Evening star., 1954-09-07
Society News .........
Tea at Eleven RifUoI With New Ambassador Wife
SocietyNews
Mrs. Holloway
Writes Verse
For Children
By SeIwo Roosevelt

The ritual Of "tea time" is fast
disappearing from the American
scene. but In the Union of South
Africa they still have a formal
tea, and twice a day at that.
According to Mrs. j. e. Hollo-
way. wife Of the new Ambassador
from the Union Of South Africa,
and a well-known author Of chill
dren's verse this custom is so
much q part of their everyday
life, there is very little chance of
its dying out.
"You see, we begin our day
very early in my country" said
Mrs. Holloway. "At IL o'clock
we pause for our first tea. And
when this is served in the home
it is quite formal, with cakes and
Konfyt (crystallized fruits).
Then we have luncheon around
one o'clock, and another tea at
4 in the afternoon"
Tee Breoks'
"Of course, in Offices and such,
1t is not so formal, but every one
has his tea breaks twice o day
just the same," she added.
Mrs. Holloway explained this
as she had her morning tea yes
terday at the Embassy. Presid-
ing at the tea table was her COM
panion, Mrs. Dorothy Bonnes,
who arrived with the Holloways
ten days ago and who will assist
the Ambassadors wife in run
ming the Embassy.
1--WE carry this tea business so
far" she continued, that we
even have tea clubs. Various
persons who expect to have tea
together chip in to buy cups and
saucers. spoons and a tea pot
and all the other ingredients"
Over the tea cups Mrs. Hollo-
way explained how she came to
write her numerous books Of
children's verse.
81 have four children and 13
grandchildren, so it's rather OBJ
vious that my original inspira-
ton came from so many little
ones who wanted to be amused"
she said.
Children are a very demand
ing audience. and to hold their
attention a verse must have a
jingle, rhythm and a touch Of
nonsense. I found that my in
spiration for the rhythm came
from the native tom TOMS" she
said.
Writing in her native language,
Afrikaans, she uses the name Of
Tienie Holloway.
Asked why she did not write
In English, Mrs. Holloway said,
1.-THE field of children's verse
in English is already so rich,
that If I have any energy I
want to put it into my own
language"
Fomous Economist
Mrs. Holloway is descended
from Boer stock and has lived
all her life in the Union of
South Africa. While this is her
first experience during her forty |
years of marriage as a diplomats |
wife, she has been in the public |
eye in her own country as the |
wife of the head of finance.
Ambassador Holloway is a
well-known economist and has
been the South African delegate
to the Breton Woods Confer
ence and Deputy Governor of
the international Monetary
Fund.
The Holloways have had in
teresting and varied careers, but
they are also landowners and
have a great love of the land.
In South Africa most of us
live on large farms somewhat
similar to your Middle West or
Texas ranches. It is a vigorous,
outdoor life, and the farmers.
drawn close together now by
the motor car, have a strong
community spirit" she explained.
There are many similarities
between South African and
American farmers but the big
difference is the presence of the
exotic wild life and flora asso-
ciated with the bush country
of Africa.
Amoteur Botonists
"My children grew up with
knowledge of the ways of the