Dear reader, it is with deep contrition and in the interests of even handedness we offer you this rebuttal to the recent piece, “Scholarships on offer to Indigenous children’ by Cecil Poole. In hindsight the opinions of Cecil do not reflect the balanced view of the editorship, and run contrary to standards of taste and fair-mindedness. We print in full the transcript of a letter written with some justifiable indignation from the President of the board of one of our leading Independent private schools. In the interests of impartiality, the School’s name has been withheld. We apologise, as were were going to give you the first of our instalments from ‘Yoonda College’, a not for profit community school focused upon the re-integration of spoilt, rich, white kids back into community, but that’ll have to wait.
The letter; ‘To Cecil Poole, a rebuttal’!!
” Other schools are following our initiative by the simple expedient that it works”!!
‘Dear Sirs I am appalled at the inference made by Cecil Poole regarding our offer of scholarships to Indigenous Australians. Clearly, ‘HE’, (Cecil) has not consulted our scholarship and leadership initiative targeted at giving Indigenous Australians the gift of Pride and Position. If he read our initiative in chapter three, ‘Aborigines Naplan and Learning’ (ANAL) he would grasp the fundamentals. He is completely ill- informed, and to suggest our actions as “tokenistic’ is both offensive and libellous in the extreme!! Our entire school community is absolutely committed to the engaged and active provision of unconditional help to those afflicted in remote communities. And we are not alone. Other schools are following our initiative by the simple expedient that it works!!!
I would like to outline several initiatives that are working succesfully at this very moment to improve and elevate the general mood with these communities and the good will that is generated by making some of their younger members, future leaders. Clearly Mr Poole, ( and his strident, shrill, leftist ideologues) does not understand the gift of leadership we bestow upon our charges. Let me illuminate him.
In our recent initiative, “Stepping Up”, we’ve gifted the entire (superseded) middle school winter uniform, blazers, ties and caps to the community of Wadeye for use in their newly constructed Community Centre. And the mothers and friends of old boys have been busy sewing new ‘W’ monograms over the breast pocket as a symbol of deep and lasting cultural exchange.
Priceless first edition ‘Approach to Latin’, with front paper signed by Tonkinson, Poggs and Crotchet, Captain, Vice Captain and Wicketkeeper. First Eleven victors over Xavier 1938. Gifted to Bidyedanga remote community.
Most recently, both the French and Latin departments in the Big and Middle School donated their entire library of “Approach to Latin“(1931), ‘Lays of Ancient Rome‘(1842), and “Ecouter et Parler“(1968) to the community of Bidyedanga and Bardi, (W.A) as a token of esteem. These works will form the background of our initiative to integrate native language with an understanding of global tongue.
And it is with great pride that i mention that the recently de-commissioned rowing eight, (the very same that has won numerous Head of the River and Henley regattas) the Sir Algernon Lickspittle, has been gifted to the Todd River Community for use in their very own Todd River Regatta.
The nobility and virtue of sacrifice. The Old boys eighth eight, bereft after the charitable donation of the “Sir Algernon Lickspittle” to the Todd River community, (N.T) for use in their native regatta. Since this photo was taken a new racing eight has been provided courtesy of the “National programme for excellence in the Arts”.
Mr Poole thinks the bequeathing of scholarships to these natives is a one way gesture, he is sadly deluded. By these initiatives we have proven that we are intent on achieving meaningful long-term partnerships with these communities moving forward. And by plucking these indigenous Australians from the inequities of poverty and tribalism, we establish an understanding throughout the entire community that will improve their lot. By having real leaders trained in our proven and long term public school system we will ensure that subsequent generations share our passion for doing things right, and understand what is ‘proper’ and ‘correct’ in the service of our community, in the entrenchment of real community values.
Self interested? I say emphatically; ‘No’! We do this noble work in a spirit of profound altruism. And we are directed steadfastly to ensure that our values of School and Service enshrine the very best in tradition, respect and a love of authority. Sadly in spite of the professed, and much taunted 40,000 years, their tradition is sadly in decline. Our school motto rings true; (“ad lucit, ducit et vita est’); ‘To the light we lead, and live’. We must stand up, give them a hand, and show them the way’!
What then, is Mr Poole’s problem?
Our proud new unfinished Tapestry, to adorn the Allan and Frida Jones Centre for Innovation, Learning and Leadership ” Long time Dreaming” or; ‘Middle management leads to a stronger future”
I enclose a most recent image of the tapestry commissioned by mothers’ and the school chapel friends’ in commemoration of our sister school relationship with the community of Wurrrumiyamnga, (Tiwi Islands), which will be unveiled in the foyer of the recently opened Allan and Frida Jones Centre for Innovation, Learning and Leadership, Domain Road Campus. The image, “long-time dreaming” by a deceased local native has been faithfully rendered by the staff in our art department, and re-designed by our army of volunteer mothers, wives and old boys with a grant from the Federal Government, (National Programme for the Excellence in the Arts) and assistance from the Victorian Tapestry Workshop.