Teachers experience the past at new loan box launch
Press Release

Teachers took at step back to the days of Woking past and had a glimpse of its future when three important new additions to The Lightbox’s successful loan box service were launched at The Park School, last week.

The new boxes are linked to the major themes in the History Gallery area of the new museum and gallery due to open in Spring 2007– The Coming of the Railways, Brookwood Hospital, a Victorian Community and Oral History. Each contains original artefacts for pupils to handle, laminated copies of maps and photographs and CD Roms, together with suggested activities for use in the classroom or community.

Younger pupils can "sort" through the lost property items in the Railway Box to give an insight into the life of passengers travelling from Woking Station from Victorian times to the present.

The Brookwood Hospital box was researched in conjunction with the Bethlem Royal Hospital Museum in Beckenham and is the first of its type. The loan box tackles the challenging subject of the treatment of mental illness in Victorian times and reveals the hospitals’ enlightened approach.

Evaluation by 15 year olds from Ash College revealed that the pupils enjoyed and showed great interest in this new subject. "They gained a real insight into this new and sensitive area. During the session their attitudes changed radically from stereotypical to gaining empathy," said Tina Cockett, Head of Learning and Access at The Lightbox.

Childhood memories and wartime Woking come alive through recorded memories of local people in the oral history loan box which contains equipment for pupils to make their own recordings. Another box, entitled The Homefront – World War Two was relaunched with new teachers’ resources developed by Dorking teacher Catherine Bate.

For the past nine months the education team at The Lightbox has worked in conjunction with St Mary’s Primary School, Byfleet; Sythwood School, Woking, Carwarden Special School and Camberley and Ash Technology College in Ashford to develop the boxes, funded by grants from South East Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (SEMLAC) and the Surrey Museums Consultative Committee.

They are a valuable resource for schools studying local history and designed to introduce teachers to the main themes of the history gallery which will form part of the new Victoria Way museum and gallery due to open in May 2007. The loan boxes can be hired for a three-week period at £18 inclusive of VAT, but any schools prepared to evaluate the boxes can try them free of charge during the Summer Term.

For further details contact the Education team at The Lightbox on 01483 725517.

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