Village Preservation's video: Lecture and Tour: Over 125 Years of Little Missionary Day Nursery

Since 1896, Little Missionary Day Nursery (affectionately known as “Little Mish”) has been a fixture on the Lower East Side, established by Sara Curry, who dedicated her life to the care of the neighborhood’s impoverished children and their families. The name reflects Curry’s diminutive stature, and the school’s founding mission to serve the many needy immigrant families who populated this neighborhood at the turn of the last century. Since 1901, the school has been located in the grand former Greek Revival home at 93 St. Mark’s Place, which dates to 1839 and the days when St. Marks Place was the most exclusive address in New York City. Village Preservation is partnering with Little Mish and its director, Eileen Johnson, to delve into the unique story of the school’s founding and establishment of the school’s current East Village location. Celebrating her 20th anniversary as director, Eileen Johnson is the beloved leader of this respected East Village institution. She shares the story of the school’s founder, Sara Curry, and some rarely-seen artifacts from the school’s archives. You’ll hear from her recent writings inspired by her educational philosophy and working with children, and then be taken on a tour of the school, its facilities, and its nearly two century old home Eileen Johnson (she/her) is the Director of a progressive preschool in the East Village, New York. She has developed a philosophy of emotional education, meaning that children are made to feel safe in expressing the full range of their feelings from loneliness to anger, and are greeted with acceptance. Her philosophy is what she calls ART – Acceptance, Reflection and Teaching. She is a parent of two girls and brings her experience as a parent and teacher to her writing.