Introduction of the readers
The Queensland School Readers Books I-VI ('Red Readers') were published in 1913 and first used in schools in 1915 together with the new syllabus. The Queensland School Readers Books I-VI were used from classes 1 to 6 in the primary school and were supplemented by appropriate school papers. These and later editions continued to be used in Queensland schools for approximately 60 years.
The readers featured:
- classic stories from English literature
- adventure stories
- accounts from British, Australian and Queensland history
- biographies of significant figures in history
- traditional fairy tales
- poems
- health lessons
- stories encouraging the development of good character.
Public reaction to this series was very favourable. The Premier, D.F. Denham privately told the Minister for Public Instruction that he was 'charmed with the matter and get-up'. The content of the readers was also well received by teachers and pupils alike.
After 1914, new syllabuses were introduced in 1930, 1952 and 1964. The 1930 syllabus rearranged the structure of primary school classes into a preparatory grade followed by grades 1 to 7. The Queensland School Readers were modified to reflect the new grade structures. The Little Primer and The Little Reader, Parts I and II were used by teachers with the youngest children while the readers expanded to 7 books.
The contents of the readers tended to vary from edition to edition. Content judged to be valuable in the first series was retained in the next edition, while new material was added and the order of lessons rearranged. From 1930, the illustrations in the books included colour plates to make the books more attractive to children. A list of stories with their most difficult words featured at the end of each book.
The number of grades increased by 1 to 8 in 1952 which necessitated a corresponding increase in the number of readers to 8 books.
The aim of the readers
The readers had several broad goals including:
- instilling in pupils a lifelong love of literature
- providing useful information
- encouraging the art of reading aloud
- teaching pupils to use and write good English.
The stories and poems were chosen to:
- encourage virtues such as honesty, obedience, bravery and courage
- provide information about a range of subjects including nature study, early Australian history, significant figures in history
- encourage children to read and enjoy traditional tales such as Jack and the beanstalk, Cinderella
- inform children of heroic deeds in short biographical stories including one on Grace Darling.
The content of the readers
The authors of the readers encouraged the development of good character through stories and poems. 'Integrity in word and deed is the backbone of character' while truthfulness and goodness formed the 'essence of character'. A good temper was encouraged as a 'gift from heaven' while disobedience and boastfulness were shown to have dire consequences.
Another feature in the readers were poems and stories about the paramount role of a mother in a child's life. They praise a mother's love, her 'untiring hands', and her patience, 'seeking not her own'.
The Australian and Queensland content in the Queensland School Readers had increased compared with the Royal Readers. Such content included The Australian flag, Water in a thirsty land, Where the coral lies, Droughts, Some Queensland goldfields, The Great Barrier Reef, Creeks out west, Australia, Chillagoe caves, Aboriginal rock pictures, A bush fire, The ascent of Bellenden Ker, The Australian Alps, Three Australian poets.
Other timeless stories and poems included The little match girl, Gelert, Florence Nightingale, A Christmas carol, and Robinson Crusoe and Friday.
The end of the readers
The Queensland written and published prep 1–4 readers, which were part of the Queensland School Readers were phased out in the 1950s with the restructuring of primary education including the end of the prep grades. They were replaced by the Happy Venture Readers which had been written by Professor Fred Schonnell, while still in England with Irene Sargent and Phyllis Flowerdew, Goldsmith College (part of University of London).
The remaining Queensland School Readers including books for grades I–VIII were phased out in the 1960s and 1970s. Wide Range Readers followed the latter readers for a time. However, schools began selecting their own reading materials from a range of schemes including the Endeavour Reading Scheme, PM Readers, Reading 360 and the Mount Gravatt Reading Scheme during the 1970s.