Australian
History in Schools
There has been a bit of debate in the media lately about the
teaching of Australian history in schools. I wish Australian History had been
taught when I was in school in the 70’s. All I remember being forced to study
was ancient Greek history in high-school. It not only bored me – I spent most
of my time inking in text book illustration – but seemed totally irrelevant. But
Australian history is another matter.
teaching of Australian history in schools. I wish Australian History had been
taught when I was in school in the 70’s. All I remember being forced to study
was ancient Greek history in high-school. It not only bored me – I spent most
of my time inking in text book illustration – but seemed totally irrelevant. But
Australian history is another matter.
My interest in Australia’s history grew out of a trip
around Australia when I was fifteen. On the trip I found out that Alice Springs
was named after a telegraph station built beside a spring. I learnt the history
of the Flying Doctors. I saw the harsh conditions that convicts were jailed in at
Port Arthur.
around Australia when I was fifteen. On the trip I found out that Alice Springs
was named after a telegraph station built beside a spring. I learnt the history
of the Flying Doctors. I saw the harsh conditions that convicts were jailed in at
Port Arthur.
I learnt that dinosaurs had once inhabited Australia when I saw dinosaur
footprints at Broome. An Aboriginal ranger told us about their customs at Ayers
Rock (as it was called then). I learnt that whales used to be caught off Albany
on the West Australian coast. All fascinating stuff to me, but none of this was
taught to me at school.
footprints at Broome. An Aboriginal ranger told us about their customs at Ayers
Rock (as it was called then). I learnt that whales used to be caught off Albany
on the West Australian coast. All fascinating stuff to me, but none of this was
taught to me at school.
It seems like Australian politicians and educators were
too ashamed of our nation’s skeletons to teach our history. Perhaps they still
are.
too ashamed of our nation’s skeletons to teach our history. Perhaps they still
are.
Australian
History in Books
History in Books
My interest in Australian history blossomed when I decided
to see what Australian literature was all about. I found Australian authors
seemed to be preoccupied with novels set in historical times. I have read
novels like Power Without Glory by Frank Hardy, The True History of the Kelly
Gang by Peter Carey, and Voss by Patrick White.
to see what Australian literature was all about. I found Australian authors
seemed to be preoccupied with novels set in historical times. I have read
novels like Power Without Glory by Frank Hardy, The True History of the Kelly
Gang by Peter Carey, and Voss by Patrick White.
I have also read non-fiction books like Robert Hughes’ The
Fatal Shore, a book about
Australia’s convict history. It dispels any thought that Australia was settled for
any other reason than to dump England’s poor. As I live a few kilometres from Glenrowan, I
am very interested in Ned Kelly and I have read books on him and his family
such as Ellen Kelly, by Dagmar Balcarek.
Fatal Shore, a book about
Australia’s convict history. It dispels any thought that Australia was settled for
any other reason than to dump England’s poor. As I live a few kilometres from Glenrowan, I
am very interested in Ned Kelly and I have read books on him and his family
such as Ellen Kelly, by Dagmar Balcarek.
I have also read books about
our more recent history like The Secret Country by John Pilger.
It shows the role the Australian media has played in trying to keep Australia
racist.
our more recent history like The Secret Country by John Pilger.
It shows the role the Australian media has played in trying to keep Australia
racist.
I am not a great reader of biographies, but the ones I
have read are usually about Australians. The Rise and Rise of Kerry Packer,
by Paul Barry, told me a lot about the history of our media.
have read are usually about Australians. The Rise and Rise of Kerry Packer,
by Paul Barry, told me a lot about the history of our media.
And then there is the history of Australian Literature. I
used to haunt second hand book shops in search of Australian science fiction. I
found collections like Portable Australian Authors –Australian
Science Fiction edited by Van Ikin, which has Australian science
fiction stories starting from way back in 1845.
I am currently reading the
mammoth Macquarie Pen Anthology of Australian Literature, a book full
of two hundred years of skeletons.
mammoth Macquarie Pen Anthology of Australian Literature, a book full
of two hundred years of skeletons.
I am all for Australian History being taught in schools
in all its uncensored glory. Tell it
like it was, not as you, me, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott or Christine Milne would
have liked it to have been. Oh, and I
still have no interest in ancient Greece.
in all its uncensored glory. Tell it
like it was, not as you, me, Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott or Christine Milne would
have liked it to have been. Oh, and I
still have no interest in ancient Greece.
0 Responses
Good post Graham.
I learnt American history in high school in the early 80's which I found pretty interesting. I beleive Australian History has been taught in primary schools since at least the early nineties. Not sure about secondary school though.
Loved the Fatal Shore. Great book, full of rich detail.
I'm also a big Kelly fan, not far from Kelly Country either, actually a part of it, further south. Have you read A Short Life by Ian Jones? One of the best books on Kelly or anyone I've read. Reads like a novel, yet accurate.
I didn't like Carey's book because it messed with an already amazing story, and he had the audacity to call it the True Story.. for some reason it just really pissed me off. I took it back to the bookstore and demanded my money back. haha
There's been some other great books on our hostry such as The Floating Brothel but some of the best I've read are the first hand accounts. Watkin Tench's 1788 and Owen Suffolk Days of Crime Years of Suffering. These books should be be read in schools. Americans know their history back the front, but most Aussies only have a passing knowledge. Shameful.