š ‘It’s a bit Pompeii-like’: The unexpected ‘buried blocks’ of Melbourne
The Heritage Council of Victoria commissioned a study to find answers. It would become, says Jeremy Smith, principal archaeologist with Heritage Victoria, one of the “most significant combinations of historical and archaeological research thatās ever been conducted.”
The report has now been delivered and “It wasn’t what we expected,” Mr Smith says. “Itās going to have implications for the way we do archaeology for the next 50 years.”
The Alliance Archaeology study, Heritage in Ruins: An investigation into Melbourneās āBuried Blocksā reveals details of a forgotten campaign throughout the 1850 and 1860s by Melbourneās then-council to raise the levels of swampy Melbourneās putrid streets.
Hills were flattened and low-lying areas filled, the reason for today’s milder up-and-down cross-town walks.
However, the bombshell in the study was its discovery of a law passed in 1853 requiring those in low-lying areas to bury their homes. If a landowner refused or was too slow, the council was empowered to raise the level of the land itself and charge the costs.
Zach Hope providesĀ a look into the early years of Melbourne where some houses were buried in an effort to raise the swampy areas.Ā Ā This is a fascinating insight into the development of Melbourne and what we assume today. It has me wanting to go back and read Paul Carter’s book Road to Botany Bay and his discussion of the cartographic creation of what we know today.
Welcome back for another month.
On the family front, I took my daughters to the Fairy Park just out of Geelong, our eldest had her end of year music concert, while my wife was successful in application to become assistant principal next year.
At work, I continued to balance the multiple roles of on-boarding new schools, supporting current schools and work through some of the issues associated with our workflows. The biggest challenge I find is that each party thinks you are their resource for the whole time, but we get by ā just. I also attended the regional elearn meeting where I was lucky enough to touch base with Tony Richards and Kimberley Hall.
Personally, I listened to a few new albums from Elbow, Nils Frahm and Angel Olsen, but to be honest, I spent more time reading. I was inspired by something Philip Roth said, which Craig Mod quoted in his newsletter:
I am thinking that I have not really been reading then. Therefore, I wondered through Martin Lindstromās world of Small Data, reflected on Edward Snowdenās Permanent Record, returned to Clive Thompsonās Coders and also dived into Philip Glassā memoir Words Without Music. With all this in mind, I have not really been doing a lot of long form writing, although I have a few drafts of things going.
Here then are the links that really stood out to me this month:
Education
Sweeping changes to HSC and syllabus proposed by government review
Jordan Baker reports on the proposed changes put forward by Geoff Masters in the NSW Curriculum Review Interim Report. Most importantly, this raised the question as to what the purpose of curriculum is.
Sustaining School Organisational Change
Mal Lee and Roger Broadie unpack the difference between driving initial change and sustaining it for the long term.
After Babel: Designing for Community
Sean Michael Morris unpacks the challenges associated with learning in online communities.
Psychodata
Ben Williamson disassembles the growing world of social and emotional learning.
The Need for Transformational Learning is Long Overdue
Val Margarit discusses the six steps she uses for encouraging heutagogical learning environments.
Education before Regulation: Empowering Students to Question Their Data Privacy
Autumm Caines and Erin Glass discuss data privacy and the importance of educating students about the topic.
Technology
Is Amazon Unstoppable?
Charles Duhigg takes a deep dive into the world of Amazon, including day one thinking, relentless improving, copying culture and the spectre of anti-trust.
The strange world of TikTok: viral videos and Chinese censorship
Anushka Asthana and Alex Hern discuss the censorship associated with social video app TikTok and its timeless algorithmic feed.
How memes got weaponized: A short history
Joan Donovan unpacks the history associated with memes.
Is Anyone Going to Get Rich off of Email Newsletters?
Kaitlyn Tiffany explores the ever evolving world of newsletters.
Social Media Has Not Destroyed a Generation
Lydia Denworth argues that although people like Jean Twenge might be right about the impact of social media on health, correlation does not always equal conclusion. More research is required to better understand some of the nuances.
Want to make a podcast? Here are five things we learnt at OzPod 2019
Kellie Riordan highlights five takeaways from the OzPod 2019 Conference.
Reflection
Inside the Big Day Out
Through a 5-part series, Gemma Pick documents the history of The Big Day Out from its early beginnings in the 90s to its capitulation in 2015.
Planning for a problematic future
Edwina Stott explores the strategy of scenario planning as a way of responding to the complex, complicated and often confounding futures.
āItās a bit Pompeii-likeā: The unexpected āburied blocksā of Melbourne
Zach Hope provides a fascinating insight into the early years of Melbourne where some houses were buried in an effort to raise the swampy areas.
A million people are jailed at Chinaās gulags. I managed to escape. Hereās what really goes on inside
David Stavrou paints a picture of life inside of a Xinjiang āreeducationā camp. This is based on a testimony provided by Sayragul Sauytbay, a teacher who escaped from China and was granted asylum in Sweden.
Annika Smethurst: āWorry is my new normalā
Annika Smethurst provides a sobering account of life after the Australia Federal Policeās raids and what is on the line when reporting on the government and security.
How Science Got Sound Wrong
William Softky explains how vinyl is better than digital music.
Read Write Respond #046
So that was October for me, how about you? As always, happy to hear.
Cover Image via JustLego101
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