Eastern Adelaide Teacher resource.pdf - Army Museum of South ...

Consider both the practical and symbolic significance of the choice of this type of
war memorial.
The headmaster probably thought that as it was former students who served in World
War I that it was most fitting that current day students also build the memorial. No
doubt the work involved in the construction of the war memorial would have
promoted a sense of ownership and provided cause for reflection by the students on
the contribution made by their predecessors in the Great War that might otherwise not
have been the case.
Obelisks are relatively easy to construct compared to other memorials such as those
that involve carving human figures. They are high structures and therefore tend to
stand out. Another practical advantage of obelisks is that they have at least four
inscription faces. Obelisks have their origins in Egyptian, Greek and Roman
architectural styles. The standard obelisk, of which the Norwood Primary school war
memorial is a form, is shaped like a finger or ray of the sun. It is Egyptian in origin
and originally represented “Ra” the Egyptian Sun God. Their symbolic significance as
a choice for a war memorial lies in the fact that “Ra” was the giver of life. Pointing
skywards also has connotations of being closer to God.
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