PROFIT AND PLEASURE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 110, 12 May 1933, Page 2

PROFIT AND PLEASURE

(Contributed by the Home Science Extension Department). “No one was willing to take the responsibility of office, so tho club has just 'fallen through’.” How often is this given as the reason for the sudden collapse of some organisation? Selfishness, self-ccntredness, unwillingness to share responsibility—how much discontent it brings about! Let each reader think of some organisation of which she is a member—Mothers’ League. Plunket Society, ChuPch Guild. Women’s Club, Women’s Institute, Women’s Division of the Farmers' Union, or Home Economics. Is that organisation all that it should bel Do its affairs run smoothly? Does every member do her fair share towards making it a success? When election time comes does each one, as soon as she is nominated for office, '‘beg to decline?” Does Mrs Jones resign because Mrs Smith has become a member? If this is the state of affairs (and unfortunately it is so in a groat many cases), then there is something radically wrong somewhere! Here, in Now Zealand, we are overrun with organisations whose work overlap. Wo have half a dozen clubs and societies where one would do—but this is not the cause of the trouble so much as tho fact that each club and society is not what it ought to be. Its members have not tho “good of tho cause” as their only thought. Selfishness, self-*eentredness, pot-tiines. are far too apparent. Think about it for a moment. Let us ask ourselves a few questions. First of all. why do we have organisations at all? Are they there for some purpose or did they spring into existence as a result of some unknown person’s whim? Think of some organisation to which we belong. Why are we a member? Did we join because wo really thought we would gain some real benefit, give someone real pleasure, or did wo join just because our friend Mrs X did? Do we know what is the aim of our organisation? Could we repeat its creed (if it has one) ? Are we, as a member, willing to do our share ofthe work, regardless of petty private likes and dislikes? Do we really want to do our bit to make that society or club a success? If so, then we are a true member and have a right to belong; if not, then tho sooner wo resign tho better! Then there is a question of aim. What is the aim of tho society? Are we. as members, carrying it out? Wo are a member of a tennis club —its alm is sport —good, keen, jolly games! Do we go along regularly and really play tennis, or do we stroll along at odd intervals in search of a cup of tea and a bit of gossip! We belong to a study group—do wc go there determined to study and got all wo can out of the lecture, or do we go there to see our friends and talk about the weather? If we belong to a sports •club, let us go there for sport! If we are a member of a social club let us go there to meet our friends and bo sociable. In other words, if wc go for “profit.” let’s get our profit out of it! If we go for “pleasure,” then lot us bo sure we get pleasure—and give it, too. Tennis club, cricket club, educational study group, or whatever you like—if we are a member, let us be a live one! Do not let us be satisfied to let someone else do all the work and shoulder all the responsibility. Criticism is good, but. let it bo constnivtive criticism, not destructive!