GROWING GIRLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 85, 11 April 1931, Page 18

GROWING GIRLS.

FACING THEIR PROBLEMS. STANDARDS OF TO-DAY. APPEAL TO WOMEN CITIZENS. A strong plea for more thought to be given by citizens to the growing girls of Auckland was made yesterday afternoon by Miss Jean Begg, at the farewell gathering which was given for her in the council chamber by the affiliated women's societies of Auckland. The girls of Auckland were not spending their wages on silk stockings and the other tosh that was so often urged against tliem in the daiiy papers, she said. They were taking their wages homej tl\ose that had wages to take home. ' Others walked the streets day after day and all day long trying to find something to do to keep going. Girls had told her that they hated to go home at night because tliey had no money to take into homes where it was so much needed. The citizens of Auckland should think hard and practically. A girl, said the speaker, was the product of her group and of the forces in the community. She appealed to parents, and especially to mothers, to give more thought and understanding to their girls. Unsatisfied Needs. At the present time the behaviour of the young people was seriously under criticism, but all behaviour could be traced back to unsatisfied needs in the individual, their desire of approval of self, and of their own outlook and ideas. It was thus that girls came into conflict with their parents. A girl wanted to be' as nicely dressed as her group. Nearly all the girls to whom she had talked of their troubles had conflict in their homes." She wondered if the homes were providing all that the growing girl of to-day needed. The movies were helping to form the character of the growing girl, said the speaker, the young girl about the age of the high school group, and she earnestly begged the citizens of Auckland who thought about the future of their city to ask themselves what would be the outcome of the ideals of dress and behaviour which were being inculcated in the growing girl. The dance hall really provided the only place where the young girls and youths were enabled to meet each other, and Miss Begg asked very seriously what was the role the churches were taking in this crisis of our national life. Were they helping to build up the character oi girls to enable them to face their future life, or were they only touching the fringe or the problem? ,

Conflict with Reality. ' The largest percentage of girls failed from apathy. They fell into jobs and as quickly fell out of jobs, because they only brought to the jobs a standard which was in conflict with the stern realities of life. They must help the girl to think for herself, and help her to find adequate satisfaction for her needs and desires. The speaker stressed the need for women to make a fight decision when dealing with the problem of the young people, and to do this they should get the view of youth. They should be always tolerant. She felt that the besetting sin of women- was fear. Miss Begg concluded a speech of high endeavour by quoting from a recent visitor to New Zealand, a cultivated worker in the cause or women In England, who had spent over a year looking into problems in New Zealand. She said when she left: "You women are spoonfed. You get everything too easily. In New Zealand the State is doing too much in all departments of life." Miss Be<rg wished her audience to think over these facts.