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Page 58 Wynnum High and Intel-mediate School
International Junior Red Cross Study Centre,
Point Lonsdale
In January of this year I had the honour of being one of seven
Junior Red Cross members to be chosen to represent Queensland at an
International Red Cross Study Centre held at the Toe H. Camping
Grounds, Point Lonsdale, Victoria. Fourteen countries were represented,
including many of our Northern neighbours. This camp was the first
of its kind to be held in the Southern Hemisphere. In all there were
about sixty-six Juniors and twenty-two leaders at the camp.
We arrived on Saturday, 7th, and after settling matters such as
the sorting of groups, and the giving of placards with our name, state
or country or group printed on them we had tea. After tea we gathered
into informal groups to learn odd facts about life in the countries
represented.
At 7.45 a.m. on Sunday the flags of the represented countries were
unfurled. This ceremony was held each week day in a shortened form.
The Point Lonsdale Club of the Surf Life-Saving Association
organised its Annual Surf Carnival for Sunday, Sth, to enable Junior
Red Cross Delegates to see Australian method of Surf Life-Saving.
Carlos Telicians of the Philippines, was reported to have said that he
could attempt anything the Life-Savers did in the bath.
With the theme “Wider Horizons,” the centre was away to a good
start on Monday with the scheduled discussions, group discussions and
talks which were held in the open air in the daytime and in the
recreation hut at night. The Camp Council, whose members represented
the various groups met after talks at night.
A special hut was put aside for exhibits from the various countries
represented. Kamal Dastur, India, had elephants carved, by hand,
from rice seeds. Kamal also had five or six different animals carved
from rice seed. I was fortunate enough to get an elephant. Takako
Saito, Japan, rapidly became known as the “Tevo-faced Girl from
Japan" as she brought a hideous mask from her native land. Wooden
carvings and pictures of Balinese dancing were brought from Indonesia
by Bernard Lotti.
National dances were performed by Takako Saito, Orasi Sukanich,
Thailand; Rosemary Ferdinando. Ceylon, and Kamal Dastur. These
dances were performed in colourful costumes. Kamal used to have us
wiggling our fingers and heads this way and that at night. Bernard
Lotti gave a demonstration of how a heathen bridegroom has to “steal”
his bride. The four Americans, Jo-Anns Duke. Helen Kearney, Paul
Sipple, and Kraig Klosson demonstrated the latest American dances.
The Holger-Neilsen method of resuscitation was taught and Mr. Jim
Bates made up a song “to be sung to some unknown tune over a half
drowned body”. On Monday we had life-saving practice, with line and
rope, with rides in the surf boat to follow.
A First Aid play was staged by the South Australian delegates.
One actor had cut his head, and blood was streaming from a deep
gash above his eye. The wound was artificial. Following the play we
went to our groups to be shown how to fake burns, and gravel rash.
An hour of each afternoon was devoted to recreation and handi
crafts. The handicrafts were the making of shell ornaments and
ear-rings, bunnies, and fish scrapers. The rabbits were by far the
most popular.
Each morning invigorating swims were enjoyed. The water, though
it was summer, was cold. We were warned not to go out too far because
of a dangerous current called the Rip.
Sleepy heads were aroused at seven o’clock by the band. This band
consisted of a Washboard, Kola Phone, Bulls Fiddle, Concertina. Mouth
organ, and a New Guinea Drum. A Bugle blown by Bejan Vakharia,