This school reader was used by Edmond and Mary Grace at Laang State School. Laang is in the Western District and is eight kilometres from Garvoc and ten kilometres from Panmure. The Laang State School opened in 1875 with a new building being erected in 1876 and additions being added in 1889. The school is now closed. Edmond Morgan Grace was born to William and Mary Grace in 1886 and died in 1953. Mary was his sister. Charles Hider, with his brother James, were early settlers in Warrnambool and both ran book shops in the town. This book is of moderate interest as an example of a late 19th century school reader and as one used at Laang State School by the Grace family. This is a brown hard cover book of 398 pages. The cover has an embossed patterning and lettering. The binding has come apart and has been mended with white adhesive tape. Some pages at the front and back are missing. The book has a contents page and three sections of text. There are many black and white illustrations. The inscription is handwritten in blue ink. The cover is somewhat faded and rubbed and some pages are stained. There is a printed label of the seller of the book pasted onto the inside of the front cover. ‘Edmond M. Grace Laang State School’ ‘Mary Grace Laang S.S.’ ‘C.Hider Opposite Court House Warrnambool’ edmond and mary grace, laang state school, charles and james hider

A box covered with decorative paper and titled 'Cameo of the Past 4.' It also has the title 'L. Chancellor.' It contains newspaper articles relating to mainly the local history of Bendigo. (1) A yellow folder containing newspaper and magazine articles about old lace iron work. Newspapers include 'Bendigo Advertiser,' 'The Age' and 'The Australian.' A white booklet titled 'The National Trust of Australia (Victoria) Ballarat Branch. 'Trust.' February 1965. A quarterly from the National Trust of Australia (Victoria), Como, South Yarra.' A 'National Trust of Australia (Victoria)' report. July, 1967. Postcard and photos of lacing. Dated 1960 - 1971. (11) An orange folder containing articles written by Toora in the 'Bendigo Advertiser. It also includes in a plastic pocket a Toora series titled 'Cameo from the past.' (111) A series of articles written by David Horsfall in the 'Bendigo Advertiser on the Chinese on the goldfields.(1V) In a plastic pocket 'Bendigo Advertiser' articles on Lydia Chancellor. (V) A white booklet titled,' Victorian Commemoration Year 1951.' (V1) A series of 'Bendigo Advertiser' articles titled, 'Within A Home.' ( V11( In a plastic pocket 'Bendigo Advertiser' articles on the Truscott family.' (V111) In a plastic pocket 'The Age' articles written by Fanny Perry on life in early Australia. (1X) In a plastic pocket a general collection of newspaper articles. Sources are the 'Bendigo Advertiser' and 'The Sun.' (X) A small white book titled, 'Family Pictures and Memories,' by Selina M. Deravin. It is in an envelope addressed to Lydia Chancellor and also contains a newspaper article on the poems of Selina Deravin. (X1) A photo of an antique clock. (X11) A leaflet on the life of Janie Houston Cruikshank. (X111) Auction catalogue by order of Miss Marian Jones 1962.bendigo, history, community activities, lydia chancellor collection, collection, iron work, old lace iron work, building, buildings, national trust, national trust of australia victorian branch, cast-iron, bendigo buildings, place, verandahs, fittings and materials, iron lace, 'toora', 'women's world, ' 'bendigo advertiser, ' 'cameo from the past, ' amy huxtable, bendigo, chinese, goldfields, lydia chancellor collection, 'victorian commemoration year, ' 'within a year, ' miss webb, truscott family, fanny perry, 'family pictures and memories, ' selina m. deravin, clock, antique clock, janie houston cruikshank, miss marian jones, auction, 'hollybank' auction

The Royal Readers had been prepared especially for Victorian schools and featured some Australian content. The authors made great use of the natural world as well as incidents and common daily events to attract children to the stories. Teachers were encouraged to teach children not only the 'art of reading' but also a 'love of reading'. Illustrations were used effectively to attract children 'through the eye' to the stories and to help them understand same. They were used extensively in Victorian schools as well as in other states. However, during the 1890s and especially the early 1900s, governments came under increasing pressure to change the reading books again because these books did not reflect the rapid scientific advances in the 1890s. Royal Readers date quickly when a new syllabus was introduced in 1905. Education materials were to be relevant to children's daily lives with a demand for greater local content. (info. from http://education.qld.gov.au)This book as an example of school work in the early 20th century. It reflects the the way reading was taught, to young children in Victoria. It reflects the changes in education in East Gippsland and is a useful comparison tool for literacy teaching. A small book with a blue fabric cover. It is titled Royal Readers No V1 and is a part of a series of Royal Readers.inside cover - E.A. Stephenson, Longford.education-texts schools-reading royal-readers