Why I am Glad I became a Little Southlander

Southland Times, Issue 20014, 30 October 1926, Page 22

Why I am Glad I became a Little Southlander

I am a Little Southlander and to-day I realise the benefits we Little Southlanders enjoy. Never shall I forget the day I posted my first letter to our Cousin Betty; and never shall I forget the thrill which shot through me, when I knew my enrolment made me a Little Southlander for all time. And yet at that time I did not dream of what my Cousinship would bring to me. And what makes our Page so beautiful is that all Little Southlanders are welcome to enjoy every 7 privilege, every encouragement that the Page offers. Unless I had become a Little Southlander I should never have tasted the joy of ’-riting verses from my own pen, and seeing them improve week by week. How eagerly 1 look forward to Saturday morning’s paper to see if my verse has deserved a place in the column, and to see just where I may improve my work for the next week. Then the weekly competitions! It is to these we owe the sporty feeling that we have developed since our Page began. We have learnt to take a beating in the true spirit; and so have been blessed with a rose where the thorn was before.

Then to what do we owe our thought for the poor and the suffering—that virtue cur Cousin Betty has developed and encouraged in us? Surely this is another privilege arising from our being Little Southlanders. Through our own desire, our love of writing for the Page, our literary powers are developed more quickly than they would otherwise be. We become proud of our mother tongue, and it is our aim to use all that is beautiful in that dear language. And is there not a fragrant breath of patriotism pervading our Page? And iust ; think, we owe all this to our being Little South’'’- lers.

Last, butfnot least, we have grown to know many other Little Southlanders—girls whom it is for us to know—through the "‘age which binds all Little Southland together. Surely this is a privilege not to be overlooked! And we have our Cousin Betty, who is alwavs ready to help us and encourage us, until we even dream of a goal we mav reach under her sympathetic guidance. All these benefits are ours to enjoy. Are we not lucky children ? Am I glad I became a Little Southlander? Indeed I am!

—Cousin Annie Playfair (15), Gummies Bush.

Friendship, joy, fun, and loyalty. These are what every Little Southlander possesses and enjoys. As one of them I also possess and enjoy the§je. Our Pace is a big link in our future lives. Now, as Little Southlanders, it has brought us together, and firm friendships that it has formed among our happy band, among Cousins miles away from one another, will carry on through life, and when, in future years, we are Big Southlanders, and have the ruling of our province in our own hands we will have the friends of our youth, our true Southland friends, staunch and loyal, to back us up. Being a Tattle Southlander has helped me a lot in the great game of give and take. I think I was * always a sport, and could take a beating in the right spirit, but when you are a Little Southlander, you’ve got to take such lots and lots of beatings, that even if you’re not a sport, you can’t help being glad that the person who is the week s prize-winner, whoever he or she may be, is the lucky one. You know that they deserve their laurels, and when you’ve read their story or poem through, you think, “My word, that’s just Al. But if somebody else can write like that, $o can I.” And off you go, scratch, scratch, trying to write something doubly as good as that other person’s, and perhaps next week, you are the lucky one, and then somebody else tries to beat you, and so on. So that all the time, everyone is moving, some up, and some down. I don’t think I have made quite clear what I really mean, but what I really want to say is that we all get our turn at being top, and likewise, we all have our turn at being low, and you’ve just got to remember it’s all in the day’s work, and learn to try harder. Dur competitions are contested so keenly that there are bound .to be lots who do not get mentioned, but their turn may come next week.

Loyalty is our backbone. We are all Southlanders, and can all wear the maroon ribbon in perfect harmony. No stray blue ribbon from Otago or any other northern province finds its way among us. We are all true to the fresh, bright crimson of our sunny province.

Why I really became a Little Southlander was to enjoy the Jun of writing in the weekly competitions. I love competition, the keener the better. After eighteen months of it I enjoy it more than ever. I think writing is the best fun going and I love pitting my brains against those of other Southland girls. It is a geod, healthy amusement and the criticism

we get each week ia moat helpful in correcting our faults. I have made lots of fr.ends of very nice girls since becoming a Little Southlander, and 1 think the fact that we are all Little Southlandera is one of the reasons why we are all such good friends. Then there is the fun we get from the things we do for others. Our hospital day on December 24 was most enjoyable, but I think preparing for it was the best part. Then came our bazaar. It was a huge success and only Little Southlanders and those who worked hard for months beforehand could really appreciate the joy that the wonderful results attained brought. Soon will come the crowning ceremony of our winning princess, and then hospital day. For all these I am glad I became a Little Southlander. No matter how one watched and appreciated, if one did not wear the small silver and maroon badge, the badge of us, one would be an absolute outsider. lam glad'bur Page was started, and I am glad I am a Little Southlander. —Cousin Eileen Jaquiery (16), 21 George street, North Invercargill. —Prize. — Why am I glad I became a Little Southlander? Because of what our league has already developed into and of what it may become. Union is strength and under able guidance we are now in a position to do great things; for ourselves individually by developing latent talent by means of Cousin Betty’s helpful criticism ; for us all in that we are linked in friendship by a common interest, and for others in sympathetic cooperation on their behalf. The splendid competitions in Cousin Betty’s page are varied to suit everyone. Friendly rivalry gives us new zest and determination. The Saturday Times has a page of great interest to young and old. Our pretty badge is a passport to friendship with every member of this big family. Having a common interest, we are all eager to know each other although there are already 500 Cousins, and more joining every week. Without boasting, we may say that the Little Southlanders have become an important factor in the lives of the children in the Children’s Ward of the Southland Hospital. It gives us much satisfaction to know that by visiting, making cosy jackets, and giving them a Christmas treat, we have brightened weary days. The wonderful bazaar that we held to raise funds for a cot was so successful that now we plan to furnish a •children’s ward. Altogether our page has brought and always will bring to us, “Joyful Times.’ —Cousin Sheila Campbell (16 years). —Prize.— I am glad I became a Little Southlander because I love writing to Cousin Betty and making up poems and stories, a thing I would never have thought of trying to do unless Cousin Betty had first suggested it. I like having a lot of new friends and Cousins. I also like reading the Little Southlanders’ page every Saturday, and I can enjoy it more when I know I am one of the happy band. I also like helping the little hospital children and making presents for them, which Counsin Betty gets us to do every now and then. The Little Southlanders’ page has been the means of brightening many a lonely heart, and making it forget its pain if even for a little while, and I am glad to be one of the many who contribute to it. I am only a small unit of this large band, but I am glad to help in any way I can. I think it is noble work for which I sincerely thank Cousin Betty. —Cousin Elsie Amos (13), Mabel Bush. —Highly Commended— It is over a year now since I joined the Little Southlanders’ page, and during that time there has never been one moment when I regretted doing so. Indeed, I believe every moment, has been happier. When Cousin Betty founded that page, she gave to the children of Southland a great gift —a gift, which I believe they appreciate to the full. When I think of it, as I often do, I wonder how she manages to carry on the page and all the work it entails, since now there are so very many members, and more are joining every week. Think of the work with which the page is filled to overflowing—the poems, the drawings, the stories—all high-class work, some indeed wonderful for children to do, which would never have seen the light of day without the guidance of Cousin Betty’s steady, helpful hand. Certainly the talent must have been in the children, but it was she who encouraged, criticised and helped, until the sleeping bud burst forth into a glorious flower. Then in many other ways it has been helpful to Southland children, to join the Little Southlanders; for as members,

they have been taught to help others weaker than themselves, to work for the sick, and best of all, they have been brought into contact with one another. They have come to exchange views, talk over ideas, and have learnt to understand others than those in whose immediate surroundings they have been brought up. Lifelong friendships have been pledged, which I am sure, will be of great value and help in the future. One member, indeed, has found the page an ideal training-place, and lately has had a poem accepted by the Australian magazine “Aussie.” That is an honour—the first one—for the page, and who can tell how many more budding authors and poets may be among its mem-

bers, who but for it would surely never have found their way to light. Wherever the Southland Daily Times goes, the Little Southlandera’ page is famed. Many adults are interested in it. They perhaps, more than the young children see how far-reach* ing will be its results—the result of all those good and noble things which it teaches, and they bless it, as it deserves to be blessed. Therefore, knowing its high morals, and its great and good influence over the coming Southlanders, let us wish it a long, long life and the very best of success. —Cousin Eileen Mclntosh (15), 59 Ness street, Invercargill. —Highly Commended.— I can hardly remember the time when I was not a Little Southlander, and when I do recall it, it is with the greatest wonder as to how I found life really interesting in those dull days when there was no “Page.” To all, or most of us, Saturday is indeed a desirable break after a week’s work but Saturday with the Page—ah that is even more desirable. Days of waiting and then “oh frabjous day,” Saturday morning and the Page. Is there any Cousin who has not had that delicious excited sort of feeling just before opening the. Page. I’ve looked at the Page with just that breathless sort of feeling for—oh I couldn’t number all the Saturdays, but they begin from the second week of the life of the Page, and it never grows less. I really believe it grows more and more. I’ve the feeling this delightful sensation will never wear off; in fact, it can’t, for there is always something new and of interest to everyone, each week. Besides,

Cousins all, just remember who conducts it and I know you’ll all agree most heartily. Lots and lots of us never knew we could write or draw until we sent some small attempt to Cousin Betty and she, by kindly criticism and encouraging words, helped us on. Never praising too lavishly, but fairly; making one feel it is really worth trying, and to try again and do better. Wlfen we are great we will look back on. those golden days of our childhood w r hen we were such enthusiastic Southlandera, and probably say, “Ah, but I would never have done so well if there had been no Page.” In this way it prepares us to take disappointments with a smile and to try again, so we’ll all have learnt that lesson and be saved lots of sorrow and worry by this, when we’re out in the world. Then the splendid feeling it gives one to belong to such a large band, all trying to scatter a little sunshine and laughter over the world. To plan Christmas celebrations for others, and to devote time in making pretty and dainty presents. Again, after spending months of preparation all to gather and. meet one another, making new friendships, renewing old ones and talking over different adventures and happenings. Many of us will make life-long friends and all this from becoming a Little Southlander. Then there is the matter of certain quaint yet now familiar little badges, that anyone would be proud to wear. The children of Southland can hardly realise how lucky we are. Its just the loveliest thing to be a Little Southlander. —Cousin Daisy Ward (16), Awarua Plains. —Highly Commended — My chief reason for gladness is because my Cousinship brings with it the comforting thought, that, by our combined efforts, we are able to bring a little pleasure into the lives of sick and suffering little boys and girls. Although only a small-boy Cousin, I have such a thrilling feeling of power when I think of how we Little Southlanders proved that “Union is Strength” at. our, recent successful Bazaar. How splendid, too, to know that our band is well over 500 strong and that we have a magazine, all our own. How fortunate we are in our leader, Cousin Betty, whose kindly criticism and helpful counsel have developed in us gifts we never even dreamed we possessed. Cousin Betty’s weekly letter to us, the lovely fairytales, the original verse, the puzzles and all, are a source of keen delight to me. I love our badge, too, and we wear it as proudly as any king could wear bis crown. Being a Little Southlander, has brought a new and pleasant interest into my life. I have no dull moments, now, for I’m always planning how to do the weekly competitions, and don’t I just look forward to Saturday morning. —Cousin James Botting (11), “Terry Hill,” Woodlands. —Highly commended. — It is only a year since I joined the Little I Southlanders’ Page which is conducted by Cousin Betty and I have never regretted it. because Cousin Betty is so loving and kind, and Is realN our own Cousin. Every weex has competitions which interest us all. I really don’t know how she can invent such different ones which please every one of us. What we all like best is her cousinly letter to us of different ideas, and ways to make other people happy. She also writes a nice little letter to us for our very own self in reply to our letter to her.

I How could any one not be glad that she had become a Little Southlander, when she has Cousin Betty to guide and help her in every possible way? We have Sharpener’s to sharpen our brain, and correspondence, in which we get to know Cousins that we have never seen before. Really I am far more interested in the Page now than I was when I first started. When I first started going in for the competitions I thought I could never make up anything worth printing, but I kept trying and trying and am still trying. This year we had sewing clans and we met at each other’s home to sew, and at last had enough babies’ clothes and other novelties to have a bazaar, in which were gathered £220. This we gave to the hospital. Every year we all gather at the hospital and the invalids are given presents off the decorated Christmas tree which the Little Southlandera have provided. It is very nice to think that I belong to a band of Cousins who love to help others and like making other people as happy as they are. Cousin Betty has told me where I go wrong in my poetry, stories and other competitions and how to improve them, and I am very, very glad I became a Little Southlander. —Cousin Marjory Smith, (12), Oreti Plains. —Commended.— I have always been very very glad that I became a Little Southlander, because it is nice to have Cousin Betty whom we all know takes a great interest in all our work. It is also very interesting to write letters to Cousin Betty telling her all about the fun we have. I think it is a lovely pastime to be able to make up stories and pieces of poetry and send them in to Cbusin Betty to be corrected because next time we know not to make the same mistakes, and this will make our stories and poetry become better every time. Making up these stories helps us in our compositions at school. It is lovely to read all the stories knowing that they are written by the little Southlanders and to remember that I am one of them. In the Little Southlanders’ Page I have an interest in about five hundred other Cousins all over Southland. I think it is lovely to have a badge and an Enrolment Card because they are a reminder in later years of all the fun we had when we were little Southlanders. —Cousin Elsie Crosbie, (11), Waikawa Valley.