Hall history lives!
28 February 2008
Somebody has been seen recently coming and going at the old Schoolhouse Museum - also known as the 'Laurie Copping Heritage Centre' . Who is she, and what is she up to?
It is Elizabeth Burness, a writer, story-teller and illustrator, who, like many Hall residents, is passionate about Hall history, and Canberra's pre-1913 history in general.
Not a resident of Hall, but fiercely committed to preserving and sharing what history is left in the region, Elizabeth has been awarded an ACT Heritage Grant to enable her to share this history with ACT school children.
She is writing a project called 'Pages of early Canberra history - fascinating stories from Canberra's rural past for ACT schoolchildren'. Immersed in many of the stories from the late Lyle Gillespie's books, and with anecdotes and memories from older Canberra residents, Elizabeth is always on the lookout for more stories to share with the younger generation.
Having worked in the past with schoolchildren in the Hall Schoolhouse Museum, she believes the ghosts of teachers and pupils from the past are still in the venerable old 1911 building. Elizabeth says modern children, and particularly the Hall kids that she worked with, seem fascinated with the stories from the past. She will doing her best to share them around, thanks to the generosity of the ACT Government - who have not only awarded her a grant, but have let her use the old building for inspiration. "...and let me tell you, it is working!"