Scotch College

Preps in the Archives

MR ANTHONY TASCA – PREP COORDINATOR

A new unit of study was developed this year to meet the requirements of the Australian Curriculum, and to provide a meaningful connection to the rich history of Scotch College for its newest students.

The unit, titled My History and How I Share My Story, is based on a number of essential questions. These questions encourage the boys to participate in an ongoing conversation with their teachers and peers. At the same time the boys are directly taught and encouraged to begin to develop a range of deeper thinking skills.

The boys have explored the terms ‘past’, ‘present’ and ‘future’ in a meaningful way by sharing baby photos of themselves and toys from their past, as well as being immersed in a variety of quality literature recommended by our Junior School librarian, Ms Jocelyn Pride.

The highlight of our unit was a visit to our very own Scotch College Archives. With the support of the Acting Archivist, Mr Paul Mishura, the boys participated in an interactive tour of the Archives. They saw a range of historical items, including a vintage typewriter, a 1st XVIII football jumper, a vintage apple corer and a desk from the earliest days of the Junior School. The boys were delighted to be able to write with a quill and look through a variety of old textbooks.

We are truly blessed to have access to such a wonderful resource in our school. Many prominent experts in boys’ education stress the importance of the need for boys to develop a strong connection with their school. We hope that through this unit of study and visit to our Archives the boys are beginning to forge what will become a lifelong connection.

Archive reflections from our Prep boys

‘History is very big.’ –ZacharyGraves,PrepP

‘History is when things are very, very old. People find them and put them in a special place.’ –BenAng,PrepP

[Acting Archivist Paul Mishura asked: ‘Why was the castle pulled down on the Hill?’]

‘Because it was like a lookout castle and they were afraid they were going to drop bombs on it.’ – FlynnAtkinson,PrepT

‘The desk was made from the inside of the tree, the wood of the tree, not the bark.’ – ConorChristiansen,PrepT

‘It was lots of fun, and it was great trying on the football jumper.’ – TomFarrer,PrepT

‘I liked looking at the typewriter, and you had to press hard on the keys.’ – CharlesGray,PrepT

‘I liked seeing the Scotch College blazer, and I am looking forward to wearing one in Senior School.’ – JustinChan,PrepT

‘At the Archives I liked sitting at the wooden desks they used to have when the Junior School was in Glen House.’ – FlynnAtkinson,PrepT

‘I liked looking at the old, big, fat footballs they had.’ – MikeyBeaton-Wells,PrepT

‘I liked looking at everything from the past, including the apple peeler.’ – RubenKwon,PrepT

‘I saw my pa in this book when he was a little boy.’ – EdwardHill,PrepT