Historical information

By 1966 when this poem and article were written by these state school students, the Phillip Island Penguin Parade had become famous and was a regular excursion destination for groups. The poem in rhyming couplets of 4 lines per stanza is typical of its time with human-centric description of the penguins in 'coat and tails', but both the poem and essay also indicate a growing interest in the evolution and behaviour at sea and on land of the Little Penguins. The Gould League of Bird Lovers, Victoria branch, which published these pieces in their 1966 edition of the Bird Lover magazine, was established for both children's 'nature studies' within school curricula, and for adults. The League published many booklets, posters and newsletters for schools and naturalists.

Significance

The article demonstrates a growing interest in state schools in teaching students about Australian wildlife at the time. Little Penguins are very appealing to humans and given the accessiblity for viewing them at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, provided teachers and students an ideal springboard for learning. Encouraging both poetry and essay form also indicated a broad approach to allowing students to express their knowledge and attitudes in various ways within the school setting.Also demonstrates the influence of the Gould League of Bird Lovers within the Victorian Education system.

Physical description

Photocopy of article. Black print on white paper with single greyscale image. Three-stanza poem "The Penguin" by Janice Ah Kee, followed by 4-paragraph description of life in the rookery by Diana Joseph. Both from Victorian state schools.