GIRL GUIDE NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23219, 17 June 1937, Page 14

GIRL GUIDE NOTES

By Guider

SILVER WEDDING PRESENT Now that all companies and packs have resumed after the school holidays, contributions to the silver wedding present should be in without delay. It is to be hoped that Guiders at least give their Guides and Brownies an opportunity to share in the gift if they wish to. Commissioners are asked to get in touch with their own Guiders and find out definitely whether they have decided against the idea or are merely being late. FIRST-CLASS TESTS First-class tests for Dunedin Guides will be held in Wilson Hall on Saturday next at 2 p.m. Guides will, as usual, bring pencil and paper, and one penny for the certificate. They should also be supplied with the recommendation required from their captain. CENTRAL DISTRICT BROWNIES The Central District Brownie Packs, together with the Opoho pack, joined in celebrating the Coronation on May 7 in the Maori Hill Presbyterian Sunday Schools About 70 Brownies welcomed the provincial commissioner (Miss V. M. Barron) and captains of the central district on their voyage to the Coronation. After the grand salute had been given games were played. First we played “ Follow Me to London,” then divided into six groups and acted nursery rhymes. All went up on deck and played the games “My little boat rocks on a stormy sea* and “Elephants.” As we were going to see the King, we thought we would pretend to be soldiers, and so marched around to see if the castle would surrender to the king of the Barbarees. A fairy ring was formed, and Miss Barron told the story of the princess who could not laugh. After the singing of some Brownie songs, afternoon tea was handed around. A little talk about the Coronation and the singing of “ God Save the King ” and Brownie taps brought the afternoon to a close. Provincial commissioner and district captains entered a canoe formed by Brownies and were rowed home. THE RECRUIT It is an exciting moment for the Guider when a new recruit arrives at a company meeting. She may be going to be an outstanding person in the company, she may be going to cause havoc by unruly behaviour, or she may be hardly noticed at all. She may be going to do wonders in the world later on, or she may be going to be just an ordinary person~who knows? You have the ex-Brownie, hoping for and expecting certain things. You have the “new” child who has heard things about Guiding that attracts her and has come "because I saw you cooking things on Saturday.” You have the curious child who knows little or nothing about Guiding and wants to find out.

Is the recruit of any of these types given what she hopes for in the company? What does she hope for? Surely she expects plenty of fun, new friends, to leam something new, to find out how to do things for other people, to be given a chance to be ‘‘good” (all children have an innate subconscious longing for that). Does your company give her' all these chances, or is she put in a corner with a bunch of other recruits and a Guide diary “to learn the tenderfoot test ” ? How can the ‘‘curious” recruit find out what she wants to? Surely by being a member of the company straight away and joining in with all the company -activities. Do let one of these activities be a hike! Then provided that the company shares the responsibility with the Guider she will find out from the company itself most of the things Guiding can teach her. She will get the patrol spirit from the patrol and the company spirit from the company itself. She will find out much of the meaning of the Guide Law and promise from them, too. In the same way she will learn probably unconsciously a sense of fair play and discipline. That is how the company can help. The Guider can help by getting to know the child as soon as possible, and this cannot easily be done if the company is too large. By knowing her home and surroundings and influences, by discovering her good points, seizing on them, and working on them, by giving her jobs that suit her abilities. Is there any fun in the tenderfoot test? Is there a chance of helping other people? Is there a chance of being “ good ” ? The tenderfoot test as written in policy, rules, organisation, looks dull, and It is not until we read between the lines of the possibility and meaning of each bit of the test, as well as the ultimate aim of the whole, that we really begin to find out what a tremendously valuable bit-of training the test can be. The promise and the law is the foundation on which the whole of Guiding rests. Its various clauses must be made clear by practical and simple illustration of its application in everyday life, and by giving the recruit chances of putting them into practice. It is not the slightest use to preach the Guide Law or to give them out as orders. Each recruit needs a special explanation of them, to arouse in her the ambition to carry them out. There is no ■teaching to compare with example. If the Guider carries out the law and all that underlies it in all her doings, the recruit will be quick to follow, with scarcely a word of instruction, Don’t expect too much of a recruit. Remember she is only just beginning to find out, and she cannot find out much in a few weeks before she is enrolled. Character training takes a long time, and this is merely a beginning, but it is a foundation stone, and foundation stones are not much use unless they are well and truly laid.

Secret signs, woodcraft signs, hand and whistle signals are all essential outdoor activities. Why did the Chief Scout say that Nature lore is a key to the activities of Guiding? Because we want to teach our Guides not merely how to get a living, but how to live; that is, how to enjoy life, Once the germ of woodcraft has entered into the mind of a girl, observation, memory and deduction develop automatically and become part of her character. They remain, whatever else may be taken. Foundation stones again! " Under the composition of the Union Jack and the right way to fly it," Foundation stones again! What of? Surely the development of a true spirit of loyalty to King and country. This is the highest value ini keeping people’s views balanced and in the proper perspective. The external signs, such as saluting the Flag and cheering the King, help in promoting this, but the essential thing is the development of the true spirit which underlies such demonstrations, Is our recruit getting this foundation laid, or is she merely getting little bits of paper and coloured chalks, and learning the composition of the Union Jack. Is it not more fun to lead a lost dog home with a piece of string tied properly round his neck than just be able to tie a bowline? Is it not more fun to tie up a sprained ankle properly or to put a sling on than just be able to tie a reef knot? Is it not more satisfying to know you are going to learn something that may make you more useful here and now than to learn a knot that is only used on mountains and ships? Rremember, the recruit wants to learn useful things. We only get our recruits once. It is the biggest chance we will ever get and we will not get it again if we lose it this time. Do let us, as Guiders, see that the child gets what she wants and what she needs. Can we show her from the beginning that Guiding worth while? Let us remember before it is too late that a building built pn badly-laid foundations cannot be strong and sure, and wdl not be able to' stand buffeting and stormy weather. There may seem very little in the Tenderfoot" test, but as one works at it one sees the tremendous possibilities. Eventually one realises that upon the soundness of the foundations laid in the first few weeks that a recruit spends in the company depends to a very great extent what Guidmg is going to mean to her in the future. GAMES Signalling Touch.—Patrols in flic and numbered. Captain signal* a

letter and then calls a number, and the first of that number to touch something in the room beginning with the letter signalled scores a point for her patrol. Once a thing has been touched it may not be used a second time. Never call the number before signalling the letter as in that case only the Guides concerned .will trouble to watch what the letter is to be. . • . Distress Signals.—Each patrol has two poles, three cords, a flag, or a handkerchief, three pegs and a mallet. In relay formation ! each Guide runs .up and does one hitch or knot. No, X joins the poles, No. 2 secures the flag to the pole, No. 3 makes one guy line fast to the pole, until the nag staff is erected. Bricks or hooks are used to guy the lines indoors. Fort.—This is a quickly-arranged, quickly-played game. Players are divided into two sides —attackers and defenders. Defenders form a circle, holding hands and facing outwards: their captain is in the centre. The attackers surround this "fort" at some eight or ten paces distant. They have a large ball. This they try to kick into the fort. It may pass either through the legs of the defenders or over their heads. If over, the captain may catch it and throw it out. But if it touches the ground inside, the fort is captured. Players change sides, the player who got the hall in becoming caplain. , . , . Compass Game.— Eight chairs are arranged in a circle facing outwards apd each chair faces one of the eight principal points of the compass, and is named after the point it faces. Eight Guides play. The umpire names a point of the compass. Ihe Guides dance round the circle to music; when the music stops they all scat themselves, trying to avoid the point which has been mentioned (say, south-east). Whoever gets south-east is out of the game and nas to remain seated, while the umpire names another point, and they all go round again. The winner is the last one to remain unseated. If numbers permit, this game could be played by 16 Guides with a circle of 16 chairs named after the 16 points of the compass. A PLEA FOR THE BIRDS Owing to the unusually wet summer and autumn there has been a scarcity of wild berries and seeds for our feathered friends of the woodlands, so I would like to appeal to the Guides to leave some food ip a “safe-from-cats" place during the next few months to help them through what promises to he a very severe winter, " Besides the joy of doing a good dead, there is a good deal that is interesting, instructive and amusing in watching their antics at the bird table. The following foods are suitable:—Table scraps, bread, stale cake crumbs, porridge, bits of meat, suet, peanuts, and seed, preferably canary seed. Almost any. receptacle will do for the food provided it has a sheltering rqof. An old doll’. 1 ' house mounted on a post, or hung front a branch, would serve the purpose admirably. It is well to encourage Guides to make what they can, because they will take a greater interest in i and rejoice more in its success than i: everything be provided for them.