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Anecdotal evidence indicates that typically there was a pile of books to one side of the
classroom and during the lessons (for example, Social Science) each child in the class
received one book from the class set to use. They would then be returned at the end of the
lesson. This experience is shared by others as evidenced by school stamps in some textbooks
that have been gathered for analysis. Other schools assigned a textbook to each student to use
for the year, to be returned at the end of the school year, with the student’s name written on
the inside front cover for each year (see Source 6.2 for a selection of samples).
Source 6.2: Student names in textbooks
The Social Studies for Queensland schools series of textbooks was rolled out over a number
of years. Covering all the grades that Social Science was taught (grades 3-8), this series was
commonly used in Queensland primary schools during this era. The 1955 Annual Report
reads:
The distribution to schools, this year, of a new text book in Social Studies (Grade V.)
marked the completion of a project to supply all pupils in State Primary Schools with
free issues of interesting, informative text books. Text books in English, Social
Studies, and Mathematics have been prepared and issued to schools...
In the compilation of these textbooks, an earnest endeavour has been made to
reflect the spirit of the Syllabus. The books aim at developing in the pupil a spirit of
self confidence, a feeling for both self effort and co-operative effort and an
appreciation and pleasure in the work. Opportunities have been seized to present
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