Lyceum Club Luncheon Talk

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 822, 16 November 1929, Page 20

Lyceum Club Luncheon Talk

THE REAL INDIA NATIVE WOMEN’S IDEALS A most interesting address dealing with India, from personal reminiscences, was given by Miss Lilian Edger at the Lyceum Club luncheon on Thursday. The president, Mrs. W. -11. Pa.rkes, presided. Having lived for 30 years in India, Miss Edger impressed one with her j intimate knowledge of the country. The | talk was mainly on the subject of ; Indian women, who were described as ' being of beautiful character. Their j homelife was very happy, and they | showed the utmost devotion to their i families. The mother was the goddess i of the home, and she was treated as j such. Motherhood was the ideal of Indian womanhood. It was impossible, the speaker said, for people who had just spent a year or two in India to say they knew it. There were so many differences of race, colour and language, that even she. who had lived there so long, realj ised how little she knew. I-ler experiences had been among the Englishknowing classes of the Indian people, the professional, or upper middleclasses. The Indian woman was deeply religious. Often all her leisure time would be spent in studying her Scriptures. To get a true perspective of another race wo had to understand its ideals, and it was upon the ideals that Ihe Indian women tried to base their conduct of life. There was in India today a strong movement in three directions—one for the elimination of the purdah, another for the furtherance of education, and the third in politics. English education and politics, however, did not harmonise with the religious ideals of the Indians. Miss Edger thought that girls should be educated upon the lines of their own racial temperament and culture. “To help the Indian people we must understand their ideals,” said Miss Edger. “Too many people go to India as superiors, as rulers, causing the Indian to erect a barrier and reveal nothing. To help, we must find out the reasons for their customs and then wo can do a great deal in the furtherance of their own highest ideals. Only they themselves can bring about reforms in their social life, and this is slowly happening.”

FAREWELL AT TAUPIRI SURPRISE PARTY A farewell surprise party was held at Taupiri on Wednesday, the guest of honour being Mr. Andrew Johnston who is leaving the district after having acted as "relieving home missionary of the Methodist Church in the lluntly circuit for the past few months. There were over 40 people present and a very enjoyable evening was spent in games and competitions. ldloeutionarx items were given bv Miss Ci. Jones. On behalf of the Taupiri Undenominational Bible Class, Mr. V. C. Day presented Mr. Johnston with a monetary gift, with the request that he would purchase a book as a memento of the occasion. Mr. Johnston suitably replied to the eulogistic remarks on his work during the brief time he had been in charge of the circuit. DUST IN UPHOLSTERY Just colour some warm water with soapsuds, enough to give it a milky appearance. Take an old Turkish towel, dip in the water and then wring to remove all surplus water. Place this smoothly over the chair, chesterfield or cushion to be cleaned, and then beat with a switch or a carpet beater. The towel collects a remarkable amount of dirt and also prevents dust from flying about. The larger the towel the better.