PRESENTATION OF AWARDS

Southland Times, Issue 23557, 11 July 1938, Page 5

PRESENTATION OF AWARDS

Boys’ And Girls’ Clubs Association WORK OF ORGANIZATION REVIEWED Awards to members of the Invercargill branch of the Southland Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs’ Association were presented at a meeting of the Invercargill District Committee in the Southland Technical College on Saturday morning. There was a big attendance of members of the club, teachers, supervisors and friends. Mr L. Evans, chairman of the District Committee presided, and after reviewing the work of the past year, called upon Mr F. G. Stevenson, representing the Southland Education Board, to address the meeting. Club work had been carried on throughout Southland during the past 12 years, said Mr Stevenson. For some years it was carried on under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture but later by the Education Department and the Education Board. Mr J. Davies’s name was very closely associated with the foundation work of the association, as was that of Mr A. L. Adamson who was secretary for a number of years. Mr L. Evans and Mr D. Marshall were among those who helped to found the movement and who still were staunch supporters. Their efforts were to some extent thwarted by their inability to make contacts with club members in various schools in various parts of the province. The taking over of the work by the Education Department and the personal contacts made possible by utilizing the services of agricultural instructors had made possible a big advance in the past few years, until there were few schools where the pupils were not actively engaged in club projects. The aim of all club work was to open up for the child a field of practical experience by the carrying out of home projects, for preference in collaboration with his fellows. That boys and girls were keen on club work once they had tried it was evident by the enthusiasm shown by many members over a period of years. COMMITTEE CONGRATULATED The senior inspector of schools, Mr S J. Irwin, representing the Education Department, congratulated the District Committee on its enthusiasm. He had had the opportunity for a few minutes of listening to the proceedings at the annual meeting, he said, and was impressed by the energy and keenness of those taking part in the discussion. He congratulated the boys and girls. He assured them of his constant interest in their club work. He was not able to see so much of their plot work but he had seen their calves and lambs on judging days and had been impressed by the type of animal they were raising and by their interest and ability in the handling of their calves. Club work led to an appreciation of

the importance of the scientific aspects of farming, he said. To appreciate their importance one had only to turn to the farm page in The Southland Times. He referred to articles on that page showing that farmers realized the importance of science in their industry. The president of the association (Mr B. P. Mansfield) said he was especially proud of the achievements of the boys and girls. He announced that the Gladfield school club had again won the Farmers’ Union Shield and the Institute of Horticulture Shield. The run-ners-up—who had done especially well, too, were the club members of the Wyndham South school. West Plains school club had been placed third.

Mr D. Marshall said that he had seen many ups and downs in the history of club work in Southland. He was very pleased to see the progress of the movement at the present time. He hoped that club work would develop in the boys and girls a great love for the land so that nothing would drive them away from it. He emphasized the fact that funds must be made available for the expansion of such great work among the children. A commission sent from England to study club work in America returned convinced that of all factors leading to good agriculture the incentive provided by the work of boys’ and girls’ clubs was the greatest single factor. The Mayor (Mr John Miller) who presented the awards, said it was rather hard to speak to a gathering of such enthusiasts, but he ought to be able to manage as he had made his living out of agriculturists. He thought that the association and its executive officers deserved the sincere thanks and appreciation of the whole community for the wonderful work they were doing. It had often been said that agriculture was the backbone of the country. He would like to assure them that farming was the mainstay, the backbone not only of New Zealand, but of every country. A country that neglected its farming industry was doomed. He congratulated the boys and girls and then presented the awards.