BOYS’ TRAINING FARM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 419, 10 November 1930, Page 2

BOYS’ TRAINING FARM

VALUABLE HELPER LOST With the passing of Mrs M. Spencer, which occurred suddenly last week, the Boys 1 Training Farm has lost one ot its most valuable helpers, for the interest which she took in its young charges Vid not cease when she relinquished staff duties for those of married life. Throughout her term of residence at\ the farm, she was ready, when occasion required it, to take in hand boys whose cases called for special handling and by her own personal influence and skilful guidance she wrought noticeable changes in their lives. It was her pleasure to interest them in various hobbies and endeavour to bring out the best in them. Her own aesthetic tastes played an important part in this. Mrs Spencer was highly accomplished in fine needle work, embroidery and kindred arts and was a successful exhibitor at many shows, both in Levin and further afield Added to her tastes in this direction was a love of gardening, the results of w'hich were also strikingly evidence on the show benches. The deceased lady was a daughter of the late Captain and Mrs Boyd, of Queenstown, and as a young woman she entered the service of the Education Department’s welfare branch at Caversham, IDunedin. From there she accompanied the newly-formed Wcraroa institution. That was nearly 30 years ago, and Mr Matthew Spencer. Vio she married about five years later, was one of those who prepared the site of the farm, on whose staff he remained, to beoomc in time the farming manager, which position he still holds. EUCHRE AND D4NCE To aid the Convent Jubilee funds, a dance and euchre evening will be held in the Fordell Hall to-morrow (November 11). Stone’s Orchestra has been specially engaged to supply the dance music. A bus will leave Hodson’s at 7.30 and the fare will be Is.

NOVEL TENNIS RACQUIY’ Have you heard of the latest invention for the business girl who wishes to play tennis after shop or office hours and yet does not care to carry her racquet through the streets? It won’t be necessary in the future, as a novel tennis racquet has been invented with detachable handle, which allows it to be packed in an ordinary attache case. It has been designed specially for modern business girl, and was shown at the London Inventions Exhibition recently. SLIM ANKLES! The shape of the ankles is more than ever important this season, states a writer in the Daily Mail. Long evening gowns accentuate their lines while just revealing them. Women arc having paraffin packs, exercises, and massages with reducing cream to slim t/o ankles and make them shapely. American visitors have set a fashion for taking regular foot treatments. The habit becomes stronger after holidays spent on the Continent, where beauty specialists give foot massage, lotions, and perfumed baths a greater extent than they in London- Alany women have their ankles, feet and toes massaged twice a -week. An astringent lotion is applied after tho massage to tone up the muscles. Regular fortnightly treatments include, besides massage, a short electrical treatment and pedicure. The chiropodist sends her clients nn to the make-up expert if they require an* varnish and polish. Some women demand a scarlet varnish for toe as well as finger nails. Pine lotion is recommended for home use when the feet become tired after walking or dancing. CONFETTI AT WEDDINGS HISTORY OF CUSTOM. There are many curious tasks awaiting the social historian. One of them is to discover how the practice of throwing confetti over a newly-married pair came into use among us. Tho war had something to do with it. The ancient custom of casting a shower of rice was clearly a wasteful use of precious food, and authority forbade its continuance. Confetti came from Italy. The very name is Italian, and stands for what were once called comfits—those little roundsweetmeat with a caraway seed at the centre. Rice and pld shoes were formerly regarded as the proper, lighthearted symbols, and they have not the disadvantages of confetti, which, cling wherever they fall. It is this quality about confetti that makes such a one as Canon Jackman, of Watford, England, “sec red.” He advances other objections, but ho discloses his real mind when he proclaims his readiness to condone its use should bridesmaids come to tho marriage equipped with the implements for “sweeping up the mess.”