Skip to main content

Posts

Further search for Beatrice Wilcken in Dunedin

In Dunedin as part of a NZ holiday but research always beckons. Limited internet but I manage in snippets when free wi-fi available! Interested to know if I can track down any more information on Wilcken (another German writer of early Australian fairytales) who taught music for sometime in Dunedin and gave a concert at the Choral Hall. A conversation with another PhD student Jai Paterson about her intriguing thesis topic which examines Trans-Tasman migrant  flows between Australia and New Zealand (from respectable families) sent me off on this quest. Unfortunately Beatrice did not emerge in any diaries or papers. The Dunedin Historical Society did not have her name in their archives.   But when visiting Olverston House , amazingly fully furnished as when lived in with its original owners, my ears pricked up when I discovered its library (including children's books) remained intact. Unfortunately her book was not found in the inventory so I couldn't argue for it being taken to

Forgotten how hard writing was ...

If the Australian identity in the early Australian literature of the 1840s can be attributed to the new settlers’ ‘quest for belonging and identity’ and the often violent, clash of Indigenous and immigrant cultures as well as a longing for home ... After two weeks in New Zealand I had forgotten how hard writing was and only managed four paragraphs yesterday. I read the Thesis Whisperer's blog for inspiration - I like her sense of humour! I especially like the blog about taking a thesis writing retreat in New York although I'm always happy to settle for Jan's cabin in Tassie.  Babysitting today but with XP having a morning nap sleeping in the cot next to me I seem to have found a new speed. Something nice about having a companion when you are working alone. Of course, not to be left out WM is going with me to the Bailleu on Tuesday to borrow some books and, while I have a coffee, to soak up the academic air. Kel and B spent weekends at Monash University Library in the 9

Gender and publication

I da Rentoul Outhwaite, Minnie Rowe, Ethel Jackson Morris, May Gibbs, Pixie O'Harris and Peg Maltby are our most well known of fairytalers but less is known of those early fairy talers of whom Ernst was one. Approximately twelve books appeared sporadically over thirty years between the appearance of the first fairy tale in 1870, three published in Melbourne, one in the Victorian Gold Rush town of Ballaarat, one in Hobart and four in Sydney and two in London by Australian authors. Twelve books is a very small sample and it should be mentioned that there were also short stories: fairy tales in annuals and other children's collections.  There are a number of differences between those tales written by men and those written by women and one I explore is the difference between the articulated motive of men and women writers. The male writers do not seem to have the same concerns about the worth of their book while female writers seek approval and acknowledgement and seem ex

My Thesis - what's it about?

I am always thrilled to be contacted by those who by chance find my blog. I have been blogging for three years and am hoping to complete my first draft by the end of the year. I thought it timely to re-publish what has already been published. The following is from my presentation at the University of Kassel, Germany. In 1904 Olga Ernst, a pupil teacher, wrote Fairy Tales from the Land of the Wattle. Although she was just sixteen years old, Ernst was one of a small group of writers in Australia who attempted to nationalise the fairytale towards the end of the nineteenth century, signalling quite clearly that they intended to affix the elves and fairies of Europe onto the Australian landscape aiming to fill a void that was keenly felt by the children of emigrants and the Australian-born children of emigrants. (Walker, 1988) The beginnings of the Australian bush fantasy genre can be linked with the desire to bring the comfortable and familiar into the new and distinctly non

Thesis Bootcamp - drop and give me... 20000 words

It's more than likely Olga used these stairs. I applied for this UniMelb program to overcome my thesis fatigue having written a chapter every two months for the last year while working full time. Advertised as a 'no-excuses, no-time-for-procrastination, take-no-prisoners intensive writing weekend', achieving my Holy Grail of 5000 words in a weekend appealed. I was keen to show those staff members who completed the Tough Mudder challenge last week and bounced into work wearing their TM t-shirts that I could undertake something equally gruelling but cleaner! I was after the coveted mug to fill with plunger coffee and place strategically next to those-who-should-be-impressed in the staffroom. My Trophy Green = 5000 words Blue = 10000 words Red = 15000 words It was a gift! To be able to simply write..write...write and wander into the lunch room for any kind of snack whenever: breakie bars, cereal, yoghurt, vego delights, scones.    No internet access  - challeng

Martin Ernst - a Pharmacist's Apprentice

It seems that although my focus is the work of Olga Ernst, divergent pathways appear that fascinate and compel me to investigate a little! Martin Ernst, Olga's uncle, also emigrated and for some time lived in Melbourne becoming apprenticed to his brother Theodor (Olga's father) as a chemist.  Although Renee at the Lutheran Archives alerted me to the fact that Theodor had a brother, I received confirmation from a descendant in South Australia.  Julius Theodor Ernst (known as Theodor) was one of a number of chemists, trained at the University of Liepzig, who entered the colony of Victoria in the decades after 1850. A member of the Prussian Reserve as a pharmacist he was proud of his profession.  The Pharmaceutical Society of Victoria was established in 1857 while twenty years later, in 1876, the Pharmacy and Poisons Act set professional standards. A Pharmacy Board was established in 1877, one of its tasks to establish a register of pharmacists.  Concern with the issue of differ

GymbaROO article

GymbaROO.   Founded in 1983 in Melbourne by Margaret Sasse (1929-2009) to “help the children of the world maximize their learning potential”, Margaret drew no salary of directors fees for the entirety of that time, and in fact sold the family farm to keep it her mission afloat. Over 30,000 children and their parents attend a Gymbaroo/KindyROO session somewhere in Australia every week. These numbers continue to increase every year due to word of mouth. I’m back in my study although I have three shelves piled with paper and an overfull filing cabinet to sort before I can start my PhD again. I have just written and thrown aside papers finished with this term in my quest to complete. As next year (2013) is GymbaROO’s 30 year anniversary, and the February edition of First Steps magazine focuses on achievements and glories.  As an ex GymbaROO teacher,  parent and now GymbaROO Granny,  I offered to write an article about past GymbaROO students “Where are the

New Year Resolution and 40000 words left

What a joy! The 'almost' twins dressed like their Pop - more interested in the Christmas paper than the toys inside. Next year they will be running around.  Moving back into my study after it has been painted and sorting the folders for the next week, culling school work and filing new finds. Just last week I found another literary competition (Under 21 Essay) Ernst had won while at Teachers Training College. No wonder I need more bookshelves. I have one day a week study leave this year (using my Long Service Leave) from March so my New Year's Resolution is to finish the first draft by Christmas 2013. 

Counting on Frank...

Painting begins! is the Librarian's favourite book and I am having fun with numbers. If I need to write 320 paragraphs to complete my thesis then I have written approximately 120 since February this year in four chapters and 2 part chapters. This weekend I have written the princely total of 16 which is a good weekend's work. By Christmas my aim is the halfway mark (160) and by then I should have my study back. After it was home to two daughters in quick succession, I am now happy to relinquish my indoor study to the grandsons and the train set and go back to the Bungalow (aka 'Butterfly House' due to my propensity for having the heater on high) refurbished and repainted with desk, sofa bed and quiet.

Celebrating Mooroolbark

Lovely to have a small commission (unpaid) to sidetrack the PhD: Celebrating Mooroolbark . Normally I submit to magazines and journals and hope they accept my work but this is the first time I have taken time out from research for some time to undertaken work that has been commissioned. Asked to write a section of this book using newspaper articles diligently collected and collated by the Mooroolbark Historical Society to a tight deadline was a challenge! Submitted by October 1st. Book Launch 25th & 26th October - definitely cutting it fine! Of course, I lived in Mooroolbark, taught at Red Earth Cluster Schools and attended a number of Red Earth Festivals with the girls so it wasn't as if I was writing about an unfamiliar topic. A pleasure to write, as some-one else had done the 'backbreaking' research in the archives and presented me with two large folders. A first book for MHS and I am sure not the last!

How to complete a PhD, work full-time and still have a family life...

Well.. after my last despondent post every-one may feel correct in assuming I wasn't managing any of the above. But PhD writer's block doesn't equate with time management issues. When I my PhD began my good friend R2 (that makes me R1 as in Scrabble) suggested 20 hours a week was the requirement for part-time PhD so that's what I do. I kept a log for a while to make sure I was on track but as with all similar procrastination activities the excel spreadsheet sits dormant on the desktop. Here's my grand plan. Not particularly innovative.  Small chunks. Bit by bit. Nibble away. Concentrated effort at times of low work pressure; full-time for 50% of holidays and whatever-whenever for the rest. At least 5-6 hours on the weekend if full-time work is full-on. Bite size bits....research via TROVE, reading an article, writing a paragraph, interviewing by phone... can all be done in chunks. A hour here. An hour there. Chunk by chunk it is coming together. 30000 words and 6

A third of the way through a PhD and sort-of-stuck

I happily completed a chapter last month with a Cheshire Cat smugness, an article about toddler technology and a section of the  Celebrate Mooroolbark!  book making the October 1st deadline.  Sidetracked from the PhD, I have done other things with less success. My first turn at pushing WRM's pram did not engender confidence in my GM capabilities as I ran over the one large spikey thing that could puncture a tyre in the whole of Carlton.  A km from home, a flat tyre and a ready-for-a-feed-two-week old: pramming on 2 wheels is an experience I have no desire to re-try. Others were unhappy too! Update: I have spent about 16 hours over the past 4 days writing refining the introductory first paragraph to my next chapter - yes... just the first paragraph of 5 - 6,000 words and have 188 words that I am happy with. A snail's pace. I feel like crying too, Wills!

'Think and wonder, wonder and think.' Dr. Seuss

Exploring on my own 6 months. Note the dribble proof protective case! My grandchildren have been born into a highly technical world,  growing up as the first of the ‘Touch’ Generation. As  toddlers they will never know a world without digital cameras, computers, DVDs, iPads and Smartphones or Skype. Discussion often centres on the impact of new technologies on teenagers but toddlers also have access to a wide range of multiple media. I note, with wonder and concern, that the pre-schooler in the café using mum’s Smartphone is becoming a distinctly savvy consumer.   Long-term research on the effects of the use of digital devices and how they may shape the developing brains of small children is inconclusive. Despite any concerns parents might have, technology is not only here to stay but is progressing at an alarming rate.   My favourite Australian companies creating aps for children include: Giggle Kids  for littlies and Blue Quoll  for my older nieces and nephews who love the l