Teen-age Experts

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31763, 21 August 1968, Page 2

Teen-age Experts

Hanging your own wallpaper is a task which is supposed to be rife with difficulties —but the two teen-age demonstrators at the New Zealand Industries Fair in Christchurch are convinced it is no more difficult than cooking a meal. After two practie runs, in private, Miss Marilyn Dunn, a training college student, aged 18, and Miss Kay Swaney, a pupil at St Margaret’s College, aged 17, went into operation as public demonstrators on the Ashley Wallpaper stand. Neither of the girls had any previous experience before they went through their training run on Thursday morning but they are now so competent that they can paper round a corner, a door and a light switch in a few minutes. Demonstrations take place every half hour and the girls take turns.

The long roll of paper is taken through a water box and applied to the wall. As it is already pasted, the surface only has to be dampened before it is ready to stick. Getting the paper on straight is simple, according to Miss Dunn. When you hang the first piece you can hang a weight on a piece of string and follow the line to make sure the paper is lying straight The girls find they do not have to do this any more.

The intricacies of turning the comers, trimming the edges and papering around obstacles are also very simple if you are taught the right way and have the proper equipment, the girls agree. Both the girls thoroughly enjoy the work. When they are not demonstrating they hand out pamphlets and if necessary give advice.