There is something special about the Traverse City Cooperative Preschool (TCCP). Those who grow to know it, either as a parent or child (and for many in this area, both!), never fail to recognize its unique qualities. As a community we strive for connectedness, a genuine care and concern for our children, and not just our own. It was this commitment that formed the TCCP 40 years ago and what still embraces it today. Parents working hand in hand with our children to form lasting friendships and healthy beginnings for our children’s early education.
How It all Began
In the fall of 1969, a group of parents met in response to a small advertisement in the newspaper looking for families interested in forming a cooperative preschool program together in the Traverse City area. With the enthusiastic support of nearly 40 mothers and their families, the first Board of Directors was formed. The Traverse City Cooperative Preschool opened its doors in January of 1970 in the Asbury Methodist Church. The beginning years were challenging! With very little money, the preschool had to make creative use of the parent’s own children’s toys, books and dress-up clothes. Others constructed musical instruments, bean bags and various games by hand. Community organizations and businesses donated the first gym climber, storage unit and floor mirror for the children to use in dramatic play. Evelyn Peterson, one of the original founders of the TCCP, was the first teacher of the preschool. She later went on to obtain her Master’s Degree and became a consultant, newspaper columnist, author and early education college instructor. Evelyn stated in a dedication of one of her books about her TCCP experience, “We have had a great history and reputation and the reason for that is our energetic and dedicated parents and our philosophy that children grow and learn best when parents are actively involved in their learning.” Evelyn’s talents, simple materials and dedicated parents proved to be a winning combination and the TCCP continued to grow.
Finding A Home
It was during the preschool’s second year when the TCCP was given the opportunity to rent the one room Gunther School House (located where Pier One Imports and the Grand Traverse Mall currently sit) for $1 a year from Gerald Oleson. A fine playground was developed with recycled donations from a tire company, the city DPW, a phone company and Dobias Landscaping (who created a sledding hill and planted a tree!). And there, the large, bright TCCP classroom sat amongst the cornfields and buffalo herds from 1972 until 1987 when the development of the “Big Mall” began. Nancy Render became the preschool’s teacher in 1981 and, fortunately for the TCCP, continues her work today. Along with Mrs. Render, the TCCP found it’s next space in the Church of Christ building on 14th Street while members began the tireless search for a more permanent home. The current home of the TCCP, the former “All Faith’s Chapel,” located in the Grand Traverse Commons, was the result of the dedicated search by then president, Cathy Lundy, and many member parents. Perusing all over of the city, the group finally closed in on the Chapel vacated several years earlier along with the State Hospital facilities. The large, expansive interior, as well as the beautiful outdoor grounds, appeared to be the perfect setting for preschoolers and parents to learn and grow. It proved to be a nearly impossible task, however, to get the doors of the All Faith’s Chapel open to the preschool. TCCP parents regularly attended City council meetings eventually convincing the City to partner with the TCCP. With the help of the City, Rotary Charities and a lot of hard work by parents, the preschool moved into its beautifully renovated classroom in March of 1992. In 2002, the Women’s Resource Center purchased the building and became the TCCP’s landlord.
A Tradition of Pride and Excellence
The facts of the TCCP’s history really say very little about the deep sense of pride people develop through their experience with the preschool. As a member, either as a child, parent or teacher, participating in such an organization promotes such a genuine sense of community. Working hand in hand together with educators like Nancy Render upli&s all parents who strive to provide their children with the best possible beginning. Families grow and move on to higher levels of learning, but the TCCP foundation is lasting and strong because they have shared an exceptional life experience which can’t be diminished or replaced. The history of the TCCP is a fine example of what can happen in a community when caring individuals commit to an ideal and see that it becomes a reality.