Around the College - Administration, Monash University

"Did you see that? She didn't even wipe it before she gave it to him. Lyin' .
there in all that muckl You never know what's been on the floor with some people
around. I'd never've done that, would you? Mind you, it's not every mother
what's careful about hygiene, I always say. Always used to tell my boy that. He
never did like to come home to an untidy house. Used to tell me, he did, if I'd
forgotten to clean up his room like he wanted it. Very particular is our Bill. His
father used to call him Little Lord Fauntleroy, you know."
As the train pulled into the station, the youth leapt up and jumped from the
carriage. He was late for work, he told himself. Still talking, the two women
got out after him, and the young mother eased the pram onto the platform with
a practised movement.
At the next station the girl in the mauve dress rose and left the carriage. On
her cane basket, the pink and green flowers bobbed sadly as she slopped along
in her exotic gold slippers.
• • • • •
Marilyn Dean
ONE STEP FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK
It was visitors' day at the hospital, and r felt it my duty to see the members of
the Reverend Silverwood's congregation. How happy I felt when I noticed an ailing
aboriginal woman in a ward full of other white patients. She had a smile on her
face, but beneath this smile I noticed a certain expression of fear. The children
were running around freely, unaware of the purpose of their visit. I could not
help noticing one small boy who stopped for a moment and stared at the aboriginal
patient. Suddenly, before I could prevent it, he spat viciously at her, uttering the
words 'Dirty black woman!" Rage overcame me. I was insulted, and disgusted.
Before I could control my emotions, I bent down and hit the child hard. There
was a hush throughout the ward; even the little boy did not murmur. All eyes
were directed at me, the aboriginal lay preacher of this district, who had dared to
interfere with th is white child.
I suddenly felt alien and strange. Without thinking of what I was doing or
where I was going, I flashed a quick look at the desperate aboriginal patient, then
walked with determination out of the hospital.
I don't know how far f walked; but slowly from the confusion in my mind came
memories of what my life had been - a series of attempts and escapes .
Firstly there had been my education. It had been hard leaving the mission station
to venture into an unknown citYi but I was eager to learn and study the anthropologyof
my people in greater detail. Part of my experience had been to mi x with
white people, become acquainted with their social standards and demands, and
study their attitudes to aborigines. Despite the fact that aborigines and whites had
been brought up together, the former were still treated in an inferior way by some
whites.
When I returned to the mission station three years later the warm welcome given
to me did not long overshadow the sordid impressions I received . Young men had
been encouraged to go away to nearby cattle stations. They returned occasionally,
but it was noticed that the money they earnt was spent on gambling and alcohol.
No advice or scolding could convince them of the injustice being done.
Things grew worse. Family life was broken up, and bitterness towards the
whites arose. Then came the climax. When work grew scarce, the aboriginal men
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