The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)(about) |
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Tuesday 25 July 1939
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German Children Make Their
Home in Melbourne
Yesterday afternoon 17 "new little Australians," who had arrived in
the Orama, settled into their new home, and met their future
teachers at the Balwyn State school, where they will begin their
studies to-morrow.
These German Jewish children have
come to Australia under the auspices of the Australian Jewish Welfare Society which has provided a charming home for them at Larino in Maleela avenue Bal-
wyn
This property was bought by the hus- band of a member of the women's auxili- ary two days before it was to have fallen under the auctioneer's hammer for demoli- tion sale. The society is renting the property from the owner and members of the women's auxiliary have been working for some weeks to furnish and decorate
it
The result is charming fresh, and com- fortable. The spacious rooms have many windows which look out on lovely vistas and the dormitories for the children have been decorated in fresh pink and green shades with striped bedcovers and coloured bedside mats. The hangings are of rich but simple materials which enhance the beauty of the design of the lofty rooms.
The rooms include a playroom for the children on the ground floor where there is also an isolation room in case of sick- ness. Four bathrooms with hot and cold water, numerous bedrooms and a delight- ful dining-room where the furniture is stained a deep beech leaf red with golden yellow mats on the table
In One Class
The seven boys and ten girls are not
looking forward with great enthusiasm to school and begged for one day to see Melbourne before beginning. When the head master explained that arrangements were being made for them all to be in one
class with a special teacher for a week they politely considered the matter "On that account we will come on Wednesday " they decided
The children only one of whom (Rich- ard) can speak English, have perfect manners bowing low when introduced and saying Auf wiedersehen' gracefully on parting. They spent the afternoon unpack- ing and carefully hanging up their clothes in the special low cupboards which have been provided for them
Four of the girls, Edna, Ellen, Traute, and Margot share a room because they are all friends and the object of the auxiliary is to make the home as much like a real home for the children as possible.
A staff of four Australians will care for the children whose ages range from 7 to 12 years Most of them have been parted from parents who are still in Ger- many, and as the secretary of the A J W S (Miss F Barkman) left Larino yester- day afternoon she carried in her bag dozens of letters to parents to tell of safe and happy arrivals.