Students visit RPSNZ

Print

rpsnz visit
Doug Tennant, with teacher Simon Neale and his students

Mr. Simon Neale, a teacher at Making Futures Happen English Academy in Wellington, contacted the Society to arrange a 'field' trip for a group of intermediate level English-language students from Japan, Korea and China who were doing a project on stamps.  They were to decide whose face they would put on a series of four stamps.  Doug Tennant, as Office Manager on Thursdays, was happy to oblige.

The students’ set questions started with, "What was the first stamp?”  Fortunately we had a British collection on hand so the class saw examples of both the 1d black and the 2d blue.  It was easy to indicate how the penny black was named; the challenges of English soon popped up when the students were asked what the 2d would be called.  "Two pennies blue," was the first answer.  It's a reasoned reply but Doug passed the problem of getting the correct idiom to Mr. Neale.

Using the collection he was able to show how British stamp design developed from just two values at the outset to an increasing number as the use of postage stamps grew.  The students were interested in the way designs developed from the simplicity of the penny black through to the more elaborate Jubilee issues that were retained through to the modern look of the Edward VIII set.  Looking at stamps as a way to gauge what was happening in the society that produced them was the theme.  We noted that Queen Victoria did not age on British stamps; whereas Queen Elizabeth II has matured on New Zealand stamps portraying her.

The most valuable New Zealand stamp was another topic.  The catalogue value of New Zealand's first stamps in mint condition raised eyebrows.  This raised the question of the difference between value and scarcity, and examples were given.  Have you seen many postally used examples of the 35/- Arms without the value overprint?

Another question asked was, “What is your favourite stamp?”  This was a challenge.  Doug pointed to the Canadian 1963 15c portrayal of Canada geese but also added the New Zealand 2½c Kowhai and then, the 1994 $20 stamp to indicate that the production itself could be attractive even if the stamp not on the “favourite” list.

During the presentation the students were asked how many used postage stamps.  The mobile phone is the communication method of choice!  Encouragement came from one the students indicating, just as they were departing, that he was becoming interested in collecting.