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by BRIAN WINTER Staff Writer For I17 of hier 20 years ini XVlitby Mrs. Berta Hosîîar, of Elizabeth Crescent, lias been writing clildren's stories for varions church magazines ini lier spare time. L"st Juîîe she collected 10 of lier stories into a book for the first tinie, wlîen one of her children's teacliers and a number of friends suggested she should. The resuit is Stories By The Fireside, a collection of six Christmas stories, two Easter stories anîd two stories of a general nature, whiclî is being distributed across Canada by a firm in Rexdale. Stories By The Fireside is a family affair for Mrs. Hosmer, for* her brother-in- law illustrated the book, lier younger sister and lier husband did the editing and lier hus- band Albert. Hosmar, a char- tered accountant in Oshîawa, helped arrange the business side of the book. The stories, wvriten for children aged five to 1 2, have ail previously been publisbied in magazines issuied by the Clîristian Reformîed Cliurch from a pnblishirîg bouse in Grand Rapids, Michiganî. 1I"n lier 1, 7 years of writing.,, Mrs. Hosmnar lias sent both adult and d hildren's articles t. The Baniner, a magazine for aduIts,, Insigbit, a youthi paper; and Toucli, a girl's magazine, ail publisied by thie Christian Reforned Chutrcli ;and Calvan- ist Contact, a magazine ptub- isbed in Hamniltoni, Onitario. Mrs. l'osnîar says suie trys to briuîg oui. tie Cliristian message inu lier stories, but does not airn theni at any one denomination. Her stories have a mor-al bebiind, tbiem but sie doos not helieve in preaching to children. Many of. her cliildren's stories started oui. as stories for hier own four clildreni, iîow aged severi to 17, or for a Sunday Scbool class wbiich she tauglît in Whitby for five years. For inspiration, Mrs. Hosmar draws on the exper- iences of hier childreni, thieir friends and tries to get inside their lives. Once sile lias a plot, she finds tile stories easy to write, one by hand and tlen publicati *' u. Fier uutp! t1 two stories a and can write ini two lours type t for bas varied trou» îiunth to six stories ai year. depending on bier tau>ily obligations. Mrs. I Iosnar is a versatfile writer, lbaviuig pu blislied fiction and uiou-tictioniltor aduîts anîd clîildrenî, as well as a s 1), wt ry. Malta Social Club plans culture centre The Malta Social Club plans to lease a five-acre parcel of Camp X from the Town for development of a Whitby International Cultural Centre for social fonctions, recreational activities and office space for use by various groups and members of the public. Club president Larry Sacchett told members of the operations committee recent- ly tlîat the club would under- take the developmneut in three stages over a perio4 of eighit years ai littie or no() xpouise to the taxpayers. The first stage wuuld lake two years and would invulve the construction of the base' ment and first fluor ofthtle centre. Tlîe next two-year stage would see the club emnbark on a landscaping and property improvemnent prograrn. The third stage, expected to take four years, would invulve construction of a hall for social functions, a gym'- nasiuni for rccreatioiîal activi- tics and space for offices. According to Mr. Sacchet t, thie plan would bo subjeci. tu the needs of the environmient and the avaiiability if fonds tron> sliaroholdcrs. lotteries and governîuîînt grants. Renovations are under way at Whitby Arts Station A nurnber of' renovai.iouus are Linder way Ibis l'aIl ai. tie Whitby Arts Stationi Gallery ai. Henry and Victoria Streets. Tbruugh the support of the memrbers, a Town of Whitby grant ut'S,$800, arnd a possible Wintario grant, the station will be gei.iing a inuchi- uîeded facelift ,wbiich includes exterior painting, repairs and re carpe t i ng The building lias not been painted since it was nîoved froinits old location and established as a gallery in 1970. The gallery gifi. shop will have a new location this fali. Special display cases wilI be located near the entrance where crafts aund other inter- estirig items will be available during gallery-hours. "lie former gil't sbop roomi xill ho coiivertod jilo an office and resource I ibrary. This roui» vas originially tlîc ladies' waiuing room wMien the art gallery served as a riîway station. Renovations outhle 192911 box car priu>t sbop are ncaring counpletioui. Txvo round bubble-shapcd windows hiave becu> cur iii thie west side ut' the car and musi. ut' tîhe exterior anid iuterior wvork lias- been conîplcted lu con- vert it into an etcbing and ithography studio.. The nexi. step is to IîP the studio and plans are under way tu bave t in operation ini a few uuouîtls. Local artisi. Nick Novak is in charge of arranging the studio. About 20 of hier poemns hiave becu> publisliec, and ini 1 972 soie of tlîem were broadcast on Radio H-olland to counitries iii Europe. Sinice Mrs. Hosmiar was 1ornii i llolland, sie lias a continuing iii terest ini the people of lier native country. On one occasion shie wrote a series of' articles on farnous iCanadian womien in the Dutcbi language l'or the Calvanist Contact, to acquaint Dutcli immigrants with thîe Iistory of their adopted country. Altbougb chlildreni's fiction is lier favorite medium, Mrs. Hosmar has written a number of articles for adUlts based on interviews or personal experiences. Two of ber articles concenitrated on the lives of a resident of the mien's hostel iii Oshîawa, and a 1-luugarian refngec. An article, publisbied in thîe August 1976 issue of' The Banne r, deals itl thec lonli- IîOss of a frieîîd slie knew~ froni cbiildilioo i in I lolland. aur! recenf ly visi ted ai te r 20 years in Canada. > 'You have to nîcet and miix \vi[b people to get inispir- ai ion tor plots, says NIrs. Ilusuiar. AI tliougli slîe kee w aIl lier publislbed works ini scrap)- books, MIrs. I losniar is no i certain ut' wlat li total h terary outpt jn as becîi Slîe estimates diat slie lias wvritu.eii7.5 w 100 articles fo r t lio va r ions ('lhrist ian Reformied C('li n iîagaý.nes. One out M rs. II lsr particLilar interests is the nmentally retarded. One ut' lier storjes in lier book is Liberals hold corn roast Sept. 18 The'lîe ie rilAssociation uof thie Fedoral Ridfing ut' On tario wvill I ol d ils a nimiuai co rn ruast Sepieunher 1IX8 at 1 lie I lamer l'arrni, norti ot' downtowvn Wliiî y un lliglmuay 12. 'lhe o c iî ous t. whi cli w ill likeîy ho ai euded by Ontario Ridig M.P. Norni ('tf'ik, begins ai 7 p.mî. For firilier infotrmation and tckets, callI mîîl Liglit' 'done ai. 839-3405. WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8,1976, PAGE -15 about' a inentally retarded child, and shie has worked as a volttnteer f'or four years at the s1-,,oo1 for the rnentally retarded ai. St. Mark's United Churcb. itý's entertainment* Stories for church magazines becomne new children' s book NI TY Kent county -Pickers' Next Week: Mike Roberts KA RL IN H()TEL- .394 SI MCOF SOUTI 1 "EXOTIC DA PJCER,#" DAILY FROMý,qq2N' S 'S!îc lias written ai. leasi tour stories on this subjeet, twi ot' whicli were lfor adilts, -nd recently completed a course vii early childhood educa tion for the mlenta]ly re tarder a t FHumber College. "I take a positive approacb to men tally rctardedchildren", says M is. I lusinar. "They caui still Icarn. Onîe sbould pr-aise thein flor wha t they can do and niot look at what they cannot do". Although one editor once said somne ot ler stories were realistic enongh, Mrs. I losmnar says she likes her children's stories to. have happy endirigs. "They want stories that make tbem feel good", she says, pointing out that her children did flot like one story she tried with a sad ending. Although inost of lier writings have been short stori-ýs, Mrs. Hlosmnar once wrote a flive-part adventnre se rial, she has hopes of writing a larger book of children's stories in the future, "but the famnily cornes firsi.", she emphasises. About 1,550 copies of Stories By The Fireside have been prîn ted, and M rs. I losinar's distribuior expeets thon> H!,,selIwelI durinig the ('brisinias season. Already there bave boeen orders trou> several provinices iii Canada, and a mnmber ot' the books bave bceii, sent tu relatives iii Ilollmnd. -Stories l3y' The Fireside is (>11 sale locally a i\ Middle- iuuî's Book Store anid ScipÎ)tIu-re >rSS in Wlitby, and fic le('assîcs IBook Store anid S.aywell 's in Oshazwa. On satin rday a itI10: 30 a.1 Mis. I losmiar will bo guest speaker au.tle Wbitby Public Library's children's story hour, where she will be rcad- ing sorne oflber stories. THE FIN EST IN VARIETY SHOW BANDS LOCKERBIE Heads Up! Summer's Here Summer slump? It's time "f. to climb out. We have the boosters. Shape-up Dcials. Conditioner. lor. Cut. Look cool as reeze. LA CONTESSA BEAUTY LOIJNGE 119 Greçn St. 668.?9262 spe col( With her seven-year-old daughter Joyce at left, and 1 0-y ear-old son Ronald at right, Mrs. Berta Hosmar enjoys a quiet moment reading some selections from her new book, Stories By The Fireside. The book of 10 children's stories is available at local book stores, and Mrs. Hosmar wilI be guesi. speaker at the Wlitby Public Library's story hour Saturday. Free Press Photo MALTA SOCIAL CLUB (Durhamn Regioni) requests the pleasure of your company for ou r' Mm nl aila Pageant SATURDAY, SEP)TEMBER 18th, 1976 6:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Si'. GREGORY'S AUDITORIUM Simcoe Street North, Oshawa Featuring the Impc'riil- 'For Further Information Phone: 668-8908 668-6727 mogl_.. enhýhW,., affl% 1 1 :