Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

“KEEKO”

Date

1947

Materials

PAPER, CARDBOARD, INK

No. Pieces

1

Height

1

Length

30.5

Width

23

Description

HARDCOVER CHILDREN’S BOOK, “KEEKO BY CHARLES THORSON”. COVER DEPICTS A YOUNG BOY SLEEPING AGAINST A TREE, WEARING A FEATHERED HEADDRESS AND SURROUNDED BY FOREST ANIMALS. INNER TITLE PAGE READS "KEEKO - STORY & PICTURES BY CHARLES THORSON - WILCOX & FOLLETT CO., CHICAGO. COPYRIGHT 1947". INNER ILLUSTRATIONS ARE BLACK AND WHITE. COVER HAS WORN CORNERS AND MINIMAL OVERALL WEAR.

Subjects

TOY

Historical Association

LEISURE

History

THIS BOOK BELONGED TO THE DONOR, JUDY ROBINS, WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG CHILD. IN CORRESPONDANCE PROVIDED TO GALT MUSEUM COLLECTIONS TECH KEVIN MACLEAN IN APRIL 2013, ROBINS DESCRIBED HER CHILDHOOD IN LETHBRIDGE AND HER CONNECTION TO BOOKS. SHE SAID, “I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED BOOKS, EVEN AS A YOUNG CHILD. I WAS BORN IN 1945; THERE WAS NO TELEVISION IN LETHBRIDGE UNTIL 1955/56, CJLH CHANNEL 7, SO READING WAS GREAT FUN AND ENTERTAINMENT, AND THESE BOOKS ARE DIFFERENT TO THOSE PUBLISHED FOR CHILDREN NOW… MY DAD CHESTER ROBINS AND MY MOM HELEN (NEE LEA) ROBINS WERE BOTH BORN IN LETHBRIDGE; MY DAD HAD ONE BROTHER, GEORGE, AND MY MOM HAD ONE SISTER, LORRAINE ‘LAURIE’ (NEE LEA) MASKELL. EVERYONE LIVED IN LETHBRIDGE AT THAT TIME, INCLUDING GRANDPARENTS: MY NANA, JESSIE LEA, AND DAD’S PARENTS, FRED AND DOROTHY ROBINS. WHEN I WAS BORN, DAD AND HIS FATHER FRED OPERATED ROBIN’S PRINTING. UNCLE HAROLD MASKELL WAS THE MASTER BUTCHER AT THE ORIGINAL SAFEWAY STORE ON 6TH ST SOUTH. MY AUNTIE LAURIE GAVE ME BOOKS FOR BIRTHDAYS AND CHRISTMASES FROM THE TIME I WAS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD, INCLUDING THE FUZZY WUZZY BOOKS I AM GIVING TO [THE GALT]. I WAS THE ONLY CHILD IN THE FAMILY AT THAT TIME, AND LAURIE AND HAROLD NEVER HAD CHILDREN. EVERY YEAR IT WAS EXCITING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT BOOKS SHE MIGHT CHOOSE FOR ME. BY THE TIME I WAS ABOUT FIVE, AUNTIE LAURIE AND UNCLE HAROLD WERE LIVING IN WESTVIEW, ON THE BC COAST NEAR POWELL RIVER, NORTH OF VANCOUVER. NONE OF THE FAMILY HAD EVER MOVED AWAY FROM LETHBRIDGE BEFORE; I REMEMBER THAT IT SEEMED STRANGE THAT THEY NOW LIVED FAR AWAY… AUNTIE LAURIE CONTINUED TO SEND ME BOOKS EVERY YEAR… [THE BOOKS COMPRISING THIS DONATION, P20130006001 AND P20130006002) WERE GIVEN TO ME BY AUNTIE LAURIE FROM 1945 TO 1950. LONG BEFORE I COULD READ, I REMEMBER MOM, AND NANA WHO LIVED WITH US, AND AUNTIE LAURIE READING THEM TO ME OVER AND OVER, AND HOW I ALWAYS TOUCHED THE FUZZY PICTURES OF THE FEATURED ANIMALS. LEARNING TO READ WAS ENHANCED BY THESE MUCH LOVED BOOKS, AND THE WONDERFUL PICTURES IN THE BOOKS STUCK IN MY MIND.” FOR FURTHER INFORMATION SEE PERMANENT FILE.

Catalogue Number

P20130006002

Acquisition Date

2013-04

Collection

Museum

Less detail