ART AND CULTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23061, 11 June 1938, Page 26

ART AND CULTURE

A RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS ADDRESSES TO PENWOMEN INTERESTING DEBATE An enjoyable afternoon was spent by members of the Pen women's League at their rooms yesterday. The guests were welcomed by the president, Mrs. Nello Porter, after which Miss Doreen Saunders gave an amusing sketch, "Polling Day." The speakers for the afternoon were Mrs. Elsie A. White and Miss Mary Wigley. Mrs. White spoke on art in general, and miniature painting in particular. "All through history the degree of culture of an age may be gauged by the specimens of the art which it has left behind," said Mrs. White. To illustrate her point she mentioned several notable painters and the close relationship existing between their paintings and the life in their times. The history of miniature painting up to the time it was superseded by photography was then outlined. "That this is a mechanised age can be seen by the ugly clothes worn bv the men," concluded Mrs. White. "The more beautiful styles now worn by the women, and the increasing preference for miniatures in the place of photographs makes me hopeful that we may yet produce some lasting works of art in our generation. For it will be seen that art flowers best when the people are welldressed and the women lovely." "The Art of Living" was'the subject chosen by Miss Wigley. To be really happy we should live for, and make the most of, the moment, she said. It was futile to live only for the past or the future. We should try to be happy with what we have, and we then would make life enjoyable for ourselves and all those around • us.

Prior to the afternoon meeting a debate was held, the subject being "Is Democracy Preferable to a Dictatorship?" The Penwomen's team, comprising Mrs. Ponder, Mrs. Turner and Miss Watson, took the affirmative, and the negative was taken by three members of the New Women's Club, Mrs. W. B. Darlow, Mrs. Wood and Mrs. Craig. The adjudicator, Mr. Kenneth Melvin, summed up in favour of the Penwomen. "Few sides," he said, "would defeat to-day's winning team. Your standard is as high as any other debating society in Auckland." The president, Mrs. Nello Porter, presided.