LITTLE WHITE RIBBONERS

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 3, 1 April 1947, Page 9

LITTLE WHITE RIBBONERS

Read at Dominion Convention 1 am pleased to have this opportunity tu offer suggestions which will help those engaged in this most important branch of our work. It is valuable tor two reasons. First, because it is concerned with the welfare of the child front its earliest infancy. Our 1 W.R. Department aims at foundation building, the teaching of Temperance in the early years when the child mind , s most impressionable. Second, its aim i> to influence the mother through the child. The centre of child-life for u ar> is the mother, and the home environment is the chief factor in moulding the character of the child. To help the mother to realise the importance of ftmpcrance teaching in the 'home is an important part of out task. This can only he done by persona! contact. T),e si/e of a Cradle Roll is not the hallmatk of its efficiency. No name should he piaCid on the roll until the mother has signed the required pledge, "1 promise to teach my child to live a pure and temperate life.” Mothers should he encouraged to bring their children to an initiation service at a Union meeting, interest and sympathy in our work being thus stimulated. The pledge cards and initiation form of service are obtainable from Headquarters. It is important that Birthday cards should he posted in time to be delivered on the proper day. Literature —arresting and concise—can he enclosed to interest the mother. Many superintendents deliver the cards pers< nally, and make this an opportunitv for a visit to the home. Extra copies of the "White Ribbon” could be circulated in this way. The annual party is also a valuable of contact and an opportunity to stress to mothers the dangers of an even moderate use of alcohol, and its menace to the future life of the child. Thi> party is looked forward to by the children, and arrangements should be made for them to Ik* amused elsewhere while the talks to mothers are being given; for it is their party. When a member of the ( radle Roll reaches the age of eight years and lias to he removed from the roll, he should he transferred to an L.T .L. or Hand of Hope, if possible. I ransfei cards are obtainable at H.Q. I n fortunately, this is sometimes not possible, as so f»>\v of our Unions have either, l iis weakness and lack of continuity in cur Youth work is to be deplored and should he remedied. The foundatUr.s are laid, but the building stops there Our contact with liotli child and mother conies to an end. Little [eniperancc teaching is given in our Sunday Schools, and less in our day schools, so does not this responsibility f f r continuing the work begun in our LAV.R. Department lie with our Unions ?

Letters to the eight-year-olds have value as theirs is an impressionable age, and the interest shown in them by the superintendent may have a lasting influence on them, especially if the value of the pledge and the dangers of alcohol are pointed out in a simple manner to them in an interesting letter.

A word about reports. Each district should appoint a C.R. Superintendent whose work it is to collect a report from each local C.R. Superintendent in her district, and forward all to the Dominion Superintendent as soon after the annual meetings as possible or before December 31st at latest. Where there is no District Superintendent all reports should be sent direct to the Dominion Superintendent. Banners are held for one year only and must be brought to Convention, or sent to Dominion Superintendent when the year expires. I will conclude with the prayer that God’s richest blessing will rest upon all L AYR. workers during the coming vear, and to all L T nions I issue a slogan for 1947. “Continuity in our Youth Work shall be bur objective.” L BREWER. Dominion Supt.