A FRIEND OF MANY GIRLS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 573, 30 July 1909, Page 3

A FRIEND OF MANY GIRLS.

1 ■': ■-. \;the;wqrk: "_-."' : During-'-the'past three months, a. lady newly ;amved "from England-has;.■been very quietly at work in Wellington, arid in the districts "around, mailing acquaintance with numbers; of 'people, taking note- of. our 'social,' conditions, .making inquiries hero and there, very-slow to 'speak,, very ready .to listen,; judging for herself, and...with -the aid,of, others' how best to do the, work that h'a3 brought her out. This is Miss Whitaker, the lady who ".has left.a- field of-enthusiastic energetic work. in Birmingham. to bring her experience' and power of organisation to the holp of the. Girls' Friendly .Society/ an. association which has for some years been doing good work in more than one New "Zealand town.'! ''■'.'.,;; : . !-■'; ; ~'■ ■ ■~; ■• , For six years Miss" W ( hitaker. has _ been :Diocesan Secretary for tho Girls' Friendly Society'.'in .Birmingham .and Worcester,-' ;and p •Mrs. Wallis, during her. recont visit to England,- persuaded her to resigns; that position, and come,, out to:, New Zealandvfor a.: few years;-' to organise'the G.F.S: in'tho ton Diocese., s.'.- >;..;'■:.. '. . '/This is not work that can bo undertaken in a hurry, and Miss Whitaker has been quietly going about, 'talking hero and thero ■of her : work; but it was not till the meeting of the. Synod that she: began ■ to 1 " push tho work' of extension*: During- that *- week, at Mrs. Wallis's; invitation, sho met the clergymen attending the .Synqd; and their wives at Bisbopscourt, and explained the objects of the G.F.S;,- with? tho result that-,she' will be. able, during the corning year, to establish -.branches''of;'tho" m;. many, smaller towns'and country .districts.-. ' ... ' Yesterday Miss Whitaker oxplaincd 'to V representative of The Dominion what the objects of'-th'e society , are. _ They, are-;first, of all to/establish a high ideal and; lofty standard ,of lifeamong:.the. girlhood of the. community, .and secondly-to provide them .with "pleasant, companionship." Tho founder's of the .society 'feel- -that- it .is, 'alljjmpqrtaiit 'that ; ''a'-' girl/should ,b'e .brought up to, -think good- ihougHts : j^3iid.-'that''-i!i.:,tliis ; lies.;,really the moral safety ,of womanhood. Therei«aro manyv> societies''^ girls..who. have -gone-, astray; the. G.F.S. does' not Work in such a tragic field. Its members includo girls in every class of life, rank of-life,,and.of all:denominations, and it, is. not" intended "that there- shall be' anywhere any hint of patronage, any more than there is in .such a society -as. the .-Girls' Realm Guild, but each member joins the society for her own sako,...'as , well -as for the .sake of-the, help ,it',niay, enable her' to pais' on' to''those with whom associated. The last.annual.report-shows that there are how -iii; the British, Empire' no fewer, than :382,000.associates,, members,"'..and candidates of the, Girls' Frieudly Society,- a.huge army of girls and. their -'.'friends.;-"-The" "report, also snows • that in England the society works- in inany - fields., : ,,They.-. have lodges, homes, of rest,, -training 'homes, 'a central needlework depot, registry "offices; industrial classes, an emigration department,/and various other useful subdivisions of->thcir-.work.;- Some of these are, obviously not" required in "Wellington,, but the G.F.S- is an adaptable organisation. - Miss Whitaker ' is'" a' very- practical lady,:and there, is no doubt that in herhahds the, increasingly large; number, of members will take up different useful and' interesting lines.'of work. . ' ■.'.■.•■•.,"■.'■' . , -.;•;-.-'-..-,'■ • ';-'. .-■ One part of the work that,is}found exceedingly -useful; at Home, and will - develop here, is tho system ono lodge sends to "another lodge : letters of commendation when any member goes to a new home. This is very useful for. girls who • aro • travelling, for their .welcome to a new. home .precedes them.-' For .instance, just ~thc .other , day several ! girls came : out from England, and before they landed, Miss Whitaker had re-' e'eived from their" lodges in England letters asking her to look out for them, and containing the commendation;-that would be of great service to : any solitary .girl 'in any class of life. Accompanying the letter is a request that" the English lodge shall beJiiotified of the- girl's-.safe '.arrival, and- this."again, is a useful proceeding. Then, the.'solitary girl visiting a': strange town may suddenly find herself jh-difficulties/.-tho friends with whom she has .expected;to stay may ,be.away, and it'is 'a 'great.'convenience;to have. advice as to lodgings and employment.from someone in the town, and when Miss Whitaker meets the boats she always receives a hearty welcome.. > Little girls,,under twelve .years !are not admitted to' th"e"-'society,-' but,-. years before that, they may become candidates for admission, and then., they, share, certain advantages',-, and "'have ,tlie, benefitof, tho society's interest .in their, welfare.. Already -in Wellington "there is one smallmemher who must wait two orjtliree years before full admission. There has for some years been established in Wellington":'a."'Girls''' Friendly - Society Hostel, and many girls-have been glad to live there. 'It has been a .•friend--"ttf many girls. It is on such a good foundation that the G.F.S. in Wellington is reckoning to build still larger' activities, and it' may be that in a/'short time that hostel'will find, itself the ceiitro of a very large circle of members. The largo room.;there is open every Thursday evening, to' members, who meet- and employ themselves - in various pleasant ways, sometimes having little addresses delivered for their special benefit, . and-; every fifth Thursday' a- .special; social evening is held there. ' '"' : ' ' It may bo said that tlm work of the G.F.S. in tho country districts is every hit as important as in the towns, perhaps even more important, for there are not in the country niariy. societies,'that devote themselves to the affairs of cirls." '-..'•' It is a "rule of, the'society that the associate members shall'' belong : fi> the ' Anglican Church,'but. the members may belong to any denomination. The associate members are expected ■'•'to keep in'touch'with'a certain number ; of members, ;and this isone of tho great bomls""of union that hold-tho society together and - make it'-vfell worth while.