Celebrating Girls’ High spirit

Press, 12 August 1985, Page 8

Celebrating Girls’ High spirit

A new play by former Christchurch writer, Rachel McAlpine, will be having its premiere at Christchurch Girls’ High School reunion next month.

Rachel, a former pupil of the school, wrote her play, “Driftwood”, last year. Producer Elody Rathgen; English and drama teacher at C.G.H.S. says the play has a series of story lines which “drift in and drift off — hence the title.

Its theme is young people finding themselves through short-lived interests. Surfies, break dancers, and a glue sniffer are among the characters.

Pupils from both the Girls’ High and the Boys’ High will take part in the play — one that “young people will very easily relate to,” says Elody.

Another highlight of the reunion, held to mark the school’s 108th anniversary and to recognise the last full year at the Cranmer square site, will be timewarp displays, portraying teaching methods at different stages of the school’s history. A drill display will recapture the days when Captain Farthing barked out his commands to the accompaniment of a drum beat, while the science class will peer over a single bunsen burner in the bus shed — reminiscent of the corrugated iron shed originally used.

The reunion, to be held over the weekend of Sep-

tember 20 to September 22, will begin with a sherry party on the Friday evening, followed by an open day on the Saturday, and a tour of the new school site.

An informal assembly will be held in the school hall on Sunday morning. “Driftwood,” will be presented both on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

Former students and staff who want to attend should send for a registration form from Mrs N. I. Sloane, P. O. Box 6138, Upper Riccarton. Christianity and feminism Women who are both Christian and feminist sometimes find it hard to reconcile the two beliefs. A group of Christchurch women, frustrated at male domination of the established church, have formed a support group to encourage one another in a female perspective of Christianity. “We feel the church has little to offer us at the

moment. Worship is full of masculine images and all the decisions are made by men,” says group co-ordina-tor, Judith Lance. The group was formed in May after several women had voiced concern at not conforming to the image of a “Christian woman” handed them by the church. “Some women, especially those who belonged to fundamentalist churches, found the role they were expected to play really grated,” says Judith.

Now the group of ten women, who meet fortnightly to discuss conflicts and share experiences, are going from “strength to strength.” “We get a lot of encouragement from one another. The group is really fulfilling an important need,” she says.

More women are keen to form a second group, but need further members to make it viable. Anyone interested should visit the 196 Counselling and Drop-In Centre at 196 Colombo St, Sydenham or phone Judith at 325-388 or 31-718.

Homeless families

Homelessness continues to be a problem in Chistchurch. Many of its victims are solo mothers and their children.

Forty-one families, most one-parent families headed by a woman, sought shelter in the Home and Family Society’s emergency house in St Albans in the year until August. The house was set up as an emergency hostel for homeless families eight years ago. Families stay anything from one night to several months. “Families who come to us are in a pretty distressed state. The house gives them time to get some order into their lives and the chance to find somewhere more permanent to live,” says social worker, Bill Edmundson. Although the house is specifically for families, two single, pregnant women have stayed there recently. Both had their babies in hospital during their stay. Bill Edmundson, and cosocial worker, Evelyn Hille, are particularly concerned that half the people who use the house are Maori — who make up only 6 per cent of the population. “This says a lot about the disadvantaged position of our Maori people — and the difficulty they have finding rental accommodation,” comments Bill Edmundson.

Food orders totalling $3205 were issued by the society during the year. Blankets, clothes, heaters,

and furniture were also provided.

The society also runs a free counselling service for a wide range of needs, from marital problems to difficulties with children, depression and separation. The Home and Family Society’s office is in Cathedral Square, beside the West End Theatre. Their telephone number is 795-645.

Equal opportunity award Employers, unions, voluntary organisations, and com-, munity groups are invited' to apply for an equal employment opportunity award.

Set up to mark the end of the United Nations Decade for Women, the award is to recognise efforts made by groups and firms to both employ and promote women.

The presentation of the awards will be made by the Minister of Employment, Kerry Burke, at Parliament House, in November. All groups except Government bodies covered by the State Services Co-ordinating Committee, are eligible to enter. Applications should contain: ® Name and address of organisation.

• The number of female and male employees and

their distribution. ® A brief description of how equal opportunity has been promoted. Applications should be signed by a senior manager or official and sent to the Equal Employment Opportunity Award, C Department of Labour, Private Bag, Wellington, by September 13. End of Decade dinner Another event to mark the end of the Decade for Women is a formal dinner on September 30 for the Regional Women’s Decade Committee. All members and former members are invited to. the dinner, which will be held at the Civic Regency. Tickets are $l6 each. Guest speaker will be one of the New Zealand delegation to the Nairobi conference, although exactly who hasn’t been confirmed yet. The Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Hercus will also be present. Anyone interested in attending is asked to contact Brenda Walker, Lady Hay’s secretary, at 791-660, ext. 559. International congress An international congress

of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs will be held in Auckland from October 13 to on October 18.

Up to 750 delegates and observers from some 45 countries are expected to attend the congress — the first in the organisation’s 52year history to be held in Australasia. Six women from Christchurch will travel to Auckland for the event, to be held in the ballroom of the Sheraton Hotel. Christchurch women will also host some of the overseas delegates when they visit the city as part of a South Island tour after the congress.

The congress theme is Youth Today — Leaders Tomorrow, which will focus on young career women in the technological age. Natural birth control The local women’s health centre, T.H.A.W. (the Health Alternatives for Women), will hold a free workshop on natural birth control and fertility awareness this Saturday, August 17. The two-hour workshop, which begins at 10.30 a.m. will provide information on a method which combines cycle, ovulation, rhythm, mucus, and temperature awareness. “The approach, based on knowledge of how our bodies work, can be used both to prevent and achieve pregnancy,” says a member of the collective. Anyone wanting to attend should phone T.H.A.W. at 796-970. Birth crisis Christchurch women are facing a “birth crisis,” with choices in how they have their babies being eroded away, says the National Organisation for Women (N.0.W.).

The group is concerned at the closure of maternity hospitals, the loss of home birth midwives, and the persistent treatment of birth as an illness.

N.O.W. is calling a public meeting on the issue this Wednesday, August 14 at Hagley House. Starting time is 7.30 p.m. Midwives, members of Patients’ Rights, Parent Centres, and home birth groups and anyone else interested are invited. Compiled by Glenys Walker. Items for consideration in this column should be sent to Glenys Walker, Home and People Page, “The Press,” P. O. Box 1005, Christchurch.