BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 December 1923, Page 2

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS.

OMATA CHILBREN'S SUCCESSES. Prizes won last year by children attending the Omata School in the root-growing and calf-rearing compel Lions in connection with the boys’ and girls’ ciubs of the Taranaki district, were presented at the Omata hall on Thursday night, when a social was held to mark the occasion and to raise funds for assisting the work of the clubs. Mr. A. E. Washer, president of the North Taranaki Committee, in making the presentations, apologised for the long delay that had occurred with the prize money. "It is the object of the clubs," proceeded Mr. Washer, "to make competent young farmers of the children; to make them more logical thinkera and more self-reliant.” It was an honest attempt to give the children a better start in life as farmers, he continued, but to enable the committee to proceed with its useful work parents must give their moral support. Mr. Washer *aid that thirty schools in North Taranaki entered for the competitions, and 195 plots were judged. These figures spoke well for the movement. He appealed to farmers to lend their support to the movement, and encourage the boys and girls to do their best in the interests of themselves and their schools. Mr. Washer then presented the awards made to pupils of the Omata School as follow: First prize, group 2: Mangolds (yield 83.17 tons, cultivation 40 points, quality 7 points, chart 30 points; total 161 points), £l.—Bert Seamark. Calf-rearing competition (Jerseys and Ayr? Bhlros), champion calf in North Taranaki district, £3; first prize, group 3 £l.-8. Jury. Calf-rearing (Shorthorns and Frleslans), second prize In group 3 10s.—Joyce McHardle. First prize (£1) in group 2: Carrots (yield 46.3 OIIS > cultivation 40 points, quality 8 points, chart 35 points; total, 129 points). The prize was won by the late Doris Seamark, and the award was handed to her brother. Mr. Washer congratulated Master Jury upon producing the champion calf in the North Taranaki diatrlct, and added that certificates were to accompany the prizes, but they had not yet come to hand from Hawera. In the course of some remarks, Mr. > R. G. Rldling, senior agriculture instructor to the Education Board, emphasised the amount of work put in by the children, who, he said, were deserving of great praise, but unless supported by the parents the boys’ and girls’ clubs were useless. The number of entries this year were fewer than last, and one of the reasons was that the children were a little dissatisfied about the prize money, which they thought was never coming to hand. But he hoped the commercial spirit would not | creep in. They wanted the children to do these things for the pleasure of doing them, for their educational value and for me honor of winning. The movement would die out if the enthusiasm was not kept up. . He paid a tribute to the keen supervision of the district made by Mr. Luxton, also to the work of the schoolmaster, Mr. L. A. MoHardie. Mr. A. J. Luxton expressed thanks to all those who had assisted with the social. At intervals during the dancing songs were given by Misses E. Mouat, Washer and Messrs. W. P. Okey and A. Bayly. Accompaniments were played by Miss Hodgson, whilst Miss nrov’ded the music for the dancing.