TEACHING PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1937, Page 18

TEACHING PEACE

ALICETOWN WOMEN'S CLUB

There was a good attendance at the first meeting for the year of the Alicetown Women's Club. 'Mrs. Ashforth presided. Three new. members were nominated. Mrs. Millward delighted all with two solos, and Mrs. Millar with humorous recitations. Both received dainty sprays.

After tea had been served by members of the committee, the president introduced Mrs. H. D. Bennett, who gave a most interesting address, taking as her subject "Educating to Peace in the Nursery." The speaker urged all- present to take a more active interest in- the problems which concern the welfare and happiness of women, stressing the need to inculcate into the child from the cradle peace and good will towards others.

Mrs. Bennett was warmly thanked and presented with a dainty shoulder spray.

The winners of the competitions were Mesdames Sutton and Milner.

An umbrella and raincoat in the new oiled silk are excellent accessories even if they are only taken to scare away the rain ■ ■ - - •

D. Hayden, T. Purvis, Powell (Christchurch), K. and T. Brooker, R. Garner,- J. Pugh, and J. and H. Bolton.

During the evening the bride-elect opened her gifts and in an appropriate speech thanked her friends. The Misses Simpson contributed . a Highland, Fling, and' Miss Bryant was pianist for: the dance numbers.

Child's Impressions of London.

The occasional letters that/ come from Bebe Witts-Burt, the little New Zealand dancer in London, provide an engaging study of the ; impressions made by the metropolis on the mind of a twelve-year-old. ' ,

"You have no idea what a marvellous shop Woolworths is," she writes. "Everything in it.is threepence or sixpence, and. there are so many enticing things—the latest gramophone records for sixpence, and really beautiful glassware. Their big store in Oxford Street has , a large part of the building roped off for a restaurant. . . .

Mother also had to go to the Bank of England to change some : money, and isn'tiit a :terrible place to find your .way around: in? It. seems to stretch for, miles, and. the.'attendants'; who direct" you look .very strange iri thentop' hats, striped trousers, and ■■ pink velvet tails. They are funny enough, but the men who greet, you at the door look more like Napoleon or the Lord Mayor than anything "else, with' their black and gold tricorne hats and dashing red and black .robes. Whatever would people- say ; if- attendants wore them in New Zealand banks!"

A week of her working life provides interesting study. Educational lessons, conducted by correspondence, commence'at 7 a.m. each morning until breakfast-time, and are continued again at night. Her subjects include, in addition to the customary primary school syllabus, French, Eatin, Italian, and elocution. , Mid-morning sees her at Madame Kyasht's studio for two hours of ballet tuition or examination classes, and the afternoons are devoted to character, mime, "make-up," tap, or production classes.' Each day finishes with technical'examinations. Of "make-up" Bebe writes: "I never knew there was so much to learn until we started these classes.' So far we have done the make-up for Gipsy (which suits me), Japanese (which doesn't), ordinary stage, and the real film makeup, which makes, us all look like filmstars. We are to do next very old people, which should be most interesting." Minuets, country dances, and character dances (Russian, Gipsy, Rumanian, and so on) are included in production classes, taught by Anna Duse, manager for Madame Kyasht. Each pupil must produce from time to time an original ballet of her own. Bebe's first effort was named "Cards," utilising the whole pack, and mimed to the music of "In the Hall of the Mountain -King," from the Peer Gynt Suite. In this ballet, rival knaves fight for the hand of the queen of hearts, and there is ample opnortunity for ballet work in the "shuffling" of the pack, and for solo work from the principals. Further personal experience is provided for the child •in weekly classes in which she instructs a younger pupil under the surveillance of Madame Kyasht.

Chanel has made beaded evening gloves, and Mainbocher has printed afternoon gloves to match dresses, sometimes with the frock design cut out and appliqued. Gloves and handbags in a strong colour, such as juniper green, may match to provide contrast ■with a black frock. ' ■ •