Exercise Book Archive is a website devoted to collecting children’s school notebooks from around the world. They aim to create a big digital archive and it currently dates back to the 18th century with one 1773 entry. There are notebooks from the UK, Italy, Ghana, China, Finland, Brazil, and many other countries.
Exercise Book Archive relies on volunteers to add notebooks to their ever-growing collection and to help the world learn more about the history of education.
“Everybody is invited to contribute to the growth of the collection by lending or donating old exercise books, diaries, and letters, and by volunteering to transcribe and translate their contents,” their website reads.
They have an Instagram account where they share interesting items from the archive. You can support the project by following them there.
View this post on Instagram
"A quarrel", composition of a 4th grade school boy from Bergamo (Italy), 1978. (Full translation and original text in the comments) A QUARREL I’m at the desk and I’m listening to the lesson that the teacher is explaining to us, but more than anything I’m thinking about how long it will take her to let us have recess. I’m worried about how this interval will go, because my classmate Stefano wants to avenge me because I pulled a prank on him. Finally, in a certain sense, unfortunately, it is time for recess. In the stridency of the chairs I hear Stefano’s voice calling a small group of males: probably grouping up to beat me. In fact, the little group of children surrounds me; soon, I think to myself, the drawings will rise, and their rustling will be the background to the screams. The boys, at a signal from Stefano, group up and take me. I, who am very strong, take a child and trip him by dropping him on his back on the floor. He shouts: “Hey! Get him.” In a hurry I run between the desks to hide, but little Stefano, full of anger, sees me slipping between the benches and with a jump he gets behind me, he clungs to my knees and trips me. I must react, but I’m afraid; what should I be afraid of? I am afraid of the most absurd thing, of hurting him. He seems to me, in front of me, a small helpless being, but he is not, he is strong. I get up almost convinced to forgive him, but the others jump me pushing me from one to the other. Suddenly I rush towards Stefano and it seems to me that this is the real struggle. He throws his right fist into my belly and it hurts, but I grab him by the collar and pull him up and down the ground aggressively. Then I pull him again, but I am stopped by a child who trips me and takes me by the collar, dividing me from Stefano. Stefano tells him «Macaco» and he, almost gladly, answers «Thanks». Fortunately, that child divided us, or I would have become furious and dangerous. And also, because the teacher arrived after a while and if she had seen us fighting, it would have been trouble. (The text continues in the comments 👇)
A post shared by Exercise Book Archive (@exercisebookarchive) on Jan 23, 2020 at 7:56am PST
View this post on Instagram
"The Boeing": composition of an elementary school girl from France, 1973. (Original text below)⠀ ⠀ THE BOEING⠀ At the airport the charming Boeing awaits passengers who must leave for America. Some have already climbed on the beautiful plane, others are registering their baggage.⠀ Some children went to buy some treats for the trip. A hostess guides the passengers on the catwalk that leads to the plane. The reactors begin to rumble: what a noise! Fascinating and obedient, the elegant Boeing launches into the blue sky. Through the portholes we see France disappear quickly and we see the Atlantic Ocean. Arriving at destination, our Boeing lands on a New York runway after twelve hours and thirty minutes of flight. Numb, travellers get off the plane to reach their destinations.⠀ ⠀ LE BOEING⠀ Dans l’aéroport le gracieux boeing attend les voyageurs qui doivent partir pour l’Amerique. Quelques uns sont déjá montés dans le bel avion, d’autres font enregistrer leurs bagages. Des enfants sont allés s’acheter des bonbons pour le voyage. Une hôtésse de l’air conduit les passagers sur la passerelle qui mène à l’avion. Les réacteurs commencent à vrombir: Quel bruit!⠀ Gracieux et obéissant, l’élégant boeing s’élance dans le ciel bleu. Par les hublots nous voyons la France disparaître avec rapidité et on aperçoit l’océan atlantique; Arrivé à destination, notre boeing se pose sur une piste de New York après onze heures trente minute de vol. Engourdis, les voyageurs descendent de l’avion pour leurs destination.
A post shared by Exercise Book Archive (@exercisebookarchive) on Dec 9, 2019 at 7:00am PST
View this post on Instagram
“My scissors”, composition of a French school girl, 1883. [Original text below] MY SCISSORS Mom gave me a nice pair of scissors. They are very comfortable, and they cut well. When asked, quickly, I offer my pair to show them. They are made of nickel and are as shiny as mirrors. They cut coats, vests, trousers, dresses. Without my scissors, I could not make a buttonhole, I could not cut small pieces of fabric, I could not cut the fabric to make a dress. Scissors are always useful, and you cannot go on without them. Those who do not have them at their disposal are obliged to ask their neighbour and this can be very annoying. From my part, if I did not have scissors, I would be very unhappy. I have a couple, and I would not trade them with the money they cost. MES CISEAUX Maman m’a fait cadeau d’une jolie paire de ciseaux. Ils sont très comodes et coupent bien. Lorsqu’on en demande, vite, j’offre ma paire pour la faire voir. Ils sont fabriqués en neker; et ils sont brillants comme des miroirs. Un jour, un commis q Ils coupent paletots, gilets, pantalons, robes. Sans mes ciseaux, je ne pourrais pas me fabriquer une boutonnière, je ne pourrais couper le morceau de toile qui m’est nécessaire, ni celui pour faire une robe. Les ciseaux sont nécessaires toujours et on ne peut s’en passer. Celui qui n’en a pas à son service est obligé d’aller demander des ciseaux à son voisin et cela est très ennuyeux. Pour moi, si je n’avais pas de ciseaux, je me trouverais bien malheureuse. J’en ai une paire ; mais je ne voudrais la changer pour l’argent qu’elle a coûté.
A post shared by Exercise Book Archive (@exercisebookarchive) on Oct 18, 2019 at 7:38am PDT
