THE CURATIVE WORKSHOP

Southland Times, Issue 17790, 16 October 1917, Page 3

THE CURATIVE WORKSHOP

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS FOR THE MAIMED. AN ADMIRABLE ENTERPRISE. “The curative workshop,” explains Fieldsecretary A. L. Baumgart, in a recent report of his work as Y.M.C.A. representative at the No. 1 N.Z. General Hospital at Brockenhurst, is the revised and established name for the Hobbies Room. The Hobbies Room, it may be necessary to add further, was the name given to the department in which the Y.M.C.A. seeks to hasten the recovery of health of body and health of mind for sorely shattered men by offering them easy and recreative employment in such interesting hobbies as basket-making, rafia work, carpentry, leather work and metal work. Now the Hobbies Room, which is officially recognised and very highly valued by the military medical authorities, is to be dignified by the more appropriate title of the Curative Workshop. Though matters are still in their early stages really good and valuable work has already been done. “Let me take you in fancy on a tour of inspection,” writes Mr Baumgart. “Over there is a man, who was wounded in the thigh. His wound has healed but left the muscles stiff. Colonel Wylie, O.C. No. 1 N.Z. General Hospital sent along a ‘chit.’ The man is put on the treadle work in order to exercise the stiffened muscles. But the trecdle is part of a fretwork machine, so while his mind is absorbed in the making of a heat photo frame, and probably, in the thought of the dear face that will be portrayed therein, he is at the same time obtaining valuable exercise and in a very few days will be able to move about with ease. “Take that man at the joiners’ bench. He hr," come in for general light exercise. Corporal Worden takes charge of him, and he is set to learn how to use carpenter’s tools. If you step into the quiet room you will see his first job, a quite presentable bookcase. Or if you go into Ward 10 you will be shown by the Sister a neat knife box presented to her by two amateur beginners. This man was one of them. “That big fellow has been with us a week. The Colonel’s ■ ’chit’ said ’basketmaking,’ so he was handed over to Miss Hamerton. When he commenced work he could scarcely move his hand. Now look at him. He can bend the strong cane and press it home with comparatively little trouble, and the result is this serviceable basket, a very cheerful man, and much improved hands. “And so the work goes on. The men can’t get very far of course, because the main object of the hospital is quickly to clear the men out fit and well. But they do get an interest away from and beyond themselves, they do get valuable exercise, and I believe that by the short training Hie men obtain in our workshops many of them will be placed in the way of learning, if not a trade, then a very useful hobby which will bring in to them a little money later on. “Mr and Mrs Thomas, both A.R.C.A. s (London) are commencing work as instructors in metal work, wood carving and art, and are now busily engaged upon getting this portion of the room in order. The metal work promisee to be a very popular branch. I feel sure that every penny of Y.M.C.A. money which is spent in this new department of our work will yield a splendid result.”