History of the Horn-Book

UNSW Library holds a copy of History of the Horn-Book by Andrew W. Tuer, published in 1896. This special edition is presented in two, vellum-bound volumes and includes over 300 illustrations and seven hornbooks and battledores stored in pockets. This study of hornbooks and early children’s primers explores the evolution and significance of these foundational educational tools.

Originating in England, the hornbook was in use from approximately 1450 to the late 19th century, serving as a primary teaching aid for young children.

The hornbook, characterised by its paddle-like shape and handle, enabled children to hold, carry, or fasten it to their belts with a cord. Their utility lay in helping children memorise and learn what was considered essential information. Hornbooks typically displayed primary texts such as the alphabet, Arabic numerals, or short verses, such as a poem or the Lord's Prayer. The hornbook preceded the primer, a teaching aid that featured longer, more complex texts and reading and writing exercises.

Hornbooks were crafted for functionality and durability using a variety of materials, including wood, bone, leather, silver, and even lead alloy. A thin, translucent layer of horn or mica protected the lesson sheet while keeping the text visible. The protective horn layer ensured longevity—an important feature in an era when books were rare and expensive.

The prevalence of hornbooks coincided with the rise in literacy and the movement to educate children in Europe and the United States. Over time, educators gradually replaced hornbooks with more comprehensive books and primers, which in turn influenced the development of modern textbooks and learning methods.

Tuer provides a detailed account of the many trades involved in crafting hornbooks. Read Chapter VII to explore their construction, including material choices, technical components, and practical design elements.

• Consider how hornbooks evolved - what innovations shaped their utility, durability, and purpose as foundational learning tools?

Hornbooks contributed to the standardisation of early education by offering a consistent and compact format for teaching foundational skills, helping educators establish a more uniform approach to literacy instruction.

• What can the hornbook reveal about the education and teaching practices of its time?
• Compare contemporary teaching tools and reflect on how methodologies and practices in Australia have evolved.

As iconic educational tools, hornbooks reflected societal priorities, particularly the emphasis on religious instruction and moral education, often aligned with the values and beliefs of the period.

• What insights can hornbooks offer to consider the history and influence of colonial education systems in Australia during the 18th and 19th centuries?
• Examine hornbooks in the context of Australian history and the impact of colonial education on Indigenous communities. Examine the intersection between Aboriginal knowledge systems and the teaching methodologies of 18th and 19th-century education.
• Critically analyse a selection of historical and contemporary teaching texts and examine how language and literature shape our understanding of the world socially, politically, and culturally.

• Consider the various barriers to education and literacy that existed during the 18th and 19th centuries. Compare and analyse how these barriers relate to current barriers to literacy and education in Australia.

• Consider the durable, physical and handheld nature of hornbooks - How might they have encouraged active, tactile engagement and supported versatile, independent learning opportunities?
• Research contemporary and historical tactile and interactive learning tools and practices, using the hornbook as a case study.