 | From the Depression to the Ammunition Factory : teenage years in the 1930s and 1940s |
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Remembers the Winter Show; a special event, schools used to go as it was partly
educational.
Ngaruawhahia Regatta was something that was looked forward to.
"During the War of course there weren't a lot of things going on because most of the men were away"
Remembers Garden Place Hill being removed and the controversy, became a carpark.
Remembers with sadness the changes made to Hamilton West School.
Remembers Hilda Ross; mother knew her personally and she gave Dorrie a reference
when she went nursing.
Remembers the principals of the schools; Mr Fraser "Who everyone called Womp" who was principal of the Technical School. Remembers Hamilton High School
Principals Mr.Tate and Mr.Wilson.
Remembers Mr.Caro as Mayor. Was a treat to go to Caro's Bargain Store around
Christmas time to see the store as it had been decorated like a fairy land.
Always learnt the names of the prime ministers, weren't encouraged to read the newspaper and with no radio they didn't know much about them, as they got into their teens they learned more about them and had more interest.
During the war knew about international figures; Chamberlain, Churchill, Hitler, Mussolini.
A lot of rivalry between schools, used to sing rhymes "One we used to sing when we went to Hamilton East School `one two three West up a tree, four five six Catholics
in a fix, seven eight nine East every time', and of course when you change schools you change the rhyme too." A lot of sporting rivalry.
Politics was more important to older teenagers, due to the war. Younger children not encouraged to study current affairs.
Not many Maori families living in the area, went to school with Maori children, "We
never thought of them as being any different from us, they were just our friends."
Interested in them more than anything.
Had Maori people come every year with kumara and blackberries to exchange for clothes, became like friends. They came from the pas out of town, different from the
Maoris who lived in town who integrated well.
A few Maoris were involved in their church and social activities.
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