FEDERATED WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 15, 11 April 1947, Page 6

FEDERATED WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

THE RECENT EISTEDFODD WINNERS OF LITERARY COMPETITIONS Few people outside its membership realise just how widespread and versatile are the varied sections of the annual Eisteddfod promoted and conducted by the Eastern Bay of Plenty Federation of Women’s Institutes. Apart from the items calculated to encourage vocal ,elocutionary and histrionic gifts, the Eisteddfod also coincides a most interesting section in the Methodist Hall in which the various districts compete in miniature courts, this year displaying baby clothing. There also may be seen the home cookery, floral work, hand-painting and designing. In the literary section competitions were open for essays, poems and short sketches written on the back of a post-card. We take pleasure in presenting the following entries which were placed in their respective classes. Opotiki Avon the essay Avhich reads as under:

HOME ENVIRONMENT AS IT AFFECTS THE RISING GENERATION

In spite of the changing nature of the modern world the home environment is still the most important factor in the development of our children. One’s first reaction to the term “home environment” is to think of the physical surroundings in which we live—the farm, or the suburban or city home, with its furniture, architecture and familiar pictures, etc., but it is more than this that has its affects upon our children. More important than the physical environment to the rising generation is the. great love and affection of parents, brothers and sisters and friends. The mental and moral outlook which a man and woman, in marrying, create for themselves and their children.

Many parents think mainly of the material comforts of life and devote their thoughts and energies to providing for the children by building up the farm or business so that there will be a substantial inheritance. The collective life of the family itself however, is worth as much thought and planning and quite as much self-discipline as is necessary to financial success. Many parents who have pioneered a business or a farm try to protect their- children from the struggle which brought out their own qualities of forethought, perseverance, self-discipline and self-reliance. To do the younger generation justice these qualities should be fostered, as in every age and every generation these qualities are necessary to fit the young for the great struggle in life. What then are the things we should try to preserve in our homes to help our children attain the fuller life we would wish for- them?

I would place first the love and affection of parents' so necessary to a healthy emotional life. Secondly comes the development of a rich hnd full spiritual life by precept and example. Thirdly, encouragement of the mental and physical activities necessary to the fulfilment of the inborn potentialities with which each child is endowed. Without parental love and affection a child’s personality must to a certain extent be stunted. All the finer qualities of the human Spirit of self-sacrifice, perseverance, charitablness—the Christian virtues—are the product of family life. Hence a child brought up in a happy family circle should grow up with normal emotional reactions.

(2) Manawahe Institute (Mrs Bowden)

To ensure full physical development the home should be a place where healthy habits of sleep, food, exercise and hygiene, are practised, and where there is adequate room for play.

If sensible habits are started m such matters from baby-hood, the path is made smooth. Adequate room for play without too much adult restriction is also important. It has been said that cities are the graves of the human spirit. Apartments with their cramped surroundings are graves of the spirit of childhood.

There is no room for play in apartments with the result that children are surrounded by prohibitions in case they might damage the furniture or ornaments, etc. Such environment could not fail to have a very detrimental effect on the growing child. The actively interested child in a responsive environment, where he can talk with others about what he is doing and ask questions, and where he can share impressions and activities and feelings, and be listened to as well as talked to, certainly has the best chance in attaining full intellectual development as well as physically and emotionally. Parents have a great opportunity .of encouraging an interest in matters of the mind by this sort of treatment.

> A sympathetic attitude between school and home will do much to encourage interest and. remove the

danger of expecting too much of the child. Can farmers on the whole say that their children have advantages due to the nature of their work and environment? I think the answer is very favourable. The farm provides an excellent environment for physical development, free play, healthy activity and good food, all very necessary to sound growth. It also provides a family life which is centred in the occupation of the father whose example of planning and working to a degree unrivalled in any other profession is constantly before the children.

The life on the farm brings out qualities of resourcefulness and independance ,of patient endeavour and co-operation in the local community and forms a sound basis from which the younger generation can draw inspiration and strength in their realisation of a fuller life. Postcard Essays The nbvelty competition for a short sketch headed ‘A Child At Play’ which must be written on the back of a postcard drew three entries which we reprint in the order of their awards:— (1) Otara Institute (Mi’s K. Brown) His golden head bent over his chubby hands busily piling block on block, intent on his play, he has no thought that soon the swaying pile must fall. 'One last block, and down crashes the edifice. Laughing with glee to see the blocks scatter, he proceeds undaunted to build again. Another block is needed to finish the. pile, and as he reaches, for it, a little red car catches his eye. The blocks abandoned, all his interest centres on the new toy. It is pushed here and- pushed there, the blocks might never have existed. He tires of pushing, and catching hold of a string attached to the car, he jumps to his feet and toddles pulling the car after him. As he moves away we hear him making “car noises.” For the present, he is a car; there is no past and no future, the present is all that exists. We seek him shortly and find the car lying on its side on the. path, while a little away off, the child is intently filling dirt into a tin “making cakes.” We show him the car, but with barely a glance and never a thought for it, he explains that these cakes are for “Mummy.” With what intentness a child plays. All his interest and energies are centred on the thing of the moment, it is all that matters in the world.

Dulcie—you be Mrs Smith and I’ll be Mrs Jones and we’ll play shop. No, you can’t be shopkeeper. You come and buy things. Use leaves for money. No, not those, Mum’ll growl. Yes! they’ll do. Now this is the counter and say these dead fibwers are the stuff to sell. Say we been very busy and sold lots and lots of stuff. Aw! Here’s Dorrie, let’s hide. Quick, behind this bush. Sh-h-h, don’t speak! Good, she’s gone. Now you be Mrs Smith and come and buy something. ‘‘Good morning Mrs Smith and what can I sell you this, morning?” (Don’t be silly, Dulcie, you must buy something). “Yes, Mrs Smith,” we’ve lots of that and very cheap, too. Eggs? Goodness no, Mrs Smith, chookies don’t lay now.” Now Dulcie, say you badly want something what’s hard to get and you gotta get in and row like Dad does when he wants cigarettes. Don’t be silly, you can’t be first cos there’s no one to come after. Every time I say “now” that’ll be someone else served and I’ll move you up one. Say you been waiting a long time and there’s lots before you. “Yes, Madam, these are rationed and I can only let you have one.” Now! “Yes, Sir, here’s yours.” Now. “How much you want, girlie?” Now! “Oh, hullo, Mrs Smith. What a pity you’re just too late! I’ve only just sold out. Never mind, I’ll have more next week.” Well someone had to be too late, Dulcie, and you’re the only one here. Anyway, I’d sell out too quick if you weren’t too late, sometimes. Oh, alright, if you won’t speak we’ll

play something else. Let’s go down to the creek and paddle. There’s Mummy calling now. It must be dinner time. Yes Mummy, we’re coming. This afternoon, Dulcie, we’ll play school and say I’m teacher and you are a naughty girl. But oh! I do wish you was a real gii’l instead of only a doll I’d have lots more fun.

(3) Taneatua Institute (Avril) In the cool of a summer evening, I sit and watch a little child at play. A gay little fellow he is, round and chubby, cheeks aglow with radiant health, and curls gleaming in the golden light of sunset. Over the grassy sea of our lawn he sails his little boats, which his father -'has fashioned for him from scraps of coloured paper—gay little craft jn red and blue and yellow. Some are merchantmen laden with sti’ange cargoes, others liners carrying men to far off lands. With whistles and ,whoops, and chugs and puffs, he guides his. vessels safely home. And the joy and gladness of his being, pervade my soul, till I feel—to use the words of the poet, “God’s in his Heaven, All right with the world.” " In the poem section, Waiotahi Institute carried off the honours with the following verses:— The Sea % Free as air, yet drawn with tide, Bounded by land on every side; Swelling calmly to and fro Or threatening all the ships that go Across your waters wide and deep, Sea, do you never, never sleep.

Saphire sky with clouds like snow Mirrored in the sea below, Not a sound —yet just a sigh; Soothing as a lullaby. Perhaps upon your gentle breast Green sea-nymphs are rocked to rest. Restless, angry, seething sea Plinging spray defiantly: Charging cliffs with mighty roar; Surging back to charge once more. Grey as any nimbus cloud; Treacherous and cold and proud.

When from shadows crept the night When waves were crowned with phosph-rous light, ’ I pondered on your mystery; Then came this thought insistently Why! Ever since this world began You’ve been like temperamental man. Mrs H. Toone, Waiotahi.