GIRL GUIDES

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 30 September 1933, Page 2

GIRL GUIDES

NOTES BY “OUIDER” THE QUO VADIS COUNCIL

Much .stress was laid on the Guide and Scout movement as an instrument for the creation of goodwill and friendship among the nations. The whole Quo Vadis Council, of course, was the best illustration of this. They were not too many to learn to. know each other well; differences in nation and creeds were all respected. You know what it is like when keen Guiders all get together and start talking about Guiding? Just imagine ivliat it was like to have been a. member of the Council which was held at Adelboden, the lovely chalet presented to the movement by Mrs Storrow? All the representatives of the nations present worked together in patrols, named after the mountains' surrounding the chalet. Bach morning “colours’' were held after the manner practised by the various nationalities present. 't was astonishing how many various ways the horseshoe could be. formed. And what a wonderful demonstration was the throwing of the life-line by representatives of some of the northern countries who specialise in this articulat branch of life-saving. Scotland taught wonderful knots, all showing how useful knots really are, and what a fascinating business knottying can be. First aid was demonstrated by Switzerland, Hanger methods by France. It was abundantly seen that the more one know® about Guiding, the more one can learn and still iee]\ ignorant a.nd desirous of learning more. One important deliberation of the Council, and one which should prove very popular when tried out in companies, is that we must learn Morse as the Swiss and the French learn it. Here is the explanation, so. Guides, practise it in your patrols and then you will have the adventure of knowing that you will be able to converse with each other in the international ,-iign iof Guiding. How fascinating you will find this accomplishment when you may have the good fortune one of these days to attend a large international camp. ' No bother with learning difficult verbs and the composition of the grammar of the language you desire to acquire. But don’t put away your Morse flags altogether, or you will lose the fun of signalling to each other from a hill when you are out on a hike and the exercise which is> so good for your wits as well as your wrist®!

INTERNATIONAL. GUIDE BANG AGE

Tlie right arm is raised to shoulderlevel for a dash and both arms raised the same way for a dot. Simple, and such fun Which Taranaki company will be the first to become proficient in sign language? The Morse alphabet will acquire a new and fascinating significance. GUIDING IN SUOMI-FINLAND. Guiding in this little country has an almost national meaning as' it is fully recognised as a medium for education by many of the educational authorities. Soumi-Finland is one of those countries where it is necessary to have more than one association. Half the population are Swedish and the other and greater part Finnish. It is therefore necessary to have a Finnish—speaking association, Soumalainen Partiotytt-oliitto (S.P.T.L.) and a Swedish-speaking Association Finland® Svenska Flickscoutfo.vbund (F.S.F.S.F.). But as if this were not enough, there is a third association, Soumen Vapea Partioryhma—Finlands Fria Seoutbrigad (S.V.P.), whose official languages are both Swedish and Finnish. There is little difference in tlje practical work of. the three associations, and yet you could not find a single button which would be the same in the three uniforms!

In Prague, Czechoslovakia, International Day (February 22nd) was celebrated by a performance for Girl Scouts and the public. Every oompany showed something from characteristic songs and dances of different nations, and also some international Girl Scout songs in Czech translations. The performance was a great success, and the money gained from it has started a fund for helping the Prague Girl Scouts in their international Scout aims. »

In October of the previous year, the Girl Scouts united in a big effort for the Red Cross. They collected money, food and clothing. Every troop also undertook the care of some unemployed family. Eacfli day members of the troop invito a member of “her family” to mid-day dinner. Plans were also in hand for the summer excursions, and it was being arranged for hundreds of children to be taken to camps without one penny of expense to themselves. Writing in “The Council Fire” Lida Sobotova says, “It is a great thing to create a real solidarity among otir Girl Scouts and their unhappy friends.” Well done, Czechoslovakia!

AN ORANGE TREE IN AN ORANGE

Last week we talked about growing a little orange tree in an orange skin. Some clever person lias discovered that you can actually get your little tree to flower, and this is how it is said that it is accomplished. Try it Brownies.

Take a good-sized orange and cut from the stalk end a disc of rind about an inch and a-lialf across. Remove the pulpy matter, taking care not to damage the. sinn. Then fill the rind with fine dry soil or sand, and put the whole thing in a warm place to dry. In a few days the rind will be hard and dry and the sand can be out and replaced by moist soil. Push a pip from a sweet orange half an inch down into the soil. Support the orange on an eggcup, and keep it in the warmth of a living room. Do not allow the soil to become drv and, in time, a. plant should appear. By the time it has developed a few leaves the tips of the roots will try to force their way through tlie rind. As they do this pinch them away and this will have tlie effect of dwarfing the tree so that it takes on an odd appearance. It should flower when not much more than a year old.