YOUTH WEEK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20095, 30 April 1935, Page 11

YOUTH WEEK

ADDRESS TO ROTARY CLUB DIFFICULT PROBLEM The weekly luncheon of the Timaru Rotary Club yesterday took the form of a Youths’ Day, there being present boys from all the primary schools, the Timaru Boys’ High School and the Technical College. The speaker for the day was Rotarian F. E. S. Long, who is secretary of the Y.M.C.A., and he delivered a most interesting address entitled “Rotary and the Boy.” Proceedings were made the more enjoyable by musical items by three High School pupils, D. Smith (clarinet), R. Milligan (cornet), and R. J. Winnington (vocal solo). Mr Long said that Saturday last was the day suggested by Rotary International, for the commencement of “Youth Week,” which should be (1) To focus public attention upon the boy as one of the world’s greatest assets by making the nation think in terms of boyhood; (2) to interest everyone in boys, to interest boys in themselves, and to emphasise fundamentals in character-building for citizenship; (3) to develop a community esprit de corps, in the home,

school. church and leisure-time organisations which deal with boys; (4) To advocate for every boy an equal chance to work out his destiny without the handicap of under-privilege or over-privilege. A foreword from a Boys’ Week Manual made interesting reading.

In attaining its present position of importance in boys’ work, Boys’ Week made interesting history, continued Mr Long. The grem of the idea sprang from the minds of men imbued with the spirit of service, who were eagerly searching for some medium through which they might bring the boy and his problems before mankind. Thus Boys’ Week became a reality. The first Boys' Week, confronted as it was with the scepticism of a large city, had no lack of difficulties with which to contend, but it overcame them and achieved a success which startled the nation as it worked for the betterment of its men and boys.

Among the greater achievements of Boys’ Week was the spirit of co-opera-tion between businessmen and boy workers which had developed to a remarkable degree. The spirit did not stop with the end of the week’s events but continued to prevail in the community and manifested itself in numbers of forward movements and programmes, local, sectional, national and international. The good which resulted from these movements could be in a large measure ascribed to the contacts established and the enthusiasm for service to youth which came out of the magnificent propaganda for boyhood which was made possible by Boys’ Week. The idea originated from the Rotary Club in New York City in 1920 and in the following year was adopted by Baltimore, Kansas City, Chicago and Newark. In 1922 207 cities celebrated Boys’ Week and one year later 608. The movement had become general throughout United States and Canada by 1926 and in 1927 cities in Australia, Canada, China, Cuba, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, South Africa, United States and South America put on extensive Boys’ Week programmes while in 1932 the event was observed generally throughout the world. The Need of the Youth Mr Long said that he had been asked to lead their thoughts into the realm of boys’ interests, and through them to focus public attention upon the need of the youth, and the boys in particular, of the community. They had as their guests boys, representing the various schools of Timaru. The members of Rotary were interested in them, and in the generation they represented, and desired to help them. The speaker displayed a chart giving a comprehensive survey of the boys’ work field in relation to the existing organisations of boy life. Firstly they had the circle of boy life, symbolising the vitality and creativeness of youth—also perhaps danger. Within was placed the ‘Rotary Club’ seeking to interest itself in the organisations of boy life within the circle. They were chiefly:—(a) The fundamental organisation, the home. They were ail agreed that good home life was essential in the character-building of the boys. Those who work amongst youth knew the effect of the home-life by the attitude shown by the boys to society. They found that the most difficult class of boys, came from the home where little or no love or toleration was shown. Rotarians should before all else seek to make their home life a model of Rotary idealism. Practical Rotary service was possible there—entertaining their own boys and their friends—and under-privileged boys—around the home fireside and table,; Rotarians who had no boys—or where boys were grown up could give much happiness to many boys by periodical entertainments of this kind. Three inevitable or necessary organisations were:—(l) The school. Service on

school committees was waiting for Interested and willing men. The night schools required the interest and cooperation of business and professional men. Teachers and directors could not successfully work on their own. They needed the interest of the leaders of the life of the community. Industry: Embracing boys from newsboys and schoolboys working outside school hours to young men in offices, shops and factories. This should be # a special interest to Rotarians where they are employers of boys. Military training: To-day they had military training in most of the secondary schools and voluntary training for boys who had left school. Rotarians by taking an interest in the conduct and welfare of the senior cadets and volunteers, camps, conditions of drill, etc., would be doing a worth-while service to the boys and to the promoters of this work. All spontaneoue .organisations: Here was an opportunity for service in supervision and interest in the athletic, football, cricket and swimming and harrier clubs, etc. The reconstructive organisation- Child Welfare Department. Here was a special opportunity to help boys who had missed the track and were under State supervision or had been in any of the State Homes or Institutions, to reconstruct their lives and make good—to catch up on the handicap of their environment. Practical Service Referring to the welfare institutions, Mr Long said that there was a definite field for practical service in tre children’s homes. Borstal. Wereroa, and other State institutions. As citizens, it was their duty to make themselves conversant with the regulations and conditions of these institutions, to see that the children who by force of circumstances, were compelled to abide therein, were given every opportunity for the development of good character and citizenship. He went on to say that the church in all its branches, Sunday Schools Bible Classes, Boys Clubs, etc., needed leaders and supporters, as well as the sympathetic interest of Rotarians. he Y.M.C.A., with its character-build-ing programme of activities, seeking to assist youth along the path of life, was making special efforts for the underprivileged and unemployed boys of the community. This was a community organisation and as such, should not be left to a few men to bear the burden of its work but should be supported by practical service and financial assistance from all sections of the community. The Boy Scout movement was also a great field for practical service. There three institutions sought to bring into expression all that was best in youth. Mr Long said that there were many organisations and yet there were many boys unrelated to any of the voluntary organistions. Various intere.As and fields appealed to different Rotarians. The field was a wide one, and required personal attention, leading to personal knowledge, to personal interest, to personal enthusiasm, culminating in personal service—leadership. The speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.