THE BOYS' BRIGADE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 112, 7 November 1935, Page 29

THE BOYS' BRIGADE

NOTES OF THE MONTH

The annual inspection of the battalion will be held at Buckle Street on Friday, November 8, commencing j at 7.5 p.m. All boys must be on par-j ade at 7 p.m. sharp as there Is much preliminary detail to arrange before the programme commences. Do your best to get your parents to attend and this will encourage us all in our work. The programme will include the "breaking of the flag," "opening service," general, salute, inspection and march past, massed singing of the Anchor and Jubilee songs, the 1935 bri- [ gade series of physical exercises to musical accompaniment, first aid sketches, living friezes, display of gymnastics, balloon hockey, and presentation of battalion trophies. A record turnout is expected.

The session is ending, and each company will be planning for the company' inspection which is a feature of brigade activity. The actual formal inspection presents no difficulty, as the full detail is laid down in the 8.8. Manual, but what items shall supplement it? The problem is to be original and yet display the solid work done over the past year. It is far better to have a variety of items rather than a lengthy display covering one or two branches of the work, and the following progamme is suggested as a basis to work from:—Company fall in; opening service with members taking active parts; fall in in ceremonial formation; inspection; humorous sketch; short but "snappy" gymnastic display; ambulance display; physical training or pyramid building; a short play showing 8.8. activity. The inspecting officer should give a few short remarks on the tone and turnout of the parade, after which he should present the prizes. As a bright finish to the evening a series of competitive games could be .held. The company should then be formed up, the National Anthem sung, and the Benediction pronounced before dismissal. The Home Secretary and the 8.8.— A notable tribute was paid to the Boys' Brigade by the Rt. Hon. Sir John Gilmour, the former Home Secretary, when he inspected over 370 boys forming seven companies of the brigade, at a church parade at Fife. Speaking from the pulpit, Sir John Gilmour said: "You belong to a movement inspired by service and by obedience, and it is something to remember that the man who personally initiated this great movement was well known to many of us. Those of you who are helping as officers and leaders have the duty of interpreting that inspiration of service and loyalty which he j set, and I trust you will ever rememmer that however great the temptation which may come to you, however difficult the decisions may be that you have to make, there is something in the knowledge and inspiration of c Christ which gives us courage for y these things, and which helps us to do il our best to overcome them." o Competitive Games.—A suggestion ld regarding games for the'company mdd spection may be of value. The entire is parade arid the parents and visitors 'S are divided into several teams repre- ■** sentative of the various football teams :n in the district, and a programme of [? games is held, points being allocated :as follows:—First place, 10; second "Jj place 5; third place, 5; fourth place, .g 10. Balloon hockey, potato race, and fishing are three of the many games [^ which are suitable for the competition, ie the latter especially providing plenty p. of fun and scope for skill. Each team ie is provided with a standard grape jy juice bottle and a stick to which is attached a length of thread with a ;s- curtain ring at the end of it. The idea ie is to manoeuvre the ring till it drops ie over the neck of the bottle. A deftet nite time limit is fixed for each player. *° Each time the ring goes over the bottle ie it counts a catch and the player starts "°- again. Ie . Annual Camp.—Some parents are still a little diffident over boys going into camp, thinking possibly that the boys cannot be so well cared for wher away from their homes. Those parents who visit the camp site of the r Wellington Battalion, kindly lent b> Mr. W. H. Field, at Waikanae Beach, on New Year's Day, will soor lid have their doubts dispelled on arriva i v . in the camp. The boys are accommo iH. dated in snug tents, about eight to ; he tent. Waterproof cloth or ground nit sheets provide protection from the nd ground, and there are canvas or hemy in- beds well filled with clean straw. / er- splendid kitchen is now on the siti er- and a qualified cook will be employ ig. cdi Meals will be served in a largi id marquee tent, which will also servi rer for camp entertainments and an ac *s nommodation reserve. The programmi lts- has been drawn up, so as to make pro -rs vision for plenty of good wholesomi °?" fun and exercise, followed by ade ,ls quate sleep, and all boys who atteni *"" are ensured of a healthy, happy hoii "n day. The camp is staffed with experi 'ns encec* men> who are there especiall; ed *° care *or *ne k°ys- The registration

received point to record numbers this year, and no boy should miss if he can possibly help doing so. Late registrations (now due) will be accepted by captains.

The annual conference was held in Dunedin during Labour Day weekend, and was-well attended by delegates from Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. Many matters of vital importance to the development of the moven ent in New Zealand were discussed and decided.

The Good Gang.—ls your boy a member of the B.B.? Well, listen Jo" this for" his future good! Any healthy, normal boy develops. the instinct for going with companions of some sort. It is no use wishing he would sit quietly by the fire and read a good book. Encourage him to do that by all means. But he will have his gang, too. It may be a good gang, wholesome, high-spir-ited. Or it may be a wrong gang— rotten. And once he is in it it will be difficult to drag him out. Just when a boy is leaving all the helpful influences and restraints of school, plunging into the unknown world of the shop, the factory, the streets —that is the time when every wise parent wants him to be under right influences that will steady him through the most difficult years of his life. And in this and other countries many parents have been' thankful for the Boys' Brigade and have given it their personal support for this reason: The Boys' Brigade provides the good gang—scope for his energies, a chance to let off steam, guidance to help your boy grow up into the strong, straightforward, clean-living young fellow you have often dreamt about. Then get him into the good gang as soon as he is old enough to join it Captain Ball.—Last month an explanation of the game of Captain Ball was promised. The form of the game | described is as it is played in the New York Colleges. The number of play-1

ers is limited to the size of the hall and also the company. For the average hall, sixteen players will be ample, though more can be used. The floor is marked off as follows: A three-foot wide, neutral strip is drawn on the centre of the floor. On either side of this are drawn four bases in the form of an arc of a circle, one base being lin the centre. The players are divided into two teams, four guards and four basemen in each. The basemen take their places within the eight circles on the floor and the guards are placed alongside an opposing baseman. The ball used is a basketball or Soccer ball, and is thrown in towards two opposing guards who must collect the ball with both hands and endeavour to pass it to one of their own basemen, who in turn must pass it to any of his.team. A score is made when a complete pass is sent from one baseman to another, and counts one point ecept when the ball after making a complete round of the. field is passed to the centre man, •who is the captain. This counts two points. Guards are called in rota to put the ball in play. Each time the captain gets, the ball the play is started again. The duration of play is left to the circumstances under which the game is played; two halves of 15 minutes each with a five-minute spell is suggested in the rules. ■ •-. '■-' - i No score shall be made,on a catch by a baseman or a captain from a guard. The ball shall cease to score: (1) After being caught by the captain (i.e., the captain's catch scores but no throw by him scores; (2) when it gets into the hands of a baseman who has previously had it in the same play; (3) when it gets into the hands of ah opponent. '

Britain's total number of houses at the time of the Armistice was below

8,000,000. In the seventeen years since, moire than 2,656,000 have been built.