GIRL GUIDES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4973, 12 May 1926, Page 3

GIRL GUIDES.

VISIT OF PROVINCIAL CAPTAIN. FORMATION OF COMMITTED. On -Monday evening last week the newly formed committee of the Paeroa Girl Guides met Miss Burgin, Auckland Provincial Captain. After Miss, F. K. Emmott, captain of the company, had read a brief report on the work already done by the company. Miss Burgin addressed the meeting, after which ,a chairman and. a secretary were appointed for the committee, Mrs Barclay being made chairman and Mrs S. Sil'cock secretary and treasurer. The committee then took the Guide promise, and were formally enrolled as Guide committee members. After sayiug how pleased she was to hear of the formation of ,a new company, and asking for .the support, ofthe public, and especially the parents of the girls, Miss Burgin went on to give reasons why th© Guides; should be supported. '“The boys and girls ofc to-day are tremendously important because they are the citizens: of tomorrow, and we want them to be worthy citizens.— worthy of our pioneers, and of their fathers and brothers who fell in the war." said the speaker. “The child of to-day want to be up and doing. They must ha,ve something to fill their leisure time with. Too often it is the pictures, or to roaming the streets they .turn. Gradually a disregard for home is apt to- spring, up and al! restraint goes; In Guiding we take, the 'child at her moist impressionable age: we give her the very finest of ideals to live up to, yet give them in such a way .that , thy appeal to the ’Child.

“Our training falls into four heads': (1). Health. Our future citizens must be healthy. Guides are taught to live a healthy, outdoor life —to remember that .their body is a grtt .to them which must be cared for properly. Physically and mentally the children are developed by games, ca,mps, etc. . “(2) Intelligence. The girls are (aught handicrafts useful; to themsjelveis; a,nd others, 'given hobbies they 'can take up, taught .things of real, practical value.

“(3) Service for Others. A Guida is taught that home comes firsit — mother’s word' is, law. She is taught cooking, needlework, and'- housekeeping. She is so trained that she is capable of keeping a good home and bringiing up children, properly. Again, in case df emergencies, a Guide is taught ambulance, sick nursing, life-saving, etc. All .thijs: comes in one scheme of training. She is shown .that the way to be happy is to make others happy, and this is encouraged by ‘daily good, turns.’ Parents, however, are asked not to trade on this. It' is very hard luck on a. small girl who is honestly trying to be a good .Guide to be continually asked by all members of the family to'do such and such a thing “ajj. her good turn for the day’ or ‘because she is a Guide.’ Leave her alone, and she will come up to scratch. .

“(4) Character Training. This, with service to others, is the most important, because one is so largely dependent on the other. Before being enrolled every Guide makes this promise to do her best to (1) do her duty to God and the King; : (2) to help other people at all.times-; (3) to obey the Guide Law.’ - The Guide Law can be summed up in this verse: “Trusty, loyal, and helpful, * Sisterly, courteous* kind. ■Obedient, smiling, and .thrifty, \ Pure as the rustling wind.”

“To anyone who loves their country” we ask for, and claim, ,their support, for our Guides a,re taught loyalty to their country and to be true citizens, So often we are condemned as being military, (1) because we wear ,uniforms ; (2) because, we salute. Out answer is. this:. We wear uniform because it entirely does away with alii so-called ‘class distinctions’ —as Guides we are all members of one,big happy family ; poor or rich, it makes no difference,' the, uniform makes| us all the same. It helps us in creating esprit de corps—the girls feel more that they are one ; and the girls love it, which is surely an excellent reason. ” We salute, with three fingers held up, to re.mind each other of the threefold promise we have taken, as well as, an act of courtesy.' “We have been called ‘The Junior League of Nations’ .by people, who know what they are talking about. The League of Nations has, acknowledged that Guides and Slcoutsi are of tremendous importance in the scheme for world pea.ce, and has. asked all nations to help them. Last year at ‘Foxleaise,’ the home of Guides! in England, a world camp was held. Here girls from every country— France, -Holland, Switzerland, Japan, India, Austria, etc. —met together on the common grounds: of Guiding, and we feel .that this international spirit which ,is growing up in Guides will in the long run bear real results. In our own loved nation, where Communism is. trying to creep in and wreck their greatest enemies, they have openly said that they realise we are dangerous, and that they must try and combat us; but we ask your support in training our young people to be true and loya.l, citizens.’ 1 ’

INITIATION CEREMONY. On the following night (Tuesday) the local company of Girt Guides, known as, the Florence Nightingale let Paeroa Company, and their Brownie pack were formally enrolled in the presence of a large company of parents and friends at St. Paul’s Parish Room, the 'ceremony being performed by Miss M. Burgin, Provincial Captain, from Auckland. The company, with the Brownie pack, was in charge of v Miss, F. K. Emmott ("Guide;-” .to the Guides and “Brown Owl” to the Brownies). At the' call df the Brown Owl .the Brownies ran’ into the hall and took up their positions in the fairy ring around. their totem, and then each “six” was called out to make their promise and have their badges ■of enrolment pinned on. After the enrolment the Brownies dan'ced round the totem and gave their grand howl! The Provincial Captain then'tormed .them into a front row ring and told them

the wonderful Brownie story. The Brownies- enrolled numbered 20. Unfortunately several were absent owing to sickness. The Guides were then mustered on pa-rade and inspected by the enrolling officer. The colours and company were marched into horse-shoe formation tor enrolment and ordered to sit down, when the enrolling officer addressed them on the duties and meaning of the promise they were about to make. The local guider then presented Misses. W. Nathan and S. Taylor for enrolment as prospective assistant officers of lire new 'company. The Guides were .then- enrolled by patrols, all candidates: after enrolment being ordered to salute their colours, which are honoured as a King’s cdlour. Following the enrolment the Guides gave -the Guide Law chant, and proceeded to demonstrate their training by marching evolutions, etc. In all, 37 Guides (five patrols) were enrolled. Refreshments were served by the committee, the Brownes ,and Guides welcoming with a, great ovation the arrival of two birthday cakes kindly presented by Messrs D. Leach and T. Hales; At the conclusion Miss Empiott called together the newly enrolled company and pack and proposed a vote df thanks to Miss Burgin for so kindly coming from Auckland to perform the ceremony. The proposal was honoured by three hearty cheers.

Miss Burgin having replied, Mrs Silcock .thanked Miss Emmott on behalf of the parents for the work she had undertaken in forming the company and th© very efficient way the girls: had been trained in the short time.

The company having given three cheers: for their guider, the evening closed with the National Anthem. The ceremonies of enrolment were marked by the serious demeanour of the girls who were evidently impressed by what they had gone through. On all x sides one could hear remarked that Miss Burgin’s addresses were very impressive, and her camp-fire ditties went a long way towards the evening enjoyment.

It is interesting to note that although the company was only formed at the latter end of February, it is now up to strength and closed to recruits until the summer, when it is hoped that permission will be granted for the formation of a few new patrols.