The Care Package

IN ROOM 1 WE HAVE BEEN LEARNING ABOUT CARE PACKAGES

We have been learning about Care Packages. We know some of the useful products that were sent to the soldiers to cheer them up and to help them have something appetizing to eat.

We are learning about Care Packages. Here were some of our ideas
                                              Include a mixture of items as: 
- - personal hygiene items such as toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shaving cream, razor blades, razor; 
- - reading material such as magazines, paperback books, hometown newspapers, joke books; 
- - mind challenging items such as puzzles, crosswords, riddles, deck of playing cards; 
- - hard candy (something that won't melt) 
- - chewing gum 
- - combs; 
- - homemade cookies; 
- - notepads, pencils that have erasers, non-mechanical pencil sharpeners;

                                                             

This is what we learnt about the school children at the time. They learnt to knit so they could make small articles of clothing to send to the troops i.e finger less gloves and socks.

Auckland schoolchildren making clothing for the British and Belgian Relief Fund and New Zealand troops serving overseas, July 1915.

Making comforts for the soldiers was one of the ways children were encouraged to help the war effort. They knitted and sewed socks and scarves to keep soldiers warm at the front, wrote letters, and sent care packages to ‘lonely’ soldiers, ex-pupils of their school and other local men serving overseas. The children said from our 1915 classroom said

"We are busy sewing for the soldiers in our spare time and have also learnt to knit, so we are knitting scarves. Of course we are not very quick at it yet, so perhaps the war will be over by the time we get them finished.

I have done a little knitting for the soldiers, and must get some more wool. My first sock was not very elegant, but my third was lovely. I can keep even now. It’s such fun knitting one’s first sock. ‘Do you think it’s long enough mum?’ ‘Is that heel alright?’ ‘How do you taper off a toe?’ Until I’m sure mother must have been tired of her daughter’s industry."

Here are some pictures of the school children in 1915 knitting and sewing for the troops overseas. They might of sent their works to a friend of the family or a family member or a soldier that they knew was feeling lonely.