Woman’s World

Wanganui Chronicle, 25 May 1948, Page 7

Woman’s World

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Miss Audrey Bates has returned to Wanganui from a visit to Christchurch.

For the first (me in New Zealand a boy ballet student has been awarded the Solo Seal, the highest award for students in the Royal Academy of Dancing. He is Arnol Sutton Bircham, aged If years, the son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Bitcham, of Brooklyn, Wellington. Miss McLeod, Mrs. Fleming, Mr. and Mrs. A. N. McLeod and Miss Win. Sargeant went to Wellington to farewell Miss Marjorie McLeod, who has left for an extended tour of England and the Continent. Misses Helen Hicks, Jocelyn Blake, Joyce Laird, Cynthia Cartwright, Jean Bayler, Janet Barnes, Oleen Hynds, Betty Yates, Betty Abercrombie, and Fay Lumsden, who have been spending the school vacation with their parents in Wanganui, returned to Ardmore Teachers’ Training College, Auckland, today Miss Elisabeth Watt, Dunedin, who has been the guest of Mrs. John Dunlop, Somme Parade, has returned south.

Some improvements urged by the New Zealand Women Teachers’ Association, at its annual meeting in Dunedin, were the appointment of women inspectors in the primary school service; the appointment of more infant school supervisors, the right of appeal against non-appoint-ment; the desirability of granting sabbatical leave to enable teachers to study education trends abroad; the placing of a larger proportion of women teachers in the standard classes, with a woman in charge of a senior class in all schools of Grade Vc and upwards. Members emphasised the importance of having a woman in the upper part of the school, and cases were quoted where no class above Primer IV was taught by a woman. This practice was considered to be detrimental to the interests of the senior girls. The meeting also recommended, for the welfare of pupils, that provision be made in new schools, and where possible in old buildings, for a hot water system, a more generous provision of hand basins, and drying facilities in cloakrooms. The erection of more prefabricated classrooms was recommended. Women’s Section National Party. A meeting of St. George’s Gate branch of the Women’s Section of the National Party was held in Christ Church Parish Hall last Thursday afternoon. Afternon tea was provided by the committee and an enjoyable programme included songs by Mrs. W. L. Hodges and Mrs. Alan Tinker. The speaker for the afternoon, Mr. N. Izard, in his address dealt with the cost of living and the problems of the housewife. Victoria League Magazine Activities. Under the supervision of Miss M. Harrison, magazines and books have been despatched to lighthouses and back-block areas in the Wanganui district and to the T.B. Ward of the local public hospital it was stated yesterday at the annual meeting of the Victoria League. New Zealand Weekly papers are also sent to the Melbourne branch of the League. This year Headquarters in London are distributing to our isolated settlers all over the Empire quantities of magazines etc. in appreciation of the large numbers of parcels they have received from the Dominions.

Victoria League Sewing Circle. The sewing circle of the Victoria League, which meet regularly every Thursday under the convenership of Mrs. P. H. Hartland, has continued throughout the year to sew for the needy children of Britain. A few months ago four large cases were despatched overseas as a- result of the combined efforts of the Wanganui Women’s Club, the sub-centre Red Cross Society and the Victoria League. Mrs. M. D. Lane, Headquarters, London, has written expressing thanks and has found no difficulty in distributing garments to deserving folk. Members of the sewing circle also gathered the ingredients to make a Christmas cake for Viscount Montgomery, as the League were not afforded an opportunity of entertaining him whilst in Wanganui. The League has received a personal acknowledgment from the Viscount.