SCOUTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19771, 19 February 1927, Page 20 (Supplement)

SCOUTING

DISTRICT NOTES. Wednesday, February 16, 7.30 p.m.) The last Scout ers’ meeting was well attended and much useful ground was covered. All those present are anxious to undergo a course of Gilwell training, and an application for such a course is being made to Dominion headquarters. There are only two Scouters in New Zealand who have taken the course and they are now examiners and instructors, one being S.M. B. M. Seward, of Hokitika, and the other our keen old friend, Major 7 T. W. Sandford, of New Plymouth. The Wanganui Scouts are parading on the occasion of the Duke and Duchess of York’s visit. The Government prefers members of Scout Troops parading with their Troops rather than with other organisations, so Scouts should remember the second Scout Law —A Scout is Loyal. DURIE HILL TROOP. Durie Hill troop are getting into their stride for the Bulls sports and will be' sending a strong team down to contest the different events. They are also organising a number of weekend camps before Easter. This troop is settling right down to Scout work and it is anticipated that quite a number of badges will be won in the near future. The Cubs, under Assistant Scoutmaster Cave, are getting in good work and taking a great interest in it. With the Duke of York’s visit so near, it is necessary for all the boys to put their best into their work, so that they can make a good showing on that occasion. GLASGOW EAGLE TROOP. On the last parade night of the Glasgow Eagle the four patrols were re-arranged; H. Smith, P.L. of the Peewitts, was promoted to the position of troop loader. Three cheers were then given for “Hoc,” as he nas proved himself a real good Scout. Second ‘ S. Mandeno was then made P.L. of the Peewitt patrol, and R. Galyer, second of the Bulldog patrol. The Peewitts and Bulldogs then engaged in flag-raiding, while lhe Badgers indulged in tracking, which was not a great success. The patrol system is working wonders in the troop and the boys are rapidly falling in with it. On Sunday, the troop and the Baptist Girl Guides paraded at the Baptist Church where a Church parade was held, at which a scout recited the ten scout laws. The minister also gave a fine address on the 7th scout law. ST. PETER’S TROOP, GONVILLE St. Peter’s troop have started 1927 in earnest, the patrol leaders’ examination having been finished. The first seven in the examination are patrol leaders and the second seven are patrol seconds. The following is the order:—Tigers: P.L. S. Titter, K.S., Second P. Chaldecott, K.S; Lion: P.L. M. Irwin K.S., Second P.L. B. Morgan; Wolf: P.L. E. Marchant K.S., Second P. Stevens K.S; Panther: P.L. A. Mepham ELS., Second J. Brown K.S; Peewitt: P.L. G. James K.S., Second G. Car veil; Hound: P.L. A. Low K.S., Second A. Rhodes; Bulldog: P.L. S. Rolph, Second B. Roberts. The troop leaders are as follows: T.L. B. Winter K.S., and T.L. G. Roberts K.S., and the scoutmasters are A.S.M. J. Mepham and D.S.M. N. F. Waite. The troop arc sorry to report the loss of P.L. G. Pauli K.S., and Scouts W. Ayson, H. Ayson, A. Cooper, and P. O’Grady, who have found the circumstances of the New Year, eithei through change of residence or educational studies, necessitating their resignations. Three more have joined up, however, namely C. Dundon, C. Monohan, and E. Parker. It is hoped to take a party of athletes to Bulls on March 5 to compete in the Scout items on the sports programme, and it is hoped that P.L. .lames and Mepham, Seconds Carveil, Roberts, Sommerville, Brown, and Scouts McPike and Lett will make the trip. There will be another “bottle day” to-day, to raise funds for the purchase of canvas for the making of tents for camping. WANGANUI EAST TROOP. Wanganui East troop held their usual Saturday afternoon parade last week when, despite the warm weather, the attendance was well maintained. At the conclusion of the parade, they were told that the “feed,’’ together with the presentation of prizes, would take place this evening. This is what they have been looking forward to for some time. Still more pleasing information was to the effect that Cub Leader ,M. Mark had been promoted to Cub Master. This together with the fact that the Cub Leader has just received word of his pass in the friend to animals badge, was gratifying both to the troop and the cub pack. Scout F. Stevenson has taken Moritz’s place as cub leader and. “Steamo,” as he is known, should prove an acquisition to the cub pack. Cheers wore given for the above on the call of the troop leader. Quite a number of the boys are awaiting the result of the pathfinders’ examination which was held early in December. AH were sorry to learn that the “twins” of the Peewitt patrol were not too well last week, but it is hoped to sec thnm with the troop to-night. Sixer S. McCrorie has passed his collectors and house' orderly’s badges. This sixer is the first cub to pass proficiency badges. Well done Sixer? Scouts arc reminded again (not that it is necessary) that tea commences at 6 sharp this evening. IST. WESTBOURNE TROOP. The affairs Of the seaside troop are progressing with great gusto—full attendances at all parades, everybody keen, and new recruits coming along. There have been two parades this year and at each the work done by the troop has been most encouraging.

SINGING FOR HEALTH (By Arthur Mason.) Music’s greatest gift to the human dace is the enjoyment it gives us. This, after all, is its outstanding claim to our devotion —that music in itself, the beauty of music, stirs within us thoughts and emotions that give us pleasure. Other gifts, also, music gives us. It has the power to inspire us, to energise us, to exalt us, and it has the power, also, to charm us into the softer moods that sometimes are our best possession. Various arc the done by music for the various individuals of its hosts of lovers, and all of them are beneficial things. But above all, and its supreme benefaction to us, is the pleasure we take from it. The Healthful Influence of Music. That being well understood, we may, with advantage, think sometimes of other ways in which music is of profit to us. One of those wtays is rather unexpected—music’s beneficial influence, that is, upon our physical health. This claim for it is a great one, but it is really only an extension of the longadmitted claim that the enjoyment we experience from music, and its soothing tind its invigorating effect upon us, are good for our bodies just because they so influence our minds. And in recent years, as is well known, medical which has always attached much importance to that influence of th e mind upon the .physical health, has looked more and more favourably upon the use of music in this regard. Singing As Valuable Physical Exercise. But more than that claim for music, —the good influence upon the body it exercises through its influence upon the mind, —can be proved. There is one brttnch of musical art—singing—the practice of which is directly beneficial to health. Not only the play of the mind upon the body—singing being distinctly pleasurable to the singer—is operating hero, but the physical effect of the actual physical exercise attaching to singing, *Ther e dan be little doubt of the physical benefit of deep breathing, and of breathing that is repilarly practised at its fullest and at its most controlled. The medical profession everywhere has urged the value of it. ills torn teachers, going farther in their customary mystical way, have ascribed to it not only physical powers, but high spiritual virtues. Physicians repeatedly urge upon parents the value of singing as tin aid to the development of the child’s body growing into vigorous strength. It is, in point of fact, an elementary axiom of medical science that a sustained and regularised activity of lungs land heart and, in consequence, the fullest possible bloodstream, are an essential of the healthful body. And these results follow auto‘maticaly from the regular practice of singing, since it is the first business of the singer to breathe regularly, with strength ftnd depth, to control his breathing, to secure from it as much as he can of its proven effect upon the power and the beauty of his vocal tone. Exhilarating Effects of Singing. Apart, too, from this directly physical result of steady exercise of bodily organs, much indirect benefit is obtained by means of the mental exercise and the mental exhilaration set up by intelligent singing,—and even by that fre-e-and-easy shouting in song which is little more than physielal exuberance. Doubtless that mental exhilaration which is felt as the result of singing proceeds from the physical effect of the exercise. But whatever its cause it is worth having. And the Singer singing songs alone, land the body of singers singing in chorus alike feel it. The practice of choral singing is very well known to be one of the most pleasurably exhilarating of all forms of music-making. The glow and the invigoration of it are enjoyed alike by the great artist and by the gaily singing child, by troops on the march singing in unison their popular songs, by community singing crowds urged to sing for the sheer joy of it, and by the most highly trained choir singing the elaborate harmonies of a. choral mastersong. Let Everyone Sing! It is with good reason that some of our best musical advisers urge singing upon everyone as the most beneficial of all musical activities. They have most in mind the musical value of a practice which allows to anyone Yt all the .experience of making music both en'joya’oly and easily. But they could with as good reason extol the'practice of singing as a valuable healthful prac►tice. That aspect of it is, at all events, worth considering in the light of medical testimony to the beneficial effect of singing upon essential organs of the body . And singers are entitled to Icount themselves fortunate among ’music-makers in the fact that, soloists or choralists, their singing gives them not only musical pleasure, but a most healthy exercise of both mind and body.

BURIED CITIES DISCOVERIES IN INDIA NEW CRADLE OF CIVILISATION The discovery in India of buried cities, one on top of another, and of inscriptions and monuments, has altered all previous conceptions of Indian history, and may reveal the existence of a new “cradle of civilisation.” Excavations have been made in Sind, the Punjab and Baluchistan, under the direction of Sir John Marshall, Direc-tor-General of Archaeology to the Government of India, and traces were found of a pre-Abrahamite river civilisation. The buried cities show that here 2500 years Sigo was a mighty empire, and a culture long since forgotten, but connected with Persia and In do-China, and perhaps with the whole of Asia.