Subjects I liked all my subjects. We
did sewing and cooking. I would like to learn more about sewing and cooking.
Teachers I remember a lot of old
teachers – Mr Waters, Mr Harris, they were the best teachers. We learned a lot
from them.
Culture We learned about culture at
home. I listened to my mother, helped her at home by cooking, washing clothes.
We washed by hand, there was no washing machine. There were 7 children in my
family.
Discipline Discipline was a hard thing.
When we didn’t come to school we had to mow the lawns outside the school. My
parents were proud. They wanted us to learn more about white man’s way. When we
didn’t want to come to school sometimes our uncle would chase us with a whip.
Discipline is not so good now. Things
should be changed, with the kids themselves, they should listen to their
teachers. Parents can tell them to go to school and teachers and parents work
together.
Friends My friend was Ruby Willika –
she’s left now. I had a lot of good friends.
We did things like play together and walk
together. We talked mainly about school, there was no
television then, but not boyfriends - we didn’t think of things like that.
I remember Nancy Weston, Nancy Wesley, Nell Wesley, Judy and Jessie Brown.
Clothes We wore very long clothes. We had
a uniform at school.
Sports and games We had basketball, hockey. We had swimming in the river after school and also when we had sport. I liked basketball.
Judy was good at
sport, also Christine Camfoo and Margaret Katherine.
In those days it was
too hard to go away to play.
Reflections I worried about my
grandmother passing away.
My parents worried
about us going away to another city. I went to
Now, I worry about
children not coming to school and not being close to other children.
Reflections cont. A funny thing I remember was 2 girls
smoking. the teacher smelled the smoke and she told
them to smoke in the classroom. They did. We told them “Don’t ever smoke in the
classroom next time.”
Sad
things is families dying. There were ceremonies and school stopped.
My
advice to young people “Keep going to
school. Listen to your teacher.
Do what the teacher tells you. Education is best for your life.”