Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-08
ORIGINAL WORK
My Dear Boys and Girls:


" HE writing of these letters has ol.
ways seemed a very personal thing
TO me. [ have felt from the first
issue OF The Junior that l did know
you, and did hope to make YOU return
the interest and affection which 7 feel
Tor you all. But now, after our delight
ful day in that lovely park together. 7
can certainly write more freelv than
ever. L cannot tell you even now how
glad was to see you all, and how
proud 1 am to think that so MANY
splendid boys and girls are reading this
nttle paper each week and are willing
to call themselves nieces and nephews
of mine. I trust that some friendshins
made that happy Friday may grow and
thrive, and that ever so MANY of the
juniors who We're there will come Of
ten to my office to see me, and will LET
me help them in any of those affairs
that boys and girls sometimes think
are better adjusted by some one out
side the family.
The new topic, Conversation in the
- Box" ought to suggest some
splendid stories. Fancy yourself
thimble after little Mollie's first stum-
bling efforts to use it while her stitches
grow crooked and her thread knots
with every effort. What sort of stories
would you have to tell to the other
members of the work box family after
such an experience? Or, perhaps. YOU
will be hammer in the tool box, OF
just plain stick of fine, white kindling
wood, lying snugly in the wood box.
or pen or pencil in the pencil box.
There are all sorts of other boxes where
in conversation might take place if one
gave inanimate objects the power to
speak, and that is what we will do
this week. Do not. have any dream
stories, or fairy stories in this. Just
imagine that objects now dumb are
gifted with thinking and speaking
privileges, and let them tell their own
story.
The new design for a writer's an
nouncement contest will be used
throughout the autumn, and may be
suggestive of this time of year, al
though the California boys and girls
will, of course, not realize as eastern
Juniors might the beauty of the autumn
and Indian summer days.
Once more I find it necessary to speak
about the expression, Original work"
That does not mean work either in
stories, rhymes or pictures which is
copied from something else To be
sure, I am willing to admit that 1t
takes artistic ability to copy a picture
and do it well, but it is not fair to the
boys and girls who are entirely honor
able in this matter to utilize some pie
ture which you see. and which offers a
good, well worked out suggestion of
poses, arrangement and so forth. no
matter if the work of the actual draw
ing is entirely your own.
This applies also to stories and let
ters. Parents and older members of
the family may be consulted, of course
where necessary, but I particularly de-
sire that the children who participate
in all of these contests do so entirely
upon their own resources, and not de-
pendent in any way for assistance,
either from picture book or teacher.
So far ! have chosen to think that
the boys and girls who "cribbed" their
work did 50 without realizing that they
were directly disobeying one of the
rules of the contest, and I have made
my remonstrances to them confiden-
tiaI Hereafter I may resort to more
public censure when these conditions
come to my attention.
I hope that this word of warning will
be all that is necessary now, and that
l have seen the last of work which is
not absolutely the original work of the
boy or girl who submits it. Affection
atelv. AUNT LAURIE.