CHILDREN AND THE WAR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 262, 9 December 1914, Page 4

CHILDREN AND THE WAR.

HOW THE SCHOOLS MAY HELP. There is a great demand just now for novel ideas in entertaining that may be exploited for the benefit; of one or the other of the many patriotic funds. An English exchange gives particulars of how the girls of a large school at Home recently made a most welcome contribution to a very good cause by inviting all their relatives and friends to spend an afternoon—or two, if they liked —with the nations! Perhaps the idea might.be utilised by some of our colonial schools, if not before the holidays (.which are very close now), at some time after the schools re-assemble. The modus operandi pursued was as follows:

Each form chose a nation, and in the big hall of the school were set up stalls made of trestle tables decorated with flags, and upon them were displayed useful goods representative of the countries of the Allies and those in sympathy with us. These goods were provided by the girls and "their friends, and very delightful everything looked when the proceedings began. It was arranged that each nation should not only sell wares but provide,, at stated hours, a characteristic entertainment, to which the admission was to be sixpence. This sflm was also asked for admission to the school and for the type : written programmes. The artistic girls in each form supplied the covers for the programmes and painted them with designs of their own, using national flags and national flowers as decorations. THE FEAST OF DOLLS.

The sixth form, who arranged a Japanese tea-room, took possession also of the tiny children, because they decided that their should consist of a representation of a Japanese toy-shop at the Feast of Dolls. They made the costumes for each of the living toys, and the "dolls," when they came to life, played Japanese games and danced very charmingly. The fifth form represented England, and these lucky people could, of course, fill their stall very easily, but the entertainment on which they had set their hearts, entitled "Pictures/ of English Heroines," needed great skill in working out.

Scotland illustrated beautiful national ballad,?, and Ireland had equally beautiful

peasant dances. The Welsh girls, in their charming costumes, gave a concert comprising unaccompanied glees and partKongs.

The French people looked delightful in the Breton dress they chose on account of its pieturesqueness, and they offered really artistic groupings of Breton peasant women and introducing a couple of quaint singing games.

France sold numberless dainties to which the cookery classes contributed with such comestibles as cakes, sweetmeats, and delicious stuffed prunes.' The prunes for stuffing were - steeped and very carefully simmered, stones were removed, and after drying they were stuffed with a roll of marzipan and placed in dainty paper cases.

Russia sold wood and leather work, and their entertainment, the representation of a Russian peasant wedding, was very, clever indeed. Splendid Belgium had lace and linen on her stalls.

To those who helped the-girls in their scheme it did not seem possible that a large sum eould be made on two afternoons between the hours of 3 and 7. But the sixpences literally poured in. Some of the wares were in special request. For example, on the Belgian stall were small flags made in silk cross-stitch on canvas, with pencils for the staffs. Then the lucky bunches of real heather from Scotland were appreciated greatly, and so were the very effective Irish shamrocks made of silk.

Each stall had-an attractive poster stating at whieh hour the special entertainment it' had undertaken would be given, and during that time no selling was done by that nation. The dresses, except in the ease of Japan and the English heroines, were those of peasants, using the useful hockey skirt as a foundation, with characteristic bodices and caps. Fart of the seeret erf the great success achieved by the girls lay in the fact that everyone was delighted to spend some time among these young people and to enjoy the sight of their fresh and hopeful faces. It did everyone good to witness their enthusiasm and contribute to the success of the work.