The Cousins’ Competitions

Southland Times, Issue 20939, 23 November 1929, Page 22

The Cousins’ Competitions

AWARDS IN THE 226th TEST. (a) Make as many words as you can out of the letters contained in LITTLE SOUTHLANDERS. (Under 161. Prizes of 2/6 to Cousins Viola Hollman (14) Menzies Ferry (1576); Unah Borland (15) Havelock street, Riverton (1542) ; Jeannie Braid (13) Lumsden (1537). Also competed: Cousins Joyce Evans (15) 22 Melbourne street, North Invercargill (1373); June Mitchel (15) 41 Nelson street (1120); Elsie Crosbie (14) Waikawa Valley (1018) ; Edna Pearce (11) Winton, Otapiri R.D.; Agnes Findlay (9) Oreti; Mary Findlay (12) Oreti; Gladys Redman (13) 21 Francis Avenue, Christchurch; Edna Belsham, Lumsden (522) ; Betty Don (9) 87 Lowe street, Invercargill; Winsome Sadlier, 332 Herbert street (431) ;-Noreen Dicks (9) 122 O'Hara street (522) ; James Fortune (11) Home street, Winton (576) ; Zoe Smith (11) 24 Mitchell street (1086); Gladys Robertson (12) 110 Chelmsford street (759); Nita Finlay (13) Te Tua; Margaret Macarthur (10) Ohai (339) ; Connie Peek (14) Otautau; Mollie Fell (15) 3 Rugby street. (404); Elza Pierce (15) Winton (457) ; Arthur Strang (10) Alma street, Wyndham (400); Lily Golumb (14) Broughton street, Gore (630) ; Annie Stevens (12) Balfour); Emily Horrell (14) Mandeville (515) ; Jenny Thomson (13) 105 Grace street (310) ; Mavis Treloar (13) Otatara (479) ; Vera Gillespie (12) 288 Dee street (318) ; Isabel Tilson (13) Awarua Plains; Ivy Lee (13) Grove Bush (106). Many other competitors omitted their names. In cases where the totals were not given, I only counted them up if they were in the running for prizes.—C.B. (b) For Cousins under 16. Story, entiled: “The Ghostly Adventure.” First prize.—s/- and 4 marks to Cousin Graham Witt (14) 159 Lindisfarne. Road, Invercargill. Second prize—2/6 and 3 marks to Cousin Vera Williamson (12) Baxter street, Balclutha. H.C.—2 marks to Cousins Peter Ferguson (15) Underwood; Gladys Redman (13) 21 Francis Avenue, St. Albans, Christchurch; Jean Nichol (13) 166 Clyde Street, Invercargill; Margaret Macarthur (10) Ohai; Jeannie Braid (13) Lumsden; Betty McDonald (13) 417 Elies Road, South Invercargill; Zoe Smith (11) “Sherwood,” 24 Mitchell street, East Invercargill. COMMENTS. There was an excellent response to both competitions this week, and consequently I am feeling very pleased and happy. On the whole there was much more care taken over the stories, although there are one or two of my most original writers whose handwriting is .careless, and consequently many simple words are mis-spelled only for the want of care. Peter Ferguson is a particular offender in this respect, and, surprisingly enough, Jeannie Braid. I was very pleased with the improvement in the work both of Margaret Macarthur and Zoe Smith. Both these Cousins have ideas, and with practice both should accomplish something worth-while with their writing. Graham Witt is learning more control over his ideas and the way he expresses them, and his bump of humour is becoming sounder and more forcefully developed. This “Ghostly Adventure” is one of the best things he has yet written, although the ending is rather weak. Vera Williamson’s style has improved a great deal, and it was mostly on that she won second place in a competition where there was little to choose between fill the entries. Peter Ferguson must learn to control his adjectives more—just as too many sweets cease to give you pleasure and have the opposite effect of making you sick; so the effect of an adjective is weakened by repetition and spoilt by overuse, except in special cases. Gladys Redman is also shaping, very well, and Betty McDonald also. Jean Nichol can always be depended on to do careful work. She is making steady progress. The word-making competition was amazingly good, and drew many competitors. The three girls placed first were outstanding. This competition ’was made harder

to judge because many of you included proper names, which had to be deleted. Neat work made the judging ever so much easier. —COUSIN BETTY. 227th COMPETITION (a) For Cousins under 16. The Story of the Weather Man. (b) For Cousins under 12. Poem of six lines—To a Buttercup. Remember the Rules. 1— Write in ink on one side of the paper only. 2— There must be separate sheets for each competition. 3 — Each Cousin must work unaided, and enter his or her own work. 4— Drawing must be in black ink, preferably Indian ink. 5 — Each entry must show the name and address of the Cousin, and age. 6— No one more than 16 years of age may compete in these classes unless otherwise stated. —Closing date—MONDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1929. 228th COMPETITION (al For Cousins under 16. Poem, entitled : “December.” (b) For Cousins 14 and over. Story', entitled: “The last days at School.” —Closing date—TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1929. —COUSIN BETTY.