Subiaco Sunshine League Members...An Opinion On 'Mother' (1908).
In 1908 Uncle Tom, editor of the children's pages at the Daily News newspaper suggested 'Mother' as a topic for children readers of the newspaper to write essays on. The best essays would be awarded prizes according to age groups.
Several essays were written by children who were Sunshine League members from Subiaco. The children wrote some insightful comments about various aspects of a mother's role through their eyes and based on their experience including that of a carer, nurse, teacher, helper and comforter in times of trouble, advice giver and provider of correct behaviour. Other children shared empathy with children who may not be as lucky as them to have a caring mother and father and were in institutionalised care.
The last letter was written by Ivy Love in an essay competition in1910 titled "My Most Valued Possession" who was her mother. The letter was written to Auntie Nell, editor of the children's pages at the time.
The photograph of children in informal clothes in the late 1900s is from the Royal Historical Society of Western Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
The articles are from Trove, the database of the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
Daily News, 18 November 1908.
ESSAYS ON 'MOTHER.'
By Florence Beryl Beauchamp, aged 13, 75 Olive-street, Subiaco.
Mother! The very sweetest word in the English, language. Just as mother's love surpasses any- other, so does that word contain all that is the sweetest and best. There are undutiful children, we know, but how can they be so unfaithful if they ever think of all their mother has to do for them. When they are little, helpless babies, with what endless love and patience she cares for them, and later, when they are running about, although perhaps unsteady on their little feet, after a tumble, but mother can kiss the place well.
Then when school time comes, it is mother who is full of sympathy and, help, when sums will not come right, or teacher is cross, when we feel that we do not deserve it. Mother is full of comfort for everything. Now that we learn cooking at school, mother is so pleased with all our little experiments at home, and if they do not turn out quite as we expect, mother shows us where the mistake was made, and is full of encouragement to us to try again.
How sorry we should be for the poor little ones who have no mother. For what is home without a mother?
Dear Florence, — You can see a home without a mother any day by just peeping into any orphanage. No matter how kind the staff may be, they cannot fill mother's place. That is why I encourage all my nieces and nephews to visit the orphanages. It brightens up the orphans and teaches the visitors to value their homes and mothers more than ever. Will you help us with the Orphans' Christmas Cheer by sending a present for one of children.— Uncle Tom.
Daily News, 18 November 1908.
By Florence Cottrell, aged 14, Keightley-road, Subiaco.
To a home mother is everything. Everybody goes to her if they want anything. Mother is the principal person. If any of us get a cut or wound of any sort, we run to mother to make it better. We depend on her for most things. My mother is a dear, lovling mother. A home is very lonely without mother, so we who have her ought to look after and care for her, and help her in all we can.
Mother is always very thankful to us when she is tired and we help. It takes very little to please a mother, and it encourages us to help her more. Mother is very fond of flowers, and she is pleased we are joining in your competitions, and thinks it is very kind and thoughtful of you to take such an interest in us boys and girls.
Mother always helps and comforts us in our troubles and pains. If we want to go out we ask mother to take us. It is best to take mother's advice, and we are always If we are late for school mother says better late than ,never, children.
Dear Florrie,— You have placed a correct estimate on the value of a good mother. Fathers have the passing events of the outside world to relieve the monotony of life, but a mother's world is rather dull, unless the children do all they can to brighten her. The best way to do that is to be gentle, and kind. - Uncle Tom.
Daily News, 19 November 1908.
ESSAYS ON 'MOTHER.'
By Ella Kerr, 'Restcliffe,' 334 Barker-rd., Subiaco.
Dear Uncle Tom, — Mother is the dearest name on earth. Think of the worries and the trials that she passes through without demur. If any of her children or her husband take sick see how she looks after them. She will watch over them day and night, taking a few moments' sleep when it is possible. There must be hundreds of poor motherless children. What a life they must lead, and think of the hardships they must go through. Of course this does not refer to all.
Motherless children, for some children, we may say, are often better without mothers, for one, love my mother better than anybody. She gets angry with me at times, no doubt, but I suppose I deserve to be scolded, for I must do some very naughty things, which I do not notice at the time, but after being scolded I generally sit down and say mother is very nasty to have scolded me.
But that is all very well. If we were not corrected at times we would never know the end of our naughtiness. Mother always knows what is best for us. If she did not we might often be very for want of advice on what food we should eat; then also, we might have sweets or play-things by which we should not benefit. So, as the saying is, Mother's advice is the best. I hope you will like my essay, Uncle Tom, and thanking you for accepting me as your niece.
Dear Ella.— Your essay is a good for Mother's advice, in the vast majority of instances, is the advice children who should learn to obey without pout of the lips and a slouch of the shoulders. - Uncle Tom.
Daily News, 17 September 1910.
PRIZE ESSAY.
'MY MOST PRECIOUS POSSESSION.' by Ivy Love 206 Hay-street, Subiaco.
Dear Auntie Nell, — I suppose you will be beginning to think l have quite forgotten you; but I have not had much time, as we have had a lot of homework lately. Can you try more than once for a prize? If so, I would like to try for a prize on 'My' most valued possession.' I will be 11 on September 28.
My mother is my most valued possession. I prize her love and kindness to me. I like many others, have known a mother's love, therefore we prize her so much. We have never known what it is to be homeless and destitute or to have a bad and wicked father or mother, like some poor children have, who are worse off even than orphans, who at least have a home, where they are treated well.
These poor children, who have never known a mother's love, care, and kindness are looked after and loved by noble men and women, who have devoted, their lives to looking after and loving. God forsaken little children. So we who have loving mothers prize them, all the more. We children cannot do this noble work until we are older hut we can at least save our pennies and give them to the numerous homes where these children are living happily. Well, dear Auntie, I think that is all I have to say now. I must now say goodbye, with best love. - I remain, your loving niece IVY LOVE.
My dear Ivy, - I was pleased to hear from you again, and to learn that you had not forgotten me. I am also glad you tried for a prize on 'My most precious possession' because your, effort has gained a prize. You were a wise girl in choosing mother as your most precious possession. There is no doubt they are the dearest and most precious of all our earthly belongings. I wonder if you will make something for Ailsa Skene's bazaar in aid of the orphans cheer. Have you noticed that we are endeavoring to give the orphans a picnic about Christmas time? Well the proceeds of Ailsa's bazaar are to be devoted to this outing. Yes, dear, the members are, allowed to compete for prizes as often as they like. Hoping that your prize arrives safely, and that you will write to me soon, Yours lovingly, Auntie Nell.
