Blad 107 uit Stamboek van de leerlingen der Koloniale School voor Meisjes en Vrouwen te 's-Gravenhage deel II (1930-1949) Possibly 1938

This is page 107 from a register of students at The Colonial School for Girls and Women in The Hague, dating from between 1930 and 1949. The school was set up to train women for domestic and administrative roles in the Dutch East Indies. Looking at this page, we see columns filled with handwritten names, places of origin, and destinations, alongside personal photographs and signatures. It’s a window into the lives of young Dutch women preparing for a life shaped by colonialism. The meticulous record-keeping speaks to the institutional nature of Dutch colonialism, with the state seeking to control movement and maintain power. The images and addresses offer a personal counterpoint. The Dutch colonial project was rooted in economic exploitation, and maintained through social and political control. This register reminds us of its impact on individual lives. Further research into the school’s curriculum, and the later lives of its graduates, might help us understand how the institution shaped Dutch colonial history. This document is not just an archive. It's evidence of social engineering.