The Parents' Review

A Monthly Magazine of Home-Training and Culture

P.N.E.U. NOTES

Edited by Miss F. Noël Armfield, Sec., 26, Victoria Street, S.W., Tel. 479 Victoria.

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.

The Office will be closed from August 1st to September 16th inclusive. Important communications will be forwarded to the Secretary. No library books can be changed or sent out between these dates.

P.N.E.U. and the Poorer Classes

There was a meeting of parents at the Parish Room of S. Andrew's, Westminster, on Thursday, May 29th, at 8:45 p.m. A good many mothers and a few fathers were present. After tea and coffee had been handed round, Mrs. Howard Glover gave us a most interesting address on the difficult task of bringing up children. She pointed out that people do not give sufficient thought to the care of their own families, and shewed us that a great deal might be done for children by helping them to form good habits. We all have evil tendencies, but good habits can completely conquer evil tendencies. We must study our children more that we may understand their characters, and learn how to guard them from evil and guide them to good. Mrs. Glover said that although mother must have sole charge of the baby, yet when baby begins to run and talk father must take his share of responsibility. She said that every child should learn from the first to obey, but there is no need for punishment in teaching obedience. Let either parent take care that when a command is given it is always carried out, so that the child may know what authority is. Some fathers come home tired, and when the children are tiresome they say "Don't do that," or "Be quiet," but if the order is not obeyed they let the children alone rather than make a fuss. The consequence is that children think that what father says does not matter, and so he loses his influence over them. If you say "Don't," see that they "don't."

There was an interesting talk afterwards and it was acknowledged that parents had a great deal to learn. It was arranged to have another meeting early in July, and to consider the subject of the proper food for children, and how to deal with sudden illnesses. Next time there will be a meeting for mothers at 6 o'clock, and for fathers at 8.30.

New Branches

The Executive Committee has been approached with a view to starting Branches in the following places:—
Barry (Glamorgan).
Bradford.
Brisbane.
Cardiff.—Names may be sent to Mrs. Hamilton, Blackladies, Dynas Powis.
Cheltenham.
Croydon.—Names may be sent pro tem, to Mrs. Hall Colleendene, Addiscombe Grove, Croydon
Dunfermline.—Mrs. Beveridge, Pitreavie, Dunfermline, would be glad to hear from people interested.
Esher.
Guildford.—Names may be sent pro tem to Mrs. Clarke Kennedy,
Ewburst Rectory, near Guildford.
Huddersfield.
Manchester.—Mrs. Freston, 6, St. Paul's Road, Kersal, Manchester, will receive names of people interested in this Branch (pro tem).
Nottingham.
Prestbury.
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.

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A Branch of the P.N.E.U. will shortly be opened at Croydon. Miss Armfield, 26, Victoria Street, S.W., will be glad to receive the names of people, in or around Croydon, likely to be interested in the formation of a Branch.

Dulwich—On Friday, May 15th, at Pond House, Dulwich, Miss Carra Sturge kindly gave her lecture on "The Training of Young Citizens." Rev. Mallinson presided and proposed a vote of thanks. Then the annual general meeting was held. The Hon. Treasurer and Secretary tendered their resignations. The hearty thanks of the meeting were unanimously given to these ladies for their kind services during the past years. Mrs. Woodington offered to act as Hon. Secretary, and Mrs. Northcote as Hon. Treasurer. This was then put to the meeting and carried unanimously.

Hyde Park and Bayswater—On Thursday, June 25th, a meeting was held in the garden at The Lodge, Ladbroke Road (by kind permission of Mrs. Stirling), when Professor Lloyd Morgan, L.L.D., F.R.S., gave an interesting lecture on "Description and Explanation," in which he showed the value of careful and systematic description and explanation in the training of the intellectual side of character. The lecture was greatly appreciated and led to some discussion.—The Natural History Excursions, conducted by Miss Beatrice Taylor, have been very successful, and were much enjoyed by a large number of children.

Reading—Natural History Club—The annual excursion to Dunaden had to be abandoned this year owing to the weather, which proved hopelessly wet on the day for which it was arranged. Not only did this untoward circumstance prevent us from enjoying the presence and hospitality of our President (Mrs. Hart Davis), who has so kindly extended an invitation to us every year since our club was formed, but we had also to forego a visit to the beautiful gardens at Crousley Park, which had been generously thrown open for our inspection.—Our ramble over Kingwood and Peppard Commons on the afternoon of 27th June was, however, favoured with brilliant weather, and a very enjoyable time was spent. Twenty-nine members travelled by brake, whilst some others reached the "happy hunting grounds" on bicycles or other conveyances. Special attention had been drawn to certain dixcious flowers by means of a carefully prepared leaflet, and all of these were found and examined by some or other of the party. "Butterfly" and other species of orchis were gathered, and the quantities of foxgloves and honeysuckle afforded great pleasure to some of the younger members. Birds, of course, were rather "scared" by such an invasion, but a pair of butcher birds was seen, also some stonechats and a great green woodpecker and a fern owl. By kind permission tea was allowed to be provided in the schoolroom, to which forty-six sat down. Afterwards, Canon Fowler spoke briefly upon some of the objects in the school museum: e.g., a wasp's nest, a blind worm, etc. He then very kindly invited the members of the club to the Rectory to inspect his collection of beetles and other insects, an invitation which it is unnecessary to say was gladly accepted and greatly enjoyed by all.

Proofread by Leslie Noelani Laurio, Hana 'ia i Hawai'i, October 2008