Celebrating the legacy and ongoing impact of the Linfield Pre-K
Stepping through the doors of the Linfield Pre-Kindergarten, the sounds of children singing (mostly) in unison fill the air.
“Hello everybody, how are you today? It’s time to move your body and learn and PLAY!”
What their tiny voices lack in harmony, they make up for in enthusiasm. Melodic songs, disrupted occasionally by children’s laughter, have been the soundtrack to curiosity and imagination for half a century.
“It was never just a preschool. The Pre-K was a group of dedicated individuals … it was the directors after me, it is today’s (Linfield) students shaping futures. It has become a vibrant space where every child receives personalized attention, laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning.”
– Lynne Desel, founder and director emeritus
Located in the daylight basement of Potter Hall, the Linfield Pre-K features freshly painted walls with colorful artwork and shelves brimming with books, toys and educational materials. Each section of the room has a sign above it which explains the benefit of a given activity. For example, the sign for the “dramatic play area” has five specific skills the children can develop, from promoting social interaction to encouraging teamwork.
This inviting space has helped children learn and thrive for 50 years. The Linfield Pre-K began in 1973 when Lynne Desel, founder and director emeritus of the program, recognized the community’s need for a preschool program. She created the Pre-K so children could learn through meaningful, age-appropriate activities. Desel ran the program for 31 years until her retirement in 2005.
“It was never just a preschool,” Desel said. “The Pre-K was a group of dedicated individuals … it was the directors after me, it is today’s (Linfield) students shaping futures. It has become a vibrant space where every child receives personalized attention, laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning.”
Preparing skilled and passionate teachers
A unique feature of the Linfield Pre-K is that college students play an integral role in the classroom as teaching assistants. This partnership gives college students hands-on work experience right on campus.
“Linfield students are learning in their lecture classes about child development, teaching techniques, diversity and classroom management that can be applied and practiced directly with the Pre-K children,” said Angie Gurley, current director of the Linfield Pre-K. “While most of our student employees are elementary education majors, we also get students who plan to have a career working with children in other fields such as child psychology, pediatric nursing and pediatric physical therapy.”
Gurley hires six Linfield student employees each semester, including January Term. Another 25-40 student interns work an average of 10 hours per week in the Pre-K throughout the year.
“Not only do they enrich the Pre-K experience, but they contribute to a higher adult-to-child ratio that allows for more individual attention as needed,” Gurley said. “All of this synergy contributes to giving the preschoolers the best educational start and a solid foundation for a lifetime of learning.”
This improved adult-to-child ratio ensures that every child receives personalized attention, a central tenet of Linfield’s comprehensive teacher training philosophy.
“Linfield’s Pre-K program is a vital part of our success in preparing skilled and passionate teachers,” said Carrie Kondor, director of the education department at Linfield. “Teachers Brenda [Flanders] and Angie [Gurley] are amazing role models and provide outstanding instruction to both the children in the preschool program and the future teachers they mentor.”
Thriving through collaboration
The past half-century hasn’t always been an easy one, however. Despite numerous challenges, including leadership shifts at Linfield, classroom modifications, educational reforms and the impacts of the pandemic, the Linfield Pre-K not only persevered but flourished.
The program began in one small room on the campus. The floor was covered in donated scraps of mis-matched carpet, and Desel remembers using whatever she could find to make hands-on activities to spark the children’s curiosity and learning. Her husband, longtime Linfield theatre professor Ted Desel ’61, built a sandbox filled with cornmeal for the Pre-K.
“The kids could do all kinds of discovery experiences by things we’d hide in there,” she said.
She emphasizes the collaborative spirit that has kept the program thriving and the classroom filled. From scholarships to donations and even physical labor, hundreds of supporters have stepped up when needed. After only a couple of years, Linfield University recognized the value and potential of the program and became officially involved, providing substantial support that was crucial for its development.
“There are so many people that saved that program over the 50 years,” she said. “It’s one of those things where it is a series of a lot of people, even (the late former Linfield President) Vivian Bull, was there in her rubber boots when the preschool flooded.”
Learning and joy for local families
True to Desel’s original vision, Linfield’s Pre-K continues to provide a much-needed service to the community. It is the only early childhood program in Yamhill County accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Among the entire state, it is one of only 33 programs to receive this accreditation, uniquely positioning it in the county.
Today, there are 55 three- to five-year-olds enrolled in the Pre-K program. Classes meet on alternating days for sessions in either the morning or afternoon. The preschool students are a mix of children of Linfield families and children from the greater McMinnville community. The current classes include both new and returning families.
“Throughout the last 50 years, hundreds of families have sent their children to the school,” Gurley said smiling. “I could name about a half dozen off the top of my head that had several generations attend, including some who had three or four generations start their education at Linfield.”
It’s something she hopes will last for generations of families to come.
“Linfield Pre-K has been a source of learning and joy for Yamhill County families for years,” Gurley said. “We love its legacy and hope that it continues to brighten young minds for another 50 years!”
The mysterious Mr. Sweetie
They say a cat has nine lives. This guinea pig has many more. Known affectionately as Mr. Sweetie, this well-loved rodent has graced the Linfield preschool classroom for more than 15 years. Children and their families take turns bringing Mr. Sweetie into their homes to care for him over school breaks and summer vacation. While other classroom pets come and go – including various fish, hermit crabs and butterflies, among others – Mr. Sweetie is a core part of the Pre-K community.
While his origin story remains a mystery, Mr. Sweetie (or at least this version of him) is full of spunky personality. He reportedly enjoys hiding in his lime green house and nibbling on his pellets.
Do you know the legend of Mr. Sweetie? Have photos with this cryptic and captivating cavia porcellis? Send us an email to linfieldmagazine@linfield.edu.
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