CHILDREN'S HEALTH CAMP.

Shannon News, 22 March 1929, Page 4

CHILDREN'S HEALTH CAMP.

« COMPACT ORGANISATION AT CENTRAL DEVELOPMENT . FARM. SITE THAT CALLS FOR RESERVATION. Happy hours are being spent by the children from Wellington primalry schools' special classes who are in camp at the Central Development Farm. This is an annual gathering, lasting about a month, and it gives to those who are delicate, a welcome course of country air, wholesome food, and exercise and recreation amidst natural and beautiful surroundings. This year the camp commenced on Thursday, February 28th, and it will conclude just before Easter. Forty-eight children are there, under a competent staff, and they have brought to the group of hutments they occupy an air of life and movement very appropriate to community existence. The buildings and appointments have served the needs of many camps of various kinds, and the convenience which they afford) is so well' impressed on those in charge of the present assemblage that tljey are hopeful that the whole plant will be retained for educational uses irrespective of the discontinuance of the Farm as a Government establishment.

It almost goes without saying that the pupils', stay is made as interesting as possible. The instincts of the boys have been well divined in the planning of their amusements. Last.year theyi were organised into patrols; this year they are constituted as Red Indian tribes, and they have been busy making themselves suits out of sugarbags, which are effectively transformed into the trappings of Redskins, being decorated with gaudily coloured wools. The manufacture of bows and arrows has also proved an absorbing occupation, and warlike. bands will patrol tho neighbouring bush when weather permits. Useful occupations form an important part of the boys' activities, as they make their own. beds, sweep their dormitory, wash, their own clothes, keep the yards clean, gather firewood, and prepare vegetables for the cook. The girls are taught to wash and iron, to help in the, dining-room with the tables and dishes, and to scrub and sweep. Altogether there are 34 boys and 14 girls in the camp. Health treatment, of course, figures promin- ( entry, in :the curriculum, and at the | present camp, when the weather cleared sufficiently, which was not until Thursday, sun-bathing was instituted, short periods being given in the early stages and the time being, gradually lengthened. After exposure to the sun the children rest for al while in' the dormitories. Lessons in personal cleanliness, with baths and tooth-brush drill, are matters of strict routine, and the training which the young, folks are receiving in this respect will go to the? forming of excellent habits. They are encouraged to think for themselves, too, as special atention is devoted to wards assisting! them to: express* themselves in writing, so that they are able to send, intelligiblen and descriptive' letters to their homes.

The syllabus is one in which work and play are. attractively distributed. The time between 7 and 7.30 a.m. is for rising and dressing; the next half hour is given over to drill; then fol-; low breakfast, tooth-brush drill, bed-' making and camp duties, these items filling in the period tilMO a.m., when the children are provided with a drink. From 10.15 to 11.45 school is held, at which, in addition to battling with the "three R's," the pupils are taught some raffia work and other manual subjects. Lunch is taken at noon, after .which there are tooth-brush, drill, sunbathing, and a rest until 2.45 p.m. At 3 a drink is served-, out, and thereafter the children have recreation, in the form of walks or picnics, until 5 p.m. At that hour they sit down to tea,, which is followed by tooth-brush drill and organised games. If the outside conditions for the latter are unsuitable, the youngsters play inside, and sometimes have folk-dancing in the dining room. Other attractions in the evening are community singing, and listening to ■ wireless • and gramaphone selections. The wireless set was kindly lent by a Wellington agent, and the camp has two school, gramaphones._ It may be mentioned in this connection that the little community could do with more records, and it does not matter how old these are, as they will have to suffer a groat ideal of usage; s 0 a way out is presented for the gramaphone owner who has been wondering what to do with the discs that have long ceased to charm him. The last item in the day's programme is bedtime, which is at 8 p.m. if the weather is fine and 7.30 if it is other.wise.

The health of the children- since the camp opened has been uniformly good. If there has been any ailment at all, it has been a little homesickness at the outset, the symptoms of which diminish as the patients become accustomed to their new surroundings. • A splendid asset of the Farm-camp is the bush just across the road, in which there is always a suggestion of adventure and mystery for the young mind. The weather has not permitted of many outings, but use has been made of what' opportunities were offering. On Saturday last a blackberrying picnic was held, and a goodly harvest was reaped. To-day, if/ the conditions are favourable, an excursion will be made to the Bullcr*Lake, and tea and.toast will be prepared and eaten al fresco. A party of the Digger boys, under the eharge of Mr Prince, one of the Training College students, went to theßuller Lake on Thursday, and had quite an enjoyable time. Several parties have Wn to the Municipal Baths in Levin on. different days,: and have- greatly appreciated the facilities to be found there.

. The classes which compose the-camp are from the.. Petone, Mt. Cook and Newtown. Schools, and are permanent

establishments, the children from & the city and suburban, schools who nee special treatment, being draftedvvint those classes. It is not .possible t give individual attention to [a grea number of such pupils at a time, an so the special classes only consist '?c 15 or 16 children f>ach. .Miss M,-Nei mann, who is the teacher of the Peton class, is in cha-ge of the> camp,; an she has with her Mrs Forster, of th Newtown class,-andsMiss* Emerson;an Fossette, of the Mt.Cookr class also Dr. Dougald and? Nurse.-. Bulkde; of the Health Department,;. and. fot male students and four girl studenl from the; Teachers' Training. Colleges. The cuisine receives special.:consi'c era tion, and the camp has the service of a professional cook," i Mr Patric .O'Leary, who also carried-out th dutias last year.- Generous; .help* ha been received by the .camp from, pec pie in the towiu and : districts Mr I J. Foss, headmaster of thecLeyrauDi! triet. High School,, organised a-.''colle< tion of vegetables by his pupils, :r.wh also supplied; some fruity, and the Cei tral Development-Farm i provides th miik. The Ohau, School dent ecoppe which is being used for .boiling, th larger vegetables; and the Mr Connor, arranged-a'supply of pn duce. Mr H. Walkley has been-jver liberal in the use of his* car for-th benefit of the- camp, generally,. aEd~o the day of the arrival of thcchildre and (staff several citizens : conweye them to the Farm. The day previou: ly,,Mr J. O'Donohue,:manager of• th Boyf V Training Farm, went to the;cam with a party of boys} with the ,resu that much necessary preliminary ,wor was carried out, and the: campers ifoun the place ready for their occupatio on arrival. All this generous, assistant goes to show that the.deserying natui of the. organisation is recognised/i the right quarters, and there can b little doubt that if the fate of <•. th Faun is such as to deprive the healt 2amp of its present site much, regrc will be felt by folks who have we corned the opportunity of doing a li tie good for those who have to rel on stronger,arms than their own.