About the object

Harold Henderson's 2nd Class book

Harold Henderson attended Annandale Public School in Sydney. He completed this page in 1890 when he was in 2nd Class.  He was 8 years old.  

The book contains spelling dictation tests, word lists, times tables and transcriptions. 

In the dictation test the teacher, or an older pupil, read aloud from the reader. Saying a phrase at a time, the students wrote what was read. 

'Transcribe' means 'to make a written copy'. We don't know if the transcription work was read aloud or copied from the book.

Most pages have a mark out of ten.  One teacher comment is '9/10 on paper'.  This indicates the work may have been done on a slate board first. 

Significance

The exercise book shows:

• writing and drawing technologies of 1890 – pen and ink, colour pencil, water colour

• correlations between the Second Reader in the Australian School Series and spelling tests and transcriptions

• an example of book work created by a 2nd Class student. 

Details

Date –July 1890 to 4th December 1890 

Creator – Harold Henderson, 2nd Class student

Place – Annandale Public School

Materials – black, red and blue ink, colour pencil and watercolour on lined paper. Cardboard covers, fabric spine.

Dimensions – 20cm x 16.3cm, 67 pages

See

• What are the similarities and differences among the pages?

• What pictures and decorations does Harold use in his headings?

• How does Harold use blank spaces on the pages?

• What times tables does Harold have to know?

Think

• What does Harold use to add colour to his headings and pictures?

• What surprises you about the standard of Harold's work for an 8 year old?

• How could Harold improve his work?

Wonder

• What does Harold's exercise book make you wonder?

• What questions do you have about learning spelling and tables in the past?

Do

Step into Harold's shoes and have a go at doing a transcription or dictation test.

1. Have a pencil and paper ready.

2. Play the video below - A Stitch in Time Saves Nine.

3. Write the first sentence or paragraph read aloud. Use 'pause' to catch up. 

4. Compare your work to the page from the reader. 

How did you go? What are your feelings about the task?

1890s exercise books video

View the YouTube video to learn more about student's exercise books of the late 1890s and early 1900s. 

• What is similar about each book?

• What evidence-based inferences can you make about student exercise books of this period?

Pen and ink writing

Harold Henderson wrote with pen and ink in his exercise book. 

From 2nd Class students sat at desks and wrote with pen and ink. They:

• dipped the pen into the inkwell

• wrote until the ink ran out

• gently pressed the blotting paper onto their wet writing

• cleaned their pen with a felt pen wiper when they were finished.

Course of Instruction 1880

Up until 1905 students generally started school when they were six years old. They started in 1st Class. They had one and a half years in each of 1st Class, 2nd Class and 3rd Class. 

Previously called 'half years', today we call them 'semesters'.

There were two half years for 4th and 5th Class. 5th Class was the last year of primary school and most students entered the workforce after that.

The 1880 Course of Instruction for the first half of 2nd Class states that dictation is to be '8 lines from lessons read'. The prescribed reader is The Australian School Series Reader 2 to Lesson 70, or the Irish National Book 2. 

• What evidence suggests Harold is in 2nd Class? In what half year?