OUR CHRISTMAS NUMBER.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1921, Page 4

OUR CHRISTMAS NUMBER.

THE VARIOUS COMPETITIONS. NOTES ON THE AWARDS. PRIZE AWARDS. Short Story.—First, R. H. Rockel, New Plymouth ; second, C. Prldeaux, New Plymouth; special, T. Merlin Wlnlkl, New Plymouth, and W. B. Hosking, Westown. Features of Taranaki’s History.—First, Gwendoline Day, New Plymouth; second, Mollie Olson, New Plymouth; special, Jeanne Delton, New Plymouth. Designing and Managing a Kitchen.—First, Mrs. G. Grant, New Plymouth; special, Mrs. A. Haley, Hawera, and “Zita”, Opunake. How to Manage a Home.—First, Nori Wilson, New Plymouth Technical College. My Greatest Ambition, and Why.—Freda Duckworth, Frank Bell and Wm. Bounsall, all of Fitzroy School, equal; prizes divided. Sporting Yarn.—" The Cutter”, Mokau, and "The Napper”, Manaia, equal; prizes divided. The competitions held in connection with this year’s Christmas Number of the Daily News have again aroused considerable interest. The entries exceeded the large numbers received last year, and the quality of the contributions is of a very high standard. From all parts of Taranaki entries were sent, and young and old met in competition to make the judge’s ta.sk a difficult one. The most popular competition was that for a short story, for which the entries were large. Many of the contributions were of distinct merit and a final decision was very difficult. The stories that are published are the best of a really excellent collection, and those who have failed to Sufficiently impress the judge will have some Consolation in the knowledge that the standard reached by the winners is exceptionally high for a competition which attracts people who but seldom set out on the really difficult task of writing a good short story. A pleasant feature about this year’s stories —a feature which marred many excellent stories last year—was the unmistakable stamp of originality. The judge did not find one story which suggested suspicion, while the themes and general scheme of construction revealed an originality which denotes plenty of hidden talent in Taranaki. A few of the contributions in this section had a lot of merit which might have carried them to rewards if they had not been so lengthy. A story that takes a long time to come to its point will weary the reader, so that he will never reach the point. It may serve as a useful hint, therefore, to competitors in the future to remember that a snappy, short story will always beat a narrative that is drawn out.

CHILDREN’S FANCIES. Throughout there was evidence of concentrated work, and all the entrants appear to have devoted themselves to their tasks with a thoroughly praiseworthy enthusiasm. There was some humor, too, to be found amongst the entries. There were brief stories by children, some of a hundred words or so, which in one long paragraph told of a tragedy of a family without money, who in the next paragraph heard of the death of a rich uncle who had left them a fortune, and “they lived happily ever afterwards.” It was an interesting glimpse in’to the child mind to read quite a number of such stories, and their delight in introducing the highly improbable into the most tragic home revealed rich acquaintance with the stories of fairyland. Next year the j,udge may ask the editor to include a competition for fairy stories by children. * The essay competition in which children were asked to tell their greatest ambition drew a wealth of very interesting contributions. That the militarist* spirit has not altogether disappeared was shown by the number of boys who wanted to lie soldiers, while the enthusiasm of the little chap who wants to fly in an aeroplane and bomb towns leaves little doubt that the war has left its mark on the imagination of the young. Amongst girls who wrote in. this class it was remarkable to note the number who wanted to be nurses and to the sick, revealing thoughts and ideals which it is good to think so many young girls possess. There were plenty with the spirit of adventure—boys yho wanted to go to strange lands and do unusual things. Altogether the competitions showed in a eliminating way the trend of thought of the young. MANAGING A HOME. The competition for girls on the management ‘of a home has thoroughly served its purpose. It shows that girls are thinking of the time when they will be managing a home of their own, and are equipping themselves with knowledge to make them good housewives. The winning essay in this class is very meritorious. The future of the home will be in good hands if every girl has such thoroughly practical and commonsense ideas.

The management of a kitchen has also lead housewives to give many interesting views, which should be a benefit to others whose toil takes them to the kitchen. The first two contributions were difficult to separate, each possessing decided merit. The views and advice given in the articles printed should prove of considerable value to our women and girl readers, not to epeak of the men, who have it in their power to facilitate the work of the home.

The essay competition for pupils of primary anil secondary schools produced a large number of entries from all over the province, but it was somewhat singular that the first two prizes were awarded to girls from the New Plymouth Girls’ High School. The writing of both was supervised by a teacher and written without notes or help of any kind, and we think readers will agree that the essays are entirely meritorious. The first prize winner is a . particularly fine effort. The. chief features of Taranaki’s history are mentioned and described with no mean literary skill. ,To her we extend our hearty congratulations, as we do to the other competitors, and their teachers, who evidently are painstaking and themselves took a keen interest in the subject. VALUE OF LOCAL HISTORY. Very disappointing was the fact that few boys evinced an interest in the competition. Those who did compete, with one exception, treated the subject very perfunctorily, showing they have never taken a very keen interest in Taranaki s 1 history- This is to be deplored, for Taranaki has a very interesting history, one full of incident, before and after the advent of the pakeha, and a knowledge of its chief features at least should insisted ugon by. school teacherB,

if some of the dates of the execution of various profligate kings and queens and prehistoric European wars are dropped from the history curriculum. We hopo the youth of the province will display a greater interest in the history of. their own province in .the future, for without it they are at a disadvantage in uriderBtanding and appreciating present day conditions. Taranaki is perhaps the finest and most prosperous province in New Zealand, and its history is worth knowing. The sporting yarn competition pro* duced a great crop of entries, some good, bad and indifferent. The first two have real merit. The Warrigal story was the better, but it related to an event true enough that had been treated by “Moturoa” four or five years ago. It is, however, a good Taranaki story, and deserved to be recognised. The other “pieced” contribution came from Mokau and dealt with an incident of that interesting locality. It was well and forcibly told. The other stories printed have more or less merit. The model home competition was the only disappointment. There were oyer a dozen entries but none, in the opinion, of the judge, had sufficient merit to justify him in awarding a prize or reoom' mending us to print a plan. The heading of the front page of the Christmas Number is a very fine piece of work, which is the conception of Mr. Benoni White, of Mangorei. Outstanding artistic ability is displayed in the sketches, which together are so thoroughly characteristic of Taranaki as to make ’up a very appropriate arrangement.