Teachers World Letters, Jan 1930 - July 1934

[sixret]

Strange. My friend in Wales said to me via e-mail that the spring has definitely come. The buds have sprung and blossomed. She also said that the weather is getting warmer.

[Kate Mary]

One day last week was warm and sunny here in Kent and I saw a Red Admiral butterfly, the first this year, it must have gone back to bed I think, it's so damp and gloomy today. Interesting to see the advert for the first Old Thatch series books, a bargain at 6d each, and I love the poem 'Yellow', a gorgeous springtime poem.

[Courtenay]

Lovely letters again. I love the "Yellow" poem!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Strange. My friend in Wales said to me via e-mail that the spring has definitely come. The buds have sprung and blossomed. She also said that the weather is getting warmer.

It differs from region to region. I'm on the east coast and spring is late arriving this year.

[Anita Bensoussane]

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... perid=1183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fascinating to hear of another ringed starling being found - this time by a boy from Rochester in Kent, who discovered from the ring that the bird had flown over from the Netherlands.

Lovely too to hear of the robin collecting hairs from Bobs' kennel - and to read Bobs' amusing take on it!

A good Riddle-Me-Ree by Peter Goodwin.

'The Little Germander Birds' is an imaginative story but rather sad, reminding me in certain respects of some of Hans Christian Andersen's tales.

Thanks, Tony, for putting up these pages every week!

[Kate Mary]

It's sad to lose goldfish from the pond but it would be worth it to see a Kingfisher in one's garden. Bobs' letter was very amusing, the children must have loved seeing the joke when Bobs and Sandy couldn't.

[Courtenay]

Yes, lovely letters this week. I can't help noticing two references close to home for me — I live not that far from Rochester (where the starling was found) and even closer to Sevenoaks (where the writer of the riddle went to school)! Sad to hear about Enid's goldfish being eaten by the kingfisher, but I enjoyed the letter from Bobs the bird-tamer.

I agree, "The Little Germander Birds" is a beautiful and rather sad story. I don't know the speedwell plant (though I've probably seen it and not known what it was), but Wikipedia and the Wildlife Trusts have some interesting information about it. Very clever how Enid weaves several names for the plant (even its botanical name) into a mythic "origin story" for it! It flowers at this time of year, too, so I must look out for it. (I see it's traditionally used as a herbal tea, too, but not sure if that would be worth trying...)

[Anita Bensoussane]

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... perid=1184" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enid Blyton's descriptions of the spring flowers are delightful - daffodils "like golden embroidery at the edge of the grass", scillas "looking like strips of blue sky cut up and laid down in my garden" and little wild daffodils round the pond which "love leaning over and looking at themselves in the water".

Bobs' interpretation of a "stamp club" made me chuckle.

The short story 'The Stupid Little Girl' is very much of its era and I doubt it would be reprinted now. Fancy a teacher saying to a pupil, "Eileen, why are you so stupid?" And why is it that Enid Blyton so often shows children who haven't used their brains shooting to the top of the class once they begin applying themselves, beating all those who have worked hard for years?! Rather an odd story, but fascinating for what it reveals about attitudes of the time.

[Courtenay]

I have a feeling I recognise the story "The Stupid Little Girl" from somewhere or other — aha, I see it was reprinted in Five O'Clock Tales, which I know I have somewhere. That collection was published in 1941 and reprinted as recently as 2008, though I don't know if any changes have been made to the contents over the years.

I had to look up scillas, but I do recognise the flowers — I just didn't know what they were called. Enid's daffodils are out fairly late — ours here are almost over, although there are some good flowers on them still. I also enjoyed Bobs' idea of a "stamp club"!

[Kate Mary]

I love Bobs' letters, the 'stamp club' really cracked me up. Brilliant. I have the story The Stupid Little Girl in The O'Clock Tales Collection (Dean 2004 edition). As far as I can see it hasn't been updated.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Thanks, Kate. It's interesting to know that the story wasn't discarded.

[tix]

Reading Anita's mention of 'Stupid Little Girl' in the weekly 'Teachers World' letters and perusing subsequent comments made the story a 'must' to read (immediately) so a copy was located. I lay on the floor and read it through noting once again Enid Blyton's talent for writing simple tales in an interesting way and making the reader feel as if he or she was right there experiencing the situation.

Went back to the Forum column and found yet another example of two stories having the same title. Can't think of others at present although I'm sure there's more than one entitled 'Boy Next Door.' The 'Teachers World' tale involves a gnome and a goose and a donkey, whereas the other (found in 'The Little White Duck' collection) is all about a girl named Susan who gets into trouble over her school lessons.

'Five O'clock Tales' looks worth getting with the number of stories it contains so it's gone down on my list of 'Wants.'

[Anita Bensoussane]

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/blyt ... perid=1185" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Enid Blyton gives us a lively account of the rookery in the elm trees and an amusing poem about nesting. As for Bobs, his interpretation of "the month of May" is hilarious!

[Kate Mary]

A super poem and an amusing story this week and I loved Bobs' letter, at least until I got to the line about the whip, although I'm sure it was just in jest.

[Courtenay]

Yes, I hope the whip was in jest too, but that has got to be one of Bobs' best letters ever! Lovely contributions all round this week. Mind you, I wonder how many years it is now since little boys were taught to raise their caps when they saw a lady in the street?

Enid's comment about the oak and the ash reminds me that I first learned that saying — "If the oak is out before the ash, The earth will only get a splash; If the ash is out before the oak, Then the earth will get a soak" — from a Pip the Pixie story. (Not very useful in Australia, but it obviously stuck in my head nevertheless.) I wonder if there's any accuracy in it?