In Their own Words
Dominic College commemorated In Their own Words
Grant recipient: Dominic College, Glenorchy
Grants received:
* Tasmanian Government Centenary of ANZAC Grant $4,000
* Australian Government Anzac Centenary Grant $9,700
Dominic College started considering ways to invite students to participate in the centenary of the ANZAC landings on Gallipoli two years prior to the Centenary of ANZAC.
The answer was to commemorate the Centenary “In Their Own Words”.
The engraved names on the Glenorchy War Memorial gave Dominic College’s Director of Creative Arts K-10, Mr Mike O’Brien, the an initial idea to use the war memorial as a point of reference, given it was the most tangible thread in the community to the Great War.
As a theatre practitioner and an educator, Mr O’Brien conceptualized how an integrated learning project could be developed involving the subject areas of humanities, dance, drama, media studies, visual arts, music, applied studies (information technology and design) and home economics.
The opportunity to apply for funding through the Tasmanian Government Centenary of ANZAC Grant Program, and the Australian Government’s Anzac Centenary Local Grant Program galvanized the college into action.
Dominic College’s Principal Beth Gilligan found the grant application process straightforward and successfully applied for $4,000 from the Tasmanian Government and $9,700 from the Australian Government.
Funding from the Tasmanian Government Centenary of ANZAC Grants Program was used for lighting, image projection and to hire military uniform costumes from Victoria for the stage production of “In Their Own Words”.
Getting to know the men behind the names
There are 281 names on the Glenorchy War Memorial. Dominic College’s year nine students researched them all by examining digitized war records, diaries, letters and photos in order to bring the soldiers’ stories to life.
Students and staff searched for individual photos of the people named on the Memorial.
Ms Gilligan said finding the faces behind the names, especially those who never returned home from the war, became “important to all of us”.
Dominic College was aware the local community could also provide valuable information about those who had served from the local area.
Involving the community in the project helped bring the Glenorchy municipality together, with many families sharing photographs, stories and mementoes of their relatives named on the Memorial with the College.
Connections made with the school community also saw one of the student’s (Campbell Rhodes) grandmothers, Lynette Rhodes, present a photo her great uncle, Len Millhouse of Moonah, who was a driver with the 12th Battalion.
Len Millhouse’s collection included photos of the Anzac Buffet, established in London by expatriate Australians to provide home comforts to soldiers such as meals, newspapers, and billiards. The College decided to feature the Anzac Buffet in the play.
A notice was placed in The Glenorchy Gazette community newspaper resulting in relatives coming forward with information about Private Augustus Pearce and Private Lionel Howell, both of the 40th Battalion. Private Pearce was killed in action in France on 7 January 1917. Private Howell was wounded in action in France on 4 October 1917 and died in Fremantle, Western Australia, on 29 August 1917.
More than theatre, a remembrance process
The students’ historic research formed the foundation of the play and helped build their understanding of young soldiers from Glenorchy (who were not much older than the high school students when they went to war).
“The process has provided connections and empathy between generations 100 years apart. We have used their words, their images and their stories, and we present our discoveries alongside the words, images and responses of our cast, who are close in age to many of those who experienced these tumultuous events 100 years ago,” said Mr O’Brien.
The play involved 90 students, showcasing their skills in drama, music, art, history, dance, technology, design and home economics- a mini Anzac Buffet was set up and the home economics students prepared refreshments. Scriptwriter Carrie McLean was engaged to give the script dynamic guidance for the stage.
Mr O’Brien said all involved in the production had been touched by the process.
“Along the way, we have made many discoveries: about the people on the memorial, about Glenorchy, then and now, about Hobart, about us as Australians, and about ourselves. I hope that ‘In Their Own Words’ has helped students to understand the courage and sacrifice made by the ANZACs and their families, and how this affected our local community.”
Ms Gilligan concluded: “’In Their Own Words’ is more than a performance event; it is a way for the broader community to come together with our students to share, honour and remember our ANZACs.”
Read about other successful Centenary of ANZAC grant recipients.