WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

EIATTERB OP INTEREST FROM FAB AND W

(By Imogen.)

SOCIAL AND PIRSONAL

A sueccosful bazaar in aid of tho tt'ors«r Bay School was held in tho main si-hool last week, Mr. R. A. Wright performing tho opening ceremony. Tno gross takings amounted to .£122, At tho prize-giving of tho. Hataitai school, -Mr. Morrison, chairman of tho School Committee, speaking to a large gMthering, states that ho had, on behalf of t)ie parents and children attending the Hataitai School, to express their high appreciation of Miss Bird, tho headmistress. Mr. Morrison stated that it was anticipated the Hataitai School ■ttonld be jnado a main school during the coming year, and tho residents hoped that in the reshuffle of tochers Miss Bird would bo reappointed to tho Hataitai School, The engagement is announoed of Lien-teii&nt-Golonel A. D. Still, D.5.0., M.C., elder son of tho Into Matthew Still, of Braemar, Ashlnirton, and Mary Kathleen, elder daughter of Dr. and .Mrs. Harris, of Avishny3, Shaftesbny, Dorset,

Mrs. K. D. Babington, wifo of Ser-geant-Major Babington (Christchurch), is leaving with her husband and little daughter by the Ruahino for Now Zealand (states a London correspondent). For two years Mrs. Babington was doing work for the New Zealand War Contingent Association, and during this year she has been working at the N.Z.E.F. headquarters. For a while sho was commandant of the club at Torquay. Mrs. Babington has lately been on the Continent spending a wonderful two months between Paris and Cologne, Brussels and tho Rhino district, and she saw many of tho place} of pathetic memory due to tho war. For a considerable time Sergeant-Major Babington was under treatment at Walton Hospital, having been invalided to England from Egypt. Mr. and Mrs. Roger Montgomerlo and the Misses W. and A. Montgomery (Wanganui), who left Now Zealand in 1010, are returning to New Zealand by the Ruahine. Porn In Vancouver of Chinese parents, Susan Yipsang is to take a course in housework nt Columbia University, New York. Sho attended M'Gill University for two years. At the end of her studies she will go to China to establish schools for teaching women how to keep house. It is announced that Madame Clara Butt thinks of returning presently to the operatic stage. "I am going to i take to opera," she said. "I think it is great." "The only tiling is," she added with a smilo, "there aro no tenors." Madamo Butt explained that she hoped to reappear next year in Cluck's "Orpheus." This was the work in which sho made her first appearance at the Lyceum Theatre in December, 1MI1! in a Royal College of Music performance. Mfss Florenco Carr, who has been working for the last three jears and a half in tho Ixnrry Unit Etaples, is visit- I ing her grandmother, Mrs, Sutton. Tho wedding took placo in tho Methodist Church, Rangataua, recently of Misa Tltliel Maude Bubb, daughter ot Mr. and Mrs. F, Bubb, of Rnngaiaua, to Mr. Cecil Hawker, cccond son of Mr, and Mrs. E. Hawker, of Wellington. Tho I!ev. J. Richards, assisted by the Rev. W. Ncal, performed tho ceremony. Misses Yiolot Ilawker mid Nellie Fraser were bridesmaids, and the best man and groomsman wero Mr, Laurie Hawker and Mr. Lionel Walker. Miss K. Henry is -visiting tho South Island. Mr. and Mrs. A. W, Akors (Palmerston North) are visiting Auckland. Parents of children attending the public kindergarten at lvelburn wero afforded an opportunity at the week-end of seeing tho school at work. Tho little ones were seen pursuing their tasks and indulging in iheir simple pastimes. Tho work spoke volumes for the methods adopted at the school, and the parents were much impressed. In Miss Thornton's class of tiny tots the pupils staged a quaint little production, "Tho Sleeping Beauty," in which Master Jeff Knowlos sustained with delightful action tho roll of tho King, and littlo Miss Sheila Arlow that of the Queen. Mrs. IJ. Abraham (Khandallah) leaves this week to stay with )er mother, Mrs. M'Kellar, New Plymouth. Miss Laura Skeat, 8.A., of tho staff of the Palmerston North Jiigh School, has been appointed to succeed Jtis3 Lkiinon (who is leaving for England) as resident mistress "in tho fiteemlary department of tho New Plymouth Girls' High School, and Miss Bertha Robson, of tho Bulls District High .School, will succeed Miss Fairbrother in the preparatory department. Tho appointments will commeuco at tho beginning of the next school year. A striking parallel is furnished in tho caso of the lives of two old ladies who died last week at Sel'ton—namely, Miss Ann Baird and Mis. Marguret Smart— who wero practical strangers to each other (observes an exchange). Both landed in Canterbury and settled first at Bali cairn in lSlij; both removed thence fomo ■ sis years later to farms near Softon, where they lived until their death—a period of nearly 'half a century. Mrs. Smart died on l)ecember 5, aged eighty- ; five; .Miss Haird died the following day, aged eighty-six; and both were laid to ivsl in tho same cemetery. Tho financial statement of the Hutt Women's Patriotic Column will bo found published in the advertisement columns of Tim Dominion.

Miss Kennedy's Pupils' Concert, Of much interest to thoso who attended was the concert which was given in tha Alasonic Hall in BonlcotL Street on Saturday evening by the pupils of Miss Grace Kennedy. In spite of forbidding v.euther conditions there was a good attendance of interested friends and wellwishers and the programme met with much appreciation. In addition to M iss Kennedy s pupils there were assisting with the programme -Mrs. >S. Kennedy ami .Miss E. Henry (pianistes), Hiss jU. E. Kennedy (viola), and Mr. !•'. J. Carr (vocalist). ' The opening number was a "Cindrella March" (Papinij, in which the following took part:—Violins: F. and I. Henry, J. Douglas, M. • Good, C. Butcher, D. Scott, J. Robinson, V. Mabin, K. Smith, N.- Lysajlit, I' 1 . Wolf, J. Beaglehole, A. Butcher, S. Butlor, 1). Gold, M. Loa.sk, L. Leask, E. Wing; 'colli: E. Henry, E. Kennedy, N. Thompson; piunLite: Mb. S. It. Kennedy. A violin aolo, "Berceuse and Peasant's Dunce" (Kmsey), was played by Yclma Evans; a quartet, for two violins, 'cello and piano—a Barcarolle (Neuhoinm), followed, playral by M. ana ij. J.i>ask ; Thompson and G. Kennedy, and a violin solo, Adagio and Allegro, from Sonata in 1' (Handel) by Eric Wing. Bryan Gold played a minuet in F (Jacques Henri), for the violin, and Dorothy Scott a Bcceuse (0. Yuttner), >vith siring accompaniment, by Syd. Butler, Londel Lc-ask (violins), Miss If. E. Kennedy (viola), and N. Thompson and E. Kenneilv ('cslli). A eolo, "Etude Caprice" (Gerald Walenn). was played by Magnus Leask, and a duet for two violins —a TarnnteHe (Drdla)—by Keith Beagleholj and Willie Maclaurin. In the second part of the prograramo Grieg's Sonata in G Minor, for violin and piano with thrc'o movements, was played by tlio Misses F. and E. Henry. This with the following trio for violin, 'cello and piano (Roissiger Op- 25), played by the Misees F. and E. Henry and Mrs. S. R. Kennedy, was one of the outstanding performances of tho evening. Songs wero sung by Mr. J. F. Carr, and the orchestra concluded tho pogrammo with the playing of the National Anthem. Y.W.C.A. Notes. Misa Amy A. Snelson, national general secretary of the Australasian Y.W.C.A., is at present visiting the New Zealand associations. She was in Wellington from December Bto 10. Very enthusiastic meetings wero hold, when Miss Snelson spoke of the great opportunities of the day, also the placo of tho Y.W.C-A. in meeting those opportunities. A conference- has been arranged for February 2, when an added opportunity for further discussion will be given. Representatives from each New Zea!an<l_association will meet under tho leadership of Miss Snelson and Miss Jean Stevenson, national industrial secretary. _ Miss Marjorie Black, rational _ girls work secretary of tho Y.W.C.A., is at present visiting Wellington. Iler object is the establishing of tho girls' department work on a strong foundation for the coming year. Mi&s Black has already put matters relating to tho local work bafore the Board of Directors.

To-night is tho date fixed for tho Savings Club's annual | social. The programiu® fop tho evening assures nil members of tho club of a thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. Tho amount collected in this way this year is ,£BSO, which lit Christmas time will add greatly to the enjoyment, of those prudent oiK-fl who liavo practised thrift during the past year. Day's Bay Sals of Work. Tho girls and boysi of the Day's Bay Guild lield a very succcssful sale of work on Saturday aiternora. Tho object of tho guild was'to raise suliieient money to provide tho girls of St. Mary's Home, Karori, with ttio necessaries for their Christmiis pleasures. Arrangements were modo for 'the sale to take, placo in tlio grounds at tho residenco of Mrs, S. L. Partridge, but owing to llio unfavourable state of tho weather it was transferred to tho pavilion. In a short spaco of time a portion of the hull was tastefully decorated, and the pretty stalls arranged by tho children assisted to mako the afternoon ceremony a very pleasant ono. Among the visitors from town wero tho Bishop of Wellington, Miss Parlane, matron of t'no home, Mrs. Tilly, and Miss Thew, also tho Itev. 0. M. Stout, from K'astbourne. Mrs. Tilly, who oponed tho r-ale, was presented with a lovely bouquet by Miss Kathleen Dick. Tho stallholders were as follow:—L'ancy, Misses Butler, Partridge, and Nowson; sweets, Misses Wright and Press, Masters Wright, Butler, Newson. and Partridge; produce, Misses Maclaurin and M'Kinnon; flowers, Misses Jenkinson and Stewart; tea, Misses Pinny, Withev, and Maclaurin; competitions, Mioses Withey and Maclaurin. Tho following won the various competitions:—Nightdress, Mrs. A. Bell; camisole, Mrs. Whealler; doll, Mrs. Mallard; cake, Mesdanics Oakley and Press. The net proceeds of tho salo realised just over iIM. Our Grandmothers Vindicated. There is indeed nothing new under the sun, nut ever the New I onian, states a writer in tho "Manchester Guardian." The idea that she is the daughter of latter-day feminism, that women of the Victorian era for the most part possessed an ornamental rather than a utility value, is apparently all wrong. A report just published by tho Society for Promoting tho Employment of Women reveals the Amelia Sedleys cf the period simply as charming impostors, Hiding their true selves under a bushel, no doubt in order lo match the antimacassars in the front room, and bccauso they were anxious to conform to tho notions of maidenhood then hyid sacred by the popular malo novelists. The truth is that sixty years ago. leaving out the manual workers, au immenso number of women in the country wero doing useful work in such trades as wood engraving, lithographic work, hairdressing, ivig-making, law copying, plant preserving, and a Most of other occupations whicli even to-day men pretend are to be managed by themselves only. Ono is reminded of .Scrooge, who, Mr. Chesterton tolls us, spent a portion of his life giving away turkeys in Mcret; did the middle-class Victorian girl, iu some such manner, surreptitiously turn to real industry, accomplishing labours that do not pale in comparison, with those of the modern Waac? It will be remembered that when Ann Veronica lietted at '.ho restrictions imposed on her activities by her father's conventional niaiculino view of woman, and demanded a Tight to go out into * the world freely, the repiy uho received from him was: "What more do you want? Haven't you got u bicycle?" His own wife ::iust have deceived him; sho herself must have been hardly less advanced than ner daughter, and as littlo to bo contended in her zest for the life activa by a mere bicycle— even luid one been procura'do in her day. But did the Victorian woman hide her light so completely under a bushel as all this? Or have wc here another instance of man's tendency from time immemorial to belittle woman in order to glorifv himself? Wo now see, at long last, that even the crinolined Victorian girl staked a considerable claim towards copartnership with ihe "stronger sex" in the world's work. Sle did not', after all, devoto liar days mainly to tho minor poets, the musical places, to disdaining the proposals ot handsome suitors, and to sal volatile. AVhut have tho shades of Dicken9 and Thackeray to say in defence of a ohargo 1., Mat they, as much as any men, arc responsible for the base iiction of the useless Victorian woman?