Lillian Daphne de Lissa

She was head hunted to lead Gipsy Hill College in South London, a key part of Kingston University, that spread the ideas of Montessori education and the Dalton Plan.

[5] She had ambitions for a career in music, but was inspired by the transformation of the slums by the Woolloomooloo Free Kindergarten[6] and decided to pursue studies in early childhood education.

[citation needed] In 1905, de Lissa accompanied Frances Newton on a trip to Adelaide, at the invitation of Bertram Hawker, to share their philosophies of early childhood education.

[citation needed] In 1906, de Lissa became the founding director of Adelaide's first free kindergarten, which was established at 214 Franklin Street.

[10] Her travels throughout Europe allowed her to complete a report about the state of education in European countries for the South Australian Government.

A second Conference of the New Ideals in Education was organised at Runton near Cromer in 1914 and it was agreed that they needed to establish a new training facility where teachers could learn about Montessori's approach.

[citation needed] In 1955, de Lissa returned to Adelaide for the Kindergarten Union of South Australia's Golden Jubilee.

[17] The de Lissa Association of Early Childhood Graduates (University of South Australia) previously known as the Kindergarten Club was established in 1911.