War Years

After I left college the war was still on and all Males eligable were being called up for duty. One such person was the teacher of the Weja School so it looked like closing for the 15 students that attended it. That was if they could not find a replacement.

One day an inspector from Parkes made the trip to the school and called on me to see if I would carry on as a subsidised teacher as he knew I had been to college and he did not want the school to close, that was how I became a teacher.

I was scared and said to him do you think I can do it. He gave me a briefing and said he would send me correspondence to tell me what to do. Being a Taurus I said yes I will give it a go.

It was going to be difficult for me as I knew all the students and wondered would they respond to me as three were only a couple of years younger than me and I was only 18 years of age.

I loved it from the start and studied very hard to make a go of it. I must mention my younger sister Bev was also a pupil but she soon learnt to call me Miss in class outside was a different matter.
I stayed there until the school finally closed and those still of school age went to Ungarie and not one had to repeat a class.

Ann Burdack one day caught up with me in Queensland and asked did I have a photo of the pupils I taught and to my surprise she gave me one. Three students are missing they are Phyllis & Eric Peacock and Kevin Coates an evacuee from Sydney. They only attended to keep the school open and did their course by correspondence which I had to help and check.