BLYTON (Enid Mary, 1897-1968, Children's author, Creator of Noddy)

Fine Autograph Letter Signed 'Enid Blyton' to Miss Clarke thanking her for her "kind & interesting letter. I am so delighted to hear of the excellent result you report. I have had many other letters repeating the same thing - in fact one teacher wrote to say that she & the rest of the staff (town school) had had the use of the school-house belonging to the teacher of the country school I had put her in touch with, for the Summer holidays, & had had a glorious time in the country. I would like to see the idea extended, but as I cannot myself undertake such a colossal personal correspondence as would be involved if the idea were properly worked out I wish T.W. would take it up. If you have time (I know what busy people teachers are!) would you write to the Editor of T.W. to tell him what you have told me and say what a boon an extension of the idea would be? Editors take such a lot of notice of their readers & are so glad to have personal letters! I really do think thousands of town schools would be glad to make friends with country schools ..", she then sends the address of a supplier of a "cheap aquarium ... He has them from about 2/- upwards. A good size is 3/6. Postage and packing are extra. ... Give my love to the children and tell them Bobs is almost too excited to send them barks - because his books have come today! He will tell the children about them next week. Dilly sends hugs & I send you my best wishes and thanks ...", 2 sides 4to., Old Thatch, Bourne End, Bucks, 21st September

Enid Blyton had trained as a teacher, completing her training in 1918 with distinctions in zoology and principles of education among other things. She worked as a governess to the architect Horace Thompson.
The BBC refused to broadcast her works from the 1930s until the 1950s because they were perceived to lack literary merit. Her books have been criticised as being elitist, sexist, racist, xenophobic and at odds with the more liberal environment emerging in post-war Britain, but they have continued to be best-sellers since her death in 1968. Blyton felt she had a responsibility to provide her readers with a strong moral framework, so she encouraged them to support worthy causes. In particular, through the clubs she set up or supported, she encouraged and organised them to raise funds for animal and paediatric charities.
Miss Olive Clark was a teacjer at the Little Green Lane School in Birmingham,

Item Date:  1933

Stock No:  39185      £375

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