Thomas Street State School...Girls Help The Children's Hospital (1937).
Trove, the database of National Library of Australia is full of newspaper articles about the contribution of children writing to newspapers, sharing creative work and raising money and producing goods (guided by adults) within the school and wider community for great causes.
In 1908, Uncle Tom who edited the children's pages in the Daily News newspaper, established a group for children called the Sunshiner's League where they helped raised funds and produced goods for a variety of charity organisations. One of those charity organisations was the Children's Hospital in Subiaco. They formed a sewing group to make pillow cases and sheets. The story of that scheme is on the next post.
In 1937, the Thomas street State school were actively involved in a sewing group that made goods for the Children's Hospital. One of the teachers Miss M. Beattie at the school volunteered to supervise the task. The girls were of various ages and sewing ability. Not only did those girls who participated learn valuable skills such as sewing and performing a community service for others but they were also involved in self-managing their group.
The articles and photograph are from Trove, the database at the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
West Australian, 6 August 1937.
GIRLS HELP HOSPITAL.
Children's Sewing Auxiliary.
About 30 girls attending the Thomas street State school in classes between III and VI devote a night every week to sewing for the benefit of the inmates of the Children's Hospital. They comprise the junior auxiliary at the hospital, and contribute to the work of the women's auxiliary.
They work under the guidance of Miss M. Beattie, one of the teachers at the school, and all volunteered for the task, in which they show care, skill and keenness. Members have been known to forgo an evening at the pictures with their friends in order not to miss the weekly meeting of the auxiliary at the hospital.
Towelling, portions of garments and linen articles are cut out for them by the women's auxiliary, and the girls complete these items for the cupboards according to their ability. The younger division or those less advanced with the needle, are given made garments, on which they stitch the necessary tapes or letters to brand them as the property of the hospital and as allocated to a particular ward.
Those qualified to use machines and do more advanced sewing, however, assemble the cut-out portions of garments and complete them. In addition to those who attend at the hospital for this work, there are some younger members of the junior auxiliary who do not attend, but do their portion of the work during the sewing hour at school.
At the annual Children's Hospital fete the girls help in various ways. The junior auxiliary was begun four years ago by Mrs. D. Mack, a member of the women's auxiliary, who moved to Fremantle.
Miss Beattie has had charge of the girls for most of the period, and has organised the auxiliary on its present basis. This year Miss Beattie has introduced the idea of club or society principles, under which the girls have appointed a president, vice-president, secretary and assistant-secretary.
After the auxiliary has begun its work at the weekly assembly, the president takes temporary charge while the secretary reads a record of the work done at the previous meeting. Any communication, such as a message of appreciation, is conveyed to the meeting. After these few minutes of respite, the sewing is resumed with a will.
The girls take such keen pleasure in their self-appointed task for less fortunate children that Miss Beattie hopes to encourage them to maintain their service to the institution after they leave school. The president of the women's auxiliary (Mrs. Shortland Jones) yesterday commended the work of the junior organisation which, she said, was highly valued by her members. The spirit of healthy girls regularly giving some of their time for the benefit of sick children strongly appealed to her.
West Australian, 14 August 1937.
HELPING THE HOSPITAL.
Girls from the Thomas-street State school performing volunteer work for the Children's Hospital. These girls devote a night each week to sewing and comprise a junior auxiliary at the hospital, contributing to the work of the women's auxiliary. They work under the guidance of Miss M. Beattie, one of the teachers at the school.
