GIRL GUIDES

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 4 November 1933, Page 2

GIRL GUIDES

NOTES BY “GUIDER” TENTH GUIDE LAW. ‘A Guide is Pure in Word, in Thought and in Deed.’ How many Guides thrill to that Guide Law and hope deep down in their hearts that they may always be faithful to it. It is not always easy to see our course of action clearly when difficulties and problems present themselves. As we go on growing, life seems full of change and because so many grownups appear to have different ideas about what is right and what is wrong wei aire sometimes temjpted to give up trying to be “pure”—that mysterious quality. How then can we help ourselves ?

First of all should we not remember that there is nothing to fear in the constant changes which occur in life. Some years ago we were tiny helpless beings, unable to feed ourselves or progress from one place to another without help. Our bodies and our minds have developed; wo are now tall and, let us hope, strong; we not only are able to feed ourselves and to move independently, but we can even do things for other people. A gradual change has taken place and, almost without thinking about it, we have entered upon a thrilling new world of action. The future in the same way holds for us more change and more adventurous years, years in which we shall be even more independent and even more able to learn and to do. “Yes,” someone may say, “but the years do not always bring adventure and joy. Some people are 'sturdy and healthy and happy, but others are puny and inefficient and miserable. Is there then no cause for fear of the future?” No! because we ourselves are now determining what our future will be. The Guides who at present are strong and pure in body and mind, are those who were properly fed, cared for and trainei when they were tiny. The strong people of the future are those who carry out the laws of healthy living now, and amongst all these laws, first and foremost, we have the law of cleanliness —to be healthy we must be clean!

The word “purity” is stated in the dictionary to mean a state of “Cleanness.” We can therefore interpret our 10th Guide Law a-s meaning “A Guide is Clean in Word, in Thought and in Deed.” Are some a little doubtful ol the value of this ? There is no finer teacher in the world than experience So why not try for- ourselves? Let us begin with physical cleanliness— 1 with soap and warm water used every day to cleanse the whole of the body; with neat clean hair, tidy clothes, clean shoes and stockings. If we practise this physical cleanliness as a daily exercise something rather wonderful happens. Just as a flower raises its head and glows when it is watered and cared for, so does this daily cleansing of our human bodies make ns raise our heads and glow. Shoulders go back with a force which only selfrespect can give; we step out instead of dragging our feet; but, more wonderful still, it would seem as though wo have got new eyes, that we see life differently, that we can ourselves ' distinguish better between actions which are beautiful or ugly, kind or unkind, right or wrong, pure or impure. In fact purity or cleanliness oi body is very closely allied to purity ol mind, and with purity of body and mind achieved it is fairly simple to be pure in deed. So, Guides be “up and at it.’ Start straight away practising the daily cleanliness exercises.

HANDICRAFTS FOR THE PACK

Theoretically every Brown Owl agrees to the importance of handicrafts as part of the Brownie training, but in practice there is so much to be crammed into pack meetings that this side of the work is often overlooked, except during the week before the annual bazaar, or until Christinas presents have to be finished in a final hectic scramble. There seem to be three big difficulties with which Brown Owls have to contend in connection with handicrafts —mess, time, and expense, besides minor objections such as an inability to- cope singlehanded with twenty Brownies ail at different stages of a different kind of work, and all urgently needing Brown Owl’s attention at the same moment!

To deal first with the problem of mess. Brown Owls complain either that handicrafts make a mess of clean and tidy Brownies, or that the Brownies make a mess of clean and tidy handicrafts! In either case, soap and water will remove the worst of the damage, and it must be remembered that the elimination of all messiness means spoiling half the fun, at least from the Brownies’ point of view. Newspapers spread over the floor are a protection, and some packs provide themselves with special “messing” overalls to slip on over their uniforms. When pack meetings last no more than an hour, it is certainly difficult to fit handicrafts into the programme. A great deal of time can be saved by careful preparation beforehand, so that the preliminary sorting and cut-ting-out is done, and each Brownie can settle down at once to whatever she may be doing. With work that cannot be finished during one meeting it is helpful if Brown Owl and Tawny can between them -straighten it out and do the necessary tidyings between the meetings. A special handicraft pack evening every six or eight weeks is generally very popular’, if the usual twenty minutes cannot be spared- from the ordinary meetings more often. Handicrafts need not be an expensive occupation The family needlework box is a fruitful source for ma- ! terials. Oddments of wool will make buttonholes and mascots, spongedoth can be used in the manufacture of floating ducks, and remains of cretonne, too small for aprons or cushion covers, can be the foundations of work-bags or linen-bags. MOUNT BADEN-POWELL.

A peak in the Los Angeles National Forest in California, officially designated recently by the United States Geographic Board as Mt. BadenPowell, was formally dedicated this year. Thousands of Scouts camped near the base of the peak for the Memorial Day week-end. Clinton C. Clarks, of Pasadena. California, conceived the idea of naming the peak in honour of the Chief Scout of the World. The idea met with instant favour with Scout officials on the west coast and a formal request >vas forwarded to the United States Geographical Board at Washington. In announcing their approval of the name the Board said, “While it was not the policy of the Board thus to honour citizens of other nations, they were more than pleased to name this American mountain peak in honour of Baden-Powell who, because of his splendid achievement in giving to the world a movement for the youth of all

lands, could well be eonsidei-ed a world citizen, justly mei’iting any honour which we can bestow upon him.

Major Frederick R. Burnham, of Los Angeies, the explorer and personal friend of the Chief Scout, with whom he served in the Boer AVar, delivered the dedicatory address. Major Burnham has been made an honorary Scout of the Boy Scouts of America in recognition of his out-of-doors activities.

Fifty Scouts hiked to the top of Mt Baden-Powell, where a flagpole and cairn of stones have been erected, and unfurled the National Colours simultaneously with the dedication ceremonies at the foot of the mountain. A squadron of aeroplanes circled the mountain at the same time. Mt. Baden-Powell has an altitude of 3,389 feet and is the eastern peak of what were formerly the two North Baldy peaks. The* peak now designated as North Baldy is' two miles west of kit. Baden-Powell

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