About the object

Geoffrey Collins' 4th Class exercise book

This page of Geoffrey Collins' correspondence school book was completed in June 1932. He was 9 years old and in 4th Class. The page shows work set in arithmetic, geography and spelling. 

Geoffrey lived on a farm in Dalton, NSW. His mother felt it was too far to travel to the nearest school so and was enrolled in Blackfriars Correspondence School. The school was based in Sydney and posted lessons to students across NSW. 

Geoffrey's lessons arrived in his letterbox by mail. He received instruction sheets and his marked exercise books in a big brown envelope each week. 

Each week Geoffrey posted his work to his teacher in Sydney to be marked. His teacher was C.P. Davies. 

The teacher's comment in red ink on this page is, 'You could tell much more than this about Brisbane, Geoff. Study your leaflet again.'

Significance

This correspondence school exercise book shows:

• the scope of subjects taught in 4th Class in 1932

• the subject content undertaken by 4th Class correspondence school students

• examples of feedback provided by correspondence school teachers.

Object details

Date – June to July 2022

Creator – Geoffrey Collins, 4th Class

Place – Dalton, NSW

Materials – paper

Dimensions – height 21.2cm x width 16.7cm

See

• What do you notice first on Geoffrey's work? 

• What details do you notice?

• How is the writing similar and different to your handwriting?

• How is the bookwork similar and different to yours? 

Think

• What writing tools did Geoffrey use?

• Why was Geoffrey's asked to write a descriptive portrait of himself?

• Where do you think Geoffrey did his school work at home?

Wonder

• What do you wonder about correspondence school?

• What do you wonder about Geoffrey's life?

Do

Locate Geoffrey's home town, Dalton, on Google Maps. 

• Find the direction to Greenthorpe from Dalton.  

• Locate Rye Park, Boorowa and Murringo mentioned by Geoffrey in his composition titled 'The Happiest Day in My Life'.

Draw or imagine a picture of Geoffrey as described in his written portrait. 

• Compare Geoffrey's clothing to your own.

Fourth Class Instruction Leaflet, Set 1, 1930

This extract from the Fourth Class Correspondence School instruction leaflet explains how to do neat handwriting.

The Cursive writing style is modelled. It was introduced in schools in 1925.

The points to note are listed underneath the modelled handwriting. 

The first one states, 'Slope – The down strokes should be at an angle of 15º to the perpendicular.'

• How does Geoffrey's handwriting compare to the example in the instruction leaflet?

Correspondence School mailing envelope, 1931

This envelope contained Geoffrey Collins' completed and marked exercise books. They were mailed to his mother MRs J.J. Collins at their family's farm at Dalton in NSW. 

Geoffrey and his mother would go through his marked books and read the teacher's comments. 

Each week Geoffrey completed his school work sent to him in an envelope such as this. His mother supervised his work. 

Geoffrey's completed work was posted back to Blackfriars Correspondence School in Sydney for marking.

• What communication technologies are used today for sending lessons to students working from home?

The Outpost magazine, 1936

In 1935 Walter Finigan, the Headmaster of Blackfriars, established a magazine to connect with his far flung students. 

This gave the children competitions and other ways for sharing what they had learnt or written.

• How does the cover illustration represent the students of Blackfriars Correspondence School?