Vol. 10, No. 8.
FEBRUARY, 1934.
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Volume X.
FEBRUARY, 1934.
Number Eight
"We do not grow old: we become old by not growing."
SOME ASPECTS OF ADOLESCENCE. Adolescence is often spoken of as the "peak" period of life-the most difficult and important period of development. This is to take only a superficial view-to me, a microscopic one-when what would help most to get a wide attitude and understanding, would be a telescope. The period of Adolescence can only be understood, and its problems met in relation to life, if the previous periods of development have been passed through normally, without physical, mental or emotional hindrance. The difficulties of adjustment to adult life experiences by some girls may often be traced to the fact that they have not completed an earlier phase of development They have, as it were, got "stuck by the way," and although thinking and acting in some ways as adolescents, in others may return to problems they failed to solve in early childhood. Every period of development has its special importance and significance, and it is when children are hurried unduly through these without proper time for their all-sided development that troubles are set up. No definite age limit can be fixed for these periods of growth, for mental age and chronological age are not the same thing. A girl of eleven may have a mental age either older or younger than her 11th birthday. To try and push forward the mental age of a child, to expect old heads on young shoulders, is to fix (possibly for life) tendencies which should be outgrown or shed as the tadpole she<;ls his tail. For normal, healthy, happy adolescence, the physical, mental and emotional side of life should be catered for. It is here that Rangering gives invaluable help to girls at the time it is most needed. Physically Rangers are brought up to feel it a matter of pride to keep fit by understanding and obeying the Health rules. Kipling's poem, "Keep Fit" expresses excellently the duty to the community by each Scout and Guide to be as healthy and fit as possible. Through Health Talks and personal example the Guider can help the girl of Ranger age to meet the Danger points. Adolescents do get tired easily, they need to be helped to relax. Complete physical and mental relaxation is necessary occasionally,
The Ranger captain often needs to show that it is bad economy to get over-fatigued-to try to do more than can be done properly in one. day. To provide too much stimulation in the way of spare time activities and Ranger Competitions for girls of Ranger age who are working hard all day is not in the best interest of their health or happiness. Rangers need to be guarded in these days from living on a diet of excitement or "living on their nerves." The value of sleep, and the hours of sleep needed to ensure perfect efficiency for a job in life, whatever it may be, is teaching of lasting value. The Ranger period has been dealt with by many modern psychologists. Dr. Staughton, in his book "The Adolescent" calls this the "storm period." Homer Lane in his excellent little book "Talks to Parents and Teachers" calls it the Age of Loyalty. Certainly it is a period of problems. The biggest problem for each Ranger to solve is the finding of herself. Each of us have many possibilities, many sides to our person¡ ality, many selves. Which of the many shall we develop? Mary may be wonderful with little children. Shall she develop that gift, run a Brownie Pack, or train as a Mothercraft Nurse; or if she adores the "Pictures"-has a pretty face and a pleasing voice--could she perhaps out-star Mary Pickford? There are obstacles which any Ranger may come up against in discovering herself. Guiding lines thrown by a skilful hand at the right time might give her just the help she needs. Adolescence is the age of Id.e als. Some-one has said that the rest of our life is spent in iiving out the plan which we form for ourselves in adolescence. In the formation and projection of ideals, religion must playa leading part. Guiding helps to open up wider vision, to show hitherto unknown stars to which we may hitch our waggons. Among the obstacles whir.h may hinder the Ranger in her quest for her best sp.lf aye-(a) An unsympathetic or definitely antagonistic nome environment which sets up conflictinp: ideals; (b) A sympathetic home and parental persuasion which often proves a big obstacle to development. Girls are apt to be tied, tu
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the mother's apron strings when they should be learning to feel their feet. Parents who make all the decisions for their children, even choose their careers for them, are doing them a great deal of harm by cheatmg them of their growing independence. Rangers need to be given freedom of thought and action and the opportunity to learn, if necessary, from their own mistakes. We cannot give them experience. They must each buy experience for themselves. A Guiding Line here, if given at the right time, may be of real help, and will be gladly ac ¡ cepted if thrown by someone the Ranger loves and trusts and wishes to copy. Parents, Guiders and a girl's own friends all may help in this way. The Guider who shares so many of the interests and enthusiasms of the Ranger at this period can often help most, for to her own Rangers a Guidl:'r cannot help being something of a heroine. Ranger-Guiders realising this know some of the dangers as well as possibilties for good of this stage of Hero-worship. Many of them are afraid of their own power and responsibilities and seek to a7cid them. A few have misused this power and sooner or later have fallen from the pedestal on which they were placed. It seems well to realise that as a Guider you have to be something of a heroine to your own girls. Offer them the best of your friendship with both hands and that friendship will be accepted, naturally, healthily and thankfully. The Rangers will learn as a Ranger Captain in England said: "to look not at me, but to look at what I am looking at." If Ranger friends may prove a Guiding Line, so also may the wrong kind of friend prove a tremendous hindrance. Guiders soon learn that to oppose wrong friendships is usually to strengthen them. A stronger attraction in the kind of friends wanted is usually the best remedy. Literature has been a Guiding Line to many a Ranger. Stories of great men and women have proved an inspiration. Favorite and chosen quotations too may act as stepping stones. Rangers love to hunt out and collect and share with the company quotations that may be of help or interest. One company of Rangers in England compiled a calendar of their favorite quotations. One for every day in the year. It formed a happy link between past and present members of the company, also substantially swelled company funds. Another Guiding line of Adolescence is that of unfamiliar surroundings. A Ranger who is slow in developing a sense of responsibility, owing possibly to a dominant mother or elder sisters will often develop amazingly if she gets right away from home for a time. Camp will often bring out girls of retarded development in an amazing- way. To put a Ranp.,"er of this tyne into a new patrol will often help her. She becomes a new personality, develops a new self. It makes a marvellous difference to her to be accepted by a new set of people at her face value. She has no previous reput~tion for shyness, for instance, to live down.
February, 1934.
Games of different types serve to bring out and give a feeling of confidence to many girls. A Ranger may be poor at physical games, but may shine at dramatic games or in intelligent competitions. Give a girl just one thing at which she can feel herself capable, and she gains poise and confidence and reliance and has the key to solve her own problem. The Ranger problem is then the full development of self or the integration of her various selves into a united personality. First, she needs to be so fitted for life that she can sustain and support herself without physical dependence on anybody. Secondly, she hat; come to the stage when she needs the ability to go alone, to be able to make up her own mind -to form definite opinions and reasoned judgments. This is the age for psychological weaning to be completed. Thirdly, a Ranger who is well adjusted to life should have acquired that valuable attribute of developed personaiity. She should be able to endure in silence. There are many grey-haired women who have not achieved the self-control necessary for such endurance and who on account of it make everyone they come in contact with miserable. Acquired in adolescence it is of value throughout life. The Ranger who bring;:; to adolescence a healthy mind in a healthy body has little to fear from adolescence, for she. is definitely aiming at the finding of her best self in order that she may lose it in service to the Community. Helpful books dealing with practical problems of the adolescence:Psychology of the Adolescent, by Leila Hollingworth. Thp. Adolescent (Dr. Staughton). Talks to Parents and Teachers (Homer Lane). -OLIVE E. CHERRY.
Newspapers Appreciated. Our State Secretary has received the following letter from the Hon. Secretary of thp. Victorian Baby Health Centres Association ... . .. Will you kindly convey to the members of the Girl Guides' Association who have so kindly helped in conne.ction with collection of newspapers for the Depot, the sincere thanks of my Council for their valuable assistance. Th~ interest shown by them and the help so willingly given is very' much appreciated. Supplies of paper at the Association's Newspaper Depot have greatly increased during the last few weeks. Thanking you for your kind co-operation, Yours faithfully, etc. In view of the appreciation expressed above, I hope that Guiders will encourage their Guides to make continued efforts in this direction.-S.1.
The real vitamins of Scouting are only to be found outside.
February, 1934.
Four N.S.W. Guiders Cross the Border. â&#x20AC;˘ For many months beforehand we had planned our overland voyage into Victoria, and the joy we vociferously uttered when we knew that the two front wheels of our car actually rested in the Southern State rang to echoes in the quiet bushland crossing. Melbourne seemed very near then, and when "Jerry" (the car) actually entered the St. Kilda Road, he literally shook with the excitement of the inmates. Jerry's name may be of more than passing interest. In "The Quaker Girl" Jerry was a Quaker, but only on his mother's side, so that when he was particularly mischievousthat was "Father coming out"-and so with our car; on days when nothing went wrong, and all our ways seemed smooth and gliding, that was mother's day, but on several occasions father was decidedly on top, especially when Jerry stopped dead at 5.30 p.m. on the tramlines at the intersection of Swanston and Flinders Streets. Having safely arrived, our trusty Victorian friends took us in hand and decided that we must enjoy every bit of Melbourne. It has all been too delightful and happy for words. One has only to walk along a tree!ined street or discover a beautiful little parK m an outback suburb, to feel a thrill of love for this city where beauty seems to come first. Having a keen joy in camping in our native land, we were anxious to see a little of the same "sport" in these parts, and, speaking ~enerally, the two camps we visited were set in the most beautiful surroundings one coule desire. Tarrawarra, so high up, with views to ~ far ~orizon of dim mountains; Kallista, loftIly set III a green glory of giant trees whose beauty, so lovely, so unutterable
5
MATILDA
melts to
n othingness in our attempts to de~cribe it. And the birds there! You could hear them in "the mystical undertone" of the rustling grass, or "soaring to heaven, singing theil' young desires". All too inexpressibly lovely for mere words to confess. We had jolly times with the Guides we met at both places. What a rollicking happiness they put into their singing! In Sherbrooke Forest, deep down in the g~lly, where waterfalls and gurgling brooks pIped to our tunes, we all sang and sang of crocodiles and guinea pigs, of trees' wardrobes and night's loveliness with such delicious abandon that neighbouring picnickers gave us their hearty applause. This is a veritable ramble of an article, but we Sydney Guiders do want to express to our Victorian friends :our deep apPl'eciation, of the very lovely time they have given us in Melbourne. We hope that, as occasions offer, we can reciprocate in N.S.W. in some small part the generous hospitality we have received here. -A.W.
A Letter from the World Chief Guide. December, 1933 . Dear Guides and Girl Scouts, Time goes by so quickly that it is hard to believe that a whole year has passed since I last wrote a letter to you all to talk about a plan for February 22nd, which is, as you know, the date chosen as our special "Thinking Day" within our Movement. I am writing this letter now to ask if you remember all about that suggestion I sent you last year with regard to commemorating "Thinking Day" in a special way. This way was suggested to us by a Guider in Belgium, and the plan was for any Guide or Girl Scout who liked to subsribe a penny towards a Fund for helping the World Bureau in carrying on its work for the whole World Sisterhood. As you know, the Guide Movement is spreading further and wider each year, and whilst you see your own Company growing in numbers in a small way bit by bit you can also picture to yourself that this is happening in towns and villages in many countries throughout the length and breadth of the world. And so our family is growing bigger and bigger, and though we cannot all meet together because of living in so many different lands, yet we are all joined together in mind and in heart through having pledged ourselves to stick to the same Promise and Laws, and to be friends and helpers to each other whenever we can. Well the World Bureau, which acts as the kind connecting link that helps to keep us all in close touch with each other, naturally has a go~d many ~xpenses, and last year many GUlde!i: and Gll'l Scouts helped most willingly to sut5port this office by giving their pennies to the Thinking Day Fund when the great day came. THINKING only, but wanted to do some THANKING as well, for the joy and fun that has come to them through Guiding and Girl Scouting. And ~o. if yo? would like once again to send a lIttle .sp~cla! t~ank-offering to help the W:orld ASSOCJatlO~ m Its task, just talk it over WIth your Captam, and then she can send in any gifts from you and from your friends toThe World Bureau. 17 Buckingham Palace Road, . London, S.W.1, England. My kmdest thoughts and good wishes to you, OLAVE BADEN-POWELL. World Chief Guide.
PUBLICA TIONS. The World Bureau has recently published "'Yhat are the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts?" pr~ce 2~d. post free, and "Quo Vadis. 1933," Pl'lc~ 6~d. post free. Both these pamphlets are obtamable from all National Headquarters.
!dATILDA
World Bureau News. The Second International Guiders' and Girl Scout Leaders' Training at the Chalet, which took place from September 23rd to October 4th, was extremely successful. It was attended by thirty trainees, and the countries represented among them were :-Australia, Belgium, British West Indies, Egypt, ,E ngland, France, Germany, The Irish Free State, Luxemburg, Sweden, Switzerland and The United States of America. Once again Miss Maynard was chief trainer, and was assisted by Madamoiselle Beley of La Federation of Francaise des Ec1aireuses ana Mrs. Torsslow-Lundgren, of Sveriges Flickors Scoutforbund (Sweden). . The Training was preceded by another gathering of Guides and Girl Scouts sent by means of the Juliette Low Fund. The thoughts of the World Bureau staff . are beginning to concentrate on the preparations for the World Committee Meeting from Auguse 6th to the 9th, and for the World Conference from August 10th to 17th at Adelboden next year. A letter has already been sent out telling the National Headquarters of all associations that a special feature of the 1934 Conference will be a display of Handicrafts from as many countries as find it posible to send them. Future Trainings at Our Chalet, Adelboden. June 4th-15th, 1934--First International Brownie Training. June 17th-28th, 1934-Third International General Training.
1934 Scouters' and Guiders' Cruise Planned. Such great success attended the Scouters' and Guiders' Cruise, popularly kno.wn as "T,he Floating Camp" around the BaltIc c~:)Untnes this summer that the 25,OOO¡ton WhIte Star Liner ADRIATIC has been chartered for ~n Easter holiday cruise this year. The Medltterranean will be the venue, although .the definite route has not yet been finally deCided. The "Adriatic" will leave Liverpool on Thursday, March 29th, 1934, returninF' th~re on Sunday, April ll?th. The 17-days crUIse will cost from 19 gumeas upwards. Lord Baden-Powell says:-"From the results of the Baltic cruise we realise that such a cruise is of practical value in at least three ways:. 1. It brings Scouters and GUIders together in personal acquaintance for inte!change of experience and for better co-operatIOn. 2. It puts them in personal touch. apd understanding with those of overseas BntIsh State:; and foreign countries. . . 3. It gives us the opportumty of helpmg ?efinitely to establish a really sound foundat~on for world peace, namely, through promotmg: mutual goodwill betw,een the young p~oples of the different countries where Scoutmg and Guiding are practised." -(From " Boy Scouts Weekly News Bulletin")
February, 1934.
A Simple Story. (With apologies to Archibald Marshall, who does it so much better in "Punch")
THE C.A. AND THE COMMANDANT. Once there was a Camp of Girl Guides, and they used to go in swimming, and make fires and put up tents and things like that. And the person at the head was called the Commandant and she had an Assistant Commandant and a Q.M. and a Lifesaver to help her run the Camp. Well one day the Commandant said to the Ass.Com. we must tidy up the camp and take the bedclothes out of the Marquee. And the Ass.Com. said why, and the Commandant said oh because the C.A. said she was coming to inspect the camp today. She may not like to see your unmade bed in the Marquee for she's funny that way. And the Ass.Com. said oh alright and they tidied up the Camp but they forgot to take the Ass.Com.'s pyjamas out of the Marquee because they were under the dining table and anyway they didn't look much like pyjamas. Well the C.A. arrived just as the Commandant was sitting down to dinner, and the C.A. said good afternoon I'm sorry to interrupt you at your meal but could I see over your camp because I want to go back home soon, so they went off and saw the camp. Well first they walked round the tents and the Commannant said I'm afraid some of them may be a trifle damp but you see we've had a little rain lately. And the C.A. said oh that's alright our tents are like that too and now will you show me the greasepits. So the Commandant showed her the greasepits but there was only one as the other wouldn't work although the Guides played about with it a good deal. So the Commandant said I'm sorry but we've only one greasepit but it works quite well at times only not always. And the C.A. said oh ours are like that too. Then the C.A. said will you take me back to the Marquee because I should like to see where the Guides eat their meals. Well they went back to the Marquee and the Guides had just finished their dinner and gone away and it was a good thing they had because of the Ass.Com.'s pyjamas. Well when the C.A. saw the pyiamas under the dining table she said oh do you' dress in the Marauee and the Commandant said oh the Ass.Com. left them here this morning. And the C.A. said are you sleeping here and the Commandant said well yes the Staff are because of the wet tents. And the C.A. said but you really shouldn't be sleeping in the Marquee and the Commandant said why. And the C.A. said because it might blow over in the night and kill people. And the Commandant said oh I never
February, i934.
MATILDA
thought of that and the C.A. said well you can think of it now. Well that night it rained again and the Commandant saId to the Staff you had better sleep in the Marquee bec!iuse it·s. so wet and I don't think it will be windy tomght . And the Lifesaver said but I don't hke sleep. ing in Marquees because they rattle so and the wind may get up. And the Commandant said oh no it won't an(l you'd better sleep in the Marquee because there isn't anywhere else, and you can't sleep out in the bushes because they're too wet. So the Lifesaver had to sleep in the Marquee and in the middle of the night the .win~ got ~ and blew the Marquee down and It killed Hie Lifesaver. Well the next day the C.A. came to the camp and the Q.M. met her and said what do you want. And the C.A. said I want to see the Commandant. And the Q.M. said she's looking at the Lata and anyway she hasn't much time for C.A.'s, she is too busy. . . And the C.A. said well the CommIssIoner for Camping wants to see her about having an inquiry. And the Q.M. said what for. And the C.A. said for killing the Lifesaver. And the Q.M. said oh and the C.A. said ah you may well say oh. . Well they had the inquiry and the CommIssioner for Camping was a very kind pel'son and she liked the Commandant because she had a second cousin once removed who looked like the Commandant. . And the Commissioner for Camping said why did you kill the Lifesaver. And the Commandant said because, she ate all our biscuits and anyway wouldn't you. And the Commissioner for Camping said well yes I would. So the Commissioner for Camping endorsed the Commandant's license and the Commandant had many more camps but she didn't kill any more Lifesavers. -THE LIFESAVER.
Guide Camp House Fund. We are glad to be able to report that the Guide Camp House Fund has started the year with £320 / 7 / 6 to its credit, and we feel sure that before the Chiefs arrive in December, the ~hole amount we need will have been given and we will really have our own property. ' The following is a list of donations to date.:Camberwell North District £3 5 0 Fitzroy District .. . . .. .. 2 10 1 Ferntree Gully District 27 0 0 Walter and Eliza Hall Trust 20 0 0 Oakleigh and Murrumbeena Dist. 11 8 0 Suns News Pictorial . . .. 256 4 5 S. H. IRVING.
With camp still fresh in our minds, it is an opportune moment to ask ourselves how much of the r omance of the great out-of-door world we crammed into those seven or eight all-tooshort days of country life. In other words, how much bush-craft was accomplished, or did camp routine entirely monopolise each day? . At an eight days' camp at Sherbrooke, In January, special opportu!ti~y was given .for the open-air section o~ GUIding, and t~e writer witnessed very pleasmg results, whIch o~her Guiders may like to hear about. The G.uldes were city children, and the Sherbrooke for~st with its tall timbers and fern-clad gullIes savoured of fairyland to them. But the birds -no words can describe the joy and delight of the Guides in the wild birds. It was most infectious. The difficulty of teaching bushcraft in town surely makes it all the more necessary for some definite period in camp being set aside for natUTe observation. Stalking loses much of its flavor when practised in the city, but stalking wild birds in a real forest becomes an adventure. I am sure that of all the memories of camp, nothing will linger longer in the minds of these Guides than their rambles through the forest in search of lyrebirds and other songsters-each girl walking silently and cautiously, every eye and ear ready for what Nature had to show them. How proud they were, too, to be the first to see each different kind of bird and with delight they would point out perhaps a yellow robin clinging to the bark of a nearby tree, a fantail tumbling high up in the air after insects, or a tre~ creeper climbing spirally up his tree trunk In quest of food. For those who intend to visit the Sherbrooke forest during the coming year, some brief notes on some of the birds to be found there will now be given.
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The whipbird is essentially a bird of the dense fern gullies of the hills, and he and the lyrebird have, perhaps, the m~st powedul voices in the forest. The loud whIp-crack note is an exact imitation of the cracking of a stockwhip, and it is sometimes difficult to imagine that it is the work of a. bird, and .no~ a very big one, either. Now whIle the whlpblrd is heard continually in the forest, he is rarely seen, and many people have thus rather hazy ideas as to his size and appearance. Rather bigger than a blackbird, he is mainly dark olive green with a black crest and breast. A white patch on the side of the throat and on the centre of the abdomen relieves the sombre hues of this extremely shy bird. The female is smaller and duller, and utters the little separate note which ends the whip-crack of the male bird. The whipbird is nearly always heard from the midst of a tangle of bracken
MATILnA
8 fern and undergrowth, though on several occasions, very early in the morning, I have seen one or two birds high up on the trunk of a tree, searching in the bark fOl' insects, Beside the whiplike note, the whipbird has a harsh, scolding cry which is seldom associated with hhn, though it is frequently uttered.
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:Ie
One of the most delightful calls to be heard in the forest is that of the pilot bird. His protesting cry of "It's a guinea-a-week" or hi:;; cheery greeting, "hullo Jimmy" are part of the melody of the forest. Although his voice is so much in evidence, the pilot bird himself is rarely seen, owing to his habit of keeping to the cover of the thick bracken and undergrowth. If you are prepared to sit down quietly and patiently on hearing the wellknown call, you may perhaps be rewarded with the sight of a little rich dark-brown bird with a rufous-mottled throat and a longish tail, working his way swiftly along the ground. The pilot bird rarely flies, and m~y never ~e foupd in the tree tops. The lyreblrd and pilot bu'd are always found together, and it is from this association that the latter gets his name. He is a pilot to the whereabouts of ~he mockin.g bird and is very often seen feedmg near his larg~ partner. Perhaps he thinks that the big feet of the lyrebird scratch up enough food for two! In which case he is a very wise little bird!
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Yet another shy, ground-loving bird is the ground thrush, formerly called the ~ountain thrush. A little larger than our English songthrush, he is easily recognised by the half moons which mottle his plumage. On the breast they are brown, and on the back black. Like the song-thursh, the breast is white . and the rest of the plumage deep brown. As thiS thrush is essentially a ground bird, he harmonise~ w.ell with the undergrowth of the forest, and IS Indeed difficult to detect once he "freezes." Although he is supposed to have quite a good song, I have never yet heard the groundthrush singing, although I have spent a great deal of time in the forest .
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I think there is no more lovely sight than a flock of crimson rosellas rushing pell-mell through the tall gums, their go:geous crimson and royal blue plumage makmg flashes of colour against the sombre foliage. Parrots are essentially freedom-loving birds, and it's hard to imagine how people can like t~em in cages. In captivity they lose that Wlldness which is their chief charm. At the present time there are many green ones in company with the scarlet and blue birds. These are the young birds of the last season, They retain their green plumage for about two years, and gradually during that period tfie green and red begins to show through until the entire adult attire is donned. There is something very human-like about parrots, both in the way they hold their food in one "hand" wh!1st eating and in their manner of conversation. They l;eally do have the .most delight~ul go~sips with one another. and With such musICal VOlces, too. Their cousin, the eastern rosella, is also
February, 1934.
quite common in the fores t , and on the wing is a beautiful golden-green colour. 'It
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A bird of entirely different habits is the spine-tailed swift, which is seen about Sherbrooke in the summer months. Swifts are creatures of the air, and f or this reason have extra-ordinarily strong wings, which can carry them at tremendous speed lor long periods at a time. Another interesting fa ct about the swift is that it never perches like an ordinary bird. If tired it clings to the face of a cliff on the side of a tall tree, in an upright position, and r ests on its tail. Ther e is a row of needle-like spines at the base of the tail, and these are stuck into whatever the swift clings to. Swift.;; leave us in the autumn and travel to Japan and Siber ia, where they nest and rear theil' young, af terwards leturning to Australia in the spring. They catch all their food on the wing, and are extremely graceful in flight. They are not to be confused with swallows. Swifts are easily identified by a white patch at the base of t he tail, and also by the length of their wings. They usually appear in small flocks.
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The white-throated tree-creeper is a most intriguing little fellow, and one of the most interesting birds of the forest. Beginning at the bottom of a tree trunk, he always climbs up spirally until the top is reached, when he flies off to another tree. In this way he keeps the trees clear of pests, and so is very useful. Sometimes when searching for food in a cranny he puts his head on one side, as though listening for an insect to move. The tree-creeper is an inconspicuous brown color, but his throat is white and there are also white stripes on his flanks. In flight a buff band is noticeable on the wing. The cry of the tree-creeper is a very shrill, oft repeated note which is frequently heard in the fore st. A near relation, the tree-runner, creeps down the tree trunk in his search for food. Unfortunately tree-runners are not seen at Sher brooke. Australia has no real woodpeckers, and thus many country folk call our tree-creeper a woodpecker. But this is incorrect. It never drills holes in a tree like the true woodpecker does in England.
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No forest is complete without its honeyeaters. and Sherbrooke boasts several varieties. The most common kind is the spine-bill, sometimes called Cobblers' Awl, on account of the long curved bill which can obtain honey so easily from heath-like flowers. The spinebiJl has a pretty habit of hovering humming-bird like in front of a flower while it sips nectar. Then the wings vibrate so quickly they appear but a blur. The song of the spinebill is an oft-repeated note, rather like the tree creeper, but not quite so shrill. Another honey-eater is the crescent. called so because of a crescentshaped black band on its white breast. It is further distinguished by yellow bands on the wing. The crescent honey-eater has a cheery call of "Egypt, Egypt." The biggest honeyeater is the well-known wattle bird. with his harsh, grating cries. Although I do not remember seeing a "greenie" or white plumed
_F_eb_r_u_a_ry~,~1_9_3_4_.
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h oney-eater in the forest, I heard a lyre-biro imitate one just r ecently. The last honeyeater to be mentioned is the white-eared; a large olive-green bird with a black head and a white ear patch. He has a most melodiou::. cry, like a musical vibration or knocking. -J.H.
Know the Composition of the Union Jack AND THE RIGHT WAY TO FLY IT. Guiding aims in many way at making the world more intelligent to the Guides, and help路路 ing them to understand the things that are about them day by day, yet we find that the history of the Union Jack is often repeated parrot-wise with little sense of reality or interest. These notes have been written to explain the meaning of the words that are used, and to help Guiders to put life into the story. Guides should realise first of all that the same person may rule two countries, but it is only when the people of those countries decide to choose the same Parliament and to live under the same laws that the countries are really united. Four hundred years ago England, Ireland and Scotland were separate countries. They had different laws, different ways of electing their Parliam ents, different traditions. The kings of England had called themselves Lord of Ireland for centuries, but the Chiefs of the Irish clans were often in revolt, and paid scant attent!on to the claims of the English King. The kmgs of Scotland were often at war with the kings of England, and even when they were supposed to be at peace raiders harried the border lands on either side. England and Scotland used as their national flags the symbols of the saint that each country had chosen for special honour and reverence-England, a red cross on white ground, the symbol of St. George; Scotland, a white cross on blue ground, the symbol of St. Andrew. The people of Ireland had chosen Patr ick as the national saint, but the symbol of Ireland was a harp, and was not connected with St. Patrick. The chief events in the history of the three countries are roughly one hundred years apart and so it is easy to remember them . ' 1503-King Henry VII. of England made a treaty with King James IV. of Scotland and sent hi s daughter, Princess Margaret to marry him and become Queen of Scotl~nd. 1603-Queen Elizabeth of England died and the great-grandson of James IV. and 'Margoaret was the only living- descendant of Henry VII. He became King James 1. of England, as well as King James VI. of Scotland, and in 1606 he put the cross of St.
George and the Cross of St. Andrew on the same flag for his own personal use, and for the use of the King's ships at sea. This was the first Union Jack. 1707-In this year the Parliament of Scotland was united with the Parliament of England, and the Union Jack became the national flag of the people of both countries. England and Scotland have since then been known a s Great Britain. 1801-In this year the Parliament of Ireland was united with the Parliament of Great Britain. It was difficult to place a golden harp on the Union Jack, so the Heralds decided to use the badge of St. Patrick's Order 01 Knighthood. This badge is a diagonal red cross on a white ground, so it C'Ould be combined with the other crosses of the flag. The white cross of St. Andrew was halved and the red cross was laid beside it---below it in t he hoi st, above路 it in the fly. A narrow white strip was put beside the red cross to show its original background, and to divide it from the blue background of St. Andrew's cross. 1901-It is interesting to note that the most important date in the history of Australia's flag is exactly one hundred years later still; in 1901 the six colonies of Australia became the Commonwealth of Australia, and two years later our flag was flown for the i'irst time. Guiders need not expect their recruits to know the whole of the above account, but the history of the Union Jack is easier to understand if it is told in some detail. The odd numbers of the dates do not matter very much in themselves, but many children delight in accurate knowledge, and find definite facts easier to grasp than vague accounts. For the Tenderfoot Test, the Recruit should know:The three separate crosses of the flag and the country each represents; The way in which the crosses have been combined; An intelligent but simple account of the reasons for combining them, and the two important dates-1606 and 1801. The correct way to fly the Union Jack. The Recruit should also be familiar with a correct copy of the flag, such as is printed in the Australian Flag Pamphlet, and should recognise obvious faults in the copies generally seen. A Guide is not expected to be able to draw the Flag in exact proportion for the Tenderfoot Test, but to make a correct drawing is the best way to gain a thorough understanding of the composition of the flag, and we ask Guiders to do it as part of the training. To draw a Union Jack to scale, follow the direc 路 tions in the Australian Flag Pamphlet. Australian Flag.-Knowledge of the Australian Flag has been included in the Tenderfoot Test for all Australian Guides. A pamphlet on the Australian Flag is publishpd to give Guiders information which will help'them try interest their Guides in the history of their own flag.
10
MA TIL D A
February, 1934
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Batik Dyeing. Material needed:Silk which is the same on both sides, such as China silk, in ivory shade. Oil paintbrush (hairline size) for fine lines. Japanese ink brush for wide lines. Beeswax. Batik colours desired. Small saucepan to boil dye in. Small saucepan to melt wax in; second saucepan of water in which to set first saucepan, so as to keep temperature even. Large bowl or kettle (not galvanised) for dyeing. Quart of gasoline. Thumb tacks. Acetic acid. Optional: A tjanting (a hot wax pourer) carried by art stores. A canvas stretcher. Additional bowls for dye-baths if more than one colour is used. Rubber g loves. Dyeing processes should be conducted with t he aid of an older person, and in the absence of younger brothers and sisters. First cut the silk (by a drawn thread) to the size desired for handkerchief, scarf, or panel to be made, and hem it. It may then be laid on a paper on the floor while the design is sketched on it in pencil. The batik process originated in Java, and the old Javanese designs are very beautiful (very different from the modern Europeanised Javanese work). Pictures of the old Javanese patterns are to be found in almost every museum and public library; they ar e the work of advanced craftsmen, but a simple unit from one of them can be adapted to a repeat pattern for beginners. It is well to plan your first design for one color on the ivory ground. For waxing, it is highly desirable that the fabric be stretched with a space below it. A canvas str etcher such as artists use, or a frame for drying curtains, is good; or you may manag e with the edge3 of two kitchen or work tables. In this case the stretching is impossible. Spr ead the material on a table, with sevel'al thicknesses of flat tissue paper under it to keep the wax from sticking ; fasten the top edge to the table with thum b tacks and the lower edge to a sawed-off broomstick to pull the material taut. Set the pan containing the beeswax to heat on the stove inside another pan containing water. When the wax is melted, dip your brush in it and paint the parts of your pattel'n that are to remain white. Be careful not to burn yourself w ith the hot beeswax, a drop of water in the wax makes it sputter, so avoid tlJis. When all the white parts are waxea prepare the dye-bath by dissolving a tablespoonful of dye in a little cold water, bring it to a boil and add a gallon of cold water. This makes a medium shade. For darker or lighter shades increase or decrease the amount of dye. Add a teaspoonful of acetic acid to the bath, and it is ready for the silk.
Before dying the article dip it into clear lukewarm water; this will help the dye to attack the fabric evenly. The cooler this water is , the more the wax crackles . . . If you think your pattern will be improved by a crackle, you will make this bath a cool one. Test the color with a scrap of silk, then immerse the, fabric in the dye-bath. Rubber gloves at this point protect the hands. Squeezing the fabric while it is dyeing makes the material crackle more. After the dye-bath, wash the material in warm castile suds, and rinse in cold water to which has been added a drop of acetic acid. Soak for one-half hour in gasoline to remove the wax, and rinse in gasoline until all the wax is out. If your pattern is based on one color, the handkerchief is now done. If it requires se,veral, start again as soon as the gasoline has dried out, covering the white portions and yellow portions with wax. Your next bath may be black; in that case all the parts not covered with wax will come out black after you have dipped the hanakerchief. You must remove the wax after each color bath and start over again, except in the case of two shades of t he same color, when removal of the wax between dye baths is not necessary. (Girl Scout Handbook).
First-Class Doings for the Company. KNOWLEDGE OF T HE DISTRICT. (1) Decide on eight compass points of t he room or ground, or mark them on the floor. Divide the company into threes or fours and give each group the name of a motor car. Decide on a certain starting point. This starting point should be varied each time the game is played. Captain says: Our starting point to-night is (Malvern Town Hall) . Tre cars will travel to (Hopetoun Road). Cars must then travel a longish distance north and a short distance west. First car in scores two. All cars correct score one. After the first few times patrols can take turns at organising the game. This game is played very well on a tennis court or open space adjoining the hall, and t he compass points can be found by the stars. (2) Plan of the District. Procure four pieces of thin wood 2-3 feet long, at least four different coloured streamers, drawing- pins. Use the streamers as roads and streets, and pin the ends to the pieces of wood, w hich are used as boundaries of t he area to be planned. One colour can be used for streets with trams, one for streets with buses, etc. Certain guides can cut out pillar boxes from red paper. Note: Competitions for drawing pillar boxes and fire alarms produce amusing results. When the design is chosen t he boxes and alarms can be cut a "foot" lon g t hat will turn under so that they can stand up.
February, 1934.
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When the "streets" are pinned to the wood the "alarms" etc., can be put in place, and the plan elaborated at will. (3) Incidents. (a) Scene: Auburn station-Victoria Road entrance. Agitated woman with parcel stops two Guides. Speaks: My husband lived here before he married me, and came to live at Box Hill . and now nothing will do but the Finsbury laundry must wash his dress shirt for Joe's weddmg next week, and he told me to go out of the station and straight on and I would see it, and I don't see it, so where is it and when does the next traIn go to Box Hill and can I get to the laundry and back before it comes? (The woman has Lome out on the wrong side of Auburn station, must be directed back again and given accurate distances and railway times). (b) Scene: Fletcher Street, Auburn. A woman comes out of a house and stop.> two Guides. We ca'm e here from Richmond last night and my husband has gone to the Richmond Town Hall for work. A pal on a van has just brought a message that he can get a job if he has hi;; tools by 12 o'clock. The girl next door has taken Johnnie to the playground. How can 1 get Johnnie, and what is the quickest way to Richmond? (An answer given to this w.a s that 'buses go every quarter of an hour, but this was not taken as satisfactory. The time of the next one that could be caught was required.) These two are given exactly as we played them at 1st Hawthorn because localities must be put in to make them definite. Adapt, of course. CHILD NURSE. Taking a child for a walk. Act how it should not be done. For instance, drag at child's arm, stand on draughty corner, peering into windows, talking to one of your friends. The "child" tugs and tugs, and finally breaks away and is knocked down by a motor car. Then the Company divides into pairs and acts the correct way. Hat on child to shade eyes. Sunny side of street. Brisk walk. Have a strap round waist if it is uncomfortable for child to hold your hand. It is the time for the child's exercise, not for your personal visits, etc., etc. Clothing a child. Give each patrol three kinds of paper-one to represent silk, one cotton, and one woolien materials. Allow a certain time to cut out the clothing necessary in summer (or winter) for a child of four. Have outfits displayed, compare and criticise, bringing out constructive points. From all the sets prepare a correct one and see that the points, such as are given in the Badge book or special talks, are memorised. A supply of full-sized correct patterns by which to check the attempts is useful.
JUDGING DISTANCE. Divide company into pairs, each with measuring tape. In each pair A chooses a distance to be judged. A and B write down their estimates. They then measure. The one nearest wins the "hole" (this is sometimes called a golf match), and has the right to choo~e the next "distance." MAPPING SIGNS. Prepare a set of cards with one mapping sign on each and the explanation of the sign on the reverse side. Place these round the room and allow Guides to examine them. Have patrols in file. Then tell a story of an expedition, and as soon as you mention "railway," "road," etc., call a number. That "number" from each patrol must try to find the con'esponding card. For a Group without a Guider:Give the set of mapping sign cards to a group and allow them to make up the story of a journey, using the signs as they go. When they have decided on the story and set the signs in order, they may tell the story to the rest of the company. G. H. SWINBURNE.
A Cradle Song. 0, men from the fields! Come gently within. Tread softly, softly, O! men coming in. Mavoureen is going From me and from you, Where Mary will fold Him With mantle of blue! From reek of the smoke And cold of the fioor, And the peering of things Across the half-dool'. 0, men from the fields! Softly, softly come thro'. Mary puts round Him Her mantle of blue. -PADRAIC COLUM (Anthology of Modern Verse).
"Old age ought not to creep on a human mind. In nature every moment is new; the past is always swallowed and forgotten; the coming only is sacred . .. No truth so sublime but it may be trivial to-morrow in the Ifght of new thoughts. People wish to be settled: only as far as they are unsettled is there any hope for them."-Emerson.
F ebruarv, 1934.
1\1 A TIL D A.
12
TRAINING. GUIDERS who have not previously attended a Training Class at Headquarters must bring to the first Class of an y Course a NOMINATION FORM, signed by their own Commissioner. Brownie Training. The first Course will begin on MONDAY, 19th February, 1934, at 7.45 p.m. at the Guide Office . Guider-in-Charge: Miss N. Thewlis The Second Course will begin on WEDNESDAY, 2nd May. Guide Training. The first Course of General Guide Training will begin on WEDNESDAY, 21st February, 1934, at 8 p.m. at the Guide Office. Guider in Charge : Miss M. E. Bush. The second course will be a morning one, beginning on WEDNESDAY, 7th March, 1934, at 10.30 a.m. at the Guide Office. Guider in Charge: Miss G. H. Swinburne. Ranger Training. The first Course will begin about the first week in March, at the Guide Office. In order to arrange the class to suit the majority of Trainees. will all Ranger Guiders wishing to attend this Course please let the Training Secretary know by 16th February, which evening
of the week would suit them best f or th e. class ? First Class Badge Course_ A course of six Classes has been planned, to include outdoor work. The Course is intended for Guiders who wish to qualify for the First Class Badge themselves, and learn to train their Guides for it. The Classes will afford opportunities for practice, andj at the end of the course one or two periods will be used for testing. This Course is arranged for the early part of the year, for the convenience of Guiders, and it is hoped that all who wish to study First Class work will take this opportunity to do so. The first-class will be held at the Guide Office on MONDAY, 26th March, 1934, at 8 p.m.; the subject will be Map Reading. The second-class will be on MONDAY, 9th April, and the third-class will be a Hike on 21st April. Further details will be pubilshed in the press and next issue of "Matilda." Commissioner. Miss Bush will be at the Guide Office on THURSDA Y, 15th February, 1934, from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30. M. E. BUSH, Commissioner for Training.
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