A tiny patriot

In September 1914, the School Journal printed a circular letter from Secretary for Education George Hogben to all head teachers in public schools. Hogben called for children to make their own sacrifices and do what they could to help the war effort. He outlined how schools were to encourage children to contribute to a fund to provide a ‘truly noble’ gift to help the wounded on the battlefields. Schools had the important role of managing and directing children’s contributions to the war effort. All citizens were expected to ‘do their bit to help the boys’, and children were eager to help in any way they could.

In this photograph, Ruth Swanson of Fielding poses with the pet lamb she gave to the Patriotic Fund. The lamb was eventually sold for £36 5s 6d (around $5400 in 2012), and then given back to the Swanson family.