COUNTRY GIRLS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLII, Issue 20532, 25 September 1936, Page 12

COUNTRY GIRLS

EDUCATIONAL WEEK ADDRESS ON CHARACTER Country girls who are attending the educational week in Timaru were addressed yesterday morning by the Rev. E. Llywelyn Williams on “Character and Environment.” Mr Williams said that the topic was really a very interesting one, because it dealt with things that came straight out of life, and life was the most fascinating thing in the world. The cultivation of character was tremendously important, because they had to live with it, and also because the people around them had to live with it too. The word environment was one of those long scholastic which learned people like to throw at their heads, but it became much simpler when they spoke of their surroundings. “And so we say that the use we make of our surroundings has a great deal to do with the kind of character, that we grow. The very same surroundings will make one individual a lovely character, and the other something totally different. It all depends on the kind of mind and heart which we ourselves bring to them. Eyes Must Be Open The speaker said that townspeople sometimes thought that life in the country must be drab and colourless. This was not so bad as when country people themselves thought that. Unless one’s eyes were open it mattered not where they were. “We shall always be thinking how much better it would be if we were somewhere else. Life in the country can be full and rich, because there we can be near the really big things of life and nature, and because we can also be near the great simple things. Any one who lives in the country in New Zealand should have an elementary knowledge of two neglected sciences, namely botany and geology. Anything that adds a new dimension to knowledge is also a means of enriching our characters. And here are two studies that would make those physical surroundings in which we live so much more interesting. Add to these the using of our imagination and we find ourselves immediately in a brave new world, the myriad coloured world of poets and dreamers.

Strength of Character Mr Williams continued: “Paul speaks of people who were building their characters of different materials—some of them good and some of them useless. Building them of gold and silver we gain beauty and graciousness, and building them of marble and porphyry we gain strength. And no character is complete without these two. But this kind of building is never an easy task. It is a great adventure calling forth all our resources of moral and spiritual strength. A mother once asked her little girl why she had been able to resist a certain temptation and the girl replied, ‘Mother, I said no to me, and I made me mind we?’ That is always a great art, and a great triumph.” VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH ADDRESS BY MR J. L. HAY During the visit of the South Canterbury Country Girls’ Educational Party to Christchurch on Wednesday an address was given by Mr J. L. Hay, who, at the request of those in charge of the party, repeated the talk he had given recently to the North Canterbury Country Girls during the educational week held in Christchurch recently. Mr Hay spoke on the subject of “our duty to our neighbour,” and prefaced his remarks by referring to the significance of the Country Girls’ Movement, as well as women’s movements generally. He stressed the important part women and women’s organisations are destined to play in a world that is full of change and beset with all sorts of perplexing problems. Within recent years women the world over have been liberated from the restrictions that had been imposed upon them, and this new liberty was finding expression in all sorts of constructive ways. The Country Girls’ movement as well as the country women’s movements generally was indicative of what was happening in all parts of the world.

Widening of Interests Mr Hay emphasised the point that Country Girls’ Educational Week was a conscious and constructive attempt to widen the interests and activities of country women. There was a growing realisation on the part of the leaders of the movement that there is another world to be explored besides that of the immediate interests of the farm and farm life. For this reason the educational character of the work was to be commended in every way. Another important aspect of the movement was that it aimed to emphasise and develop those vitally important spiritual qualities of fellowship, friendliness and understanding, and it was in particular relation to this aspect of the movement that Mr Hay spoke. He mentioned the all importance of the fact that all had to live with other people in this world, and in so far as their relations with these people were in accordance with the highest ideals, so would they get a happy and contented community. Building Character In this connection the teachings of Christ indicated the sure foundations on which true character could be built, and a clear direction given as to who was their neighbour, said Mr Hay. For the purpose of his address Mr Hay referred to neighbours as:— “(1) the people we live with in our homes; (2) the people in our community; (3) the people who are not so fortunately placed as we are; (4) the people of other countries.” The speaker elaborated on the importance of each of these aspects making particular reference to the vitally important place the home occupied in the building of the nation. The breaking down of all class barriers and getting the right understanding and appreciation of other people was also stressed. Mr Hay’s address was illustrated with incidents from life, and amongst other things lie mentioned the important part the Oxford Group Movement was playing in bringing about true neighbourliness throughout the world.