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The P resident’s Corner Mu. loot-turd Trivers, President F.W.I.O. 0 YOU HAVE A HOBBY? Almost D everyone has, nowadaysâ€"copper tool- ing. collecting antiques, or bird-watch- ing, to mention only a few. No one can deny the value of a hobby to keep you alert and interested and to give you food for conversa- tion as well as occupation for leisure moments. Most hobbies require some equipment as well as training or expert advice. We human beings all share a common hobby, however, which requires no training our equipment and in which we are all self- styled experts. I refer to the age-old hobby of "people-watching." In these days of mass com- munication we receive more encouragement to develop this hobby, for the press and teleâ€" vision keep us constantly informed of what people in the public eye are wearing, what they are thinking, how their homes are fur- nished, even what they eat for breakfast. Though there is much ado about this today 1 do not feel that it is a new trend. People have always enjoyed minding other people’s business and forming opinions on “how the other half lives." There is no more common occupation known to humanin than that of criticism. You say you have never taken up this hobby? It appears in many forms. One of the favourites is criticizing the "teenagers," that ill« begotten race who are heading straight for destruction with their loud music, their strange tails of dress. dance and hair-do and their wild driving. It is not so many years since the present group of "fifty-and-ovcr" citizens were being scored for practically the same things, is it'.’ A translation front the writings of a Greek philosopher, written somewhere about 386 IM‘. appeared recently in one of our maga- zines. The burden of his complaint was that the younger generation of his time were shift- Icss and empty-headed and incapable of acâ€" cepting responsibility. He could foresee noth- ing but disaster for his country if its affairs were doomed to be managed by them. i dare say that the adults of 2063 AD. will take just such .i dim view of the offspring of that day. I Another favourite form of this hobby, every bit as old. We have our own 0r groupis set of rules as to what consul, acceptable behaviour. The person who lates this unwritten law may expect to be. the butt of a storm of criticism. Often condemn a person on the strength of a; which apparently do not meet our stand- only to find when we know the whore that there is a perfectly good explanation. old Indian saying, “Never criticize a ma, til you have walked a mile in his moccasi. very good advice. Most of us get through life with ,: moderate amount of criticism, provide, we do a fair job of our daily round of tie is when one ventures out into the field oJ lic service that the full force of the “l” criticism are felt. The officers of an} organization, the School Board membc councillor or reeve, the coach of a tea school teacher and the minister are .l‘ rounded by a crowd of people who Cari out in detail just what errors they are l' and tell just how they should be conil their affairs. Strangely enough, these p are very seldom directed to the per question, are they? How much more il'i is as we approach higher levels of ~ We are not kind to our leaders; indet have often seen in the course of histoi the person who is devoted to a caiis who offers leadership, may he called ll surrender his life as the price. Now, I do not mean to convey that Cr in itself is wrong. Without criticism would be no progress. A teacher know only kindly, constructive criticism can the way to desired goals and bring abn desired improvement. He also knows. ever, that it achieves its best results spoken in private and directly to the : involved. What a difference between th the acid words spoken behind an unsusi‘ back! Many a person who could m worthwhile contribution to an organizaiio been frightened away by a critical attitiz the part of its members. The most valuable type of criticisi course, is self-criticism. I am speaking or how this can apply to our own organi. Let us honestly examine the COHU‘ibLIlIi as individuals are making. Have you hr in any new ideas or suggestions lately I to the interest or effectiveness of yom gram? Have you invited someone to bu a member, or do you rather enjoy You" little crowd? If you feel that your office- doing a good piece of work, have ym- them so? To turn the appraising eye (it branches: Is our branch fulfilling the air- which we were organized? Are we suppi our own organization first? Happily. I HOME AND COU' Ii our it‘s l l