About the object

Jean Whiteman's 6th class homework book

Jean Whiteman completed this homework book in 6th Class at North Ryde Public School in 1933. 

The composition on this page is titled 'How I Spent the Holidays'. Jean recounts a ride on her horse from her home at North Ryde to Carlingford. Both areas were farmland at that time. 

Select the transcript to read Jean's composition. The teacher has commented in red pencil 'Best'.

Jean's homework book has 101 pages completed. The first page is marked by the teacher on 7th February 1933 and last page is marked on 28th November 1933.

The subjects and page titles in the book include:

• arithmetic, sums, tables, fractions

• geography, mapping

• history, dates, Anzac Day

• English, composition, words, sentences, pronouns

• hygiene, diet.

Each page has a decorative heading and Jean's work is neatly presented. 

On most pages is a teacher's comment and date, mainly in red pencil.

Significance

Jean's homework book shows:

• the range of subjects taught at school in the 1930s

• examples of high standard bookwork in upper primary grades

• the features local area between North Ryde and Carlingford when they were rural areas.

Object details

Date – February to November 1933

Creator – Jean Whiteman, 6th Class student

Place – North Ryde Public School

Materials – paper pages, covered in brown paper and plastic

Dimensions – 23.3cm x 18cm

See

• What do you notice first on Jean's bookwork? 

• What do you like about it?

• What coloured inks does Jean use?

• What illustrations does Jean use to decorate her headings?

Think

• What equipment did Jean use to create her book work?

• How long do you think it would have taken Jean to complete one heading?

• The page headed 'Continued' is the end of an explanation of Anzac Day. Why did Jean create a decorative 'Lest We Forget' in the space below her writing?

• What surprised about Jean's holidays recounted in her composition?

Wonder

• What do you wonder about Jean's homework book?

• What questions does it raise?

Do

Reproduce one of Jean's fancy headings.

1. Rule two faint guidelines using lead pencil.

2. Sketch the letters, checking spelling and spacing.

3. Draw the outline of each letter using pen.

4. Fill the outlines with cross-hatching as Jean does.

Jean Whiteman's mapping book, 1933

These pages are from Jean Whiteman's 6th Class mapping book. She attended North Ryde Public School.

Jean used a narrow fine tipped nib for her mapping work in her mapping book. This enabled small and fine writing and line work.

Her mapping book included Australia, Australian states and territories as well as countries such as New Zealand, Canada and India. 

The maps plotted physical features, political boundaries, transport routes and natural resources such as wool, wheat and coal.

• Can you see the Ghan and Indian Pacific train routes on Jean's map of Australia?

Pens and rulers – Jean and John Whiteman, circa 1930

The pencil case, rulers and ink pens belonged to Jean and John Whiteman who attended North Ryde Public School in the early 1930s.

The wooden rulers measure inches and are 12 inches in length – 30 centimetres.

Note the times tables and answers on the left end of the pencil tin. The outer layer can be rotated to change the times table and answer – a type of manual calculator.

• What are rulers commonly made from today?