Special to The Desert Sun

Five years before President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Head Start preschool program in 1965, there was Kiddie Kollege in Palm Springs. Founded in 1960 by Edith Ritter, the preschool served generations of families in the desert, until its closing at the end of this school year after 65 years.

Kiddie Kollege offered “a complete program for children from two through six, including kindergarten class. Children have a regular schedule of supervised outdoor play, arts and crafts, and classes in reading, writing, phonics and Spanish.”

“Occasional field trips to local places of interest are included in the program. These excursions take the youngsters to the airport, Desert Museum, Tamarisk Park and sometimes to the nearest ice cream store for cones.”

“The modern building a

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