WHY SUPPORT THE CLUBS?

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 84

WHY SUPPORT THE CLUBS?

Dear Dot,— One evening m fulfilment of : long-made promise Lola, wended her way t< the Invercargill D L.F. Club, accompanied b} Bret Harte, who, very proud and happy ai being privileged to escort mother-- anywhere trotted along, very chatty and confidential, a1 her side Just as thoy weie toiling up the ti\o flights of stairs which k-ad to the clul loom they encotir.'tered another small boy who miicduced himself as Peacock Irrune diately after they m?t Smoking Flax, whe I t(urteou»lv introduced Lola and Bret Hartc jto the club loom. The attendance this nigh' was small, but with dear Midgie, MiJhcent, .md the happy Homa the meeting passed ovei \ery successfully. The one thing which stiuck Lola mest was the heartiness with which each member entered into the meetnig no tired, bored looks, but earnestness and deteiimnation to do their best. That is the true D.L F. spirit; is it not, Dot? That was Lo'a's first visit to the club, but by no means her last. She was welcomed so heartily and treated so well that she went again and again just as opportunities offered. And at each visit her interest increased. These young folk were so businesslike and so thorough : >i their work; and, above all, dear Dot, subjects so very deep and complex nere nandlect with such dexterity and power that Lola simply felt her own hard-gained knowledge and rhetorical powers pale and sink into insignificance before the wisdom possessed by these young people. Such deep subjects as "Is th© World Growing Better?" and "Is War Juttifiabl© UndeT All Circumstances 9" were taken up and gone into with an ease and wisdom quite unexpected. Where they obtain^ 1 their ideas and arguments from is a mystery I only know Lola had to be very careful what she savd, I lest some of these powerful debaters should paralyse her with their weighty arguments. And. above all and: through all ran the beautiful spirit of loyalty and neighbourliness which does so much to keep a club together. Take that spirit away and all interest in the club will fizzle out. I have been asked' several times, dear Dot, to explain what I mean when I say that the club is the crowning glory of D L.F.-dom. As I am not one who makes a statement at random, I will just explain why I say so. The club was instituted to promote social intercourse amongst the D.L.F., particularly those who had reached tbe age limit, and who still had an interest in D.L F -dlam ; and has it not done so 9 M-a-ny country DL F. drift into town from time to time, and what a pleasure it must be to them to find themselves, through the medium of the club, surrounded by kind friends ready to take them by the hand and pilot them round and introduce them to other friend?! And then the club introduces us to congenial friends, ai:d: we all know what a lot that means We have all known what it is to be lonely in a crowd — not because we did not know anyone, but becau Q e we met no one with whom we had anything in common. And the club is also a medium by which we may obtain higher and nobler views of life and also learn to use our cwn thoughts and benefit b)' the thoughts of others. One cannot go to the club, take part m debates, or write papers without learning much and becoming wiser and more fit to play his part in life. This seems after all but a poor explanation of all I mean, yet I hope I have made' lucid enough tbe fact that the members of the <;lub be-nefit both socially and morally Hoping many more will be induced, to take an interest in the club, au3 that each club member will do his or her very best to uphold the club this 3-ear. — Yours truly, LOLA. [Thank you, Lola, for thus opportunely setting before us the highest aims of our clubs. We are apt perhaps to look upon them only as a means to a certain amount of social enjoyment But it is pleasure and j piofit together that we miy reap, if we do , j but choose.— DOT.]