Early History

Blackwell and Gregory

After the death of Fred Taplin, the AFA confirmed David Blackwell as Superintendent, on a salary of £ 125 per year, and after viewing more than twenty applications appointed Ambrose Redman to take his place as Farm Overseer and deputy superintendent, on £ 80 per year plus rations. There were still complaints about Blackwell’s suitability as superintendent: Mark Wilson wrote to the AFA criticising their choice (AFA Minutes, 23.8.1889) but received no reply.

The number of children at the School kept growing: in fact, it was the largest school in the district from the time it was opened until the early 1950s, when Meningie began taking pupils from Ashville, Spring Hill and from down the Coorong. From the 1880s, the AFA was insistent that the Education Department regularly inspect the Point Mcleay School, as it did with all other schools, so that it would not be ignored and allowed – or forced – to offer a lower-level education to Aboriginal children. These were the times when little or nothing was expected of Aboriginal people except to die out: school achievements were neither expected nor, as it turned out, welcomed. How times change ? By 1894, the Education Department was regularly inspecting the school, often twice each year.
Blackwell was concerned that his powers were too weak to compel children to attend school, that is, to comply with the terms of the Education Act. As he wrote to the Protector, Edward Hamilton: ‘Several natives have removed their children from the school. I would like your opinion as to whether I may refuse them rations until they return the children, otherwise there is good reason to fear that the school will be almost broken up.’ (16.8.1889)

Names of residents in cottages, 1889. 1. Edward Kropinyeri 8. H. Lampard 14. John Davison Amelia Kropinyeri Agnes Lampard Three children Three children Five children 15. Clara Rankine 2. Alfred Cameron 9. Peter Gollan Two children Jessie Cameron Elizabeth Gollan 16. Joanna Kropinyeri Two children Four children Two children 3. Phillip Sumner 10. Albert Karloan 17. Albert Kartinyeri Agnes Sumner Flora Karloan Ellen Kartinyeri One child One child One child 4. William Kropinyeri 11. Charlotte Laelinyeri 18. Henry Ulingbow Jean Kropinyeri Lucy Morley Mary Ulingbow Two children Louisa Robinson One child 5. William McHughes 12. Philip Rigney 19. Pompey Jackson Sarah McHughes Isabella Rigney Preitpul Jackson Three children Three children One child 6. Eva Carter (widow) 13. James Unaipon 20. John Wilson Four children Nymbulda Unaipon ?Eliza Wilson 7. Bertie Tripp Leah Unaipon ? children Minnie Tripp Mary Hewitt 21. John Rankine Two children 1 Child Ellen Rankine Three children 22. John Sumner Rebecca Sumner Seven children Rachel Polteena undated: PMLB, August/September 1889: p. 42

The Mission superintendent was in the habit of sending a group of children into Adelaide for the AFA’s public Annual Meeting, to give recitations and perform songs and dances. Usually, the darker children were sent in, to make a more favourable impression on the pockets of potential donors: pale Aboriginal children may have given the wrong impression of the needs of the Mission. As Blackwell wrote to the AFA Secretary, Collison:

Yours of 30th September to hand and I will try to attend to your wishes. Of those coming, none can play any instrument. I have practised the children in singing 12 hymns from Sankey’s Songs and Solos as used in the school. There are about 10 children who are learning a piece each to recite, but as mentioned earlier, none can make much show - being nearly all little ones. I have no photographs - Mrs. Taplin [his mother-in-law, living at Hindmarsh] may have some. (1.9.1889)
There was very little mobility of school-age children to and from Point McLeay School in the 1880s: as the frontier pushed north, ‘foundlings’ and ‘orphan’ children were collected and sent south, some to the Mission at Point McLeay. But it was a trickle rather than a flood. Occasionally, but much more rarely than is usually assumed, young people finishing their schooling were put into service.

To and from Raukkan School

1880s

To	From	To and From
Kanmantoo 1 Victor Harbor 1	Queensland 1 Streaky Bay 1 Northern Territory 2 Finke River 1 Charlotte Waters? 2 ? Adelaide-Alice Springs? 1 Point Pearce 1 Port Lincoln 1

W.E. Dalton was appointed Secretary of the AFA in December 1889: as such, he had the busy job of acting for the Mission in the city, ordering and selecting goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, supplies, equipment and spare parts, and liaising with the Protector on its behalf. Although Point McLeay is only a hundred kilometres from the city via Milang, it was inconvenient for Mission staff to spend half a day travelling into town, so Dalton played an important role in the effective day-to-day operations of the Mission. For example:

17 December 1890

Mr. Dalton

Mr. Gregory needs one doz. or so books for prizes in school, such as ‘Robinson Crusoe’, ‘The Child’s Friend’, and such like. Could you obtain and forward not later than next Monday - not expensive. Please send by steamer to prevent delay. Blackwell

The Four Principles of the Aborigines Friends Association 1. To instruct the Natives in such industrial pursuits as may make them useful in the land, and enable them to earn their own living. 2. To encourage and assist Native families in forming civilized homes. 3. To instruct them in the doctrines, precepts, and duties of the Christian religion. 4. To maintain a boarding school for children from five years of age and upwards, who may be committed to our care, where they may receive gratuitously the ordinary elements of an English education and be trained in civilized habits. AFA Annual Report, 1890: 6

By the end of his first full year at the School, C.W. Gregory had extended the range of classes from Junior to Grade Five, six levels in all, for a total of about fifty children. As early as 1890, it was common for children at Point McLeay to start their schooling at the age of five and continue until fourteen or fifteen. The school day covered no more than three or four hours, two hours each in the morning and afternoon, with a long lunch break. Gregory was relieved to report that members of the Public Service Commission who had visited the School ‘considered the school would compare favourably with other schools of the colony.’ The work of the children was displayed at a Native Exhibition in Adelaide in October 1889.

Gregory also helped to organise a ‘young man’s improvement class’, on Monday evenings. These classes were strongly employment-oriented, and conducted by the Overseer, Mr Redman. Parents were concerned that their children needed more than education than before in order to gain a foothold in the economy. In 1891, Gregory reported that ‘the parents continue to manifest an interest in their children’s education, and are desirous that they should, when old enough, learn a trade.’ The bare skills required for seasonal farm and station work were accurately viewed as insufficient by parents: Gregory was therefore especially anxious to ensure that commensurability between the Education Department curriculum and his own was achieved and maintained: in 1891, he reported that ‘the subjects as revised by the Education Department from time to time, for the public schools, have been introduced and applied as far as practicable.’ This struggle for a similar education continued for another twenty years until a segregated and inferior education was once again imposed.
Blackwell was also concerned, at the other end of the education-employment nexus, with generating projects which could offer people employment at Point McLeay: he considered the pros and cons of planting vines, figs, wattle, tamarind trees, even box thorns as hedges – in the days before it was realised what a noxious weed box thorn could be – and in 1891, set aside a large workshop for a boot-making enterprise.
This turned out to be quite a complicated operation, with specialised staff, equipment, work and storage space, and a regular system of orders and dispatches, not to mention the accounting involved. H. Baker, the bootmaker-teacher, stayed for a short time before heading off to the Western Australian goldfields and was replaced by Mr Mugg. Many young men were extremely keen to be involved in training to be boot-makers and the boot-making shop soon gained a good reputation for the high quality of their work.
However, as happens in racist societies, the very success of the venture incurred the enmity of white workers and the bootmakers’ union: ‘Unfortunately, due to the pigment of their skin, no manufacturer was prepared to risk employing a native tradesman due to the backlash they would receive from their white employees.’ (Hughes, 1996: 12). As Linn comments,
The union men caused large changes in the way shearing was done in the area. Not only did they demarcate the boundaries between masters and servants, they also described the workers themselves. Aboriginal shearers now worked in separate sections of their sheds. (1988: 137).
Redman also was very preoccupied with fostering employment schemes: he helped build a fish-curing plant for a Ngarrindjeri fisherman, so that the meat ration could be supplemented by dried fish in the winter months. He also began work on a eucalyptus oil processing plant.

Superintendent’s Report for year ended June 1891. It has not been marked by glowing success, but steady progress has been made. General Health good -- no serious outbreaks of sickness. Improvements to property - placing of porch to most cottages. Additions to church building - including reading room (also used as a classroom), a room on opposite side of church - used as study office and dispensary. The late Mr. F. Taplin started the scheme by which the larger portion of funds were raised - the balance by the AFA … About 50 yards from the present school buildings and nearer the lake at one time stood a fine sheoak tree, the traditional site of the first school room (a tent). The tree having died and fallen was again erected by natives and a circular block of masonry built to support it.

Mr Gregory’s health and competence seems to have deteriorated rapidly from 1891 and Blackwell was thoroughly dissatisfied with his performance by the end of 1892. He seems to have been past middle age, although he still had three young children. At the end of 1891, Blackwell recommended a salary increase, but expressed his misgivings:

2 December 1891

Dalton

Re application of Mr. C.W. Gregory for an increase in salary - the application is reasonable as the work has increased. There is some doubt if Mr. Gregory will be able to continue very long. At times lack of management and discipline is noticeable and it is likely to interfere with the success of the work. I suggest a deputation to visit the school before the holidays beginning December 25th.

The matter is delicate to handle but very important to the general success.

At the end of 1891, Mr Stanton, Chief Inspector of Schools, examined the children and Mr Gregory’s running of the school and appears to have been quite satisfied with the standard and quality of education that the children were receiving.

6 April 1892 E. Hamilton, Protector of Aborigines Aboriginal John Finke wishes me to ask you to procure a small Harmonium. As he has already drawn some of his money, it would be as well to let him have his wish. Can you get one with 2 pedals or foot-boards, compass four and a half or five octaves in plain oak case for say, £ 7, [$ 400] it would do. Blackwell

In early 1892, dissatisfaction with Blackwell, perhaps with much else to do with the Mission, was becoming evident: reports reached the AFA that the people were fed up with Blackwell’s seeming lack of concern for some of their major problems: he did not visit the sick or attend to their needs; he had not attempted to revive the system of native counsellors which George Taplin had introduced, but which had lapsed under his son. It was clear, as the AFA minutes record, that David Blackwell did not have ‘the respect and confidence of the men.’ Blackwell’s wife had just had a baby, but he sent in his resignation in late April, 1892:

27 April 1892

Dalton

Re yours of 21st. I feel bound in the light of recent events to come to the conclusion that it is almost hopeless to overcome the settled determination on the part of the greater number of the natives to oppose my remaining here.

It is with deep regret that I feel constrained to place my resignation in your hands, and in doing this my only wish is for the good of the work. I may say that some of the men say they will take the matter to the Government if I remain here against their wish. Take that for what it is worth.

but on consideration, the AFA requested him to withdraw it and weather out the crisis. However, there is no record that he attempted to re-constitute the counsellors’ system before his untimely death in January 1893.

Superintendent’s report for the year ended 30 June 1892 Whatever the romance and thrilling interest may be connected with Mission work on the South Sea Islands and elsewhere, life at Point McLeay consists of a round of duty, etc., which to many minds would be unbearable. The fact is that to most engaged in the work here, the time simply flies and seems all too short for what needs to be crowded into it… … The Church capable of easily seating 170 persons, with reading room and study etc. attached, forms a striking feature in the scene. The School buildings with dormatories, dining room and bakery and washhouse adjacent, complete the list in this direction. In another, the barn, stables, cart shed, forge and workshop furnish what accommodation is needed in the various lines indicated. The whole are overtopped by a handsome windmill constantly in use for raising water from a well 45 ft. deep…. Some months ago, a white man living on the Coorong was married to a half-caste girl, and being under the impression that by so doing he was entitled to a section of land, wrote to enquire if the old station at the Needles was available, to which he was replied in the negative. [456] … An effort is made to visit each cottage and wurlie at least once a week, at which time a tract or magazine is left where likely to be read. This is a fitting opportunity to acknowledge a grant of books and magazines receive from the London Tract Society per Mr. E. L. Hamilton, Protector of Aborigines. More recently, a grant of 132 well-bound volumes suitable for the library, with 12 illustrated wall cards suitable for the School room, value £ 10. 0. 0. A larger number than usual of natives from the Coorong and elsewhere have for months past taken up their abode on the station and living in wurlies, of which from 12 to 15 formed the camp. This largely increases the consumption of firewood. The following are the total of people on station and others supplied with Rations as per Returns sent monthly to the Protector , also flour issued: 1891 Persons Flour 1892 Persons Flour July 251 3790 January 172 3172 August 240 3536 February 167 1947 September 164 2161 March 175 2768 October 133 1465 April 176 3854 November 185 2785 May 225 4248 December 158 2964 June 181 3186 In addition to the flour, sugar, tea, soap, rice and a little tobacco in certain proportions are also issued to persons out of work, from Government stores. I have recorded for the year: Births 6 Death 8. Two of the latter were adults and are worthy of mention as showing the comfort and peace arising from a simple trust in the Lord.

Towards the end of 1892, Blackwell’s dissatisfaction with Gregory became so overwhelming that he wrote to the AFA asking for him to be replaced:

8 October 1892

Dalton

I feel it my duty to suggest getting a more suitable person as Teacher in place of Mr. Gregory. While giving credit for his store keeping, there is a great lack of interest in the general welfare of the Station, which may because by his age and deafness. Now would be a fitting time to organise a change, if you agree.
Within a couple of weeks, the AFA had contracted William Holden as teacher in place of Gregory. Holman had been a young missionary with the Church Mission Society in north Africa before coming to South Australia. He was a member of the Primitive Methodist Church, a southern English Dissenting sect which had congregations at Milang and Cooke Plains. He was not a teacher, and had had no classroom experience at the time he was appointed. However, he had been especially trained in music, and had other experience in store-keeping and station work, so, on condition that he attend a State School for a couple of months, he was offered the position at Point Mcleay, on a salary of £ 80 plus two rations plus a house rent-free plus fuel.
It appears that neither Gregory nor Blackwell was not informed by the AFA for some weeks of its decision: the antipathy between Blackwell and Gregory continued. A month later, the situation seems to have deteriorated further: Blackwell rather pointedly issued a formal letter to staff reminding them of their various duties, with a copy to Dalton:

Duties of Officers. “Schoolmaster and storekeeper shall be responsible for the maintenance of order, discipline, cleanliness, & efficient teaching in the school. He shall teach the children in the day-school at least four hours every day, except Saturday and Sunday, and shall superintend and teach in the Sunday School. He shall serve out the rations to the natives, both adult and juvenile, in accordance with the rules provided, or as directed by the Superintendent duly keeping account of such issues. He should supply the natives will all goods purchasable at the station, carefully keeping account of the same, making quarterly returns to the superintendent of both goods and rations supplied. Also of attendance of children and adults at school.” Blackwell to Dalton, Hon. Sec.: AFA, 8.11.1892

Within days, Blackwell had made what amounted to a declaration of war against Gregory, couched in gentlemanly language and with the best interests of Mr Gregory in mind:

Superintendent in reply to Mr. C.W. Gregory’s letter of Nov 5^th 1892.

Nov 11^th 1892.

Mr Dalton

Mr Gregory handed me the enclosed letter dated Nov 5^th on the morning of the 9^th inst. I kept it in order that my reply might reach you with it and so save time.

1^st. Re issue of Government Rations. In consequence of Mr Gregory complaining of overwork, I asked Mr Redman to issue the Govt Rations, his duties at those particular times being such as is enable him to do so without his own work suffering. I fully expected that Mr Gregory would have been thereby relieved, instead of which he treated the overseer as an intruder - For some reason or other I was unable to tell Mr Gregory . On one occasion I know I had to meet the steamer and was fully occupied up to the last minute before leaving. Saturday morning is the time when rations are issued. An alteration of the rules regarding this matter is not needed, for it is very seldom that I am away at that time.

2^nd. Want of interest. Upon careful consideration Mr Gregory may not shew a lack of reasonable interest in the work of his own department, other than there have been times in which he might have exercised his authority in repressing somewhat rowdy conduct on the part of the young men who really had no occasion to be on the school premises.

3^rd. Deafness. I have often witnessed amusing instances of this being a fact, as for instance persons speaking over the store counter, and repeating it till Mr Gregory made out what was said. Have also heard that in the Sunday school, confusion has occurred from Mr Gregory not hearing the answers to his own questions.

4^th. Discipline. When strangers visit the school the children are naturally quiet and guarded in their conduct. A casual visitor remarked to me after [18-19] seeing the children gathering for school after the bell rang, “that it did not seem to matter what time they got there.” I have often hurried latecomers on the way myself.

I learn on good authority that children have been heard to speak slightingly of Mr Gregory’s threats of punishment because they had escaped so often. Children have complained to me that it was no use going to Mr Gregory when there was any disagreement between them, as he would take no notice.

5^th. Infirmity. I am truly glad to hear so good an account of Mr Gregory’s health. This may be partly accounted for by the fact, that often, if not always, he is careful to have a nap after dinner, or other convenient time, and thus take care of himself, etc.

General Remarks. A standing instance of “unbusiness-like tact,” is to be found in the fact, that Mr Gregory utterly refused to keep a cash book in the store as per way indicated by Mr Collison [former Secretary: AFA]. By this omission no check is possible regarding monies placed in, or withdrawn from, the till. I must plead guilty to having shrank from complaining to Mr Gregory as I perhaps ought to have done, for reasons which can be well understood by any one who has had an experience of his exciteable temper when put-out.

If on consideration of the forgoing the Committee agree with Mr Gregory that he has been “unnecessarily injured” and it is not too late to alter their discussions regarding a new schoolmaster, I take the liberty of suggesting that Mr Gregory be allowed to remain for a further term. Personally I feel very kindly to Mr Gregory for he has been a help in many ways to me. Still the best interest of the work should be first in our consideration. Again regretting that any seeming delay on my part should have caused any complication in the matter.

Holman’s appointment seemed to put the finishing touches to Blackwell’s plan to remove Gregory. However, victory, although sweet, is sometimes unexpectedly short.