Some Reflections on the ‘Way it Was’

I remember when first graduating as a teacher, thinking toward the future and feeling just how far it stretched into the distance. Then, it seemed like the future was never-ending and that my teaching career would go on and on and on. In those days, training was for only two years, with three year training for teachers in Western Australia becoming compulsory, from memory, in 1969. Earlier it wads optional (two year or three year trained choice) I commenced training in 1968 and being mature aged was required to undertake the two year training option.

Prior to determining that teaching was for me, I had been a young man working with my Dad on his farm. in those days it was rare indeed for children to have a chance to complete Year Twelve and have the chance for education beyond secondary years. Most boys on farms (in the rural area) left school at 14 or 15 years of age, going to work on farms or at menial (blue collar) jobs. Some but not many did apprenticeships.

Girls left school around the same age and many became domestics (house helps) at home or for others, with the emphasis on cooking, sewing, cleaning and often minding younger siblings (at home) or other people’s children (if employed). For some girls, there were positions in stores or if you were really lucky, a job as secretary in a bank or business.

I was lucky (or blessed) to have Parents who allowed me to complete Year Twelve for without my Leaving Certificate (equivalent to a tertiary entrance qualification) I would never have been able to undertake teacher training. I was (I think) the only boy from my primary school to go on and complete all years of secondary education.

These days I look back and reflect on just how fast it seems the years have flown by. Sometimes I think about the challenges we confronted and the learning I achieved.