PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ...
PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ... PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ...
Mariners of England a poem written by Thomas Campbell, The Burial of Sir John Moore a poem written by Charles Wolfe, and Robert of Kandahar (Department of Public Instruction, 1913a). The Queensland Readers: Book V echoes the Queensland Readers: Book IV regarding the substantial content covering British heritages. For example, the following narratives are included: Waterloo, The Battle of Crecy, A Fragment of Europe, Heroes of the Mutiny, Henry V. to his Men on the Eve of Agincourt; and Pen pictures from Macaulay (Department of Public Instruction, 1913b). Where it differs from Queensland Readers: Book IV is through its additional inclusion of distinctive Australian content, mediated through British heritages. Within the Queensland Readers: Book IV (Department of Public Instruction, 1913a), published 12 years after Australia had federated (in 1901) substantial attention is given to glorifying British battles (Blenheim), heroes (Gallant Gordon) and events (Empire Day). The significant attention given to the topic of war and battles in this Reader when referring to British heritages encompasses the majority of the curriculum material. The two exceptions to this are the brief, passing mention of Empire Day and the poem, Lament of the Irish Emigrant. The content is focused towards literary topics rather than presenting the topics as historical, as would be expected in this type of school textbook, and as explicitly stated in the preface. This reader was implemented in Queensland schools in 1915, and even though by this time World War I had just started, no reference is made to this conflict as the book was printed in 1913. Instead, an historical British battle is included as a focus for study, represented through the poem After Blenheim by Robert Southey. Here the discourse of war victory is communicated to students through the repetition of “...a famous victory”; although the futility of war is also communicated at the end of the poem, with the last stanza reading: “ And everybody praised the Duke Who this great fight did win.” “ But what good came of it at last?” Quoth little Peterkin:— “ Why that I cannot tell,” said he, “ But `twas a famous victory.” (Department of Public Instruction, 1913a, p. 16) Hidden British heritages are arguably evident in this poem, but are less obvious in stories which contain moral values. These stories, typically contain values commonly taught to young children, such as truth-telling as evidenced in “Poppet’s Visit to the School—Part 1” 154
(Queensland Readers: Book IV, 1913a, pp. 1-6) and Poppet’s Visit to the School—Part II” (Queensland Readers: Book IV, 1913a, pp. 7-12), appear to be similar to the stories taught to school children in the United Kingdom at the same time. However, as the content is not explicitly connected to British heritages, they are not included for analysis. The content which is directly connected with British heritages is sufficient in itself to demonstrate the dominant discourses present in school curriculum. 5.4.1 Discourses of origin. Source 5.3 from New syllabus history for fourth grade (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, pp. 44-45), acts to acculturate students into ‘being British’. This extract forms the introductory paragraphs of an historical description of the early Britons from the “Stone Age” and “Bronze Age” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45). Although not about Australian history; this narrative introduces students to studying the early Britons; connection is made to students’ own context first, in order that the historical narrative develops from something familiar. Specific terms used to link the school students with British heritages as a way to explain their ancestry include: “We Australians are mostly children of people who came from the British Isles...All of us belong to the British Empire, and we ought to know something of the history of that Empire...” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45). Here, students’ backgrounds are explained in relation to British heritages articulated overtly in the text. The narrative towards the end of the introduction, then moves to connect the content with the students’ identity, by stating: “...we can learn about the changes that came as new races of people entered Britain, as the population grew and as bands of people left to establish colonies in other lands which led to the growth of the Empire” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45). No mention is made of school students who were not from this background, effectively silencing their heritage. The textbook is careful to say that “mostly” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45) students come from a British background, however it remains that there is no mention of other backgrounds, effectively excluding that part of the student population (which at the time accounted for less than 5 percent of the Australian population). 155
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(Queensland Readers: Book IV, 1913a, pp. 1-6) and Poppet’s Visit to the School—Part II”<br />
(Queensland Readers: Book IV, 1913a, pp. 7-12), appear to be similar to the stories taught to<br />
school children in the United Kingdom at the same time. However, as the content is not<br />
explicitly connected to British heritages, they are not included for analysis. The content which<br />
is directly connected with British heritages is sufficient in itself to demonstrate the dominant<br />
discourses present in school curriculum.<br />
5.4.1 Discourses <strong>of</strong> origin.<br />
Source 5.3 from New syllabus history for fourth grade (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, pp. 44-45),<br />
acts to acculturate students into ‘being British’. This extract forms the introductory<br />
paragraphs <strong>of</strong> an historical description <strong>of</strong> the early Britons from the “Stone Age” and “Bronze<br />
Age” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45). Although not about Australian history; this narrative<br />
introduces students to studying the early Britons; connection is made to students’ own<br />
context first, in order that the historical narrative develops from something familiar. Specific<br />
terms used to link the school students with British heritages as a way to explain their ancestry<br />
include: “We Australians are mostly children <strong>of</strong> people who came from the British Isles...All<br />
<strong>of</strong> us belong to the British Empire, and we ought to know something <strong>of</strong> the history <strong>of</strong> that<br />
Empire...” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45). Here, students’ backgrounds are explained in<br />
relation to British heritages articulated overtly in the text. The narrative towards the end <strong>of</strong><br />
the introduction, then moves to connect the content with the students’ identity, by stating:<br />
“...we can learn about the changes that came as new races <strong>of</strong> people entered Britain, as the<br />
population grew and as bands <strong>of</strong> people left to establish colonies in other lands which led to<br />
the growth <strong>of</strong> the Empire” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45). No mention is made <strong>of</strong> school<br />
students who were not from this background, effectively silencing their heritage. The<br />
textbook is careful to say that “mostly” (Dunlop & Palfrey, 1933, p. 45) students come from a<br />
British background, however it remains that there is no mention <strong>of</strong> other backgrounds,<br />
effectively excluding that part <strong>of</strong> the student population (which at the time accounted for less<br />
than 5 percent <strong>of</strong> the Australian population).<br />
155
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