BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GIRLS?

New Zealand Listener, Volume 7, Issue 166, 28 August 1942, Page 14

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE GIRLS?

"Heritage" And Its Objects

ce NTI-FEMINIST " was our first A rather hasty pronouncement when we read accounts of Wellington’s new " Heritage " movement in the daily papers. The movement, as readers of the dailies are probably aware, has as its main object the providing of a father’s care for the sons Of servicemen killed overseas, and while-we naturally approved of this aim we wondered that the movement had not seen fit to include the daughters of servicemen. It was to get this point cleared up that we interviewed one of the " Heritage"’ representatives. "We're hoping to include daughters as well as sons later on, when the movement gets better established financially," he explained. "But meanwhile we’re going to concentzate on the boys. After all a mother will have less difficulty in bringing up her daughters without a father’s care than her sons, so from our point of view the sons are the more important." ‘"And what about the mother?" we asked. " Will she welcome the intrusion of an outside organisation in a matter which concerns her so closely as the bringing up of her own children?" "We don’t intrude," said the representative reproachfully. " ‘Heritage’ comes in only with the full approval of the mother. It’s like this. The mother will probably receive a letter from us, explaining just what we are and what we want to do for her boy. If she’s sufficiently interested, a member of our visiting committee will come to see her and explain things more fully. But it isn’t a question of ‘Heritage’ taking over the care of the boy. We’re simply there to advise and help when and if we're wanted." ; Three Types ot Member " And what exactly can You do for the boy?" "I'd better explain just how the movement is worked. We enrol three types of members; general members, who merely give financial support by contributing their two guineas a year; members of standing committees, who have to render general assistance to the sponsors; and finally the sponsors themselves. These sponsors are the members in closest contact with the boys, for each sponsor undertakes the care of one ward. "It is the sponsor who has to take as far as possible the place of the father. We choose our sponsors carefully.’ The best type of sponsor (in my opinion) is a man of younger middle-age with a family of his own, preferably with the same interests as the father himself would have had. For example, if the boy’s father was foreman in an engineering works we try to get a sponsor who has something to do with engineer: ing. And another thing, we try to get a sponsor who lives somewhere near the boy concerned, because after all they’re going to see each other fairly often. The sponsor has the boy round to his own

home fairly often, gets to know what he’s really like, what he’s interested in, and what his capabilities are. At School And After "The time arrives for the boy to 20 to secondary school. His mother discusses with the sponsor what school he will go to and which course he will take. The sponsor may feel this decision calls for expert advice, so he will consult ‘ Heritage’s’ standing committee on education. The problem may be that the mother is in immediate need of the wages which the boy might earn. In this case ‘ Heritage’ will help her financially till the boy’s education is completed. "At last the boy is ready to get a job. Here ‘Heritage’s’ standing committee on employment may be called in, and guided by the boy’s own preference will find him suitable employment. "Once the sponsor has seen his ward safely through childhood and adolescence, has supervised his education and got him settled in a congenial job his work is finished. It is possible of course that these years will have seen the development of some sort of friendship between sponsor and ward which will last for life, but officially the work of ‘ Heritage’ is done." Mother Has The Last Word "And who has the final say in any matter affecting the boy, the mother or the sponsor?" "The mother. The sponsor has no official standing at all — he’s merely there to help the mother to do what’s best for the boy. And there are so many ways in which the sponsor, backed by the organisation, can help. He has not only the benefit of his own experience but he can call upon the services of a large body of experts to help him. If, for example, the boy needs specialist medical or dental care, the sponsor can command the services of one of the specialist doctors and dentists enrolled . with ‘Heritage. Suppose the boy’s education presents some particular pro-blem-the sponsor can immediately get in touch with those qualified to give the best possible advice on the subject." "TI suppose advice on education and employment hasn’t been much in demand so far?" "Well, most of our ‘ Heritage’ boys are a little young for it yet. We’ve got 36 in Wellington so far, the eldest 16 and the youngest only a few months. The average age is seven. So it will probably be a few years before the boys can use to the full the advantages which ‘Heritage’ offers, and we hope by that time to have enough money behind us to give each one of our boys every possible opportunity." "Enough money to start giving every possfble opportunity to the daughters as well as the sons of servicemen?" " Yes," replied the ‘Heritage’ representative. "I think that will rer be arranged." ;