After 25 years of playtime, Mary Proctor Randall Preschool rededicated “Miss D’s Playhouse” on Oct. 11. 

“It would have brought Miss D such great happiness to know that 25 years later, children are still joyfully playing and learning under this roof that bears her name,” director of Mary Randall Preschool Micha Moore ’94 said at the event.

“Miss D” was the late Elizabeth Dickinson, who taught at the preschool for more than 50 years.

A crowd of parents, children, and Hillsdale College Women Commissioners gathered in the backyard of the preschool to celebrate her legacy.

“Many of the Women Commissioners were students of hers, and they too had been greatly influenced by her, which is why they recognized the profound impact she had on them, the preschool, and the education program at the college,” former preschool director Kathleen Connor said. “They were determined to honor her legacy.”

Women Commissioners Mitzi Dimmers and Ruth Parker spearheaded the original idea for the playhouse after Miss D died in 1996.

“They thought it would be a fitting tribute to honor her memory, and would name it ‘Miss D’s Playhouse,’” Connor said. “Miss D’s legacy lives on inspiring us to cherish the joy and importance of early childhood.”

Various updates and improvements to the playhouse played a part in the rededication ceremony, according to Moore.

“The plans for rededication began about two years ago when we realized that the playhouse was nearing its quarter-century mark,” Moore said. “Luckily for us, the Women Commissioners saw this as an opportunity to evaluate the playhouse and make updates to the building and decor to ensure that for the next quarter of a century, this beautiful gift continues to shine, and hundreds more children celebrate it through play.”

The playhouse received a new sign honoring the Women Commissioners and Arvid Erholtz, a major contributor to the design and construction of “Miss D’s Playhouse,” according to Moore. 

Erholtz, his wife Connie, and Dimmers pioneered the original plans for the playhouse, Moore said. 

New additions and improvements to the playhouse also included repainted shutters, brand new play kitchen furniture, updated window coverings, a new mailbox and flower boxes, and new watercolor artwork.

The preschool commissioned junior Claire Lashaway to design and paint three watercolor paintings based on Mother Goose rhymes to decorate the interior of the playhouse. Lashaway said she has been volunteering with the preschool since her freshman year. 

“I guess the inspiration in making these paintings was, ‘how best can I make these appeal to the little ones?’” Lashaway said. “I actually had my siblings come in and look at my drafts and I asked them, ‘Hey, what are these missing?’”

Lashaway said her siblings reminded her of small details from the rhymes that she then included in her paintings. 

“You’ll see little instances of the black cat that appear in all three paintings, or the little mouse in ‘Humpty Dumpty,’” Lashaway said. “Kids see those things, just the small details that might not be something that’s clearly obviously composition.”

“Miss D’s Playhouse” is a favorite among the preschool students, according to Moore. 

“Did you know that in the spring or in the fall, the windows open, and it becomes a special restaurant where they can go and order all their food?” Moore said after which the crowd broke into laughter. “The delight that the children experience when they’re rocking their babies in front of the fireplace or sitting on their porch helps them recreate the love and the experiences that they had when they were on the laps of their own mothers and fathers.”

A fourth-year parent at Mary Randall, Melissa Thorne, said her son loves the playhouse.

“Going to the playhouse was the first thing he wanted to do when we came to the ceremony tonight,” Thorne said. “He wanted to go over and visit the playhouse, and he’s in there right now, writing on the chalkboard and playing with baby dolls like he never left.”

The students of the preschool prepared and performed three of Miss D’s favorite songs as part of the ceremony. Laughter filled the crowd as they sang. 

“I mean, the cuteness is off the charts,” an attendee remarked. 

College Chaplain Rev. Adam Rick concluded the ceremony with a blessing.

“We thank you for Mary Randall Preschool, for the gift of this safe and nurturing environment, and to grow to learn to play in love and safety of the dedicated teachers and staff of the school who worked so hard to make it so,” Rick said in his prayer. 

Former preschool director Stacy Vondra said she is hopeful for the future of the preschool.

“Moving forward, may Miss D’s Playhouse continue to be a source of joy, learning and imagination for many generations to come,” Vondra said in her closing remarks. “Together, we build a foundation for a future with possibility, where children can grow, learn and thrive in the legacy of Miss D.”