Letters To The Editor

Mom enjoyed debate and she used to say to me "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword."

Some of the titles of her printed Letters to the Editor with her "Nom de Plume" when used:

Commercial Broadcasts "Present at Meeting"
The Paradox of the Easter celebrations remains a source of wonder
This time cuckoo made a mistake
Prefers half-clean milk to pasteurized milk "Not Don Quixote"
There is no excuse for drinking "Let's Face It"
("When I signed myself "Ex-smoker and Drinker" I find it strange the printed letter should be signed "Let's Face It"" she commented)
Fireworks on Union Day suggested "Pro Patria"
The Butcher Bird is an accomplished mimic
Keeping warm
Invitation to wholesome entertainment "Clean Fun"
The segregation of non-smokers in cinemas suggested "Also Non-Smoker"
("My face was rather red over the "Also Non-Smoker" one because they printed Florida, where we only have one cinema! I went and apologised to him, because I signed "West Rand" the pertinent paragraph "I asked if he (the local cinema manager) would not be the one to lead the way, but his reply was: "I'm no leader, ma'am." Why not one of the more courageous cinema managers try it out?"")
Spray early and save the lives of the polinators
The highveld needs the right trees
('This letter had very interesting results, a Headmaster of one of the Johannesburg (I did not catch the name) schools phoned to say he would use the poem in his remarks at a tree planting ceremony to be held at the school that afternoon. I wrote and told Mr Baker (Richard St Barbe Baker) about it and we have corresponded, on and off, ever since." - poem "Harm Me Not" in another entry)
Children taught that Bible is ridiculous
Feeling inferior? - climb a tree
A fat housewife's dream of how to lose 20lb "Plump"
The pigeon could not get a drink
Woodman, spare those trees "Disgruntled"
"Horrible" from passenger's point of view "Pro Right Hand"
A repulsive habit "Onlooker"
(About smoking in the cinema)
Anticipating Spring
Man was given dominion over the animal kingdom "Grateful"
Honouring the aged "Disgusted"
They Planted Trees and Down Came the Rain
Trees Benefit Us in a Hundred Ways
If the story of Adam is not true, why was there a need of a Christ? "Veritas"
The "freaks of nature" are not forerunners "Veritas"
Pushing Sahara Back also Our Responsibility

Some of her comments written aside cuttings and copies:
"The "Religion" Editor of the "Star" is very sticky and seems to deliberately block any effort to introduce any "Mormon" doctrine into my letters, he just cuts those bits out"
"I objected to the Editor's remark at the end of my letter, so wrote the second one... he phoned me about it and we agreed to leave things as they were."
"I must admit that it is probably just as well that the Editor does eliminate much of what I write or I would most likely have been lynched or sent int "90 days detention" many times!"
"Oh, well, we all make mistakes!"
"I wrote to Mr Wood of Evolution Protest Movement and received some very interesting literature from him - very close to Mormon Doctrine."
"I wonder now why I never rose to this bait?"
"Round about this time someone had written in complaining about the way in which the Editorial Staff cut letters to pieces, printed "This letter has been shortened" or just rejected them without any explanation, so I guess the Star decided to show people why their letters were rejected! (There is her letter with the pencilled editorial comments stuck in the scrapbook) I "got the message". Maybe someday I will make time to rewrite this and see if I can make it acceptable. What is extraordinary is... I thought I had sent (original copy) in to "The Star"! I must have posted rough copy by mistake - or what?"

Loyal and firm in her opinions and causes was my mother!