MS 9409

Papers of Graham Gibson (1914 - 1987)



Scope and content note

Papers

1935-87

4.76 metres (34 boxes)

Available for reference

The papers were donated by Joan Gibson to the National Library in 1994.

The bulk of the papers comprise individually numbered research papers and notes for Gibson’s post-graduate studies. The collection also includes miscellaneous research papers and lecture notes, a body of material on Papua New Guinea education in the post-war years, numbered general correspondence and copies of Gibson’s theses. There are personal papers as well. Gibson kept a diary for six months in 1946 and Joan Gibson wrote in a travel diary, 1949, recording her impressions of the trip from Melbourne to Rabaul. There are also copies of letters Joan Gibson sent to family and friends in Australia while she was in Papua New Guinea in 1949-50.

Gibson’s research interests were centred on education in Papua New Guinea and the ideals that motivated schooling there, including the role played by Christian missions. He wrote his doctoral thesis on the educational ideals of William Charles Groves, an Australian anthropologist who was the foundation Director of Education in Papua New Guinea from 1946 to 1958. Gibson had a lifelong interest in education policy and administration in all colonial countries and his research papers include comparative material on education in African and Pacific countries.

Gibson was a meticulous record keeper who numbered and indexed his post-graduate research papers and notes using two exercise books as numerical and subject indexes. Individual papers and notes can be retrieved through the indexes. The numbered research papers and notes consist of Gibson’s handwritten notes and copies of reference articles from various journals and publications. Gibson also numbered and indexed general correspondence and ordered it numerically rather than chronologically. Where Gibson has numbered papers and correspondence the Library has maintained this arrangement.

The papers provide an insight into colonial life in Papua New Guinea in the post-war years with a particular focus on the policy and administration of education.


Biographical note

Graham Harrison Gibson was born in Cranbourne, Victoria on 13 December 1914. He died in Melbourne in March 1987.

Gibson was a teacher with the Victorian Education Department who first went to Papua New Guinea in 1943 with the 4th Field Ambulance. He subsequently joined the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU) the special army unit set up to carry out functions of civilian government. After discharge from ANGAU Gibson resigned from the Victorian Education Department to join the Territory of Papua New Guinea Education Department. He went to the central training school at Sogeri near Port Moresby before becoming the District Education Officer at Kavieng, the administrative centre of the New Ireland district in January 1947. Gibson taught at the District School at Utu.

Education in post-war Papua New Guinea was hampered by some major problems. It was a new Department; there had been no Department of Education before the war. Many buildings in Papua New Guinea had been destroyed during the war and accommodation was often temporary; schools were usually located in improvised buildings. Gibson was one of the pioneer teachers in the Territory spending a total of seven years there before his departure in 1950.

Gibson married Joan Hargreaves in December 1948.

On his return to Australia Gibson re-entered the secondary education division of the Victorian Education Department where he taught until his retirement at the age of fifty-nine. After retirement he studied for a masters and doctoral degrees at Monash University. He attained his doctoral thesis in 1984 with his work: The Educational ideals of William Charles Groves.

Reference

Encyclopaedia of Papua and New Guinea, Volume 1, 1972


Series list

Series/Title

1 Correspondence series, numbered papers, 1-111, 1940-87

2 Personal letters and diaries of Graham and Joan Gibson, 1946-50

3 Numbered research papers and notes, 1-911, 1940s-87

4 Miscellaneous research papers and notes, 1940s-87

5 Papua New Guinea education papers, 1940s-60

6 Gibson’s post graduate theses, 1949-84

7 Press cuttings, 1952-86

8 Miscellaneous materials, 1935-84


Series description

Series 1 Correspondence series, numbered papers, 1-111, 1940-87

Gibson numbered all items in this general correspondence series. There are one hundred and eleven items of correspondence dating from 1940 to the 1980s. The numbers are recorded in an exercise book that indexes all items in the series. Correspondence is filed numerically, not chronologically. Gibson was a meticulous record-keeper and many of the items in this series were retyped and photocopied to improve legibility of fading papers. The original and the copies are fastened together. Many of the items contain explanatory notes in Gibson’s handwriting dated in February 1987. The series contains everyday material from Kavieng, for example, notices of social events, outfitting receipts, sketches of the District Education Office at Utu, an exercise book containing handwritten recipes and so on. The series also includes letters from Gibson to different educational bodies and individuals about his research interests, copies of Mission and Church newsletters, newspaper cuttings and letters sent to Gibson from students in the New Ireland district.

Folder

1 Index book to numbered correspondence

2 Correspondence, items 1-26

3 Correspondence, items 27-45

4 Correspondence, items 46-60

5 Correspondence, items 61-76

6 Correspondence, items 77-88

7 Correspondence, items 89-93

8 Correspondence, items 94-111

Series 2 Personal letters and diaries of Joan and Graham Gibson, 1946-50

This series includes a personal diary Graham Gibson kept from January to December 1946. It covers his army service with ANGAU and his time at Sogeri near Port Moresby. After Graham Gibson married Joan Hargreaves in December 1948, Melbourne, in January 1949 they travelled from Melbourne to Rabaul, and then to Kavieng, New Ireland, where Gibson was District Education Officer. Joan Gibson kept a travel diary describing the journey from Melbourne to Rabaul. The original diary and a retyped and photocopied version of the diary are included in this series. There are also carbon copies of letters Joan Gibson typed to her friends in Australia together with a set of retyped and photocopied letters. There is a large bundle of original typed letters she sent to her family (the Hargreaves) while she was in Kavieng. These letters were also retyped and photocopied. Gibson kept congratulatory notes and cards sent to him on the conferral of his doctoral thesis in 1985.

Folder

1 Personal diary of Graham Gibson, 1946

2 Travel diary of Joan Gibson (original and copy), 1949-50

3 Letters to friends from Joan Gibson, 1949

4 Letters to family from Joan Gibson, 1949-50

5 Papers on conferral of doctoral thesis, 1985

Series 3 Numbered research papers and notes, 1940s-87

This series of research papers and notes were numbered by Gibson and maintained in the numerical sequence. The numerical index to the papers is contained in two exercise books. Items 1-707 are listed in the first book, items 708-911 in the second book. A spiral notepad entitled ‘Notes on W. C. Groves’ consisting of handwritten notes on Groves under different headings has been included with these papers.

The series comprises photocopies of articles from a range of journals, books and reports and Gibson’s own handwritten research notes. Gibson allocated numbers to all his notes. Some are written in exercise books, others in writing pads, others consist of brief jotting on single slips of paper or envelopes. All notes were numbered for retrieval and most were kept in some sort of covering, for instance, used envelopes or bags. The research notes and papers are mainly about the policy and administration of education in Papua NewGuinea. The Library has maintained Gibson’s indexed numerical sequence. For preservation reasons, the Library has placed groups of papers in special folders.

The material appears to have been largely accumulated and numbered by Gibson during the 1970s and the early 1980s, probably for the easy retrieval of information for the doctoral thesis on William Charles Groves.

Folder

1 Index book to research papers and notes, 1-707

2 Index book to research papers and notes, 708-911

3 Note book on W. C. Groves

4 Research papers and notes, 1-36

5 Research papers and notes, 37-63

6 Research papers and notes, 64-74

7 Research papers and notes, 75-93

8 Research papers and notes, 94-101

9 Research papers and notes, 102-118

10 Research papers and notes, 119-140

11 Research papers and notes, 141-161

12 Research papers and notes, 162-170

13 Research papers and notes, 171-183

14 Research papers and notes, 184-202

15 Research papers and notes, 203-209

16 Research papers and notes, 210-220

17 Research papers and notes, 221-234

18 Research papers and notes, 235-275

19 Research papers and notes, 276-290

20 Research papers and notes, 291-307

21 Research papers and notes, 308-312

22 Research papers and notes, 313-319

23 Research papers and notes, 320-327

24 Research papers and notes, 328-342

25 Research papers and notes, 343-354

26 Research papers and notes, 355-360

27 Research papers and notes, 361-365

28 Research papers and notes, 366-375

29 Research papers and notes, 376-401

30 Research papers and notes, 402-418

31 Research papers and notes, 419-456

32 Research papers and notes, 457-480

33 Research papers and notes, 481-493

34 Research papers and notes, 494-496

35 Research papers and notes, 497-500

36 Research papers and notes, 501-512

37 Research papers and notes, 513-573

38 Research papers and notes, 574-585

39 Research papers and notes, 586-594

40 Research papers and notes, 595-605

41 Research papers and notes, 606-609

42 Research papers and notes, 610-628

43 Research papers and notes, 629-631

44 Research papers and notes, 632-640

45 Research papers and notes, 641-655

46 Research papers and notes, 656-667

47 Research papers and notes, 668-680

48 Research papers and notes, 681-707

49 Research papers and notes, 708-730

50 Research papers and notes, 731-737

51 Research papers and notes, 738-741

52 Research papers and notes, 742-747

53 Research papers and notes, 748-751

54 Research papers and notes, 752-760

55 Research papers and notes, 761-770

56 Research papers and notes, 771-791

57 Research papers and notes, 792-804

58 Research papers and notes, 805-822

59 Research papers and notes, 823

60 Research papers and notes, 824-840

61 Research papers and notes, 841-856

62 Research papers and notes, 857-877

63 Research papers and notes, 878-911

Series 4 Miscellaneous research papers and notes, 1940s-87

This series of research papers and notes includes a selection of 1940s lecture notes from the University of Sydney and the Army (School of Civil Affairs) on anthropology, agriculture, education and government in Papua New Guinea. The series also includes copies of theses used by Gibson for reference purposes, notes on the training of Missionaries (taken at the Mitchell Library) and bundles of photocopied information on Papua New Guinea administration and education obtained from the Australian Archives in 1987. There is a set of papers marked by Gibson as ‘early thesis notes for review’. This series of research papers and notes were accumulated over a considerable period of time and would certainly have been used for reference in Gibson’s post-graduate studies. Gibson did not number these papers. The Library has arranged them in chronological order where possible.

Folder

1 Lecture notes, Anthropology 1, 1940s

2 Thesis: Educational problems of the Methodist Mission in New Britain, L.A. McArthur, 1940s (2 copies)

3 Allied geographical section: Area study of New Ireland, 1943

4 Lecture notes, HQ AMF, Law and Government in Australian New Guinea, 1945-46

5 Extract from Parliamentary debates (Colonial Affairs), 1946

6 Lecture notes, HQ AMF, Education, training, missions, c 1946-50

7 Lecture notes, HQ AMF, Department of District services, 1946-47

8 Lecture notes, HQ AMF, Notes on farming, stock and agriculture, 1947

9 Nigeria: principles of native administration, received 1947

10 Research notes and articles on education, 1948-73

11 Hand written notes on Missionaries (Mitchell Library), 1955

12 Notes about the training of Missionaries, 1967

13 Notes on training of Methodist Missionaries, 1972

14 Thesis: The work and influence of W.C. Groves, M. Duncan, n d

15 Report on work at Haddon Library (UK), 1981

16 Handwritten notes on Africa (education), n d

17 Handwritten notes Pacific (education) n d

18 Notes, early thesis, G.H. Gibson, n d

19 Notes, George Brown’s artefacts, 1986

20 Unpublished article on W.C. Groves, G.H. Gibson (two copies) 1987

21 Material from the Australian Archives, 1987

22 Material from the Australian Archives, 1987

Series 5 Papua New Guinea education papers, 1940s-60

This series comprises a body of information on education in Papua New Guinea in the post-war years. It includes Territory of Papua and New Guinea (TPNG) Department of Education policy and administration papers from the late 1940s, and material from Papua New Guinea from the 1950s. Gibson had obviously arranged for information on education to be sent to him after he left Papua New Guinea. The material from the 1950s came to Gibson from an education inspector, G. Stanton Crouch, at Sogeri. These papers were bundled and described as the ‘Stanton Crouch papers’. The papers consist of: students’ and teachers’ notebooks, pupils’ exams, workbooks and essays, roneoed circulars and teaching papers from the TPNG Education Department, copies of school inspection reports, exam papers for the auxiliary division of the TPNG public service, school broadcasts and some copies of Departmental correspondence.

Folder

1 Territory of Papua New Guinea, Department of Education, policy papers, 1947-54

2 ‘Programme of work for Native Teachers’, Catholic Mission, Yule Island, 1949

3 Teacher’s notebook, 1950s

4 Folders of teaching papers (examinations, syllabuses, correspondence), 1950s

5 Folders of teaching papers (pupils exercises, reports, exams), 1953-60

6 Department of Education, syllabuses, 1954-58

7 ‘Know your Territory’, school broadcasts, 1955-57

8 Department of Education, exam papers, 1955-58

9 Roneoed notes ‘Teachers’ refresher course’, 1956

10 Department of Education, exam papers, 1956-57

11 Department of Education, education papers, 1956-57

12 Pupils’ and teachers’ exercise books, c 1957

13 Pupils’ exams, work and stories, 1957-59

14 Territory of Papua New Guinea, Department of Education, ‘Staff Report on Native Teachers’, 1958

15 Exam papers for the public service, 1958-59

16 Pupils’ essays (Sogeri), c 1959

17 Teachers’ and students’ workbooks, c 1959-60

18 Papuan legends, n d

Series 6 Gibson’s post-graduate theses, 1949-84

Gibson’s lifelong interest in education in Papua New Guinea is reflected in the subjects of his post graduate theses. He undertook four theses. The first two were with Melbourne University: Native education in New Ireland (Bachelor of Education) 1949 and Native education by the Methodist Mission in the New Britain District 1875-1950 (Master of Education), 1962. At Monash University he did a Master of Arts thesis in 1973: The educational preparation of Australian Methodist Missionaries 1855-1970 and a Doctor of Philosophy thesis in 1984: The educational ideals of William Charles Groves.

Folder

1 Native education in New Ireland, 1949

2 Native education by the Methodist Mission in the New Britain District 1875-1950, 1962

3 The educational preparation of Australian Methodist Missionaries 1855-1970, 1973

4 The educational ideals of William Charles Groves, 1984

Series 7 Press cuttings, 1952-86

This small series consists of press cuttings Gibson collected on Papua New Guinea and Pacific countries. The series comprises four exercise books containing press cuttings and a bundle of sheets of photocopies. The cuttings, mostly taken from The Age and Church (mission) journals, are glued into exercise books or glued onto sheets of paper. There is a bundle of press cuttings from 1979-84 mainly about Papua New Guinea, but also containing material about the Pacific.

Folder

1 Press cuttings, 1952-61

2 Press cuttings, c 1961-65

3 Press cuttings, c 1979-86

Series 8 Assorted printed materials, 1935-84

This series contains printed material about Papua New Guinea ranging from pamphlets, various booklets, magazines, for example, Walkabout and The Bulletin, miscellaneous handbooks from the Australian School of Pacific Administration, monthly newsletters of the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau and reports from the Papua and New Guinea University of Technology. Gibson accumulated this material over a long period of time for its reference value and personal interest. Three black and white photographs of Port Denison, Sydney, received by Gibson in 1965 have been placed in this series.

Folder

1 Pamphlets and booklets, 1935-70s

2 Publications on Papua New Guinea, 1935-49

3 Specialised handbooks and Government brochures, 1945-64

4 Miscellaneous published handbooks, c 1949-77

5 Magazines, 1955-64

6 Photographs (Port Denison) c 1965

7 Monthly newsletters, Pacific Manuscripts Bureau, 1968-81

8 Papua New Guinea University of Technology reports, 1978-82


Box list

Box Series Folder
1 1 1-8
2 2 2-5
3 3 1-6
4 3 7-10
5 3 11-15
6 3 16-19
7 3 20-23
8 3 24-26
9 3 27-29
10 3 30-32
11 3 33-37
12 3 38-41
13 3 42-45
14 3 46-49
15 3 50-54
16 3 55-57
17 3 58-61
18 3 62-63
19 4 1-5
20 4 6-10
21 4 11-13
22 4 14-15
23 4 16-17
24 4 18-22
25 5 1-4
26 5 5-7
27 5 8-13
28 5 14-18
29 6 1-2
30 6 3-4
31 7 1-3
32 8 1-3
33 8 4-5
34 8 6-8
May 2000