Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (25)

One of the programs we were about to establish at Warburton, was that of regular interdepartmental meetings. This enabled health, welfare and education to come together with representatives of the local community so we could share information and plan together. These meetings helped with the development of understanding between us all. An outcome from these meetings was greater understanding and cooperation between us all.

It often seemed to me that if interdepartmental cooperation existed at higher levels within our respective organisations, benefit would accrue to the system. It seemed that our superiors within respective organisations we represented, acted without any recourse to other connected agencies. Reduplication and misunderstanding resulting from a lack of shared focus was a result.

One of the things we were able to do for the community, was to organise periodic film nights. We sourced most of our films from the Shell Travelling Film Library and also drew on films available through the Education Department.

There was a nice patch of green lawn which established on the western side of the main school building. An outdoor projection screen had been permanently constructed, enabling projection from one of our classrooms through an open window once louvres were removed. We had a quite ancient Bell and Howell projector which gave the locals many an hour of film entertainment during the two years of 1974 and 75. Shell films were never the latest release movies but the fact that the company made them available, meant they provided us with a valuable service. Films were transported to and from Warburton courtesy of Dennis Meaker the TNT driver.

On winter nights, audience members would turn up with blankets in order to keep warm. There was no need for this consideration during summer months.

Teachers used every to take it in turns to fill the tole of projectionist. It was important to stay with the projector for the whole time it was being operated. On one occasion, the projectionist decided the projector could do the job on automatic. Unfortunately, the spool receiving the viewed film was bent inward. Rather than the film rewinding in normal fashion, it quickly started to wind through the projector and onto the floor. At the end of the reel, when the projectionist returned, there were many, many hundreds of metres of film lying on the floor. We eventually, and after several hours got it sorted by working the film like a skein of wool up and down the long passageway connecting classrooms and from there getting it back onto the spool. Never again was the projector left alone.

However, that dilemma did not stop the audience enjoying the film