Abstract
This paper deals with the historical developments of the formation and growth of Batchelor College, from its very humble beginnings in early 1 972, up until the start of 1990. I have worked at Batchelor College since its early days, and have attempted in my analysis of this topic to be objective, but where at times I have drawn from my experience and knowledge, this has been indicated.My background has been in Aboriginal education, since undertaking teacher training in the middle 1960's specifically to work in the Northern Territory.1 The background of Aboriginal affairs at that time was based on the assimilation policy, which influenced the content of subjects specifically orientated towards teaching in the NT, such as anthropology, 'native education', tropical health and linguistics which were, when looked at in retrospect, a product of the times. These subjects also provided an early insight for me, into the richness and complexity of Aboriginal culture in the Northern Territory. I was along with other trainees a product of the time and some years later, when I began teaching at Batchelor College (ATEC), the whole thinking and ethos of the staff was still based on the assimilation and integration practices for which we had been trained. This was purely a matter of historical consequence.
My teaching experiences in the remote areas of the Northern Territory have encompassed working on large government (and former government) communities, small rural schools on cattle properties and medium sized schools on church missions and former missions. Although adult education for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory had been provided in a piecemeal and ad-hoc fashion for some years in the Darwin region and in some bush communities, prior to 1972. I will be focussing particularly on events and developments in the township of Batchelor.
| Date of Award | 1993 |
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| Original language | English |