Maria Lúcia Vassalo Namorado facts for kids

Maria Lúcia Vassalo Namorado (1909–2000) was a Portuguese writer, poet, and journalist. She was also a teacher and worked to improve society. She was known for leading the magazine Os Nossos Filhos (Our Children).

Growing Up in Portugal

Maria Lúcia Vassalo Namorado Silva Rosa was born on June 1, 1909. Her hometown was Torres Novas in Portugal. Her father, António Florentino Namorado, was a Republican and a Freemason. Her mother, Ana Perpétua Vassalo, was related to famous writers like Maria Lamas.

Maria Lúcia spent her early years in Torres Novas. She went to government schools there. When she was ten, her family moved to Lisbon, the capital city. She showed a great talent for writing.

Schooling and Challenges

Her schooling was stopped because she became ill. She had a lung disease and later caught typhoid fever. Because of this, she could not finish high school. Even so, she had been a top student in her class.

In 1928, her family moved back to Torres Novas. Two years later, in 1930, she met Joaquim Jerónimo da Silva Rosa. He was a clerk from Coimbra. They got married in both Torres Novas and Coimbra. Three years later, they had their first son. They lived in Penacova, near Coimbra.

Starting Her Writing Career

Maria Lúcia Namorado began her writing journey with short stories and poems. These were published in magazines like A Renascença (The Renaissance). She also wrote for A Mocidade (Youth), a weekly paper for young republicans.

In 1929, she started working with Maria Lamas. They worked on a magazine called Modas e Bordados (Fashions and Embroidery). This magazine was part of the daily newspaper O Século. For 13 years, she used different pen names. These included "Milú," "Maria Lúcia," and "Dona Experience." She wrote about many topics. These included cooking, childcare, and advice for teenagers. She even wrote advice columns, like an Agony Aunt.

Writing for Local Papers

In 1932, she began writing every two weeks for Notícias de Penacova. This newspaper was edited by her husband. She wrote for the children's and women's sections. She used her maiden name or the pen name "Qui-Quiriqui."

In 1937, her family moved to Golegã. That same year, she published her first book. It was a short novel called Negro e Cor de Rosa (Black and Pink). She used the name Maria Lúcia for this book. Three years later, she moved to Lisbon. There, she wrote A Mulher dona de casa (The Housewife) in 1943. In 1944, she published Joaninha quer casar (Joaninha Wants to Get Married: Advice to Girls).

Publishing for Families

In June 1942, Maria Lúcia Namorado started her own monthly magazine. It was called Os Nossos Filhos (Our Children). She was the director and editor. Her cousin, António Júlio Vassalo, helped her with money.

The magazine was for parents. It published articles from different writers. These included people who supported and opposed the Estado Novo government. Writers like Alice Vieira contributed. The magazine talked about big problems mothers faced. These included a lack of education and family planning. It also discussed domestic violence and high infant death rates.

Helping Children and Families

Another important topic was the need for school libraries. This was seen as a way to fight illiteracy. The magazine also ran campaigns to help children in need. This included children with disabilities and those affected by World War II. For this work, the magazine received an award in 1947. It was the Cross of Merit of the Portuguese Red Cross.

Besides the magazine, Namorado also started a publishing house. It had the same name, Os Nossos Filhos. It published her books and those of other children's writers. She also had a radio show called "Programme for Mothers." It aired every two weeks.

Working for Change

In the 1940s, Maria Lúcia Namorado joined the Portuguese League of Social Protection. She suggested creating a Child Protection League. This idea, however, did not happen. She also joined the Conselho Nacional das Mulheres Portuguesas (National Council of Portuguese Women). She was a secretary and led the group's publicity.

Her three books were shown in an "Exhibition of Books Written by Women" in 1947. This event was organized by the National Council. She also joined the Associação Feminina Portuguesa para a Paz (Portuguese Women's Peace Association). She was also part of the Movement of Democratic Unity. This group was formed in 1945. It was against the government at that time.

Later Life and Work

As she got older and separated from her husband, Maria Lúcia needed a new way to earn a living. She went back to school. She earned diplomas to become a pre-school and primary teacher. She also started learning English and French.

In 1959, she began working at the Sain Foundation. This foundation helped blind people in Portugal. She continued her work for social causes. She joined groups like the Portuguese Association of Deaf People. She also joined the International Council of Books for Young People. She became a member of the Portuguese Society of Writers.

Continued Writing and Support

She kept writing stories for children's pages in newspapers and magazines. She also gave advice to parents about reading. She wrote about food for children, using her own name and other pen names.

In 1966, she published A História do Pintainho Amarelo (The Story of the Yellow Chick). This was a children's book about helping blind people. It had drawings by Maria Keil. In 1968, she wrote A História de um Bago de Milho. In 1971, she published O Segredo da Serra Azul. She also released a collection called Os Livros da Grande Roda. This collection included stories by other authors.

After the Revolution

After the Carnation Revolution in 1974, the Estado Novo government was overthrown. Maria Lúcia Namorado then worked as a teacher of children's literature. She took courses in Music Therapy and Political Philosophy.

She helped with campaigns to teach adults to read. She also took part in many activities of the Communist Party, even though she was not a member. She supported the Centre for Continuing Education. She also helped start the Child Support Institute.

Maria Lúcia Vassalo Namorado passed away on February 9, 2000. She died at her home in Lisbon. She gave her writings and ideas to the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Lisbon.