Auntie Kitty And Winning Letters From Subiaco...(1933-1938).
This post is a continuation from the previous posts "Aunt Kitty And The Children Of Subiaco 1930", "Auntie Kitty And The Snapshot Contest...(1930)" and "Auntie Kitty And The Cookery Corner (1933-1938) in The Sunday Times children's pages.
From the previous post "...During the early years the children of Western Australia and Subiaco wrote letters to children's pages in the local newspapers, not only to the Daily News newspaper but other newspapers such as The Sunday Times and the WA Catholic Record.
The children asked to become members of clubs the newspapers formed, entered competitions to win prizes, wrote letters, shared their creative work and aspects of themselves and their lives as children growing up in suburbs such as Subiaco and country Western Australia.
The local Western Australian newspaper, The Sunday Times children's page was edited by Auntie Kitty. The page contained letters from children who shared aspects of their lives. While the letters were acknowledged, not all of them were published and there do not seem to be many responses from Auntie Kitty until the later years. The page also included competitions, children's creative work, and a range of activities and stories and poems the editor thought children may like to do in their free time. The children's birthdays were acknowledged and published on the page by Auntie Kitty..."
The letters copied below are from children who lived in Subiaco from 1933 to 1938 and were the featured letter in the children's page than won a prize. The letters are about the daily observations and life of children but also their interests such as writing about Koalas, pottery and where they attend school in New Norcia, a rural town in Western Australia with a close association with Subiaco.
The articles are from Trove, the database at the National Library of Australia. No copyright infringement intended.
1933
KOOKABURRAS AND WAGTAILS
94 Herbert-road, Subiaco. Dear Auntie Kitty, I suppose you have forgotten me, for I have not written to you for such a long time. On Saturday morning, there was a kookaburra on a wireless pole in a neighbour's yard. Suddenly, it flew from there on to a tennis court fence, part of our fence, where another kookaburra joined it. The willy wagtails were teasing them. The kookaburras have long beaks and they look funny from the back view. They ruffled their feathers, and gave us a song and flew away. The Girls' Friendly Society's caravan came to our Church Hall, for the G.F.S. candidates to see it. As there was a children's party being held in the Hall at the same time the whole 120 children inspected lt. My sister and I have a garden, in which are larkspurs, phlox, cosmos, stocks, violets, mignonette and a Dutchman's Pipe. We have a few cabbages, broad beans, beetroot, carrots, parsnips and other vegetables. I am enclosing the competition for the month and hope to win a prize. Your loving niece, VIOLET WAKEHAM (The Sunday Times, 10 September, 1933).
1935
THIS WEEK'S WINNING LETTER
Compendium to Subiaco Member
254 Nicholson-road, Subiaco. Dear Auntie Kitty, I am very pleased with the membership card I received, and therefore I intend to frame it. As winter is nearly here, I have prepared lettuce and spring onion seedlings, which I have ready to transplant. A few days ago I planted a small orange tree, which I hope will grow, and also some strawberry plants.
Last week my sister and I bought a tennis racquet each, and a friend is going to teach us to play. Another sport I like and play rather well is cricket, and I also like canoeing upon Shenton Park lake. I am an enthusiastic follower of the Subiaco football team, and I hope they win the premiership this year.
Today I went for a walk with some friends in the bush on the ocean side of the railway line. We climbed a hill in the Reabold Hills, the highest being the Beacon, so called because of the tall wooden structure on the top like a beacon. From this hill may be seen the houses and buildings of Subiaco, and in the distance the University and the Swan River.
During these dark winter nights I find reading a pleasant pastime. I am collecting the novels by that noted author Jules Verne, and already I possess three of them. The most interesting one to my mind is "Three Weeks in a Balloon."
During the Easter holidays I saw R.L Stevenson's "Treasure Island" at the Theatre Royal. At school we intend to dramatise this story, and the class is making costumes such as were worn at that period.
A hobby that interests me ls stamp collecting, and already I have over 300 stamps. Last week my mother had the flu, and my sister and I had a quiet time at home. One day I attempted to make some almond toffee from a recipe on this page, and it turned out quite a success. I will close now, hoping you are In the best of health. With best wishes from GEORGE STRACHAN (The Sunday Times, 2 June, 1935).
1936
WINNING LETTER
The Koala Bear Prize to Subiaco Member
96 Hensman-road, Subiaco, 4/1/1986. Dear Auntie Kitty. I have, for a long time, wanted to join your club, but I have not found time to write. How-ever. I am sending along the membership coupon today. I think koala bears are very interesting, don't you? And in case you. and your members are interested. I will tell you something of them, and how their name originated.
Many centuries ago, at the end of each day's hunting, the Australian blackfellow squatted down to his simple repast of game, and the water vessels were passed round from one to another. To indicate that he required nothing to drink, the aboriginal muttered in his native tongue "Koala." meaning nothing to drink" or "I don't drink." And so it occurred to the blackfellow that the name "Koala" (pronounced Ko-ah-la) applied to the quaint furred dwellers of the Australian treetops, who looked like bears and never drank water.
So the name Koala was be-stowed upon these lovely little creatures. Hardly two centuries ago the first white settlement adopted this name for the native bear, and thus "Koala" be-came a worthy contribution to the English language by the aboriginal of Australia.
Well, Auntie, only two more weeks holiday and then school. Hoping I am enrolled. I will close. With love and good wishes to you and your band. I remain your would-be niece, MAVIS HYNES. (The Sunday Times, 26 January, 1936).
1937
WINNING LETTER
Compendium to Subiaco Member
Something About New Norcia
30 Herbert-road. Subiaco. Dec, 1936. Dear Auntie Kitty, I have written to you several times before, when I was younger, but since I have grown older I have not had the chance, sorry to say, as I attend SCHOOL AT NEW NORCIA, where I board. Have you ever been to New Norcia? It ls much sought after by people who come up to see the beautiful buildings and paintings. Nearly every Sunday there are bus loads of people who come to see over our college, the most beautiful building of which is the chapel.
On the dome behind the altar a scene depicting St Gertrude's entrance into heaven—as the artist imagined it - is painted, and it attracts much attention, accompanied by gasps from the visitors.
We also boast many pictures costing much money, and statues which have been carved out of wood by Spanish nuns. One of these statues forms the central figure on the altar.
Regarding sports, we have three tennis courts (two of which are usable), two basketball fields which we do not use owing to our enthusiasm in other lines of sport, such as hockey, in which game we have never been beaten by a ladies' team. We have also a lovely swimming pool where we cool down after long hours of study.
Well, Auntie, I am home on nine weeks' holiday, I think I have said sufficient about the college.
My mother and sister are leaving for Noumea at the end of this month. When they are away I am to be "chief cook and bottle washer." I have never cooked a meal before, so I think half our time we shall be dining out. Well I am afraid I must close now.—I am, Yours sincerely, LAUREL BALDING. (The Sunday Times, 3 January 1937).
1938
THIS WEEK'S WINNING LETTER
Compendium Goes to Suburban Member
17 Rosebery-street, Jolimont, near Subiaco, Dear Auntie Kitty, I am going to tell you something about pottery and china, or porcelain.
Pottery is made of baked clay and may be glazed, but is always opaque. The difference between it and porcelain is that the latter is finer in quality and translucent. Ordinary pottery has been made from time immemorial of common brick clay mixed with water, shaped in moulds by the hands or on a wheel and baked. Porcelain ls made from kaolin, a fine white clay.
The process is almost the same in both instances, differing only in the material, the care used in the manufacture and the nature and quality of the decorations employed. The great Staffordshire works in England cover a district of 48 square miles and employ more than 100,000 operatives.
The porcelain works at Sevres, near Paris, France, are noted for the manufacture of costly and beautiful vases and domestic ware. China and Japan have long held high rank in this art, and within recent years their Chinaware and common potter have been extensively imported in Europe and America. Holland was long noted for the production of delft, so called after the town of Delft, where it was first made. Well, I must now close my letter. I remain, your loving niece. AUDREY FAWCETT (No. 4766). (The Sunday Times, 20 February 1938).
