HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17180, 25 October 1923, Page 3

HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION.

AH souls are Thine; the wings of morning bear Xone from that Presence which is every where. Nor hell itself can hide, for Thou arc there. Hi rough sins i>i sense, perversities of will, iiirough doubt and pain, through guilt Shame and ill. lTi\- pitying eye is ou J liv creature still. —>J- O. Whittier. Miss 77. E. Baughon might have taken a.s tbo text ior her lecture to the W.K.A, on October 14 tho above lines by America's Quaker poet, so earnestly did she plead that not one human being is without some hopeful and redeeming trait. In introducing Aliss Baughan, Miss Blackmore said that v.e all knew her already by her writings- - , but, judging by her speech on this occasion, she is even more. p©w crtul as a speaker than sbe is as n writer. Miss Baughan said that from one point of view it seemed strange to speak of prisons to an association which had for it ©principal aim the improvement of the home, for m prison life there w-as no sign of what we call home. Not an hour of the day in prison can you spend as you would. But is ‘home’ simply within the walls of our houses ? 3s it not our duty as homemakers to see that something of homo influence goes beyond the doors of our own household ?’ ’ Aliss Baughan spoke very earnestly of the help that can be given to the unfortunate men and women who inhabit our prisons by visits from kindly, sympathetic and judicious women. ‘“Have you.” she -asked, ‘ever known a man or boy likely t-o I>© better for not seeing a decent woman fir eight years?” She then went on to describe the. qualifications necessary for this work. She did not think it. was suitable for very young- women, a lit tie experience and some knowledge-of what sor-.

row meant were absolutely essential; \ as wa-s also the power of understanding that in the «iate of mental and moral development of many of these poor creatures, it i>. not a case of *1 won t go straight,” but ; as I am ar- present, 1 can’t.” *• If.” said Miss Baughan, “you want- to get the best out or anybody who is pot showing their bang ou to their one govl point, icr j ©very one has at least cm*, j and uo one is absolutely hopeless. A little sympathy, a. little pity ro these j poor outcasts means so much. How j much sympathy and pity have you and : I shown them? Jf we pimply start preaching at them, what heart do uc put- into them? " AVhat do you do with a backward child? J>o you stick him in a. corner ; and leave him there? N<>. you proj vide him with special i ruining and ! teaching and iua.7iy inmates of our j prisons acquire a first-class boarding school rather than a prison.” Aliss Baughan spoke very stroi-gly oil the need of a. home for our overfc'Cx©d and Under-controlled girls arri -Safi,! that many sudi girls wej-c in prison who ought •o 1.0 in training. TV Oranga might bo a AVt'-man's IFiqruiatofy where vocational classes might bp hell. Many of these- poor girl- wore very kind to the sick, and j Faithful in tfieir cave of helpless animals. "Sex instinct mav b-. sub/im- . a ted. into mother in-stinci.” The trouble ; with many girls is that they cannot ; uv - No” to their own baser instincts; i or. to thosedf other people. I Before she consented to accept an appointment a> official prison visitor, Afis-i Baughan went as wardress for ; w©ek, and she very touchingly describ- | ed some of her exppriences w hilst she i occupied this position. To illustrate 1 the colossal ignorance of the poor girls under her charge, she said that it was quite a- common thing for one of them to say to-.her. l< AVhv arc they so down ou us for getting; drunk when wc only j hurt ourselves?” | hi cor elusion, Aliss Baughan asked i her audience ” AVhat can wc. do to remedy the present state of affairs? ' and .she suggested tlio following j 1. Provide, specia i training for our ‘ over-sexvd girls. i 2. ProfH-'r .treatment for the feeble minded and lor the abnormal. The j latter are often very mischievous because in sonic, wavs thev are so clever. 3. Be friends with these no or sufferers. so often the victims of terribly sad circumstances. ” ft.” said Aliss ; 33aughan, £ ‘ we would only start thjnk- : ing about it. wc- should find a way lout.” The following alterations and addi- : tions have been made in our 1923 sv!labus. On Oetolv r 23, Aliss Shaw w ill give a talk on Dietetics, and or. Xovemher 2. a practical cookery demonstration. On November lb there will he n handcraft display. On November 23 a demonstration of Christmas cookery .will he. given, and on November 30 ' our annual social evening will take place. Ahiora. Pot© writes : Whi! y«>u please fiiul ;t corner-in our cf-lumn lor the fol- • lowing poem published anouymcu.-ly in : an Australian magazine; Seek not afar for beauty. Lo ! it g]<>vrs fn dew-wet grasse* all about thy icd. In birds, in ennshinc. chihlish sweet, • In -star and mountain summit topped with snow>. ' Go net abroad for happiness, for see! It. is a. flower that blossoms by thy j door; I Bring love ft n d just i- o hou io : and the n 'i .thou'lt- wonder in what- dwelling joy may be. Dream not of noble service- elsewhere wrought— Tit© simple duly that awaits thy hand Is God’s voice uttering a Divine corn- ' Life's coininon tk>eds built all that saints ba.v<- thought. In wonder workings or some l,u>h a flame Men look for God. ami I'jincy Him • onccaled. But in. earth's common things he >sands AN hiisi- grass and flowers spell our llis Name. j (T«. the Editor of .1.1. K. A. col mini, Marianv. --A little -while ag<> the instructors of the Philipstown Domestic •Science conlrc. wore kind < nougli to have a ‘‘mother's week/’ during vTiu-h mothers were invited to como ;>:si in spect The»r daughters’ effort s in housewiter.w As one of the many who accepted' This invitation, I should like to record my appreciation of ibv privilege. || was y. pleasant sight t. •many well.trained liT.tl© girls usefulri •ud happily employer!. Many mothers mighr have loann a I• —.-,i noni vl . elere ; way in which nicy bandied their materials. wljiLsf tin- spotless tien in which they loft tables -u«»ve-. <t« .. quite edifying, and I think I thai. their mothers will no cr hare to -ay to thorn, .as my mother often had r o ?*«>■ to me, " you cannot really } help me until you learn to work with- | out making such a dreadful fuss and ■ mess about- ii.” The happy little workers kept up a gcnilc jium. ukc J bees or «x>oing doves, but a word «c even u glance from 1-heir teacher was xiiflj<ient to instantly seen re absolute silence, and t heir pleased and re-p* - tt ul i attcntii.n to her sliglit-ot. wish was v< i\ pleasant- t*.» vritne-s. I am sure l may speak for all the ; visitors t». this scene of happy, useful : activity:when I a*k Ali.s.-c? Al Koc and • to accept- <iur grateful acknowledgments of their kindness.--A'ours. 1 ' F-N.