Subjects We found it pretty boring. we couldn’t speak English very well, we didn’t understand
much, didn’t like speaking English.
I liked coming to school, for a shower and getting ready for breakfast. For breakfast we had a community kitchen. We used to march there.
Teachers I remember one particular
fella, Ian Baker. Earl Waters was the
Culture Culture was not part of
school. We were directed to European ways, too much Captain Cook stuff. I think
it was a bad idea because they were trying to change our way of life. We were
happy with our ways. Communication just wasn’t there. It affects a lot of our
generation. we’re trying to now understand what they
were trying to do. The powers were with the Superintendent.
It is good if culture is
part of the curriculum now. It should have happened at that time, should have
been more understanding.
Discipline Discipline was very strict
in those times, very strict. We had rules about teasing,
swearing, stealing.
Friends I had quite a few, the majority have passed away now. I see a few around but we didn’t have connection – we stuck with our own language groups. We used to talk about being cowboys. We saw a lot of Tarzan and Western movies and we wanted to be like them. We had our own horses, and cows. We didn’t fight much really - pretty cool.
Clothes We wore old fashioned uniforms,
braces and shorts.
Sports
and games Sports were football, soccer, softball, baseball. I liked
football.
Excursions
Events Jimmy Little
came to the school. He was good. I remember him pretty clearly.
Buildings The first one we were in,
double-decker, got burnt down. It had 2 classrooms up and one down with
laundry, shower and toilets. It was next to wherethe Library is now.
Reflections There was a little bit of
alcohol and cigarettes but in our generation it was too strict. I didn’t smoke
or drink until I was 20.
I remember when
Beswick Creek was flooded. Four of us were trying to escape to Mataranka. We
tried to make a raft out of tin. We had pumpkins and fruit in the boat. We sank
after 50 yards and that was it. We thought it was a quicker way to let the
flood take us to Mataranka.
My parents were more traditional, powerful in cultural ways. When we were about 12 we weren’t allowed to stay with our parents and sisters. We had to stay with single men’s quarters. Tradition was pretty strong.
Sad
or scary things I felt sad about busting up
all the eggs and throwing bow and arrows at the pigs.
And one time 20 of us all went swimming at the town water supply in one of the water tanks. All I can see is this white hand reaching in the water. We all dived out of the tank and disappeared but we left all our clothes there. We got caught next day. They brought all our clothes in and held them up and “Whose is this?”
I remember one day the
44 gallon drum in the hot water system blew up and we all took off. Pieces of
it hit one of the trees near where the office is now.
Did
your parents encourage you to do well at school? They didn’t mind, probably
because of all the headaches we were giving them at home. We didn’t mind. We
had to come to school for a shower and to brush our teeth. I remember the old
guy coming to light the hot water service at 5 o’clock in the morning.
My parents worried
about what I was going to get up to. I was a pretty self-determined person.
They thought I might get into trouble.
What do I worry about
now? Big problem now is good education and career path. Kids have all the
options now.
My
advice to young people is to stay at school, finish schooling properly,
don’t get into drugs, don’t get into alcohol, don’t worry about marriage, get a
career first.