Blad 159 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) c. 1949

This page from the register of the Colonial School for Girls and Women in The Hague was made sometime between 1930 and 1949. The grid-like structure with photos, signatures, and handwritten notes is fascinating. I imagine each entry tells a story of a young woman's education and journey, probably full of hopes and expectations for a future in a world that was rapidly changing. Looking at these pictures, I wonder what it must have been like to be one of these women. What were their dreams, their fears, their daily lives? The handwritten notes and signatures add a personal touch, like whispers from the past. Each stroke of the pen, each carefully chosen photograph, reveals something about the individual. The photos themselves vary, they're sometimes formal, sometimes casual. This page is like a painting with many panels – a conversation between different voices and experiences. It reminds me of the work of artists who use collage and assemblage to tell stories and capture a sense of time and place. It feels like a work of art.