LEAGUE OF MOTHERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1939, Page 7

LEAGUE OF MOTHERS

CARTERTON BRANCH. ADDRESS BY MRS CLEGHORN. ("Times-Age" Special, i The monthly meeting of the League of Mothers was held yesterday after noon in St Andrew’s Hall. Carterton. Mis R. H. Every presided over an ex cellent attendance. The meeting opened with the League Hymn and Prayer. The hint for the month was given by Mrs Boyne, and was new to members. It was "A new casserole should be well rubbed outside with a raw onion, then filled with cold water, gradually brought to the boil, and then allowed to cool.” Two new members were admitted. Solos were rendered by Mesdarne.L. Knutson and V. L. Robinson and greatly enjoyed. A short poem "Bless This House” was given by Mrs E. Williams. It was announced that nomination: for new officers would close on Julj 31 iis the August meeting would be the annual one.

The opportunity was taken to bid farewell to Mrs M. Woods, who is leav lug the district. She was presentee with flowers.

The speaker for the afternoon was Mrs M. Cleghorn, of St Matthew's Col legiate School. Masterton. She was presented with a beautiful spray ol flowers. Her subject was “Schools on the Continent." Speaking first of the Polish schools, Mrs Cleghorn said thai they commenced at 8 a.m. and worker six hours a day, and six days a week. All children were given a second breakfast, provided by the school at 11.30 a.m. In many cases children were given a first breakfast too, because they came from very poor homes. The population has grown so fast that in Primary Schools children have to at tend in relays, some going from 7 tc 10 o'clock, some from 10.30 to 1.30 anc others from 2 till 5 p.m. Baths, swim ming, plunge and showers, are provid ed and teachers give their pupils i: weekly bath, largely because of sanitary conditions in their homes. Fre quently as many as forty families live in one tenement, the only water being provided by one tap outside to be usee for all purposes. At a notable school foi boys in Warsaw, 400 boys are admitted at the beginning of the year, and taught for two or three weeks. Of this number 150 are allowed to continue but by the end of the year the numbei is reduced to 50 and these boys pro bably stay at the school for ten years The language study in Continental schools is more extensive than in New Zealand, said the speaker. In a large boys’ school Mrs Cleghorn said thai she was amazed to find a woman teach ing English. She asked her which pari of England she came from and was surprised to hear that she was from Ice land and was told that six languages are taught in Iceland schools. The same applied largely to Continental schools.

During onc/visit Mrs Cleghorn heard a music lesson. The room was speciallj fitted, and the colour chosen, blue, was the most conducive to the atmosphere of music. The children were about 13 years of age, and were asked at the commencement of the lesson, to com pose music for a song. After a few min utes, one child sang a composition, thei. wrote it on the board. The children voted on the best piece of music anc then harmonised it. A degree is given at Cairo University for nothing more than being able to recite the Koran. A) another school, the speaker was shown a well equipped gymnasium, and was surprised to hear in a ball game English words such as "in," "out,” "love fifteen” being used. When expressing surprise to the mistress, she was tole "But all games are in English.” At Beyrout, in British Syria, where twe English ladies have a Training School the children of'different sects first have to learn to live peaceably together, a.up to that time, they bit, scratched anc pinched each other. At a school in Toronto for sub normal boys, 12 or L trades are taught, each trade in its owr. shop, and boys are drafted from one to another, until they find the one fo: which they are best suited. The speaker instanced a boy of 13 years who said he wanted to be a sign writer, and yet could neither read write, nor spell. He started by making lines on squared paper, and in time mastered the trade. Everything pos sible is done by the teachers to encourage the boys. It will be good foi New Zealand when there is such voca lion'al guidance for the children of this country.

Mrs D. G. Johnston moved a very hearty vote ol’ thanks to the speakc' foi - her illuminating and interesting ad dress, which was carried by acclamation.

Votes of thanks were also passed t< the soloists' and the meeting closet with the singing of the National Anthem.