JANET PETE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 263, 5 November 1932, Page 2 (Supplement)

JANET PETE.

(By Lorna Finlayson, the Cottage, 6, Clonbern Road, Remuera. 5.E.2.; age 13.)

Queen's Abbey, & September, 1932. Dear Pat, I know it's ages since I last wrote, but we've really no time to write at school —you'll know how it is when you come next year. I aim writing this in bed and my watch says it's 0.15 a.m., but I'm inclined to tlunk it's a little more, so I must hurry to tell you all the news before the dressing bell rings. There is some news! Wonderful, isn't it? My last letter was very dull; let's hope this will be an improvement. When you heard from me before I told yau there was a new girl in our dorm., didn't I? Her name is Janet Pete, and we have nicknamed her "The Mouse." She lives up to it, too. We have known her (or rather seen her) for three weeks, ■with the result that we don't even know where she comes from or, indeed, anything about her. We've tried to talk to her, but it's frightfully hard to draw her out. Why do. we keep at it? you are asking? Well .. . because we know that she's awfully nice. How do we know that? you say. Because one afternoon we happened to be talking about books in connection with a question we'd had in an exam, last term, and we couldn't think of the author of some well-known thing. Janet said at once who it was and in the pleasanteet way told us where" and when it was written and who some of the characters were said to be in real life. It gave us no small surprise, .and altogether changed our opinions of her, but when we again got On to the subject of books, she froze up completely. Then last night a lecturer person came and we listened to a long talk on "Modern Playwrights and Modern Plays." He finished up by' giving us hints on how to write a one-act play. Now comes the news! Miss Macky (the head) was 60 interested that she has offered a prize for the befit one-act play sent in . before half-term, which prize may be contested by any girl in the school an<l will T>e presented'at the end of the year to the winner. We are still recovering from the shock! Of course in bed last night everyone was talking about ji. We asked Janet if she were going i 4 for it, an 4 she said "Yes." So everyone in our dorm, will be taking up pen pencil to compose some sort of a play. We are all going in for it, including Yours truly, Marian.

P.S. The bell went, so I had to stop. M.

Queen's Abbey, October, 1932. Dear Pat, A fortnight without a letter! I'm sorry. Thanks awfully fqr your weeklies, they are ripping, and you know- how I adore all the newt of the old stehool. Doesn't it seem funny that you're leaving at the end of the year? It'll be ripping to have you here. I expect you are longing to hear about our plays? Mine is awful! "We read them to each other yesterday—all of us except Janet, that is, who said she hadn't finished hers and seemed shy of reading it. They weren't marvellous, but, of course, we shall sejid tjiem in. It will mean 10 marks to the winner's form. Naturally, there's a great deal of friendly rivalry going on. Marjorie, Binks, Lisbeth,'Janet and I are in the same form, but the others are one lower. Everyone thinks Binkts will win; hers isripping. The other plays that I've seen can't beat it. What surprised us, though, was that The Mouse gave us the most valuable criticism when wo were helping each other. She seemed to detect the weak spot each time, and, what was more, she seemed to know how to correct it. We are all longing to see what she has written herself. She's been much easier the last few weeks, but she's still very "mousey." Love to everyone at home please. From Marian,

Queen's Abbey, October, 1932. Dear Pat, The results are ' out and—Sinks did not win. Instead, who but Janet Pete! Did you ever get such a surpriset But I niust begin from the beginning, or rather from where I left off in my last letter. Half-term came and we sent in our plays. The Mouse sent in hers, but she didn't read it to us. We all firmly believed that Binks would get it. For a week we waited iu suspense, and there were all sorts of rumours and many false alarms about the results. At last there came a day when there was a notice up summoning us to the hall at 7 p.m. We arrived at the appointed hour and in a few minutes the teachers came In. Miss Macky stood up and gave a short speech. You know—"the high standard of the entries" and "judging most difficult" sort. Then she said: "I have much pleasure in awarding the prize to a new girl of Form IV,) Janet Pete," There were cheers and claps, but the head held up her hand. And she asked The Mouse to read the play to the whole school. She said she thought the author ought to read it, as she could best portray her own characters. Knowing what we did of The Mouse and her quiet ways we looked nervously at her. We thought she'd rather die than do it before everybody. To our surprise, she got up quietly and began to read! Pat, her people were alive. Everyone of us was carried away. She lad a beautiful voice and she seemed to understand how to become another person yet still be natural. The play itself was excellent and even Binks' couldn't touch it, but it was the way she delivered it that made it «o marvellous. " I could see Miss Redding, our" singing mistress, eyeing her keenly. I know that when the cast is chosen next week for our break-up play, The Mouse's name will head the list. I must stop. Do write soon, but .don't expect too many letters. From you Marian.