise,
Il partage à chacun son bouquet de cythise,
Et tend à leurs baisers la paume de sa main.

Malgré sa vareuse de laine et sa face camuse bien espagnole de


jeune forçat, ses larges maxillaires et sa grande bouche aux lèvres
presque noires, cette réminiscence grecque m’était soudain venue
quand, souple et fin, il s’était levé de son banc pour venir se camper
droit au milieu de la salle, et là, tordant son buste ceinturonné de
jaune, et rythmant avec ses bras levés de frénétiques appels, il
s’était mis à trépigner sur place, secoué du haut en bas par je ne
sais quels tressaillements convulsifs.
C’était hardi, pimenté et d’autant plus imprévu qu’aux valses
molles des Gênois et des Napolitains, tournant langoureusement
ensemble, avait succédé une sorte de tarentelle canaille, mi de
ruisseau, mi de beuglant, grivoiserie soulignée par un Niçois bellâtre
en chemise de flanelle rose ouverte sur le poitrail.
Là-dessus, un Anglais blond était venu, au cou rugueux et au
teint de brique, qui s’était posé au milieu du couloir, et, d’une voix
trouée par le gin et les noces, s’était mis à gueuler un an happy
fellow quelconque, en trémoussant à chaque refrain un automatique
et stupide pas de gigue, qu’accompagnaient de leurs gros souliers à
clous tous les mâles aux yeux de faïence attablés dans le bar.
Oh ! la pesanteur et la maladresse de ces danses saxonnes, leur
côté clownesque et spleenétique, et la grossièreté de ces chansons
d’Oyster maid reprises et beuglées en chœur ! Comme il venait bien
après ce divertissement de brutes et ces lourdes saouleries de
brandy, le svelte et fier petit matelot de Malaga, joli comme un Goya
et comme un Goya un peu macabre, avec sa pâleur verte et son
profil absent ; et comme elle nous reposait de leurs danses
épileptiques et lourdes, cette cachucha suprême où toute la grâce et
la gaieté latines se gracieusaient de langueur orientale et d’audace
espagnole ! Et dire qu’il dansait les deux pieds dans la tombe, et que
c’est son âme inconsciente d’enfant, sûrement, et de forban, peut-
être, qui flambait en dernier adieu cette nuit-là dans ses prunelles
humides et noires.
ORAN

Pour Georges d’Esparbès.

La promenade de Létang, à l’heure de la musique des zouaves.


Tout Oran est là, faisant les cent pas sous les eucalyptus des allées,
tout l’Oran du quartier français et du quartier espagnol ; femmes
d’officiers en toilette d’été sous des ombrelles claires, juives
oranaises aux faces mortes sous l’affreux serre-tête noir, informes et
larveuses dans leur robe de satin violet et de velours pisseux et
l’entortillement des châles ; étrangères des hôtels vêtues de draps
anglais et chaussées de souliers jaunes ; bonnes d’enfants
mahonnaises coiffées d’écharpes de dentelle, et toute la pouillerie
d’Espagne en loques éclatantes et sordides. Tout cela grouille, jase
et chatoie aux sons des cuivres de l’orchestre, groupé, qui sur des
chaises, qui debout et formant cercle autour des vestes sombres à
hautes ceintures bleues et des nuques hâlées et ras-tondues des
musiciens.
Çà et là, l’uniforme bleu de ciel d’un turco ou la tenue fine d’un
officier de zouaves pique comme d’une floraison guerrière la
remuante palette qu’est cette foule ; quelques rares indigènes en
burnous y promènent leurs silhouettes bibliques aux jambes sales,
pendant qu’accoudé à la rampe de bois des terrasses, tout un
régiment de légionnaires regarde, avec des yeux perdus, le ciel pur
et la mer.
La mer de soie et de lumière qu’est la Méditerranée de cette côte
et sur laquelle va les emporter, dans deux heures, le bâtiment de
l’État à l’ancre dans le port.
Hier encore à Sidi-bel-Abbès, demain en pleine mer, en route
pour le Tonkin et les climats meurtriers de l’Extrême-Asie : au pays
jaune après le pays noir.
La légion étrangère, ce régiment d’épaves de tous les mondes et
de tous les pays, cette espèce d’ordre guerrier ouvert, comme les
anciens lieux d’asile, à tous les déclassés, à toutes les vies brisées,
tous les avenirs manqués, à toutes les tares et à tous les
désespoirs !
Pendant que le 2e zouaves attaquait je ne sais quelle polka
sautillante, je ne pouvais m’empêcher de regarder ces hommes,
tous dans la force de l’âge et tous marqués du sceau de l’épreuve,
têtes pour la plupart passionnées et passionnantes par l’expression
hardie de l’œil et le renoncement d’un sourire désormais résigné à
tout ; tristes et crânes visages d’aventuriers ayant chacun son
mystère, son passé, passé d’amour ou d’ambition, passé d’infamie
peut-être ; et, songeant en moi-même dans quel pays la France les
envoyait dans une heure combattre et mourir, je sentais sourdre en
moi une tristesse immense, et, devant leur muette attitude en face
de cette mer caressante et perfide comme une maîtresse et qui
devait rappeler à plus d’un quelque exécrable et adorée créature,
toute la nostalgie de ces regards interrogeant l’horizon pénétrait
insensiblement mon âme et la noyait d’une infinie détresse ; car, tout
en les plaignant, c’est sur moi-même que je pleurais, moi qui me
trouvais seul ici, comme eux, abandonné loin de la France et des
miens, par lâcheté, par peur de la souffrance, parce que, moi aussi,
j’avais fui pour mettre des centaines de lieues, la mer et l’inconnu, le
non — déjà — vu d’un voyage, entre une femme et moi.

Nous avons tous dans la mémoire


Un rêve ingrat et cher, un seul,
Songe défunt, amour ou gloire,
Espoir tombé dans un linceul.

Nul autour de nous ne s’en doute :


On le croit mort, le pauvre ami ;
Seul au guet notre cœur l’écoute,
Le cher ingrat n’est qu’endormi.

Nous restons là, l’âme effrayée,


Frissonnant s’il a frissonné
Frissonnant s il a frissonné.
Et nous lui faisons la veillée,
Dans une tombe emprisonné.

Et voilà que la foule s’écoulait lentement, confusément, avec un


bruit d’armée en marche, la musique du 2e zouaves regagnait la
caserne, le ciel et la mer avaient changé de nuances, ils étaient
devenus d’un bleu gris et voilé, presque mauve. Indistincte
maintenant la ligne de l’horizon ; à un seul point au-dessus des
montagnes, une bande d’or vert d’une délicatesse infinie découpait
en brun rougeâtre la vieille citadelle aux murs carrés et bas et le
frêle campanile de Notre-Dame-de-Santa-Cruz, au sommet de Mers-
el-Kébir.
Les allées de promenade, tournantes et ombragées, leurs grands
eucalyptus et leurs roses rouges en fleurs, tout s’est décoloré ; un
réverbère s’allume au pied des hauts remparts, la promenade de
Létang est maintenant déserte. Ces points grisâtres là-bas, sur le
quai, ce grouillement confus d’ombres incertaines, cette rumeur de
voix, ce sont les légionnaires qu’on embarque. Au loin, très loin, un
lourd chariot se traîne avec un bruit de sonnailles ; c’est la nuit, c’est
le soir.
EN ALGER

TLEMCEN

LES ENFANTS

Le paradis de l’éternité ne se trouve, ô


Tlemceniens ! que dans votre patrie, et s’il m’était
donné de choisir, je n’en voudrais pas d’autre
que celui-là.

Ibn Kahafdji.

Le charme de Tlemcen, ce sont ses enfants : ses enfants


indigènes aux membres nus et ronds, jolis comme des terres cuites
qu’un caprice de modeleur aurait coiffées de chéchias. Avec leurs
grands yeux d’animaux intelligents et doux, leurs faces rondes un
peu brunes, éclairées de petites dents transparentes : leurs dents,
autant de grains de riz ! avec leurs cheveux roux, teints au henné,
s’éparpillant en boucles d’acajou, il faut les voir courir en bandes à
travers les ruelles étroites, coupées çà et là d’escaliers, de cette
ville, bien plus marocaine qu’arabe.
Petits garçons turbulents, râblés et souples dans de longues
gandouras qui traînent sur leurs pieds nus, fillettes de dix à douze
ans, déjà graves dans les percales jaunes et roses à fleurs voyantes
des Espagnoles, leur poitrine déjà naissante serrée dans la veste
arabe, et leurs fines chevilles et leurs poignets menus cerclés de
lourds bijoux, tout cela va et vient aux seuils des portes basses
ouvertes sur la rue, apparaît à l’angle d’un mur éblouissant de
chaux, et, dans un jargon gazouillant à la fois mélodieux et rauque,
enveloppe brusquement de gestes quêteurs et de petits bras tendus
le promeneur égaré, à cent pas de l’hôtel, où commence et finit le
quartier français, aussitôt submergé par la ville indigène.
Ville étrange, silencieuse et comme déserte avec ses demeures
basses accroupies le long des ruelles ensoleillées, et dont la porte
ouverte dérobe, par un coude brusque dès l’entrée, le mystère des
intérieurs.
C’est le matin : le pas d’un rare turco se rendant du Méchouar à
la place, les bourricots chargés de couffes remplies d’argile de
quelque ânier de la plaine, ou la mélopée criarde d’un tisseur,
installé dans le clair-obscur de sa boutique, voilà les seules rumeurs
matinales de Tlemcen. Au-dessus des terrasses étagées
s’escaladant les unes les autres avec, çà et là, le dôme blanchi à la
chaux d’une mosquée ou le minaret d’onyx d’El-Haloui ou d’Agadir,
c’est un ciel d’outre-mer profond et bleu comme la Méditerranée
même, la Méditerranée déjà si lointaine dans ce coin du Sud
oranais, c’est l’azur brûlant des pays d’Afrique avec, au nord de la
ville, la dominant de toute la hauteur de ses contreforts rougeâtres,
l’âpre chaîne en muraille du Djebel-Térim.
Dans l’intervalle des maisons indigènes apparaissent les
créneaux des remparts et, dévalant à leurs pieds en massifs de
verdure, les vergers de figuiers et les jardins entourés de cactus de
la vallée de l’Isser convertie en cultures ; au loin, très loin, à des
cinquantaines de lieues, ces lieues lumineuses des pays de soleil où
l’œil semble atteindre des distances impossibles, des ondulations
bleues qui sont d’autres montagnes et que vous, étranger, vous
prenez pour la mer.
Et c’est une sensation étrange, sous cet azur accablant, au
milieu de cette fertilité, que cette ville silencieuse et blanche, comme
endormie depuis des siècles dans son enceinte de murailles, et
sommeillant là, au cœur même des verdures, avec ses minarets et
ses mosquées, son sommeil de ville enchantée dans l’abandon et la
chaleur.
Mais ses enfants sont là, marmaille grouillante et colorée, tenant
à la fois du joujou et de l’objet d’art. Tanagras imprévus échappés à
la fois de la sellette du sculpteur et des bancs cirés de l’école,
adorable animalité faite d’inconscience et de malice, ils mettent au
coin de chaque rue des ébats de jeunes chats et des attitudes de
jeunes dieux à la fois nimbés de beauté grecque et de grâce
orientale.
Oh ! les grands yeux pensifs, vindicatifs et noirs des fillettes déjà
femmes ! Il faut les voir passer droites sur les hanches, leurs pieds
nus bien appuyés au sol, et défiler, impassibles, sous les yeux
curieux de l’étranger, en tenant par la main le marmot confié à leur
garde. Oh ! leur fierté de petites princesses dédaigneuses des
roumis, en posant leur grande cruche de cuivre sur la margelle de la
fontaine, et la souplesse élastique de leur pas en se retournant, la
taille campée sous le fardeau, parce qu’elles se savent regardées,
toute cette dignité presque insolente de la femme d’Orient pour le
chrétien, à côté de la servilité mendiante et des caresses dans la
voix et dans l’œil des petits garçons se bousculant, futurs Chaouks
d’Alger ou interprètes d’hôtel, autour du petit sou du promeneur !
Oh ! les enfants joujoux aux cheveux d’acajou, aux doigts teints de
henné, avec des anneaux aux chevilles, des ruelles de Tlemcen !

LES CAFÉS

C’est vendredi, le dimanche arabe. L’accès des mosquées, où


durant toute la semaine le touriste peut se hasarder en laissant
toutefois ses chaussures à la porte, est, ce jour-là, sévèrement
interdit aux roumis. Dans la Djemaâ-el-Kébir, comme sous les
colonnes d’onyx d’El-Haloui, les indigènes, prosternés sur les nattes
ou accroupis par groupes dans les cours intérieures, égrènent de
longs chapelets rapportés de la Mecque ou dépêchent en extase

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