De Boterbloem, Miss Terpstra. For some
reason the teachers seated me amongst the girls. (Boys on one side of the
room, girls on the other side, in traditional rows. ) I was very grateful
but not sure why I deserved the privilege.
Jan Ligthardschool (no kindergarten
in Dutch schools. That was pre-school, elsewhere.) This primary school
was experimenting with more advanced methodology. Children from 'richer'
families mixed with us, to benefit from these new approaches. The pen was
put in my right hand. I guided everything that I wrote with the index finger
of my left hand for two years. In 3rd class, they gave up and admitted
that I was left-handed.
on the Johan van Oldenbarneveldt. Sat near
the railing, halfway between bow and stern for much of the trip trying
to keep my balance and not be sea-sick. Lived in migrant hostels, upon
arrival in Australia: Bonagilla, Scheyville, Villawood en Matraville.
In Scheyville had my first experience of school, in an English-speaking
country. In Villawood Hostel a few months school. In Matraville a few weeks
school and that's how I finished 6th class in primary school, which started
in Gouda, Holland and finished in Sydney, Australia!
Wasn't every caned
in this boys only school but the corridors resounded with the sounds of
discipline.
Latin, Maths, Science and other subjects were a little hard to start with.
I did not speak English.
together with
the van Hoorns with whom we migrated here. Found Bob Potter's Ballroom
Dancing Studio one Saturday morning. Continued going there until the early
sixties. Was often introduced as the "third son" of Bob and Dot
Potter . Never won competitions. Did go for medals and helped to instruct
a lot of people in the basics of ballroom dancing.
was abolished. The
premises returned to Randwick Girls High School. I was in the cohort which
was allocated to the new High School near Maroubra Beach: Maroubra Bay
High School. This school was abandoned a few years ago but was not sold
immediately. It has been used as the setting for "Heartbreak High",
for television. This "soap" is about the lives of a multicultural
group of students, which quite like a nineties version of our lives there
in the late nineteen fifties.
after a few weeks working
as a clerk, in the Lands Department, I was awarded the necessary scholarship
to go to Wollongong, south of Sydney. Monday to Thursday nights I lodged
at a widow's house in Corrimal, a suburb of Wollongong. Very early every
Monday morning and after college hours on Fridays I travelled with a number
of other students by train to and from college (about two hours).
at Riverstone Primary School. 5B,
boys and girls not considered clever enough to be in 5A, but more clever
than 5C! Only used public transport one day. It involved a bus to Central
station, an electric train to Blacktown and a steam train to Riverstone
and very long hours. Drove my father's Volkswagen after that.
as part of the condition
of getting a scholarship and bond to teach in the country for at least
two years, in the south west of New South Wales. 9 hours in the v.w., without
stopping. Hoping not to run out of petrol or into a kanmgaroo, or asleep.
Kangaroos crossed the road at dusk, heading for the river.
in the north-west of New South Wales.
9 hours in the v.w., without stopping. Only one kangaroo actually crossed
the bonnet of the Holden that I was driving between Bourke and Walgett
being the only person who had not drunk alcohol at a dance. Unfortunately
I was also not familiar with the manual gears on the steering column.
Qualified for the Art Teachers Conversion Course.
It was a way of being allowed to nominate a primary school to transfer
to (back in Sydney) Four evenings per week, two hour sessions and four
weeks in the holidaysd for four years at East Sydney Technical College,
to draw, paint, sculpt, do philosophy of Art, Ancient History etc..
in a Charter
Flight. First class seat in a KLM DC 10, since my father was the president
of the Dutch Social Club in Bankstown which was part of the scheme that
organised these flights.
Decided to concentrate
on promotion in the primary school system and dropped out of the art teachers
conversion course. By proving my effectiveness as a classroom teacher and
my general contribution to school through dance, art, music, soccer, film,
etc., I was placed on the first promotion list.
alone. Visited
old primary school friend and his wife and children but it did not work
out well.
First responsibility given:
Ensure that the boys don't aim too high (The school's motto) in the 'rest
rooms'.
, and attended monthly
meetings in the Indonesian Department of Sydney University to discuss Dutch
lessons and examinations in New South Wales High Schools.
The initial programs were pre-recorded in a studio, in a converted church
hall in Balmain, from 10 p.m., often till 1 a.m.. We went live about a
year after gaining this experience and provided news, weather, interviews,
music, taped items from the Dutch radio service and lots of Dutch music.
My taste ranged between middle-of-the-road, to sentimental music.
Was deployed to help introduce
into NSW schools the first version of the Multicultural Education Policy.
and met my future wife.
.
father for the second time,of a son, Martin.
(My middle name is Martien.)
in de Sutherland Shire, where we lived in a corner of that
shire. Also joined the parent committee which ran a Montessori School.
Mul became Mulholland. I now
use Mul again a lot (here in Cyberspace).
(Multicultural
Education) through the University of New England (UNE) and divorced.
Liked having
a view of the Lake Illawarra outlet into the Pacific Ocean.
Too far from my children, my work, my parents
and no luck with transfer to the area.
( University of New England, Armidale, NSW)
to study for aMaster of Professional Studies (Multicultural Education )
and bought a Computer. Addicted to internet.
course to one with Honours, in order
to research for a thesis: Gezelligheid can it be found on the internet? visiting Holland (2 weeks),
U.K. and Ireland (2 weeks, bus trip) and Holland again (3 weeks).
Irish Coffee, at moby Dick's, Ireland, July, 1997.
