IN SEARCH OF OLGA ERNST

Took the 3 drafts on the train. Meeting Helen for our celebratory NAPLAN luncheon, usually somewhere swanky. Forgot to watch for her and did a keystone cops, both jumping out at Blackburn, waving and running towards each other, realising we wouldn’t make it and jumping in carriages to repeat again at the next station.

The Press Club was uppity and officious and we were crammed in last year so although the Langham was a tad marbled and fountain conscious it was friendly, the food bite-sized and delectable. Sushi, srilanlanish, seafood wonderland and yummo salads. On the train so the $22 all you can drink deal seemed fine - well a glass was $10.00 so we made sure we drank at least 3.

There are drafts and copies of at least ten stories, one or two such as the ‘Tale of Two Cities’ and ‘An argument for Shakespeare in Schools” which seem to be essays written while at Teachers College or completing her B.A or M.A and others that can be linked to beginnings of stories in her second book the Magic Shadow Show.

In folded papers in the Shoebox I discovered a draft and parts of a neatly written copy of the ‘Tragedy of Little Souls’ published in the Magic Shadow Show. While this is not a thorough analysis, it is a beginning of a comparison between the three documents that may eventually lead to a more comprehensive analysis of Ernst’s style, motives and where to place her in literary history.

The first document is obviously a draft of the final paragraph but it I interesting as it contains a synopsis, scribbled out in double flowing undulating lines but easily readable and pointing to the moral in each of the tales in the MSS. It also suggests that some of these stories may have begun as essay tasks.

Synopsis: To prove that it is better to be noble in little things than little on noble things.
Underneath is scribbled the second last paragraph of the published narrative, only minor changes having being made from the draft to the final work. The replacement of ‘conventional duty’ with conventionalities changes to a more sophisticated sentence structure.
On the reverse of this page is the beginning or perhaps a science experiment or scientific report with the words ‘Pressure of Liquids varies’ which may enable a dating for this writing to be made by checking her Teachers College Subject Card. There are also some Latin words ‘Omnibus Lactases’ and underneath the translation ‘To all are you happy’.

The second neatly written and margined copy is also named ‘The Tragedy of Little Natures’; the MMS version has been changed to ‘The Tragedy of Little Souls’.

Changes:
1. Description of the spiders: big black fellow/a little brown one to - large and black/little and brown. This gives a sense of equality to each of the participants and is almost written in a childlike story-like description of character. In the end both spiders achieve contentment.
2. Geometric skill – to – geometric correctness – More formal?
3. Web is crossed out and changed to trap - back to web in published version perhaps some readers will be confused at the difference between trap and web
4. Commas incorrectly placed quite often -in a style aimed at pausing the reader, to reflect? Or perhaps Ernst’s writing style
5. And a dust covered – to – and hence to a dust covered - More formal?
6. I must make a complete catch, but have a complete web - to - I must make a complete catch, but keep a complete web
7. He saw the moth flying – to - He saw the moth now flying – changing the tense for effect

There are not many editorial changes from drafts to manuscript but it does seem as if Ernst is trying to make the language more formal, use her words to maximum effect and engagement of the reader. There is an element of faction in this tale, as she teaches her reader a little about spiders as well as using them as a metaphor for her message.

True greatness, Ernst suggests, is making a bold leap towards a goal, ignoring trivialities in a selfish quest to glory. Reverting to her original title (editing error or purposeful?) she comments that the little nature hasn’t gone forward. However, she proposes that both are contented with their result although the outcomes are different.

The clue that she sees herself as the small little brown spider and is a little soul is in the very last paragraph.
However, let us be thankful for the sake of quiet people like myself, that all are not ‘great souls.’’

There is probably a full chapter in the analysis of the draft works.

Kevin from the Tivoli Club, the 2nd oldest club in Melbourne - begun after the Melbourne Club. They have no records surviving. Club Rooms returned after WW1 but not so kind after WW2. Many records lost, borrowed and forgotten - they are on a hunt for the 1st Minutes Book before their 150 anniversary.
He did ask in the Club for any recollections but no-one remembered the book. He has a name for me, Dr. Stanley who knows most about the German society in Melbourne in the 1880s. I hope he calls back.

Maureen Fowler allowed me to spend some time going through the Council Minutes - carefully saved by someone from 1928 and bound. The Minutes begin from Johanna’s first Council Meeting and continue after she retires for another 5 years. Exciting to see her name in the book and see some of her character shine through.

Johanna Maria Olga Straubel was born of German parents in 1860 and lived in Bridge Road, Richmond. Her three children were successful, Olga Ernst writing one of Australian’s early fairytales, ‘Fairytales from the land of the Wattle’ at the age of 16 in 1904; Elsa Ernst becoming one of the first women superintendents of a North Carolina women’s prison and Hans Ernst, a renowned inventor and engineer in Cincinnati.

Johanna was admitted to training 1878 and was appointed a pupil teacher in 1878. She became a licensed teacher of drawing in 1880 and was considered a ‘moderate teacher, girlish, amiable character’ by Inspector Gladman in June of that year. He also comments that her suffering from bad eyes has meant she missed considerable time in the previous term.

By 1884, her reports indicate that her management skills have improved considerably in four years and that she ‘teaches in an intelligent manner’. In the last report before she resigned in 1886, she is ‘caring, has good command and good teaching powers.’

Johanna met and married a German chemist Theodor Ernst in 1887. Apparently she was very beautiful and was often ‘Belle of the Ball’ within the large German community in Melbourne.
I have contacted the Tivoli Club, the 2nd oldest club in Melbourne and unhappily they have little but have directed me to a Dr. Stanley who is a historian with information on the Early German Community.

This is the notice of the engagement or wedding. This indicates the importance of the item, kept carefully with Ernst’s papers and memories. I am having it translated.

Three children Olga, Elsa and Hans were born, living above their chemist shop in Brunswick k Street, Fitzroy. Tragedy struck in 1894 when Theodor died and although Johanna struggled to keep the shop viable by appointing a manager in 1898 she found it necessary to write to the Department to beg for her job back.

Before marriage she’d taught for about seven years but on her return to the Department she was relegated to the bottom of the pay scale. With three children, on the beginning teacher’s wage, life was difficult. Johanna’s granddaughter Helen Dixon recalled that her mother had told her that sometimes they’d have one egg between the four of them.

Johanna was a fairly quiet and retiring person but prepared to speak up if she believed it was important. Olga, her daughter, told Helen that once Johanna went to a Teachers Conference once and all the men were saying women didn’t need as much pay as a man as women didn’t have to support a family. Grandma, who was a tiny woman stood up and said with much feeling ‘I do.’

Johanna had requested she be sent to the inner suburbs where she had family support but she was sent to Wandiligong.

Later she went to Wormangel, (1895 classified as V11) a one-teacher school where she was Head Teacher. It was closed on the 30th September 1903. Inspector reports on her teacher records indicate that she is now a ‘steady, painstaking, earnest teacher who uses as a rule approved methods. Pupils are well behaved and attentive to their lessons.’

Note: tree branches and foliage and always a cat

Johanna was then transferred to Scoresby where her teaching records indicate she was at schools part time: Lysterfield and Scoresby, driving a horse and buggy between the schools in all weathers.

Some-one with foresight bound and preserved the copies of the Scoresby Primary School Minutes allowing us to have a glimpse into her from her first meeting on Friday December 15th 1911 to her final Council Meeting before her retirement in 1915.

Present at this meeting was Mrs. Alice McEarchern, Messers George Haig, Henry A Preston, William Foster, Edward Dix, James Cunningham and Philip Commons and of course the new Head Teacher Mrs. O. Ernst. Johanna was known as Olga, using her second name.

Johanna led the meeting informing them that they needed to appoint a chairman and a correspondent and Mr. Preston was unanimously appointed.

From Helen’s anecdotes and the meeting minutes we can assume that Johanna was not pleased that Scoresby was a part-time school as it meant she had to travel by buggy between Scoresby and Lysterfield; quite a distance in all weathers.

Those first Minutes show that the following resolutions were made which showed her determination to change this arrangement:
1. That strenuous efforts be made to restore Scoresby to the list of fulltime school (sic)
2. That the H.T. be requested to obtain from the department a list of State Schools (if any) with a smaller attendance than at Scoresby and classified fulltime.
3. That a list be compiled of the names of the children of school age within the Scoresby School district whose parents intended to send them to the Scoresby School In January 1912
4. That the parents of those children who attended the Lysterfield School and resided near scoresby be asked if they would prefer sending their children to Scoresby if made fulltime and with some allowance for conveyance to retaining them at Lysterfield on half time.

Unfortunately for Johanna, on the meeting of Friday 26th January 1912, she had to report that the department would not give the names of schools with a small attendance allowed to open fulltime but assured her that if an average of 16 were secured the school may be made fulltime.

The chairman had also done his research and believed 24 children would attend in January and there were another 11 of school age not yet prepared to attend. Mrs. McEachern had also been busy visiting some of the Lysterfield parents with no success, as they would not agree to the proposal that their children be sent to Scoresby. However by 10th June 1912, Scoresby had become fulltime.

Inspector reports at this time show that Scoresby had gained a Head teacher who took a great interest in school duties, and was very successful with higher classes and kept the school room is very good order.

Inspection reports sometimes contradicted each other. On 12 June 1912, Mr. Armitage felt her powers of organization and her teaching just fair and marred by lack of concentration and continuity. Less than 10 months later Inspector Betheras (22nd of April 1913) reported that she had a ‘sympathetic disposition – ‘she does all she can for the good of the scholars. She keeps the schoolroom in very good order. The discipline of the school is good.’ He gave a further glowing report in March of 1914 but his report in October is not as positive. She resigned two months later, which creates some questions about her health, happiness and reaction to the anti-German sentiment that was vocalized by some parents.

He comments she had not taken sufficient care in regard to the cleanliness and ventilation of the schoolroom. He acknowledges that she has done a good amount of work during the year, but chastises her for not always following the Course of Instruction, not being mindful of the Inspector’s recommendations and his assessment is that she has barely reached the standard of fair.

The minutes may correlate with some of the sentiments:
October 18th 1912
Granted to the Head Teacher Mrs. Ernst and the School Council permission to hold an annual picnic on November 5th.
10th May 1913
A letter was written to the Department about a large crack in the wall of the school. This indicates Johanna was concerned about the upkeep of the school. October 15th 1913, the School Council wrote again about the crack and finally on November 6th 1913 received a reply deferring the repairs for some time to come.
16th July 1913
Permission was granted for an Arbor Day to be held on 1st August 1913. Mr. George Blood was thanked as he had given a case of apples.
A later history suggests that apple sorting and packing classes were held at Scoresby but not during Johanna’s time.
Each member if the Committee agrees to give 3/6 for the toys and Mrs. Ernst. Johanna purchased the toys perhaps with an awareness of the difficulties of providing toys for her own children when times were hard.
October 15th 1913
Johanna’s generosity is illustrated when we look at the handwritten balance sheet for the School Concert. Her wages were not high. After ticket sales there are some donations listed: Mrs. Ernst 6p; Mr. Preston 5/-; Mr. Garth 2/6.
January 20th 1914
Mr. Foster and Mr. Again move that the SS contribute 10/- to the District Picnic.
Mr. Hesken is being asked to build an out office for the teacher’s residence.
And at the meeting on the 31st January, Mr. D reports that Mr. Hesken has agreed to build the out office. With the school growing this is an interesting addition.
June 20th 1914
The committee agreed that Mrs. Ernst should get the children to collect funds for Arbor Day and this should be used to toys for the children. The games, if permission is given, will be held in Mr. Rowe’s paddock opposite the school.
July 14th 1914
The Council decides to change the meeting time to Saturday on or before the full moon at 8pm.
August 8th 1914
Finally a letter has been received from the Education Department stating that repairs would be done to the school. A wait of 2 years!
October 6th 1914
It is agreed that the money from the concert that is planned be handed to the Secretary for the Patriotic Fund at Ferntree Gully.
Of interest is the letter sent by the Council to Fred Bewsell asking for a written apology for his behaviour at the Scoresby Concert on the 3rd 1914, on or before the 19th to save further trouble. It is to be sent care of his father.

The Council also agreed that the Secretary should speak to Mr. Pickett and Mr. Ball about their boys fighting in the school ground.

12th December 1914
A list for a collection for a presentation to the retiring Head Teacher is agreed on and a gesture that indicates the Council preference for the new teacher. The Secretary will write to the Department of Education to request a male teacher. Four months later a married woman is appointed. Men are in short supply.

Lysterfield school was then opened in the grounds of Hynam Park and continued until 1912, when the building burned down. For nearly ten years Lysterfield was again without a school until about 1918. Classes were resumed in a small Church of England building in Wellington Road.

Not much happening this weekend. Writing reports - cancelled meetings with Mr Speagle and was going off to William Ricketts but B ill.

When I said to Helen that I wasn’t working at University of Melbourne this year, she looked aghast and said, ‘What will happen to Alice Hoy?’

I liked the idea that if I was not presenting my two hours a week - Inquiry Learning Workshop in the Alice Hoy Building the whole Uni structure would crumble.

The University of Melbourne has held a place in the history of Helen’s family for 3 generations.

Ernst attended Teachers College, completed her BA and MA.
‘She went to Melbourne Teachers College and I think, yes she was in residence there. They said at teachers college she was more suited to Secondary teaching and I think in her last year there she did some University subjects and finished the rest part time while then she was doing her last subject.’

I think after she finished her B A – she did her MA – when did she do her MA? Not sure…While she was teaching. She also taught history, geography and geology.

Alice Hoy and Professor Brown was at Teachers College with Ernst but I worked through all Alice Hoy’s papers over two sessions at the Uni Archives but found no mention. Certainly some interesting material for a historian to delve through! Her relationship with Professor Brown seemed somewhat strained.

By the time Helen Waller attended College, he was a Professor of Education. In her Dip. Ed year, Miss Hoy became Principal of the Secondary Training Centre, which later became the Secondary Training College.

Miss Hoy was not happy when Helen became engaged while still at Teachers College. In those days you had to take leave when you were married and became a temporary resulting in a drop down the pay scale.

When I got engaged I was just walking down the old Arts building and she said, “Ah Miss Waller I must congratulate you (very uppity voice used) but it is a loss to the Department.”

Helen’s (step) sister Elsa was an Assistant Librarian at Melbourne University. She began at the Chaucer library and bookshop, then moved to the Victorian Postal Service Library, which was a half floor over the sorting desk. She often bought books home to Helen. Elsa gained a scholarship to Library School in Sydney (during War – when the submarine was in the Harbour). Mr Lee Scott was the topic librarian (Professor of Germanic Languages) – and this was the job she worked at after library school.

It is obviously that Ernst retained strong links with the University. There was an exhibition of needlecraft at the University and a number of samples in the old dresser have labels from the Exhibition. Helen remembers Ernst loaning the samplers.

One says, Lent by Mrs. Olga Waller and E. Ersnt, grand-daughter of Agnes Heyne.
Another says, Set 2, early 19th century sampler cross stitch designs in wool and canvas, partially made by Agnes Heyne.

These are the threads that come to mind but, of course, they may change
or I might add:

* 1904 Essay on War
* aboriginal stereotypes in stories
* relationship with Adelaide cousins
* husband’s support of writing
* The Advanced School in Adelaide
* Other unpublished writings
* German heritage
* Relationship between the german lit and her stories
* letter themes
* impact of suicide/later selflessness
* effect of anti-german sentiment
* life in Brighton
* Life in Kalorama
* Red Cross
* Peace Movement
* Relationship with Uni Melbourne

SIBLING RIVALRY & ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Elsa was born on the 4th June 1890 . Olga was 18 months old. Hans was born in 1892 or 3?. By November 1894 their father had died, leaving Johanna (also known as Olga ) to raise 3 children under 6 on a beginning teacher’s salary.

How Johanna coped with the loss of her spouse and whether the experience of widowhood was shaped by gender, place and space is worth exploring. So heroic, that during the Flu Epidemic in 19? Olga volunteered to help those ill at the time through her Red Cross work emulating his actions.

How did the girls respond? Olga at 6 may have needed to take on babysitting duties with a 3 ½ year old sister and a 2 year old brother in extremely difficult financial times. Johanna was trying to keep the Chemist shop open with a manager. Olga would need to become quite responsible at an early age.

Johanna was frugal and careful with money. Working hard was both a necessity and a need. When Elsa left Tottenham Primary to leave for the US (check this is it school 2911 in Record) she was given a copy of the Mona Lisa. It resides in Helen’s downstairs bedroom and when Johanna lived with Olga after Johanna’s stroke it graced her bedroom. Helen commented that, ‘ Nanna hated the Mona Lisa and said she had such idle hands. A bit like Elsa! Aunt Elsa was a bit idle and dreamy.’ Is this a fair comment? There seems to be some competitiveness between the sisters than meaders through our interviews.

Reading between lines of tiny inky script in the records of the three Ernst women a glimpse of prevailing attitudes to women teachers and their personalities may be discovered. Comments on their health are also interspersed with references to the attributes of a ‘good’ woman teacher in the 1900s: docility, earnestness and their ability to be effective disciplinarians.

Dominie (obviously a pseudonym), in a Teachers World article (1915) eprinted in the Education Gazette (date?) argues that enlistment has produced a deficit of men teachers and that men who have not enlisted should be relieved of their teaching duties to undertake Headship. Strong discipline will therefore be maintained. He does acknowledge that many women are good disciplinarians but sometimes there is ‘something else’ that men have!

An article in the Horsham Times reports that a female doctor has been employed because men were involved in World War 1:
‘Many were not in favour of a lady doctor; it was decided to appoint Dr Laura Wierbut.
Women were able to take jobs normally the perogative of men: Head; Doctor as the war progressed and services were needed.

Johanna, at the commencement of her career is a ‘moderate teacher, girlish, amiable despite suffering from bad eyes and having some considerable time off in the previous term . On her resignation in 1886 she has ‘good command and good teaching powers’.

When she was reappointed on the 4th May 1897, two and a half years after Theodor’s death, subsequent inspections of her school (name?) mention her as ‘a zealous and fresh minded teacher, painstaking, industrious, getting better work than ever, to be commended for exceptional interest taken in improving the school, makes her pupils love their work. Her school would put to shame most schools in the district. . Olga and Elsa would have had a exceptional role model.

Mr. Gamble, District Inspector, comments in the Teaching Records of both Olga and Elsa and provides an opportunity to compare his perspective on the teaching skill of both girls as pupil teachers. He writes that Olga shows ‘fair promise’ but later remarks indicate she is not forceful enough and should try not to ‘fault find’ as a way of disciplining. Mr. Gamble also adds circumspectly, that he believes she may become useful in the school. Not a glowing beginning.

Elsa, on the other hand, as a Junior Teacher shows considerable promise, is earnest, zealous and docile and shows Mr. Gamble she has ‘powers of control’. She is a ‘bright young thing’ although not strong in body. Her later records talk about her nice quiet personality, her kindness and effectiveness.

Helen maintains there was a jealousy between her mother and Elsa created by the offer for Olga to take a secondary extension to her teacher training. Elsa was not considered good enough and went to Tottenham in 1915. It seems that she decided to keep studying despite the setback of being only deemed suitable for primary and chose experimental psychology.

UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE.
SPECIAL EXAMINATION, OCTOBER, 1918.EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY.
Passed.-E. Ii. Hodge, C. V. Cecil, Miss E.Ernst.

Elsa went to America after being quite ill with the Spanish Flu during the epidemic . She had been teaching in Victorian State Schools but she became quite ill. Uncle Hans , a renowned engineer who immigrated to Canada to join the Canadian Air Force (Australia didn’t have one) and then to the USA urged her to come and stay with him in order to miss out on the Melbourne winter.

Elsa continued studies in Psychology by studying at Harvard Univerity, definitely adding a perceived prestige to her qualifications beyond that of the Univerity of Melbourne. It must have rankled a little as Helen commented that this was a result of her not being chosen for secondary training. There is a need for women in this family to achieve and academia is prised above all.

Olga stayed with Ida and Laura Heyne, both skilled teachers (Johanna’s cousins) in Adelaide while studying at the Advanced School for Girls. Their sister Agnes Dorsch was also a teacher and the second woman graduate in arts from Adelaide University, remembered as being ‘big intellectually and culturally’. Six
Six of her nine children obtained university degrees and distinguished themselves with prizes and scholarships. She was a gifted mathematician and taught classics brilliantly. She coached even after she had retired.

It is suggested that Elsa stopped teaching because her hearing wasn’t good. She had become deaf at quite an early age after she’d had diphtheria, which they used to treat with quinine. It was probably most likely that the diptheria caused the hearing loss and not the quinine, although the family believed it was the treatment rather than the disease.

When Elsa visited Melbourne in 1932, Helen clearly remembers that she had a hearing aid which was as big as a handbag so she’d put it on the table and you’d talk into it . However after she retired and returned in 1958 she had one of the more commercial ones. Quite small.

In 1923, Elsa makes an appearance in a University play, performed by the Cornell Dramatic Club. In Bjornson’s “Love and Geography,” Elsa Ernst ‘23 is said to skillfully play the part of Helga Tygeson, the flapper daughter of the professor and his wife.
Elsa was obviously enjoying life in America and despite a last glowing report by H. Darton in 1918 commenting that she had a nice quiet personality, teaches thoughtfully and effectively and that her influences makes fir refinement and neat work. Were these traits that would find her as superintendent of a woman’s prison? In fact Olga was so incensed she sent a telegram: Return or Resign, Elsa promptly resigned on January 29th 1923.

Tracing her work in America is difficult but it is certain that she used her new qualifications to obtain positions working with young woman and ‘feeble-minded or subnormal child.’ Her first post was of psychologist in the State Institution for mental defectives in North Carolina. She was still there when she visited Olga and family in 1932. In an article written during her stay in Melbourne in the Women’s Realm section of the Argus she champions the training for teachers of mental defectives as needing to be the same as for all pupils plus additional training in the pedagogy and psychology of the sub-normal. She talks about transitioning higher grade people back in to community and maintaining a farm for those who need to remain in institutions. Elsa had spent some of her time in Melbourne contacting various Education Departments to have conversations about the establishment of Travancore and Janefield as a farm colony for adults. She emphaises that education may increase the ability of metally defective individuals to become independent members of society . With Olga’s persistence in finding purchasers for her books it is easy to imagine she would have been involved in this promotion of Elsa’s work. In America, Elsa also took opportunities to talk about her work where possible, an example being the Elsa Ernst, psychiatrist at Caswell Training who spoke on some phases of her work.

In Nicole Hahn Rafters’s book Partial Justice Ernst is named as one of the first female prison administrators who were educated and confident in their ability to manage institutions. Elsa was hired to head the North Carolina Reformatory in 1932 and it is mentioned that she studied psychology at Harvard University,

Her importance was not acknowledged within the family or perhaps Helen was too young to understand. Helen remembers that she worked with young women 18-20 year olds who’d been in trouble with the police and that it was a more responsible job as she was in charge of things, near Boston.

Elsa’s empathy and ability to formed lasting bonds with her charges is references in Sexual Reckonings , a book about adolescent girls coming of age in the South in the period from 1920 to 1960. Susan Cahn cites the case of seventeen year old Emma Suggs who wrote to Elsa after she’d served her time that ‘living at her aunts without any friends and no job made her very lonely and unhappy.’

Helen mentioned Elsa’s work at a boy’s farm and her job to testing people . Elsa found one boy who wasn’t retarded and quite brilliant and worked in a scientific field. His mother had died and his father remarried. After his father died, his stepmother remarried and Milton in the way. They claimed he was retarded and put him in the boy’s home.

Auntie wanted to adopt him but because she wasn’t married wasn’t allowed to but she took care of him – can’t remember his surname but his Christian name was Milton but when he grew up and married he called his daughter Elsa Margaret.

What was Elsa like? Her teaching reports show her as (get photocopy enlarged – can’t read) and Helen paints her as a mischevious figure. District Inspector Longhurn chastises her for not making herself acquainted with Departmental Instructions and she disappeared to America keeping her job open, much to Olga’s annoyance
annoyance. It was also rumoured that Elsa was sacked because she’d bungled the finances. Helen suggests that she certainly was hopeless with money but she claimed it was political interference.

After Olga’s husband William died Elsa came back from America to live with Olga. She became very possessive of Olga and thought she’d come back to boss her around, but of course it was the other way.

But she was fun, childlike and perhaps was the dreamer, the adventurer who crossed the Atlantic retaining a strong sense of social justice as Olga did. She needed to make a difference and when she wasn’t acknowledged in her home town she achieved it in another country. I’ll leave the last comment to Helen.

Well I’ll tell you something she taught us – we were going out walking – burrs, you know burrs, she showed us how to put them on our jumpers – rather naughty – in many ways she was sort –of like a child – she was great fun- she’d been an infant teacher and was a great storyteller.

Now after he had lived for sometime in this southern land, he saw a fair woman and when she smiled at his his whole soul was fi

Can examine/analyse Ernst’s attitude to romance, love and men from her stories, the letters and Helen’s anecdotes? There are chance meetings and the occasional description of herself in her tales. There are very few males in her fairytales (quite shadowy and perfect) but in Shadow Show men seem to monopolise the essays and females are given less starring roles. There are pieces of writing such as the untitled ‘Palace of Love’ (titled by me for referencing) that illustrate the ideal relationship.
 
Now after he had lived for sometime in this southern land, he saw a fair woman and when she smiled his whole soul was filled with worship and love for her and then came inspiration and the desire to work so that he cried out, “I will begin my masterpiece; it shall become beautiful and mighty work and I will call it the Palace of Love and the angel with the great dark wonderful eyes will live in it and be my Queen and no-one had ever enter there but only she.” She looked at (the completed palace) and said,” Yea, it is ever strong and its strength no beauty.” He repeated gently, “ Nay, my Queen, its beauty is its strength, come inside” [1]
 
This story is part of the contents of the shoebox and the handwritten draft of a story that was not part of the Magic Shadow Show.
It can be analysed in terms of male/female romantic expectations of the era:
Idealised woman on a pedestal (worship/ inspiration)
man as teacher, sage, protector – see the use of verbs such as ‘gently’

 
The ‘Palace of Love’ introduces us to the Ivy of Slander that may wrap itself around the pillars Truth, Patience and Faith. The wife is asked if she will ‘pull out ruthlessly any plant that grew here and give it to me? - The true and supportive wife, ever vigilant for something that might destroy the pillars (her husband?)
 
Ernst met William Waller after she was promoted to Melbourne High School. In the years 1914-16, she had completed her BA and published the Magic Shadow Show, a collection of philosophical mythologies. These writings often featured romantic and parent love. In 1918, while at Horsham she first caught a glimpse of William Waller. He was teaching at Stawell and she saw him in the distance when he was coaching the football team. She was in charge of the hockey/netball? With so many men at war, Waller must have cut a fine figure as she remembered him and repeated this to Helen in family oral history.
 
However, at the time he was a happily married man, with a daughter Elsa. He didn’t see Olga! His wife bore him a second child, a son. She died soon after and the baby contracted TB. Waller always believed the child had caught it from a nurse in Stawell. He was transferred to the Royal Children’s Hospital but died. Waller’s sister Jesse bought his daughter Elsa up for him in Rutherglen until he married Ernst in 1929.
 
Waller taught at Orbost, Rutherglen and Horsham and then gained a promotion to Melbourne High.
 
In 1920 Ernst obtained a position at Melbourne High and continued her studies obtaining her MA in 1922 while teaching History, Geography and Geology. Waller and Ernst met at Melbourne High some years later while it was under the direction of Joseph Hocking who did not allow boys or girls to meet.
‘Father was appointed to Scotch College as Senior English Master and he was there for 30 years. He died in 57 and retired in 51, (at 67) just before I was married. Melbourne High had this dragon of a headmaster Joe Hocking and he ruled no boys could speak to any girls and he had a big white line painted on the yard. Even brothers and sisters weren’t supposed to speak to each other. It didn’t apply in the staffroom.’ ‘He (Waller) was pretty sad but she (Ernst) cheered him up’[2]
 
Does Ernst place herself in her stories?
In the ‘Palace of Love’ the wife has ‘wonderful dark eyes’ –so does Ernst
In the Tragedy of Little Souls, (Magic Shadow Show) the narrator reflects
However, let me be thankful for the sake of quiet people like myself, that all are not ‘great souls’ – is Ernst quiet?
The original draft, ‘Tragedy of Little Natures’ does not have this reflection at the end of the story.
 
In Fairytales there is unselfish love and many obstacles placed in the way of love of the mainly female characters. [Worth exploring]
 
Another mention of love unrequited is in one anecdote of the life of the Wallers at Brighton when William is seen comforting a woman who has lost her fiancée and all her brothers during the war:
 
Another woman, (can’t decipher name!) Pollack was engaged and her boyfriend didn’t come home – he died and all her brothers. I remember seeing her lying face down and saying to dad, “I cannot stand it a moment longer’. I didn’t know at the time she was thinking of suicide. Dad said she would live with us. Children didn’t know such things then. They didn’t see adults cry.
A clue to William’s kindness and empathy, as he had also lost a wife and child.
 
Another chance meeting:
Helen and Henry’s also saw each other from afar years before they married! A family friend took Helen and her brother on a trip to Queenscliff on the ferry. When they reached the pier they were allowed to run up and down the pier to stretch their legs. At the end of the pier was a lady with three young boys. Helen remembered that one looked about her size and she went up to him. The lady gave them a lolly. When they got back on the ferry Helen was in a lot of trouble for accepting a lolly. After they were married Helen realised it was Henry as his mother would take the family to greet the ferry every time it berthed in Queenscliff.

 
 
 
Words: 1020

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[1] Shoebox Writings: the Palace of Love

[2] Helen’s Interview 2

Wondering if I’ll have enough time to write 8000 words.
Need to finish an article on Art for Toddlers and take some photos - forgot to get books from the library.

A day at PROV - the order for the Asylum Records which would give referring Doctor’s notes didn’t arrive - some mix up so they’ll have to wait until next holidays. However did request my grandfathers/ Inquest documents. I didn’t know they could be accessed before I began all this. He was hit by a falling drum from the top of a silo in high winds - 60 kg and falling 70 ft. My father was 8. He had been dropped at Sunday School and Frederick and his brother John were walking across the fields back home. A freak accident. A high wind. The woman who cried out in vain wasn’t heard - the wind masked her voice. All the half bits of stories I’ve heard are expanded through the documents. Truth and proof. I take photos. Now I am in a dilemma - the details are graphic and unsettling. Do I show my father, in his 70s? He was interested and would seem to cope outwardly. However his aunt has just died - maybe I’ll wait a little. Two ethical dilemmas -Helen and me - both Grandfathers.

Just thought of another link with Olga - somewhere back there my heritage is Austrian (or German). Two brothers by the name of Heil arrived from Austria (or was it Germany - the story has changed ) and settled in Geelong. The 2nd World War taught dad how to fight - he was constantly being goosestepped. ‘Heil Hitler.’ . He would just fight back. In the 70s when Dad visited Handorf, SA many of the shopkeepers asked if he were German.

Helen only knitted the German way and was too afraid until she got to Ringwood to knit on the train. Once she got on to the Belgrave line, she’d knit away ‘they were friendlier’ and sometimes asked her to show them how.

Johanna (Olga’s mother) resigned in 1915 as some of the parents were very mean to her. ‘Not all’ says Helen. Some were lovely. All is forgotten as her name and a written note from her is displayed on the Scoresby Primary website.

What else was there? Went back to Education Gazettes and looked for refs to Magic Shadow Show or Songs but nothing. The magazines are such delightful time wasters. I found a brilliant article about the importance of instructing students not to put coins in their mouths. It gave some intriguing scientific evidence to indicate if you did coins were better than notes.

How you should teach: The instruction was explicit and careful in the gazettes. The duty of care was a duty of instruction: morals, behaviours, etiquette. Olga instructs very carefully in all her books - by the end of each story the reader has learned a ‘truth’.
In the Fairy of the Vase the fairies of the vases are eager for ‘new stories’ and ignore the sage advice of one of the Baskets from China who tells them they should not talk to flowers as are quite boring as they only talk of common things: sunshine, dew and earth. When a sprig of wattle is placed on the mantle piece in each vase, and their fragrance fills the room much to the chagrin of the Candle one of the fairies challenges the wattle sprig and asks why she can only talk of these topics. The wattle sprig exclaims that these things are the meat and drink of life to the wattle and encourages the fairies to explore for themselves. They learn the lesson of the sunshine - happy contentment. Comments/beliefs of the older, wiser, authoritarian characters are questioned. Look for yourself. Seek. Appreciate nature and God given gifts.