June Sadie Epstein (29 June 1918,

Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

– 9 July 2004,

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

) was an Australian author, musician, and educator. She is considered to be one of the most influential Australian children's writers of the 1950s.

Personal life

Epstein was born on 29 June 1918 in

. She had three children with her husband Julius Guest, whom she married in 1949. Two of her children died at a young age due to

encephalitis Encephalitis is inflammation of the Human brain, brain. The severity can be variable with symptoms including reduction or alteration in consciousness, aphasia, headache, fever, confusion, a stiff neck, and vomiting. Complications may include se ...

and a

brain tumor A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the Human brain, brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign ...

. These experiences fueled her advocacy for the rights of disabled people. Epstein died on 9 July 2004, in

at 86 years old.

Career

In 1935, June Epstein received the first edition of a three-year music

scholarship A scholarship is a form of Student financial aid, financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, Multiculturalism, diversity and inclusion, athleti ...

from the Trinity College of Music in London (now the

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music, dance, and musical theatre conservatoire based in South East London. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. Trini ...

), where she graduated with a Teacher's Diploma, and a second

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

scholarship towards a bachelor's degree in music. The beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in 1940 cut this short and Epstein began working with the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...

(ABC) back in Australia. She was a broadcaster, composer, pianist, recitalist, and scriptwriter, and worked with the ABC for several decades after. Shortly afterwards, in 1942, Epstein began teaching music at the

Frensham School Frensham School is an independent non-denominational comprehensive single-sex preschool, primary, and secondary day and boarding school for girls, located at Mittagong, in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales, Australia. Es ...

Mittagong Mittagong () is a town located in the Southern Highlands (New South Wales), Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town acts as the gateway to the Southern Highlands when coming from Sydney. Mittagong is si ...

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

, before becoming the Director of Music at the

Melbourne Girls Grammar School Melbourne Girls Grammar School (commonly called MGGS and formally known as MCEGGSFalk, B. (2012Australian Dictionary of Biography: Dorothy Jean Ross. M.U.P. Retrieved 7 August 2018), is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, ...

. She was also involved in composing and teaching children's music with the Melbourne College of Advanced Education, Institute of Early Childhood Development until 1976. Epstein began publishing her work in 1951 and would go on to create over fifty plays, scripts, short stories, books, and songs. In 1988, she published her

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

, ''Woman with two hats: an autobiography.'' Most of her work focused on the experiences of people with disabilities and she endeavored to raise awareness for the needs of that community.

Works (selected)

Books and short stories

* ''The story of the bionic ear'' (1989) * ''Woman with two hats: an autobiography'' (1988) * ''The Friends of Burramys'' (1981, Melbourne: Oxford University Press) * ''Boy on Sticks'' (1979, Melbourne, Spina Bifida Association)

Radio plays

* ''A Dog's Life'' (radio drama) (1951)

Awards and nominations

1986:

Medal of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of then ...

in the General Division for "service to the arts and to the welfare of people with disabilities" 1981: ''The Friends of Burramys'' – Nominated for the Best Children's Book, Whitley Awards

Legacy

The

National Library of Australia The National Library of Australia (NLA), formerly the Commonwealth National Library and Commonwealth Parliament Library, is the largest reference library in Australia, responsible under the terms of the ''National Library Act 1960'' for "mainta ...

's Manuscript Collection hosts a collection of Epstein's work and correspondence, called the ''Papers of June Epstein 1935–1999'', which she herself had donated up until 1999. They also hold a collection of biographical cuttings from newspapers about her life as an author.

References

External links

June Epstein
from the

Australian Women's Register The Australian Women's Register (AWR) is a searchable online database which aims to cover Australian women and Australian women's organisations. It is maintained by the National Foundation for Australian Women (NFAW) and the University of Melbou ...

National Library of Australia Catalog of the Papers of June Epstein
{{DEFAULTSORT:Epstein, June 1918 births 2004 deaths Australian children's writers 20th-century Australian women writers 20th-century Australian writers 20th-century Australian musicians 20th-century Australian women musicians Australian disability rights activists Writers from Perth, Western Australia Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia