As one of the oldest early childhood organisations in Australia, SDN Children’s Services has an important place in the country’s social and cultural history, and in particular, in the history of the development of early childhood education and care in this country. SDN’s history encompasses a period that has seen many changes to social attitudes and knowledge and has influenced education, welfare and health policies with implications for the way child care has been viewed by and delivered in the community. In recognition of the important place SDN holds historically, the organisation has committed resources to collecting, maintaining and preserving our records, through the development of the SDN Archive.
One important role of the Archive is to capture the stories of people associated with the organisation through the gathering of oral histories. Oral histories enable people’s stories to be told in their own words. They are a powerful and rich historical resource. In particular as SDN is an organisation formed, managed and operated by a largely female workforce, SDN’s oral history collection enables the voices of women, who are often silenced in historical texts, to be heard. By making accessible the voices of women as they tell their stories of working in the organisation, SDN is making a valuable contribution to Australia’s social and cultural history and making this often hidden and taken-for-granted work more visible and publicly acknowledged.
Anne Irving
Mothercraft Nurse, SDN Northern Suburbs Early Learning Centre
Interview Date: 20 April 2006
Duration of Excerpt: 3 minutes 29 seconds
Talks about:
- strong bond with parents
- a day’s routine in the babies room.
Effie Bland
Current Board Member
Interview Date: 31 July 2007
Duration of Excerpt: 5 minutes
Talks about:
- importance of history to SDN
- volunteering.
Fiona Harvey
Centre Director, SDN Marrickville
Children’s Education and Care Centre
Interview Date: 25 June 2010
Duration of Excerpt: 3 minutes 15 seconds
Talks about:
- teaching space
- finding balance as a Teacher/Director.
Ida Leonard
Graduate of the Nursery Teachers’ College 1936
(Ida was one of the first graduates)
Interview Date: 10 October 2001
Duration of Excerpt: 4 minutes 41 seconds
Talks about:
- memories of typical day at the Woolloomooloo Day Nursery in 1936
- the children’s routine.
Jenny Simons OAM
Principal, Nursery School Teachers’ College
Inaugural Director, Institute of Early Childhood Studies
Interview Date: 29 November 2004
Duration of Excerpt: 3 minute 53 seconds
Talks about:
- Nursery School Teachers’ College ethos
- male students at Nursery School.
Joan Fry
Former Principal of the Nursery School
Teachers’ College at Newtown
Interview Date: August/December 1990
Duration of Excerpt: 6 minutes 23 seconds
Talks about:
- Woolloomooloo in the 1940s
- Nursery School Teachers’ College.
Julie Pearson
SDN Manager, North Sydney
Inclusion Support Agency
Interview Date: 22 June 2010
Duration of Excerpt: 2 minutes 21 seconds
Talks about:
- what ISA does
- strength based approach.
Kay Turner
Current SDN Director
Interview Date: 8 May 2006
Duration of Excerpt: 6 minute 31 seconds
Talks about:
- supporting families
- working with families.
Luba Torban
Manager, Brighter Futures
Interview Date: 2 July 2010
Duration of Excerpt: 1 minute 54 seconds
Talks about:
- what advice would you give
- SDN centenary celebration.
Marion Taylor
Former Student of the Nursery School
Teachers’ College at Newtown
Interview Date: 2 July 2010
Duration of Excerpt: 3 minutes 5 seconds
Talks about:
- importance of music
- Heather Gell method.
Megan Brophy
Early Childhood Teacher, Paddington
Early Childhood Education & Care Centre
Interview Date: 23 June 2010
Duration of Excerpt: 2 minutes 36 seconds
Talks about:
- memories of working with Nurse Wingate
- children and art.
Melia O’Donnell OAM
Former President of SDN
Interview Date: 18 November 2001
Duration of Excerpt: 6 minutes 25 seconds
Talks about:
- her background
- her time as President in the 1990s, a time of great change and challenge.
Nurse Wingate
Former Employee of SDN
Interview Date: 10 October 2001
Duration of Excerpt: 6 minutes 21 seconds
Talks about:
- her background
- working at Woolloomooloo in 1969.
Patricia Bridges OBE
Former President of SDN & Life Member
Interview Date: 4 February 2005
Duration of Excerpt: 4 minutes 2 seconds
Talks about:
- inclusion of men on SDN Committees
- fond memories.
Peggy Lane
35 years of service
SDN Marrickville
Interview Date: 25 June 2010
Duration of Excerpt: 1 minute 47 seconds
Talks about:
- working with the 2s
- a funny story.
Penny Saxton
SDN Early Childhood Teacher
Interview Date: 13 September 2006
Duration of Excerpt: 5 minute 48 seconds
Talks about:
- exploring art with children
- importance of building a bond with children.
Sally Waterford
Coordinates the Partnership with Parents Program and Redfern
Interview Date: 27 July 2010
Duration of Excerpt: 3 minutes 16 seconds
Talks about:
- importance of people being heard
- holding the story.
Tonia Godhard AM
Former CEO of SDN
Interview Date: 10 May 2006
Duration of Excerpt: 5 minutes 20 seconds
Talks about:
- care versus education debate
- advocacy.
