The Social Round

Southland Times, Issue 24508, 8 August 1941, Page 7

The Social Round

Mrs H. K. Smyth,. Duke street, is spending a few days in Dunedin. Miss Beulah Beadle, Earn street, has returned from a holiday spent at Timaru. Mrs J. H. Young, Ettrick street, has returned from a holiday spent in Nelson and Christchurch. Miss Alison Charters, Christchurch, arrives today to be the guest of Mrs H. R. Watts, Anne street. Miss J. Thomson, who has been the guest of Mrs John Thomson, Grace street, has returned to Queenstown. Miss Nona Pinckney, who has been visiting Timaru, is now the guest of Mrs Maxwell Deans, North Canterbury. Mrs J. E. K. Mirams, Dunedin, arrives in Invercargill today to stay with her sister, Mrs E. S. Solomon, Dee street. Miss H. L. Birss, a member of the Invercargill Free Kindergarten Council, thanked Mrs Mathew for her interesting talk. At her home at Rakauhauka yesterday, Mrs J. Hargest was hostess at an afternoon tea party in honour of Sister

Alicia Tothill. The guests included five returned nursing sisters of the last war.

A talk of interest to all those connected with the pre-school child was given to representatives of the Invercargill Free Kindergarten Mothers’ Clubs yesterday in St. John’s Hall by Mrs H. C. Mathew. Sister Alicia Tothill, of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, who has been the guest of Mrs F. C. Beere, Ness street, during her stay in Invercargill, leaves today for Dunedin. She will fly to Wellington, where she will report to the medical board on Monday. Reference was made to the splendid work being done in the free kindergartens in New Zealand, where the right environment, education through play, and co-operation in activities with other children of the same age gave each girl and boy a necessary training for future citizenship.

Mrs Mathew, who has made an extensive study of child welfare in all its aspects, spoke of the way in which the children of the United States were being helped by the formation of study groups among the parents. These groups met to discuss individual difficulties, to place problems before experts in child study and so be helped to a better understanding of the child nature. The parent study groups were of particular help to young inexperienced mothers.

The Invercargill women teachers and their friends spent an enjoyable evening at the Women’s Club, when Mrs Stanley Brown arranged an attractive programme. Miss J. Falconer, president of the association, welcomed the guests and presented Mrs Brown with a shoulder spray of spring flowers. Mrs Brown gave a short talk on the beauty of the spoken word, after - which a reading from “A Lady with a Lamp” was given by Mrs Brown, Mrs A. Macdonald and Mrs G. R. Milward. Miss Murphy sang two songs accompanied by Miss Tipler. A play, “Suppressed Desires,” was read, the cast being: Henrietta Brewster (Mrs Brown), Stephen Brewster (Mrs Milward), Mabel (Mrs Macdonald). Mrs E. K. Mills thanked the performers.