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Children from the Helen L Greathouse Child Development Center entertain the crowd with a song during the open house for the new facility on April 8.

New children's center opens

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Posted: 4/17/09

By Jessica Garcia and Lauren Disney
Staff Reporters

Children recited the Pledge of Allegiance and then sang to the crowd under the portico of the new Helen L. Greathouse Child Development Center (HLGCC) during the open house on April 8.

The new center, located on the southeast side of campus near the physical education, was made possible by Greathouse's earlier endowment to Midland College and by contributions from the 2005 $41.8 million bond issue.

The previous Greathouse building was equipped to handle up to 52 children and the new 10,838 square-foot facility is set to handle up to 128 children on a weekly basis. Children currently enrolled at the previous center have already moved into the new center and additional children will be able to enroll in the new school year.

The new building features five classrooms for ages two months up to five years old. It also contains a modest-sized kitchen, play areas, lobby and observation rooms with wireless headsets to listen to the children.

Some high school, nursing and psychology students are able schedule visits to the new center to learn about the children's behaviors without interrupting classroom activities. The curriculum is specifically designed to be "developmentally appropriate" and the new three-year-old classroom even contains computers.

"It's a big difference from the old one we had," said Rita Stotts, child care director. "It came out better than I had expected."

Stotts said she had done some collaboration work with architects and was pleased with how well the building turned out.

"The new building has more rooms that will soon have infants, toddlers, two year olds, a three year old classroom and four and five year olds together," Stotts said.

The new facility also has a bigger playground so that the children have more room to play. The playground has synthetic grass where the children can play without worrying about getting cuts or germs, Stotts said.

Security at the new center is a high priority, Stotts said, with cameras at the main entrance, in the hallways and classrooms, as well as outside. Staff members can now monitor visitors and all the children's activities. They are trained to handle emergencies and are scheduled to have safety drills on a regular basis.

Many visitors to the new center's open-house recalled fond memories of Greathouse and her legacy at MC. In 1985, she assisted the college in funding its first children's center, which was much smaller, containing only two classrooms as part of the health sciences division. It was only capable of handling up to 52 children, three days a week.

Stotts said that Greathouse would often have lunch, go trick-or-treating and share her smile and hugs with the children. She also donated most of the playground equipment that is still in use at the new center. Greathouse passed away in 2001.

"The purpose of the HLGCC is to provide a safe and wonderful healthy environment for each child we have here," Stotts said.

According to a press release, the Greathouses have donated to need-based community projects for decades, but Stotts said this was the first building named in honor of Mrs. Greathouse. Her legacy is recognized with a picture and plaque in the main entrance foyer at the new building.

The new children's center operates on a full-time, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Monday-Friday basis, with the exception of holidays observed at MC. It is fully licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Stotts said she will hire additional staff over the next few months as it progresses towards full capacity. There is currently a waiting list to enroll new children, but students, employees and the community are encouraged to call (432) 685-4574 for more information.