MEMBERS of historical societies are usually senior citizens who have a love of history, engendered by having had an inspiring teacher, an interest in solving a family mystery or a desire to understand the present through a study of the past.
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The Bendigo Historical Society is no different in having most of its members in the retired citizen category, except that some of them are young primary or secondary school students who study local Bendigo history.
These very keen students are from government and non-government schools, such as Camp Hill Primary, Weeroona College, Girton Grammar, Catholic College and Bendigo South East College. The Bendigo Historical Society tries to further encourage these schools and students through offering them history prizes and in one case, work experience.
Katie Manns from Catholic College (Coolock Campus) was recently on work experience with the society. She worked at both the Bendigo Archives Centre at Nolan Street, which holds the Bendigo Historical Society’s vast, varied and valuable collection, and under the guidance of collection manager Kay MacGregor, and at the front-of-house and display building Specimen Cottage in Hargreaves Street, under the guidance of Carol Holsworth and Barbara Poustie. Katie’s work involved finding out information on historic events and family history, ensuring that artefacts and files are stored in a correct manner to certify that they are preserved and helping to handle any donations made by members of the public. Katie is quoted in the Bendigo Advertiser as saying, "I want to go to uni to study history and be a history teacher".
Rani Jayasekera from Girton Grammar won the History Award for her excellent work in the subject. She too wishes to further her knowledge in the subject at tertiary level. Rani is pictured with her inspiring teacher Elli Monro and the president of the Bendigo Historical Society.
The winner of the Fred Smith Memorial History Award at Weeroona College was Tallis Miles, pictured with Weeroona principal Leanne Preece at the awards evening. The late Fred Smith was a frequent visitor to Weeroona, relating his war-time experiences and being regarded as a "grandfather" to the students. As well as the History Prize, Tallis was awarded Student of the Year and Dux of the school.
Zahli Hansen from Bendigo South East College was the recipient of the History Prize at her school. Her teacher described her grades as exceptional and only matched by her genuine enthusiasm for history. When Zahli was reading a book on World War I soldier Albert Jacka, she came across the name of Bendigonian Stephen De Araugo and contacted the family. Zahli’s research, according to her teacher, was "fantastic" and certainly "publishable".
Bendigo Historical Society
Bendigo New Generation Rotary Club 2015 calendars with images of old Bendigo are available at Specimen Cottage, 178 Hargreaves Street.
Specimen Cottage will close for the Christmas break on Thursday, December 18. The cottage will open on Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm in the New Year.
Visit the Bendigo Historical Society website at www.bendigohistory.com
