WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 140, 2 March 1918, Page 4

WOMAN'S WORLD.

MATTERS OF INTEREST FROM FAR AND NEAR

(Bγ Imogln.)

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

A Golden Wedding. 'Ihc wedding jubilee of Mr. and Mrs. T. Morton, who have been associated with the life of the Blenheim community i'or many years, occurred on nry 22 (says the "Express"). They were married in Greymouth, and of seventeen friends who gathered at the wedding breakfast only Mr. and Mrs. Horton are alive to-day. They have six sons and six daughters, who are today in various parts of tho world. Three sons have been serving their King and country at the war front, two of whom have been wounded; and a daughter is engaged as a nurse attached to the New Zealand Forces. Mr. Horton, who is 83 years of age, is an ex-Mayor of Blenheim. Camp Entertainment Funds Committee. The annual meeting of the Camp Entertainment Funds Committee was liold in the Mayor's room of the Town Ball yesterday afternoon. The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke, M.l'.) presided, and among those who were present were representatives of tho Salvation Army, the Military Affairs Committee of the Cnurch of England, the Y.M.C.A., the Victoria League Concert Party, and the Catholic Federation, organisations that are mainly responsible for the holding of ontertaimncnts at Trcntham Camp. Mrs. Coleridgo (hon. secretary) reported that _ the past, year's | operations wero entirely satisfactory. An average expenditure of £200 a year was spent upon motor-car hire, in; all, £400 during tho two .years of the committee's 'existence. Three times a .week at least concert parties arranged by the organisations already mentioned gave entertainments at the camp, and as the committee had to depend almost entirely upon to take them there such expenditure wafi unavoidable. From all sides tho committee had received the assurance that tbeso entertainments are absolutely necessary for the men in camp, and that every means should be taken to see that they arc continued. Tlie chaplains in the camp state that they are very greatly appreciated, and do much-to relievo tho monotony of camp life for the men. How very beneficial they were in their effects, and how absolutely necessary few peoplo outside tho camps could realise. They considered that every encouragement should bo given to the continuance of this work of tho committee's.

Mrs. Coleridge referred to the fact that only ono concert party went out at a time, that being considered quite sufficient by the camp authorities, one party giving their entertainment ono evening in tho Y.M.C.A. Institute, another in the Church of England InsJituto next night possibly, and so on. Special mention was made at the meetings of the genorosity and wholehearted support giveiv to the comniittco by tho Hutt Radios' Patriotic Guild; who, appreciating the necessity for tiiese entertainments, unsolicited, have contributed to the funds at tlr rate of £C 0 a year. Their action has been, deeply appreciated by committee. Other donations from oiitside sources amounting to £70 a year have also been received, for which the committee is very grateful. Votes of thanks to all who hnd holped 'with those entertainments, to Mrs. Flannigah (lion": treasurer , ),"" who had resigned from the position to the Hutt ■Ladies' Patriotic Guild, and all other helpers, were passed by those present at tho meeting. The following officers were elected:— Mr. Darroch, chairman and hon. treasurer; Mr. Hoskins, vice-chairman; Mrs. Coleridge, hon. secretary. The committee remains as it was.

V.W.C.A, Motes. There was u good attendance ut the Y.W.O.A. on 'liuireday night lu hear Miss .Uussell, from Bombay, give an address on Heroes. Aliss Kussell lelt for (Jhrioicliiueh last night. A bright programme of music and games has been provided by Miss Elsie Still for the Y.U'.C.A. social to-night at which soldiers will be welcome to take part in the games and enjoy the music. To-morrow will he Girls' Department Sunday at the Y.W.C.A. Miss Johnston will take part hi the service, with others who were in camp .under Miss Warren's leadership. An educational syllabus of classes and clubs has just been printed by the Y.W.C.A. to begin this month. It includes evening classes, Bible and mission study, dressmaking, millinery,, physical culture, part-singing, printing, elocution, first aid, gardening and bookkeeping, as well as literary circles and lectures. TheTo will bo an afternoon , class on Wednesday for signalling and j physical culture. Tins week the Wellington Y.W.C.A. was visited by Miss May Gcddes, the secretary of the Girls' Department of the National Young Women's Christian Association. Miss Gcddes intends paying an official visit to all the associations of Now Zealand before she returns to Australia to lecture upon the worlc of the Girls' Department to the students attending the Y.W.C.A. National Training School. At present Miss Geddes is the guest of Mrs. Albert Kayo, of Chrietclrarch. The opening session of the Y.W.C.ANational Training School will take placo on Wednesday. May 1, at the National Headquarters 'in Sydney. Miss Annie Thompson, the dean of the school, has written to say thnt good preparations have been made for it. Tlw prospectus includes lectures in Apo.wtirs. The Life of Christ,.Tim Work of tlie.Holy Spirit, Methods of Bible Study, Comparative Religions. The Social Problem. Hompletics and Early Church History. The lecturers are the Rev. John Edwards, M.A., the IW. L. W. Demnnn. tho Row' Scott Wr"st, the Rev. Principal Pavics. W. Gullanders, the Rev. Princinal Thatcher, and the Rpv. T. W. TTynes. Lectures on Y.W.C.A. work and methods will also bo given.

Mrs.' W. H. Triggs has returned to Wellington from Cliristchurch.

There will be a meeting of all ■Women's National Reserve members, both active and honorary, on ''uesday night in the Concert Chamber, Town Hall. The Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Internal Affairs) will addrass the meeting, and it is hoped that all mem* bers will try and bo present.

Although there was no sale of produce at the Wellington Red Cross Shop yesterday, there was a good deal of money paid into the Red Cross Fund by Miss Cooper and Miss Moss, who handed 1 in £12 by the sa'e of Mowers and needlework, £19 as. from a rsfflo of land, which was given io Mrs. Shirtcliffe for Thorndou day, -ind £1 IDs. for a ralfle of a, picture irom M.rs. Bell for Kelbum day. Next Tuesday the shoo will have a largo supply of home-made uakes, provided by tho Wadestown Women's National Reserve, nnd all those wishing to help the Red Cross funds are asked to come a;id luy on that day. The following Fn'day the St. John Ambulance Senior Is i; t sing Division are stocking the shop, and will havo produce of all kinds end of cxcollenfc quality. There are two gocd upstair rooms in the shop '<■ Inch the cnmmittoß arc anxious to let. They are most suitable .for an artist or dressmaker, and the rent is unsellable. 'I'ho military hospital shop Miitmues to do well, and there is a ready sale For the work which the com'nlescjnt soldiers are bo expert in.

A visit was paid to tho Mercer Street Red Cross Dapot recently by Lady llus, soil, who has but recently returned to New Zealand from England. Lady Russell, who has seen a good deal d the New Zealand Red Cross work when visiting the hospitals at Home, told tho lion, secretary that the treasure bags which the soldiers are given in hospital are very much appreciated, and tho brighter the colours of the material of which they are liiaclo the more they iiko them. With a double draw-string and a little piece of calico or tape (sewn in a not-too-conspicuous place), upon which their names canho written, they are regarded .is being thoroughly desirable. Plenty of limb cushions are always needed also, and the softer they are tho better. Slippers with knitted tops to them instead of felt are preferred, as Lady Russel said that with foot injuries .material that is soft and more yielding than felt is desirable. The dressing gowns which have been received from the depot have also been greatly praised.

DR. GARRETT ANDERSON : . ; HER SPLENDID CAREER. It is not granted to many to plough the land, sow the seed, foster the crop, and see, not only the harvest reaped, but also how splendid the harvest is, where any great work is concerned. Yet this was the wise with Dr. Garrett Anderson, who died full of years and honour at Aldeburgh (states tho "Queen")./For she it was who fought, and won the first battle'for the right of women to enter the medical profession in Britain; who paved the way as ■well as opened it for them, ar.d has lived not only to see her conviction of their power triumphantly proved and acclaimed, but to see her own daughter specially asked, with Dr. Flora Murray, to organise and take entire charge of a large military hospital, and perhaps even more than all personal triumph, to see how the long, weary, difficult re a<l on which she was the pioneer has enabled medical women to come to the aid of their country in the hoar of her great need. It has-been generally said that Dr. Garrett Anderson wns the first Fiiiglish medical •woman, but this is-not strictly true, that distinction foiling to the late Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. But she had to obtain her professional training and become qualified in America, afterwards returning .to for own country and doing service to-, the cause she had at heart by the practical proof which she gave of a woman's skill and competence in the exercise of her profession. But Dr. Garrett Anderson was the first English medical woman to obtain her degree in England, and thus to open the door to the splendid and ever-increa?inj* number of-Avomen who have followed her in the medical profession. . The story of the way she did it, by tact and forcte alike, as well as by indomitable courage and, perhaps most ipotent. of all, a sublime belief in the cause fm , ' which she fought, has often been told. And it is well that it should be remembered, for the splendid professional openings for her successors are the- fruits of that struggle • of vliinh. she boro the brunt practically alone. It is almost amusing now to remember that, having convinced the Society of Apothecaries that they could not refuse to grant to her their diploma oil tho ground of her sex, because they existed under. Royal Charter to sell drugs'and there was no legal objection to a woman .selling'drags, she was faced with the difficulty of obtaining the requisite hospital part of her training (Hie rest she obtained easily frdm private .sources), arid that tliisj at the suggestion of tho authorities'at a hospital, t-he was grudgingly permitted to do provided she dressed and acted as though sho were merely a nurse! This experience haij »■ direct result, however, 'for it doubtless led her.to found the' New Hospital for 'Women, and so μ-ovide a hospital in which women li.edical students could qualify forstlieir jiTolession. For very many yeais after its opening in 1871), following on the work of a little dispensary near Lisson Grove which she opened in 1866, . the ■ Now Hospital remained the only one in which such facilities were given. New, of course, the Royal Free Hospital has an honoured place at its side, though the riearly-half-a-century-old "New" Hospital remains the only one where rach training and experience are given to women by women alo;ie. In 1874 Miss Jex'Blake returned , from Edinburgh, after failing to secure admission to tie medical schools of that city, the men- students having even carried their opposition so far as to mob her and her companions. This led 'Dr. Garrett Anderson to further activities, and she,: with Miss Jex Blake and other ladies, I set about establishing the London: School of Medicine tor Women, in which by far the greater proportion of all medical women receive their training. The General Medical Counoil of England, however, stipulated that a general hospital of not less than 150 beds was indispensable for any. clinical training the results of which they would recognise—while the little New Hospital had then less than a third of that number. Tho larger hospitals were all appealed to, but in vain; none would admit women students; until, in 1877, Dr. Garrett Anderson succeeded in effecting that alliance between the school and the IJoyal Frc« Hospital which exist*, with such superbly successful results, to-day. For close on a quarter of a century Dr. Garrett Anderson was n lecturer at tho school, of which she was dean for ten years, thus actively fostering and guiding the profession of which she was virtually the creator; so in very truth we honour the mentflvv nf her who was the mother of the medical women to whom Britain to-day owes so milch.