AustLit

'[The Children's Newspaper is] a newspaper written expressly for children. Its main purpose is to supply, in palatable form, the world's news carefully selected and edited, told in simple language and accompanied by appropriate explanations and references suited for children of both sexes.

'[The newspaper] is calculated to keep boys and girls up-to-date in their knowledge of important current events-to keep them abreast of current literature-to provide them with entertaining and instructive reading which will enlarge their minds, widen their sympathies, and interest them in the affairs of the great world around. As time goes on new features will be introduced as opportunity offers, so that we shall embrace all matters which enter into the child's life.

'All political and religious matter will be excluded, so that parents and teachers of all classes and shades of opinion may place the [newspaper] in the hands of even the youngest child without misgivings-feeling assured that, whilst our influences will always be on the side of what is good and noble and pure and true, polemical religious teaching, and political questions and opinions will find no place in our pages.

'In addition to its carefully selected news and its interesting comments on passing events [the newspaper] will contain specially written biographical sketches, fairy stories for the little folks, popular science articles, latest geographical information, children's poetry (selected and original), children's amusements, prize competitions.

'A special feature will be the original high-class illustrations.' (Vol. 1, no. 5, May 1899)

The issues include selected news from Australia and overseas, essay writing and general knowledge competitions, columns on history, geography, sport, French, stamps, science by 'Gossip', dressmaking, embroidery by Mrs Ernest Favenc, an editorial, a letters page and answers to correspondents. Published articles include readers' winning essays and letters and contributed poems and fiction. The newspaper is illustrated by black and white drawings and photographs.

The labour intensive nature of the newspaper contributed to the shortness of its life. The issues of November and January are much reduced with regular columns missing, the extra addition of advertising material and the unexplained absence of a serialisation. There was no issue for December, no 12 being January 1900.

The editor announced the cessation of the Children's Newspaper in the January 1900 issue: ' 'The Children's Newspaper has completed its trial year, and we have to announce to our numerous young readers that we cannot see our way to start another volume. The C. N. is only a comparatively small production, but small as it is, the tax on our editor's time has been too great, and even editors get wearied when they have too much work to do ...'