How my lessons come

Video transcript

This is young Geoffrey Collins in 1929. He lived on a farm at Bevendale in country NSW.

His school was the Correspondence School in Sydney. His teacher posted his lessons.

One week his teacher wrote, "Almost every day the trains and steamers leaving Sydney carry packets of mail to my big family scattered all over NSW.

Suppose you tell me this week what really does happen when your school work arrives.

Tell me how ist is brought to your place – by steamer, train, mail car, coach or horseback. 

Is it delivered right to your door or do you ride or walk miles to get it?"

In his workbook, Geoffrey wrote, "How my lessons come"

"Our mail comes by train to Gunning  and from there to Dalton by car and to Bevendale also by car.

We motor a mile and a half for our mail,  which is delivered by the road-side across the river. 

We have no bridge. If the river is in flood the mail is brought over on a flying-fox. 

I always look forward to the mail which comes three times a week. 

When lessons arrive I am eager to know whether my teacher has praised or scolded me, and I like to know what my new work is."

End of transcript.