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The curriculum was the same as that taught in Victorian primary schools. It fitted the Department’s wish that partially blind children should, whenever possible, return to normal classrooms to continue their education17. ” Some of the readers used included Richard Jefferies’ Brook Folk, R. L. Stevenson’s A Night Among the Pines and Treasure Island, Jerome K. Jerome’s Packing and Coal-Bay, The Outlaw Horse and other animal stories, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe.18 Clay modelling, drawing, listening to music and spelling based on phonetic exercises were regular aspects of the day’s work. Particular attention was paid to elocution and speech, concentrating on proper ‘vowel-sounds, which Miss Checcucci believed would help to raise the children’s self-esteem.” The Physical Education Department devised special exercises for the children. 20
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