P.N.E.U. Notes.
Volume 15, 1904, pgs. 156-160
Edited by MISS F. NOËL ARMFIELD, Sec., 26, Victoria Street, S.W.
To whom all Hon. Local Secs. are requested to send reports of all matters of interest connected with their branches, also 6 copies of any prospectuses or other papers they may print.
N.B.--Kindly write on one side of the paper only.
NEW BRANCHES.
The Executive Committee has been approached with a view to starting Branches in the following places:--
Bradford.
Brisbane.
Cardiff.--Names may be sent to Mrs. Hamilton, Blackladies, Dynas Powis.
Dunfermline.--Mrs. Beveridge, Pitreavie, Dunfermline, would be glad to hear from people interested.
Guildford.--Names may be sent pro tem. to Mrs. Clarke Kennedy, Ewhurst Rectory, near Guildford.
Nottingham.
Surbiton.
Swansea.
Tunbridge Wells and District.--Hon. Sec. and Treasurer: Mrs. Trouton, Rotherfield, Sussex (pro tem.).
Readers of the Parents' Review living in these districts, or having friends there, are asked to communicate with Miss Armfield, 26, Victoria Street, S.W.
Derby.--On Tuesday, Jan. 12th., forty-five children and parents visited the printing works of Messrs. Bemrose & Sons, Limited. They were received by Mr. Arnold Bemrose, one of the directors, who gave a brief explanation of "How books are made," and shewed them specimens. They were then divided into four parties and taken over some portions of the works by Mr. Bemrose and three assistants. The generation of electricity for lighting and driving the works was seen. The party were then shewn the various processes involved in the making of a book, viz., composition by hand and by linotype machines, printing off the copies, folding and cutting of the printed sheets, stitching and binding.
Dulwich.-- On Tuesday, Nov. 24th, at Pond House, Miss Montague lectured on "The Happiness of Work: An Educational Ideal." A delightful lecture, which provoked a fair amount of discussion. Mr. Hunt took the chair. A good number of members were present.--On Tuesday, Dec. 8th, at Hillsboro, Alleyn Park, Mr. Hunt lectured on "Alleyn and Dulwich," illustrated by lantern slides. A large number of members were present, also many of Mr. Mallinson's boys, who listened with a keen and intelligent interest. The afternoon closed with a hearty voice of thanks to Mr. Hunt, proposed by the Rev. J. H. Mallinson.
Edinburgh.--A successful meeting was held on Dec. 11th. Mr. Henry Johnston, M.A., Oxon., spoke on "The Informal Teaching of History." Miss Ainslie, B.A., presided. Mr. Johnston said that there were three points on the subject to be considered, or rather three questions to be answered:--(1) Is it desirable to attempt any informal teaching of history? (2) Is it possible? (3) Has it any special dangers? In a concise and interesting way the lecturer proved to his hearers that both the first and the second questions should be answered in the affirmative. With regard to the third point, he felt that there were several dangers to be avoided. One should be careful not to give the children a wrong impression, nor to let them feel that the events in history were unreal, and the characters were puppets dressed up for their benefit. The lecturer said he considered strict accuracy of no great importance, as long as one did not take an infallible tone. The essential point was to make the characters live, to present in short to his undeveloped but interested mind, history from the historical point of view.
Glasgow.--On Friday, Dec. 11th, Professor Glaister delivered an address on Physical Culture, at 6, North Park Terrace (by kind permission of Mrs. Kilpatrick). The lecturer considered the question in three aspects. First--Is physical exercise a necessity for the maintenance of health? A brief consideration of the composition of the body and of the manner in which imperfection of any one organ affects the whole, proves that the answer must be affirmative. Second--Granting physical culture to be a necessity, should it be taken as work or as play? After mentioning the arguments on both sides, the lecturer summed up in favour of work, which has the advantage of being a healthy mental discipline. Third--Regarding the amount of exercise to be taken no hard and fast rule can be laid down. Summing up, he laid great stress on an open air life, especially for young children.
Hampstead.--Mr. Oscar Beringer was the lecturer at the meeting of this Branch on Dec. 8th, when he gave his own personal impressions of the development of pianoforte playing and the growth of public taste during the last forty-five years. The lecture was rendered most attractive by the fact that Mr. Beringer fully illustrated, on the piano, the various phases with which he dealt. He said there had been a great change in musical taste since 1858, when he made his first public appearance here as a little prodigy. Brinley Richards, Kuhe with his operatic fantaisies, and Sidney Smith, were the composers most in vogue then, but the pieces of those days are nearly all forgotten. At last people began to tire of tinkling on a few chords, and they went on to fresh pastures, where sentimentality was the prevailing feature, and touch, for the first time, had to be considered, in playing a melody with accompaniment. Next, the popularity of Field's nocturnes and Mendelssohn's songs without words, caused people to realize that the piano could produce more variety of tone. Later came a perfect mania for technical execution, and each pianist vied with the other as to who had the greatest powers of endurance, who could play the fastest; but Mr. Beringer considered that the advent of the pianola will put a stop to all pride in mechanical dexterity. One interesting feature was the resurrection of the eighteenth century composers, whose works may be compared to beautifully finished miniatures.
Hyde Park and Bayswater.--Hon. Sec., Mrs. E. L. Franklin, 50, Porchester Terrace, Hyde Park. "At Home" Thursday mornings, or by appointment.--On Dec. 8th, at 86, Westbourne Terrace (by kind permission of Mrs. Hall), Miss Lily Montagu read to a crowded audience her paper on "The Happiness of Work"; Mrs. Devonshire in the chair. The paper was much appreciated, and all felt that it struck the right note of inspiration which parents might give to their daughters as to the call life would make to them after school days were over.--On Feb. 8th, at 3.30 p.m., Mrs. Franklin will talk to new members and non-members, at 50, Porchester Terrace, on the work and teaching of the P.N.E.U. On application to Mrs. Franklin, additional cards will be supplied to members for their friends.--On Feb. 10th, at 8:30 p.m., at 38, Gloucester Square (by kind permission of Mrs. Meyer Spielmann), Mr. Meyer Spielmann in the chair, Dr. Emil Reich, of London University, will lecture.
Ipswich.--A most interesting and practical lecture was given in December, at the Ipswich Museum, by Dr. Sinclair, on "Children's Eyesight." Dr. Brogden was in the chair. Dr. Sinclair maintained that the subject deserved much more attention than it received. The ever-increasing number of spectacled children was due to the fact that their eyes do receive greater attention than formerly, but also indicated the stress of increased education. Interesting photographs were shown of the favourite attitudes of children while studying or writing; many cases of curvature of the spine arose from this cause. In the lecturer's opinion, five or six hours' a day real study was quite enough for children under fifteen, to whom a good physique was as desirable as mental attainments.--Mrs. Garrett Rice gave a lecture at the Museum, on "Needlework and the Modern Girl." Miss Clayden was in the chair. The lecturer remarked that of the changes which had affected needlework the two chief were the inventions of the sewing machine and the bicycle. Sixty years ago needlework was the chief occupations of a woman's life. It included three chief branches--making clothes, mending clothes, and fancy, or rather decorative, work. The first two were more of a handicraft, the latter an art. The designing should always be done by the person who did the work; it greatly increased the interest, and developed taste and originality. She maintained that handwork and drawing should be begun before anything else, and the tall girls should learn needlework, but not until they are 13 or 14 years old--first, because the larger muscles of the hand and arm should be trained and used before the smaller ones. Eyesight also was sometimes inured by inducing children to take up fine needlework, and the larger handicrafts would be found to have prepared the muscles. In making clothes girls should always be expected to cut out as well as make.
Leeds.--A lecture was given to this branch on Nov. 20th, by Dr. Eddison, on "The Development of Mind in Children." The lecturer pointed out that the physical basis of mind is the brain, and that the child does not come into the world with a brain which you can manipulate as you will. No one knows when the development of a child's brain begins--but the development goes on whether you wish it or not. There are three courses open to us: (1) we may leave the mind like a wild garden to produce what it will--both flowers and weeds; (2) we may make it a kitchen-garden to produce only what is useful; (3) we may train it to appreciate the beauty of the world. The lecturer also spoke of the emotions, the memory, and the imagination, and impressed upon his hearers the necessity of training the child to think right.
Reading.--Natural History Club.--On Tuesday evening, Dec. 8th, about twenty-five members listened with much interest to a paper read by Miss Morin: "Walking with open eyes." She told us of the never-failing story that Nature had to tell to those who had open eyes and open heart to receive it. Her talk about trees was especially interesting, and some splendid diagrams done in white chalk on brown paper were shown, teaching the form and character of the growth of different trees when putting forth their buds.
Reigate and Redhill.--On Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 17th, there was a well-attended meeting of this branch at Mrs. Latham's, Thornfield, Reigate. The chair was taken by Mr. Sewel, who, in introducing Mrs. Franklin, stated that the local branch of the Union now numbered nearly 40 members. Mrs. Franklin, who took for her subject "How Parents may help forward true Education," dealt with it in an interesting and charming manner, which rivetted the attention of the company for nearly an hour. In the first place she was pleased to say the Union now had on the books 3,000 members, and the number was gradually increasing. Having pointed out how essential it was that every care should be taken in engaging nurses, she said the selection of a school for the young should receive the close attention and careful consideration of mothers. Dealing with the formation of habits and character of children, Mrs. Franklin pointed out that the implanting of all that was good and noble into the mind of a child was the foundation stone of true education. In the matter of history and literature they could do an untold amount of work by obtaining for their children good books to read.
Richmond.--On the afternoons of Friday, Nov. 13th and 27th, we had two delightful lectures from Rev. Theo. Wood. The first on "Life in a Pond," and the second on "Earth Workers." About 150 young people and adults formed the audience each time, and listened in rapt attention to Mr. Wood for 1 1/4 hours. We have already had requests for more lectures by Mr. Wood, and quite look forward to having him again before the summer holidays, on "Common Objects of the Sea Shore." In January we hope to start with a new secretary, and to introduce new members. Mr. Clement Parsons has promised to speak on "The Why and Wherefore of the P.N.E.U." Other lectures are being arranged--one on "Literature," another on "Nursery Hygiene," and one on "The New Teaching of Geometry."
Scarborough.--On Dec. 10th, the Lord Bishop of Hull (President of the Branch), gave his annual address. This year he chose for his subject "The Christian Home." The address was earnest and helpful. High ideals were set before us, and the parents were strongly urged to see to it that the atmosphere of the home was founded upon the ideals of the Heavenly relationship. A request was made that the paper should be printed. This will be done, and a copy sent to all our members. The next meeting is not until February.
Wakefield and District.--On Tuesday, Dec. 1st, a meeting, by the kind permission of Mr. and Mrs. Wigglesworth, was held at Holmfield, Thornes. The Rev. H. A. Kennedy gave a highly instructive address on "Bible Teaching to young children." The speaker urged the importance of the teaching being the outcome of the teacher's own religious convictions, and showed how widely applicable the Bible stories are in leading the child's mind to a knowledge and appreciation of the nature of sin and its consequences, and the use that this knowledge could give in spiritual difficulties later in life. The afternoon's proceedings were brought to a close by a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer for his interesting address.
Winchester.--On Saturday, Nov. 21st, the Rev. J. E. Kelsall gave a most interesting lecture on "Birds," at the Headmaster's house. Many little ones were present who were greatly delighted with all Mr. Kelsall told us about our feathered friends, and also showed keen appreciation of the charming lantern illustrations by Mr. Cowen.--The Nature Study exhibition was held at Bereweke House, by Mrs. Gould's kind permission, when some excellent children's collections were exhibited, the arrangement of which displayed much intelligent interest and care.--At a meeting held, by kind permission of Mrs. Miller, at St. Aubyn's, on Wednesday, Dec. 9th, Miss Toutbeck read an interesting and thoughtful paper, the subject being "Which are our most suicidal defects?" The paper was followed by a short discussion. The next meeting will be held Jan. 20th, when Miss Lathom will read a paper on "Secondary Education."
Woking.--A flourishing Reading Circle meets every week by request of the members. The book now being read is Mr. Well's Mankind in the Making, a great deal of interesting discussion usually takes place, and the readings are much enjoyed by the members. We have no lectures at yet this session, but hope to arrange for some; a Cooking Class has been arranged, and is much appreciated by both members and hon. members of the P.N.E.U., in fact, we have gained several new members through the class.
Typed by Blossom Barden, Jun. 2023