Girl Guides and Brownies

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5329, 15 February 1947, Page 2

Girl Guides and Brownies

KUAKA

Last week, we talked about our Law and Promise and' New Year res'olutions. To-day, let us glance at the rest of the Tenderfoot test. The third test on the well-known cards is in connection . with our Empire's exciting and roma'ntic story of , how the flag-is made up, of what it has meant to the men and women who have lived where it has been unfurled as a symbol of freedom I use to. think, history was dull, but when I look over many of the facts that I hated learning for rather dry dates to put in an examination paper, I feel that if we think of them as steps in the .'ormation of our Empire as it is tolay and look for the courage of the umple, ordinary people, like yoiu, and ■ne, who achieved amazing* results and /ictories, inspired by the flag which means so much to all of us, I find shat perhaps history is not so dull ifter all, but is rat'her a story, and a vefy interesting one because it ;ells of real people. Do you know all about the Saints >f the Flag? Their lives are very interesting examples for us to fol'ow. Think 'of planning a hike to reive* the story of one of these- brave nen! Traoking, the fourth test, is always exciting', especially if your patrol or 'ompany plan an outing and only one )r two know where you are heading, ;o that all the" others have to follow ;he trail they have laid. The last test on t'he carcl is knot-_ ;ing. Please don't just practice them m grubby little bits of string! Get )utside with a good length of rope and :tep along Adventure Trail — capturng spies, resouing lost travellers, exjloring* jungles — and use your knots n real situations so that when you neet an emergency and someone lands you a big, thick rope to' tie a )owline and throw it to a drowning >erson, you don't have to say, "Sorry, i can only tie it with a bit of string!" In a recent copy of "The Guide," he Chief Guide tells of her visit to v British Guiana rally. I will quote rom her account: "We had a very good rally at leorgetown, and although the pagant was not altogether orig'inal, it /as specially well carried out. It ook the form of a long* procession, lepicting our different proficiency )adges, and was made up from half dozen chosen Guides from each com■any present. "The performers came on to the •round dressed to undertake the varous tests, and to show to the audience ;xactly what the badge represented. fwo Guides walked ahead of each ;roup holding a very large cardboard •mblem of the badge concerned. "There were the cyclists. Two had ixed up a stretcher, well-lashed across rom one bike to another. I have often :een Scouts doing this in displays, )ut I had never seen Guides doing it >efore, and 'I thought it very effectiv:'. Then there were the athletes, jumping omersaulting and skipping; there /ere sportswomen in white shorts, hrowing* cx*icket balls to one another, vaving tennis racquets anft serving o each other; there were swimmers md country dancers; and cooks car•ying bowls and jugs and stirring imiginary puddings in basins. There •/as a grand little crowd of gardeners, tushing a wheelbarrow filled. with vegetables they had — |we hoped — -•rown, and not bought from the mar:et! There were minstrels carrying nd playing instruments, ancl holding .heets of music and singing as they noved along. There^ were pioneers, nd campers, complete with tents and ■ucsacs, there were handymen 'and )'ook-binders, 'book-lovei;s reading', and >ainters looking about them for subccts to paint. "Altogether it was a spectacular how. It needed little or no rehearsing, o it wouldn't he much trouble to pro!uce at a rally; it is instructive and aw be made funny and attractive, /ith endless variations. Each company an choose an item that it can do well, .nd the whole thing can be linked to;ether on the great da'y. If any of ou think of arranging it, ^do be sure o let the bearers of the big pictured mblems of the badges hold their de/ice high, and face the audience as hey move along. The carriers may e tempted to walk along with it fac- • ng- straight ahead, but in that way mly the people right in front catch a .limpse of it." Doesn't that sound an exciting gathring for African Guides ? Isn't it a ' hrill to hear of our Guide sisters in ither lands? The Guides in other ountries like to hear of our doings oo. What are we doing* that will ;ound exciting and interesting to hem ? Put on your thinking and planning • aps, and then cai*ry through your deas in to action. Don't forget to tell he rest of us about it! Good hiking!