Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Bush School Chapter Sampler
Bush School Chapter Sampler
Bush School Chapter Sampler
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Bush School is a memoir and the people, places and events
recounted in it are all from sixty years ago. It is the result of
the author’s memory of that long-gone past and, as with all
memoirs, it may not ref lect the way others remember those
times and places. All names have been changed to protect the
privacy of the individuals.
The children were scattered about the yard and well towards
the fences. Boys were with boys under the four huge pines
on the furthest boundary, and girls with girls down near the
school gate, below the path and its long lines of clipped privet
hedge on either side. Not wanting to shout the first words
they would hear from me—gentle, be gentle—I walked nearer
to each group and quietly asked them to join me inside. Then
I sat at my desk and waited.
The oldest lad, the thirteen-year-old, came in first a few
minutes later. ‘Tom,’ he said as he walked in determinedly.
He struck me as relatively mature, solid and sensible, and he
talked with me in a quiet but confident manner. I didn’t want
to rush to judgement but I was really pleased with this first
meeting. We discussed his family and the schoolwork for which
he might need my assistance. Being a post-primary student, he
would be doing his lessons by correspondence.
Tom’s sister, Debbie, a few years younger, was next to join
us. A little more diffident than Tom, she seemed a sturdy,
sensible girl and said she was in Grade Five.
Soon after, Vickie and Lindie, about the same age as Debbie,
sidled in. Holding hands, they smiled a little; whether that was
to break any tension they were feeling or simply through shy-
ness, I wasn’t concerned—I was just happy they were smiling.
Then two younger girls hopped up the stairs and skipped into
the room. I read their smiles as genuine, a breakout of a delight
to be here. I smiled back, hoping to reinforce their interest in
school. By now I was losing track of names. Of course, they’d
been listed in the register with their parents’ help, and I decided
I’d worry about them a little later by preparing a small cheat
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To take up my appointment at Guy Fawkes in January 1960,
I had to rely on public transport, the norm for most young
teachers taking up country appointments. A few days before
the start of term one, I travelled on the Brisbane Mail, an
overnight train from Sydney, alighting at Armidale early the
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I stayed the night in an Armidale boarding house with a friend
from my National Service days in the Sydney University
Regiment, and it was a relief to spend time with him. This
brief respite helped me get ready to move on to Weabonga.
As I fell asleep my mind ranged over many matters, including
some consideration of Patricia. Her grandfather, with whom
she lived, considered himself responsible for her welfare and
took this role very seriously. When I’d commenced taking her
on outings, Grandfather had insisted on meeting me.
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