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Bush School
There was a bed, a timber floor, thin tar paper on one side for privacy from the nearby road but nothing else. The flimsiest of 'walls', no pegs or nails to hang even a hat, no door, no rug for cold morning bare feet, no bookshelf for a voracious reader, no bedside cupboard for a lamp or a glass of water, no light source-just a bed and a suitcase for the next two years.
In 1960, newly minted teacher Peter O'Brien started work as the only teacher at a bush school in Weabonga, two days' travel by train and mail cart from Armidale.
Peter was only 20 years old and had never before lived away from his home in Sydney. He'd had some teaching experience, but nothing to prepare him for the monumental challenge of being solely responsible for the education of 18 students, ranging in age from five years to fifteen. With few lesson plans, scant teaching materials, a wide range of curious minds and ages to prepare for, Peter was daunted by the enormity of the task ahead.
By their simple geographical isolation, the children were already at a disadvantage, but the students were keen and receptive and they'd been given the gift of an enthusiastic and committed young teacher. Indeed it was the children and their thirst for learning who kept Peter afloat during those early days of shockingly inadequate living conditions and a deficient diet-two boiled eggs for breakfast; rabbit, potatoes and choko for every other meal-and the terrible loneliness he felt being isolated, so far from family, friends and his burgeoning romance.
Eventually the bleakness was offset by developing friendships and the offer of accommodation in a nearby homestead. The children continued to thrive under Peter's care and diligence. His long-distance love affair flourished with the assistance of Johnny O'Keefe. A growing understanding of the history of crippling poverty and war in the lives of the local families gradually brought respect, acceptance and admiration. By the end of his time in Weabonga, the young teacher found himself greatly changed in positive ways.
Bush School is an engaging and fascinating memoir of how a young man rose to a challenge most would shrink from today. It tells movingly of the resilience and spirit of children, the importance of learning and the transformative power of teaching.
In 1960, newly minted teacher Peter O'Brien started work as the only teacher at a bush school in Weabonga, two days' travel by train and mail cart from Armidale.
Peter was only 20 years old and had never before lived away from his home in Sydney. He'd had some teaching experience, but nothing to prepare him for the monumental challenge of being solely responsible for the education of 18 students, ranging in age from five years to fifteen. With few lesson plans, scant teaching materials, a wide range of curious minds and ages to prepare for, Peter was daunted by the enormity of the task ahead.
By their simple geographical isolation, the children were already at a disadvantage, but the students were keen and receptive and they'd been given the gift of an enthusiastic and committed young teacher. Indeed it was the children and their thirst for learning who kept Peter afloat during those early days of shockingly inadequate living conditions and a deficient diet-two boiled eggs for breakfast; rabbit, potatoes and choko for every other meal-and the terrible loneliness he felt being isolated, so far from family, friends and his burgeoning romance.
Eventually the bleakness was offset by developing friendships and the offer of accommodation in a nearby homestead. The children continued to thrive under Peter's care and diligence. His long-distance love affair flourished with the assistance of Johnny O'Keefe. A growing understanding of the history of crippling poverty and war in the lives of the local families gradually brought respect, acceptance and admiration. By the end of his time in Weabonga, the young teacher found himself greatly changed in positive ways.
Bush School is an engaging and fascinating memoir of how a young man rose to a challenge most would shrink from today. It tells movingly of the resilience and spirit of children, the importance of learning and the transformative power of teaching.
296 pages, Paperback
Published August 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 30, 2024
Peter O’Brien at twenty years of age and only with a small amount of teaching behind him, in a city environment, was sent to the small town of Weabonga, not far (in today’s terms) from Armidale in NSW. But in 1960 Peter travelled from Sydney by train to Armidale, then mail cart to Weabonga – a long and drawn out trip. He was nervous, unsure about his ability to care for and nurture eighteen children ranging from age five to fifteen but was prepared to give it a shot. The families were happy to see him as the school had been closed for some time. When Peter arrived at the home of the family who would be hosting him for the two years of his tenure, he was shocked and not a little alarmed. His room was the verandah with a bed – nothing to put his clothes in or on, no covering on the cold (especially in winter) floor and barely a wall. His meals he took on his own, and they were roast rabbit and squash – it never varied.
Peter loved his time with the students and gradually came to know them all. They were caring, good-natured students and Peter’s way of teaching them worked well. The one roomed classroom took every student – from necessity – so working out a way to have the children separated in their classes but still close to one another was paramount. And with their help, Peter was encouraged in their interactions. As time moved forward, Peter found himself making friendships, playing football and moving into another family’s farm. His loneliness, which had started to get him down, eased and with his weekly phone calls to his girlfriend, Patricia; Peter grew and flourished along with his students who were excelling in the lessons Peter set them.
Bush School is a fascinating and moving memoir by Aussie author Peter O’Brien and it immediately took me back to my first years at school when I was also at a bush school, all students in the one classroom. There were more of us, but it was much the same. Peter’s resilience and determination to do his best by his students shone through and the kids quite obviously thought a lot of him. He encouraged them in their life learning, as they appreciated what he did for them. I thoroughly enjoyed Bush School and recommend it highly.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Peter loved his time with the students and gradually came to know them all. They were caring, good-natured students and Peter’s way of teaching them worked well. The one roomed classroom took every student – from necessity – so working out a way to have the children separated in their classes but still close to one another was paramount. And with their help, Peter was encouraged in their interactions. As time moved forward, Peter found himself making friendships, playing football and moving into another family’s farm. His loneliness, which had started to get him down, eased and with his weekly phone calls to his girlfriend, Patricia; Peter grew and flourished along with his students who were excelling in the lessons Peter set them.
Bush School is a fascinating and moving memoir by Aussie author Peter O’Brien and it immediately took me back to my first years at school when I was also at a bush school, all students in the one classroom. There were more of us, but it was much the same. Peter’s resilience and determination to do his best by his students shone through and the kids quite obviously thought a lot of him. He encouraged them in their life learning, as they appreciated what he did for them. I thoroughly enjoyed Bush School and recommend it highly.
With thanks to Allen & Unwin AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2020
An interesting memoir about sole-charge teaching in a “Bush School” in rural NSW in the 1960s. There’s lots of recognisable stuff in here for teachers, particularly about the dilemmas, challenges, and political and economic pressures of education. This aside, it’s a quiet, personal narrative about a small community in a different time. I found it relatively engaging but at times a bit pedestrian.
August 14, 2020
n his engaging memoir, Bush School, Peter O’Brien recalls his two years as the teacher of a one-room school in Weabonga, a tiny farming village two days' travel by train and mail cart from Armidale.
In 1960, aged just twenty years old with barely more than year of teaching experience, Peter was asked to fulfil his rural teaching service requirement and encouraged by the Education Department Inspector, after a false start in Guy Fawkes, to select one of NSW’s remote regions on the western lip of the Great Divide. After an uncomfortable journey, and a worrying introduction to his lodgings, Peter found himself welcoming eighteen students, ranging in age from five years to fifteen, to Weabonga School.
I could not imagine, as a new graduate with limited teaching experience, being placed in sole charge of a schoolhouse, far from everything familiar, with children of varying grades (an experience my mother shared in early 1970’s, but thankfully I escaped in early 1990’s). Peter’s experience may not be unique, but it’s seldom shared and a pi
The first-person narrative is an easy and accessible read, and though I did find the tone slightly formal, there is also a genuine sense of warmth. Peter writes of the challenges and triumphs of his new environment. Professionally he has concerns about his limited experience, his inability to consult with colleagues or a mentor, and the lack of available educational resources, but luckily his pupils prove enthusiastic, and his instinct for a child centered, or ‘open learning’, approach to teaching, serves him well. Personally Peter’s living situation, a spare, paper lined single bedroom in the home of a student where he took his meagre meals alone exacerbated his homesickness, and he was on the verge of giving notice until he received an alternate offer of accomodation. The separation from his sweetheart, who later become his wife, also weighed on his mind.
Bush School is a winsome, interesting and entertaining memoir. As a teacher, I found Peter’s explanation of his pedagogical development interesting, particularly since his theories closely mirror my own, which is why I prefer to work in early childhood education. As someone interested in social history I appreciated his effort to contextualise his experience, and that of his students, amid wider Australian societal events and issues. As a generally curious reader I enjoyed Peter’s affectionate reminisces of unfamiliar people and places.
In 1960, aged just twenty years old with barely more than year of teaching experience, Peter was asked to fulfil his rural teaching service requirement and encouraged by the Education Department Inspector, after a false start in Guy Fawkes, to select one of NSW’s remote regions on the western lip of the Great Divide. After an uncomfortable journey, and a worrying introduction to his lodgings, Peter found himself welcoming eighteen students, ranging in age from five years to fifteen, to Weabonga School.
I could not imagine, as a new graduate with limited teaching experience, being placed in sole charge of a schoolhouse, far from everything familiar, with children of varying grades (an experience my mother shared in early 1970’s, but thankfully I escaped in early 1990’s). Peter’s experience may not be unique, but it’s seldom shared and a pi
The first-person narrative is an easy and accessible read, and though I did find the tone slightly formal, there is also a genuine sense of warmth. Peter writes of the challenges and triumphs of his new environment. Professionally he has concerns about his limited experience, his inability to consult with colleagues or a mentor, and the lack of available educational resources, but luckily his pupils prove enthusiastic, and his instinct for a child centered, or ‘open learning’, approach to teaching, serves him well. Personally Peter’s living situation, a spare, paper lined single bedroom in the home of a student where he took his meagre meals alone exacerbated his homesickness, and he was on the verge of giving notice until he received an alternate offer of accomodation. The separation from his sweetheart, who later become his wife, also weighed on his mind.
Bush School is a winsome, interesting and entertaining memoir. As a teacher, I found Peter’s explanation of his pedagogical development interesting, particularly since his theories closely mirror my own, which is why I prefer to work in early childhood education. As someone interested in social history I appreciated his effort to contextualise his experience, and that of his students, amid wider Australian societal events and issues. As a generally curious reader I enjoyed Peter’s affectionate reminisces of unfamiliar people and places.
February 26, 2021
I had high hopes for this book, being a teacher I imagined it would be fascinating to hear about teaching in the country in the 60s.
Well. It had it's moments. The book was slow, disjointed, and plodded. There is no real consistency through chapters, the story jumps around, and there is a lot of random, irrelevant parts.
While it was interesting to hear the history of the town, the impacts of the Great Depression and WWII, the book could have been 100 pages and I still would have gotten the same information.
Overall I persisted purely because I'm stubborn.
Well. It had it's moments. The book was slow, disjointed, and plodded. There is no real consistency through chapters, the story jumps around, and there is a lot of random, irrelevant parts.
While it was interesting to hear the history of the town, the impacts of the Great Depression and WWII, the book could have been 100 pages and I still would have gotten the same information.
Overall I persisted purely because I'm stubborn.
September 27, 2020
I’m not a huge memoir reader, but every now and then one will reach out and grab me. I currently work in a small country school and coincidentally I also live in the North West of NSW so know the area where Peter is talking so I felt a need to read this book. It’s a lovely read, very atmospheric and charming. I loved how much Peter was determined to stick to his teaching post of two years and the connection he made with the children. An interesting read that filled me admiration.
July 13, 2023
A really sweet memoir. I sometimes think I’d like to live in an isolated area (I quite liked Covid lockdown). But, as evident in this memoir, it’s physical hard work and I’m not really up to that. Same for being a teacher in a one teacher school. Dreamt about it. But, like Peter, I’d probably go stir crazy. The power of connecting to learn and love. A hop skip and jump through memories connecting us to the 60s, WWII and early settlement - those among the community lived either in those periods or lived with those who had and shared their stories.
August 30, 2020
Fabulous read about school life in the bush in the early 60’s.
August 31, 2020
This was such a charming memoir! It details the two years that fresh teaching graduate Peter O’Brien spent in the tiny town of Weabonga, which is in the New England region of NSW, between Walcha and Tamworth. I’ve been to Walcha one or twice, coming in from the east and it’s a terrible trip. I can only imagine what it was like to make the journey back in 1960 and even though he was coming a different way, the dividing range makes for very tough territory to navigate.
Peter is only young, about 20 when he’s sent to Weabonga and he’s kind of the last chance to keep the school open. He is responsible for less than 20 students but with a wide variety of ages – the littlest is just 5 and the oldest is around 14, completing work for his Intermediate Certificate via long distance. Peter has a lot of enthusiasm and he wants to connect with the students and let them be not just engaged in their learning processes but also proactive. They arrange their own seating, they dictate a lot of the work they do and he adjusts his lessons and methods to revolve around the life with which they are all familiar, incorporating farming and rural terms and stories that they will grasp quickly. Reading a book where the dad puts on a suit and goes to work every day is not relatable to them, so Peter sets about making some of his own readers for the kids.
Whilst his professional life is immediately engaging and fulfilling, Peter does struggle with life outside of the school. The village is incredibly tiny – just a handful of houses with none vacant so he’s put up by a local family, and although they do the very best they can, for Peter it’s a lonely existence. He’s also left behind a young woman named Patricia, who moves to Melbourne around the same time that he is sent to Weabonga and although they keep in touch via letters and the very occasional phone call, the lack of people his own age and the repetitive, somewhat depressing meals really take a toll. The town has no electricity so Peter often finds himself staying at the school until it’s dark, heading back to sleep and then rising at light and heading back to the school to make the best use of the time available to prep his various lessons. It’s not until he meets a young man a month or two into his stay that his fortunes change and he finds much more suitable living accomodations.
A lot of this is dedicated to how Peter connected with his students and how much he was inspired to be the best teacher he could possibly be for them. They’d suffered interruptions to their schooling with teachers leaving/quitting/requesting transfers away from such isolation and the school had been closed at least once. A lot of the students were behind where they should’ve been and Peter wants to have the best impact on them that he can, to really improve their comprehension and skills and get them on track in terms of where they should be in their learning at their various ages. He has to prepare and execute lessons for children that are a variety of ages and abilities. This book is almost like a love letter to teaching and how passionate Peter was about doing his job. He was always challenging himself to learn more about helping them and sometimes, lamenting that he didn’t get a lot of support in terms of other professionals. He had no other teachers he could bounce ideas off of and the local inspector type person, although supportive of what Peter was doing, wasn’t really able to be helpful in a way that would’ve been meaningful. Writing it as an older man, it’s hard to believe that Peter was only about 20-22 during his time in Weabonga.
As well as the stories of teaching the local children and getting to know them and their families, there’s also some local history of the area as well – how it was settled after white people arrived, the impact of the Great Depression and the Second World War and how a lot of the local families had come to be there. I found that really interesting – it seemed that rarely did people leave. I also really loved the fact that Peter went back to Weabonga for the first time when he was writing the book and was able to find out what had happened to quite a few of his students and their families after he left. In those days, with limited options for keeping in contact and Peter marrying and starting a family, it was easy to fall out of contact.
I loved Peter’s dedication to his craft and his students – he’s the sort of teacher I’d love my kids to have had, at any age. This was a really lovely read.
Peter is only young, about 20 when he’s sent to Weabonga and he’s kind of the last chance to keep the school open. He is responsible for less than 20 students but with a wide variety of ages – the littlest is just 5 and the oldest is around 14, completing work for his Intermediate Certificate via long distance. Peter has a lot of enthusiasm and he wants to connect with the students and let them be not just engaged in their learning processes but also proactive. They arrange their own seating, they dictate a lot of the work they do and he adjusts his lessons and methods to revolve around the life with which they are all familiar, incorporating farming and rural terms and stories that they will grasp quickly. Reading a book where the dad puts on a suit and goes to work every day is not relatable to them, so Peter sets about making some of his own readers for the kids.
Whilst his professional life is immediately engaging and fulfilling, Peter does struggle with life outside of the school. The village is incredibly tiny – just a handful of houses with none vacant so he’s put up by a local family, and although they do the very best they can, for Peter it’s a lonely existence. He’s also left behind a young woman named Patricia, who moves to Melbourne around the same time that he is sent to Weabonga and although they keep in touch via letters and the very occasional phone call, the lack of people his own age and the repetitive, somewhat depressing meals really take a toll. The town has no electricity so Peter often finds himself staying at the school until it’s dark, heading back to sleep and then rising at light and heading back to the school to make the best use of the time available to prep his various lessons. It’s not until he meets a young man a month or two into his stay that his fortunes change and he finds much more suitable living accomodations.
A lot of this is dedicated to how Peter connected with his students and how much he was inspired to be the best teacher he could possibly be for them. They’d suffered interruptions to their schooling with teachers leaving/quitting/requesting transfers away from such isolation and the school had been closed at least once. A lot of the students were behind where they should’ve been and Peter wants to have the best impact on them that he can, to really improve their comprehension and skills and get them on track in terms of where they should be in their learning at their various ages. He has to prepare and execute lessons for children that are a variety of ages and abilities. This book is almost like a love letter to teaching and how passionate Peter was about doing his job. He was always challenging himself to learn more about helping them and sometimes, lamenting that he didn’t get a lot of support in terms of other professionals. He had no other teachers he could bounce ideas off of and the local inspector type person, although supportive of what Peter was doing, wasn’t really able to be helpful in a way that would’ve been meaningful. Writing it as an older man, it’s hard to believe that Peter was only about 20-22 during his time in Weabonga.
As well as the stories of teaching the local children and getting to know them and their families, there’s also some local history of the area as well – how it was settled after white people arrived, the impact of the Great Depression and the Second World War and how a lot of the local families had come to be there. I found that really interesting – it seemed that rarely did people leave. I also really loved the fact that Peter went back to Weabonga for the first time when he was writing the book and was able to find out what had happened to quite a few of his students and their families after he left. In those days, with limited options for keeping in contact and Peter marrying and starting a family, it was easy to fall out of contact.
I loved Peter’s dedication to his craft and his students – he’s the sort of teacher I’d love my kids to have had, at any age. This was a really lovely read.
March 10, 2023
Bush School
This book is a beautifully written memoir of Peter O’Brien’s teaching life in the small town of Weabonga in NSW. The young, studious and motivated teacher relocated to this tiny community to teach 18 children between age 5 and 15, deliver a robust curriculum and battle the elements a one teacher school had.
Throw in difficult conditions with no electricity, food rations and no hot water in the 1960’s, the hardships these local people faced living on the land, the adversity and challenges of balancing friendships, family and relationships feom thousands of kilometres away. It was evident throughout to see Peter’s deep connection to the townfolk and children.
I especially enjoyed the narrative style of writing, like journal entries, allowing me to picture the town, the school and each of the 18 children, as Peter shared their own school journeys.
This was a beautifully written book, and I absolutely adored learning about this stage of Peter’s life.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a beautifully written memoir of Peter O’Brien’s teaching life in the small town of Weabonga in NSW. The young, studious and motivated teacher relocated to this tiny community to teach 18 children between age 5 and 15, deliver a robust curriculum and battle the elements a one teacher school had.
Throw in difficult conditions with no electricity, food rations and no hot water in the 1960’s, the hardships these local people faced living on the land, the adversity and challenges of balancing friendships, family and relationships feom thousands of kilometres away. It was evident throughout to see Peter’s deep connection to the townfolk and children.
I especially enjoyed the narrative style of writing, like journal entries, allowing me to picture the town, the school and each of the 18 children, as Peter shared their own school journeys.
This was a beautifully written book, and I absolutely adored learning about this stage of Peter’s life.
Thank you to Allen and Unwin for sending me a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 10, 2022
It had its points that were incredibly interesting and spoke a lot about how rural teaching would have been in the 1960’s. But I did begin to skip over the occasional chapter that focused on the everyday living aspects or politics sections of the book as they weren’t as interesting to me. Still a wonderful book though and I’m sure many teachers would really enjoy reading it.
July 11, 2023
I loves Australian stories. This book has made me reflect a lot on my own past in a small school community and how important education really is in rural communities.
July 26, 2023
Delightful and heartwarming. Paints a rich picture of rural outback NSW in 1960. A little thin on drama but in a good way or I would have given it 4 stars. I agree with another review who called this a quiet and personal memoir. Beautifully told in the voice of a past generation.
October 13, 2020
I was drawn to Peter's story because I attended a small single teacher bush school not very far from Weabonga in the early 1960s. I loved reading about his first days in a small village community and could relate to every aspect... I did however find the pace of the book a little slow - much like life in the bush I guess. The second half of the book does tend to drag out somewhat.. Knowing that area so well, I was a little surprised at some ( very minor ) errors relating to neighbouring communities, the name of a mysterious village a that hither to was unheard of, ( unless you live near Canberra), and reference to a dam that is some distance away and was not opened until 1979. The story of those families, their challenges, and the life at a small single teacher school in the early 60s is however, spot on.
September 30, 2021
I'd been attracted to this one as I attended a small school (12 students) myself which, after the first few years at a large school in the suburbs, was a definite eye opener. And while this story brought some of that back, I can't say it was an enthralling read. His writing style is a bit like listening to your retired neighbour tell you a story that isn't quite worthy of the time they're giving it but you politely nod along, not wanting to cause offence. That's how I felt about this book. I wanted so badly to like it but found myself just gettting through to the end because it felt impolite not to. He sounds like he was a great teacher and an asset to a wonderful community, just this book wasn't my cup of tea.
August 19, 2021
Thomas King wrote "You have to be careful what stories you tell. And you have to watch out for the stories that are told."
The time, the place, the people and the experiences presented in this story undoubtedly had a significant impact on the writer. It is the very ordinary stuff of schooling and life that fills the pages.
The writing felt heavy handed and verbose which meant I did 'flick' read quite a lot without, I believe, losing any of the story or characters.
Although we are taken back to 1960 we are also reading a story influenced by the years of hindsight and experience. So for me it is a folk story, of sorts, of a captured and imagined time in the Australian psyche.
The time, the place, the people and the experiences presented in this story undoubtedly had a significant impact on the writer. It is the very ordinary stuff of schooling and life that fills the pages.
The writing felt heavy handed and verbose which meant I did 'flick' read quite a lot without, I believe, losing any of the story or characters.
Although we are taken back to 1960 we are also reading a story influenced by the years of hindsight and experience. So for me it is a folk story, of sorts, of a captured and imagined time in the Australian psyche.
September 22, 2020
A gentle, rather formal memoir of a young man’s life in the 1960s spent teaching for two years in the bush. The most interesting chapters were the descriptions of classroom life and the daily rituals of the families. What was missing, in my opinion, were details about the author’s life, character and motivation. All in all, a bit dull in sections.
September 26, 2020
An excellent book, one that I found hard to put down. In this memoir, author Peter O'Brien recounts his experiences of teaching in a one room school in Weabonga, a remote village in NSW, in 1960 - 61. He recounts overcoming the challenges of isolation and loneliness, and describes the approaches he took to provide for the learning needs of his 18 students aged 5 to 15. This is a must read.
February 13, 2021
I grew up in Walcha, with family in Ingelba, right by Weabonga where the author taught.
The book is an interesting read about the teacher’s experiences, and would probably be most interesting to a teacher, though there is some interesting local and general Australian rural history included as well.
At times it is a little self-indulgent and rambling, but all in all it’s an okay read.
The book is an interesting read about the teacher’s experiences, and would probably be most interesting to a teacher, though there is some interesting local and general Australian rural history included as well.
At times it is a little self-indulgent and rambling, but all in all it’s an okay read.
October 4, 2020
Pleasant enough, but largely dull and plodding, with some condescension towards 'convivial country folk...'
April 13, 2023
Yawn! He was so great at everything. What a winner
January 5, 2022
‘Bush’ in Australia various refers to European/US ‘forest’ country, or rural or remote rural areas, or indeed, anyway outside of the major coastal European settled areas of Australia. Within recent (ie last two hundred years) years, ‘The Bush’ came to be associated with ‘back of beyond’, or ‘The Outback’. From the late mid to late nineteenth century onwards, with the spread of non Indigenous populations from the larger coastal areas, came pressures on colonial, and later state, governments, to provide education to rural children, and hence the development of ‘bush schools’, which were frequently very basic uninsulated one roomed structures provided ‘tuition’ to pupils from 5 or 6 years through to early adolescence in very trying conditions.
O’Brien’s account shows very graphically how challenging working at any one of these bush schools could be, and by implication, how challenging (and rewarding) taking up any number of postings as a railway worker, or nurse, or police officer etc, could be.Despite taking on his school in 1960, (early bush schools were established in the 1860s), his posting was to a community without grid electricity, sewerage, or any of the basics which 20th century life takes for granted. The basic infrastructure was that of a nineteenth century extended hut within a community of material impoverishment.
I attended a bush school (1958-1965) in Eastern Australia, which had electricity, radio programs, and basic strip films, and this school, which closed in 1974 was relatively advantaged compared to O’Brien’s school, which had none of these, even in the 1960s !! As was common, the teacher/ worker ‘sent’ to these postings was usually obliged to take up lodgings within impoverished and sometimes ( by urban standards) parochial communities, and O’Brien makes clear how isolating it was for a committed professional to go from working with Grades Two through to Eight in the the daylight to being trapped in lodgings without night time electrical illumination and initially zero outlets for recreation.
O’Brien could be said to have been ‘advantaged’ by two years prior experience in an urban school, although a much bigger advantage was his own resourcefulness and determination to proceed with his own version of student-centred learning using limited resources, and virtually no support. Despite having to nominally adhere to a rigid curriculum which had little pedagogical foundation, O’Brien proceeded, from Day One, to work with what he had been given, and ‘value add’ (O’Brien would probably loathe the term) to the educational and personal growth of his charges. He presents his account of this in an entirely non technical and engaging way, providing snapshots of his students as complex pupils with individual needs and strengths.
Within the popular media in Australia, there are frequent disparaging references to ‘child centred’ and ‘unstructured’ modes of teaching which contribute to a ‘drop in standards’. A look at O’Brien’s highly structured, intelligent, and innovative (given the paucity of materials) methods highlights how rich such an approach, well taught, can be.
In his opening days, O’Brien concluded that a proportion of his charges were probably not a expected age and grade levels in reading, writing and numeracy, and set about working with his willing pupils to build interest and motivation, using the students’ own experiences and interests as starting points.
Despite the above paragraphs reflecting a teacher’s perspective on O Brien’s work, this book is a good read in its own right. O’Brien weaves in some snippets of his own emotional life with a kind of low key, but entertaining, romance/love story narrative, as well as a wealth of observations about Australian non-Indigenous culture during early and mid twentieth centuries. He makes some references to the pre-colonial inhabitants of the area, aware that the very hard working folk who were part of the school community had ancestors who were a factor in the marginalising of the original inhabitants, who lost traditional lands. The northern tablelands area in which the account is set was extremely isolated, and the book is an eye opener in showing how little some within the community had been able to progress right through until the ‘boomer’ period of the 1960s, when elsewhere parts of Australia enjoyed unprecedented changes in material standards of living.
O’Brien includes some insightful anecdotes with observations about aspects of social class within this community which have parallels elsewhere in Australia.
As a ex-bush school pupil and ex-teacher, I found Bush School a riveting read, but I believe the story of O’Brien’s two years in his bush school would be engrossing for a broad range of folks as well.
O’Brien’s account shows very graphically how challenging working at any one of these bush schools could be, and by implication, how challenging (and rewarding) taking up any number of postings as a railway worker, or nurse, or police officer etc, could be.Despite taking on his school in 1960, (early bush schools were established in the 1860s), his posting was to a community without grid electricity, sewerage, or any of the basics which 20th century life takes for granted. The basic infrastructure was that of a nineteenth century extended hut within a community of material impoverishment.
I attended a bush school (1958-1965) in Eastern Australia, which had electricity, radio programs, and basic strip films, and this school, which closed in 1974 was relatively advantaged compared to O’Brien’s school, which had none of these, even in the 1960s !! As was common, the teacher/ worker ‘sent’ to these postings was usually obliged to take up lodgings within impoverished and sometimes ( by urban standards) parochial communities, and O’Brien makes clear how isolating it was for a committed professional to go from working with Grades Two through to Eight in the the daylight to being trapped in lodgings without night time electrical illumination and initially zero outlets for recreation.
O’Brien could be said to have been ‘advantaged’ by two years prior experience in an urban school, although a much bigger advantage was his own resourcefulness and determination to proceed with his own version of student-centred learning using limited resources, and virtually no support. Despite having to nominally adhere to a rigid curriculum which had little pedagogical foundation, O’Brien proceeded, from Day One, to work with what he had been given, and ‘value add’ (O’Brien would probably loathe the term) to the educational and personal growth of his charges. He presents his account of this in an entirely non technical and engaging way, providing snapshots of his students as complex pupils with individual needs and strengths.
Within the popular media in Australia, there are frequent disparaging references to ‘child centred’ and ‘unstructured’ modes of teaching which contribute to a ‘drop in standards’. A look at O’Brien’s highly structured, intelligent, and innovative (given the paucity of materials) methods highlights how rich such an approach, well taught, can be.
In his opening days, O’Brien concluded that a proportion of his charges were probably not a expected age and grade levels in reading, writing and numeracy, and set about working with his willing pupils to build interest and motivation, using the students’ own experiences and interests as starting points.
Despite the above paragraphs reflecting a teacher’s perspective on O Brien’s work, this book is a good read in its own right. O’Brien weaves in some snippets of his own emotional life with a kind of low key, but entertaining, romance/love story narrative, as well as a wealth of observations about Australian non-Indigenous culture during early and mid twentieth centuries. He makes some references to the pre-colonial inhabitants of the area, aware that the very hard working folk who were part of the school community had ancestors who were a factor in the marginalising of the original inhabitants, who lost traditional lands. The northern tablelands area in which the account is set was extremely isolated, and the book is an eye opener in showing how little some within the community had been able to progress right through until the ‘boomer’ period of the 1960s, when elsewhere parts of Australia enjoyed unprecedented changes in material standards of living.
O’Brien includes some insightful anecdotes with observations about aspects of social class within this community which have parallels elsewhere in Australia.
As a ex-bush school pupil and ex-teacher, I found Bush School a riveting read, but I believe the story of O’Brien’s two years in his bush school would be engrossing for a broad range of folks as well.
June 27, 2022
Being a retired teacher who started out only a few years after Peter, I was really "into" this book. Even though I taught in city schools, I still could relate to many similar challenges - lack of resources, meeting individual needs of children, lack of support, and the determination to make learning fun, as I believed that to be the most motivational. While Peter had 17 students ranging in ages, I had 80 six-year-old students, and found that a real challenge to meet individual needs - and there were many needs even with a limited age range.
An enjoyable, easy read which brought back many memories.
There was a bed, a timber floor, thin tar paper on one side for privacy from the nearby road but nothing else. The flimsiest of 'walls', no pegs or nails to hang even a hat, no door, no rug for cold morning bare feet, no bookshelf for a voracious reader, no bedside cupboard for a lamp or a glass of water, no light source-just a bed and a suitcase for the next two years.
In 1960, newly minted teacher Peter O'Brien started work as the only teacher at a bush school in Weabonga, two days' travel by train and mail cart from Armidale.
Peter was only 20 years old and had never before lived away from his home in Sydney. He'd had some teaching experience, but nothing to prepare him for the monumental challenge of being solely responsible for the education of 18 students, ranging in age from five years to fifteen. With few lesson plans, scant teaching materials, a wide range of curious minds and ages to prepare for, Peter was daunted by the enormity of the task ahead.
By their simple geographical isolation, the children were already at a disadvantage, but the students were keen and receptive and they'd been given the gift of an enthusiastic and committed young teacher. Indeed it was the children and their thirst for learning who kept Peter afloat during those early days of shockingly inadequate living conditions and a deficient diet-two boiled eggs for breakfast; rabbit, potatoes and choko for every other meal-and the terrible loneliness he felt being isolated, so far from family, friends and his burgeoning romance.
Eventually the bleakness was offset by developing friendships and the offer of accommodation in a nearby homestead. The children continued to thrive under Peter's care and diligence. His long-distance love affair flourished with the assistance of Johnny O'Keefe. A growing understanding of the history of crippling poverty and war in the lives of the local families gradually brought respect, acceptance and admiration. By the end of his time in Weabonga, the young teacher found himself greatly changed in positive ways.
Bush School is an engaging and fascinating memoir of how a young man rose to a challenge most would shrink from today. It tells movingly of the resilience and spirit of children, the importance of learning and the transformative power of teaching.
An enjoyable, easy read which brought back many memories.
There was a bed, a timber floor, thin tar paper on one side for privacy from the nearby road but nothing else. The flimsiest of 'walls', no pegs or nails to hang even a hat, no door, no rug for cold morning bare feet, no bookshelf for a voracious reader, no bedside cupboard for a lamp or a glass of water, no light source-just a bed and a suitcase for the next two years.
In 1960, newly minted teacher Peter O'Brien started work as the only teacher at a bush school in Weabonga, two days' travel by train and mail cart from Armidale.
Peter was only 20 years old and had never before lived away from his home in Sydney. He'd had some teaching experience, but nothing to prepare him for the monumental challenge of being solely responsible for the education of 18 students, ranging in age from five years to fifteen. With few lesson plans, scant teaching materials, a wide range of curious minds and ages to prepare for, Peter was daunted by the enormity of the task ahead.
By their simple geographical isolation, the children were already at a disadvantage, but the students were keen and receptive and they'd been given the gift of an enthusiastic and committed young teacher. Indeed it was the children and their thirst for learning who kept Peter afloat during those early days of shockingly inadequate living conditions and a deficient diet-two boiled eggs for breakfast; rabbit, potatoes and choko for every other meal-and the terrible loneliness he felt being isolated, so far from family, friends and his burgeoning romance.
Eventually the bleakness was offset by developing friendships and the offer of accommodation in a nearby homestead. The children continued to thrive under Peter's care and diligence. His long-distance love affair flourished with the assistance of Johnny O'Keefe. A growing understanding of the history of crippling poverty and war in the lives of the local families gradually brought respect, acceptance and admiration. By the end of his time in Weabonga, the young teacher found himself greatly changed in positive ways.
Bush School is an engaging and fascinating memoir of how a young man rose to a challenge most would shrink from today. It tells movingly of the resilience and spirit of children, the importance of learning and the transformative power of teaching.
October 16, 2023
An interesting look back at a one-room school in the Australian backblocks in 1960-62. Published when the author was 80 years old, which may explain the rose-tinted idealised memories of his students, who (according to O'Brien) never quarrelled among themselves or took sides against one another. To hear him tell it, they were invariably friendly, polite and kind to each other and respectful to adults. Well, maybe. But for a group of 18 kids from age 5 to 15, it must have been a first. Apparently they never had one of those bad days where everything goes pear-shaped and everyone's got the grumps--or maybe the difficult class days simply slipped the old fella's mind. He was also rather impressed with his own accomplishments, as any starry eyed 20 year old would be, though one would expect that by age 80 he might have acquired a bit more perspective.
O'Brien often mentions being a Catholic but in two years he only attended mass once, in spite of his oft-declared desire for a wider social circle. The parish may have been tiny, but it would have been a place to start. However he preferred joining a rugby team, which of course had most of its matches on Sunday.
O'Brien's Australia is a far cry from the romance novels my sister used to read when I was a kid. Instead of wealthy graziers and lavish entertaining in beautiful homes, this is hardscrabble reality without electricity or running water. Not that O'Brien saw much of the difficulties, though his first lodgings were with a family who existed primarily on squash and rabbit (and it took him quite some time to realise that was all the family had). Soon he is whisked away to much better lodgings, rescued by one of his rugby-club mates.
It was a good read, though he lost me a couple of times when he got into rugby-club politics and memories of his pre-teaching days military service, using them as a springboard to air his own political and philosophical views. He claims to be unaware of class and yet it's all over his writing. I had to do a bit of judicious skimming to get back to the main thread.
O'Brien often mentions being a Catholic but in two years he only attended mass once, in spite of his oft-declared desire for a wider social circle. The parish may have been tiny, but it would have been a place to start. However he preferred joining a rugby team, which of course had most of its matches on Sunday.
O'Brien's Australia is a far cry from the romance novels my sister used to read when I was a kid. Instead of wealthy graziers and lavish entertaining in beautiful homes, this is hardscrabble reality without electricity or running water. Not that O'Brien saw much of the difficulties, though his first lodgings were with a family who existed primarily on squash and rabbit (and it took him quite some time to realise that was all the family had). Soon he is whisked away to much better lodgings, rescued by one of his rugby-club mates.
It was a good read, though he lost me a couple of times when he got into rugby-club politics and memories of his pre-teaching days military service, using them as a springboard to air his own political and philosophical views. He claims to be unaware of class and yet it's all over his writing. I had to do a bit of judicious skimming to get back to the main thread.
January 26, 2022
This is a truly delightful autobiography, which gives a snapshot into life in Australia between 1958-1961. Peter O’Brien, as a young teacher from Sydney, took a posting to a tiny regional town, Weabonga, in the Tamworth district of NSW. Life could not have been more of a complete contrast for the recently graduated scholar from Balmain Teacher’s College. To say it was a culture shock would be an understatement. However, determined to make a difference to the lives of schoolchildren, and to make the best of trying circumstances, he persisted for 2 years. His descriptive memoir writing is joyful, even through the descriptions of how difficult everyday life was at the time for the families in the district, many of whom suffered poverty, but were resilient and hard-working. I particularly enjoyed reading about his teaching methods, the rapport he developed with the 18 children in the class, the families, and local characters. Especially colourful, and particularly amusing, is Peter’s recollection of meeting the extremely eccentric Barry for the first time. Having been involved in small rural and coastal communities, particularly some schools at times since leaving Sydney in 2002, after 40 years, I loved this book.
I also have a somewhat personal connection here: Peter spent his first 2 years teaching at Kegworth Public School in in 1958 & 1959, in Leichhardt, Sydney, before I started as a pupil in Kindergarten in1963. I was there until Year 6 in 1969. I enjoyed his references and comparisons to the differences between the 2 schools. Some of the practices he mentions had changed in the years I was there, however, not the cane, on which I was the receiving end twice! Peter O’Brien writes with pathos and humour, and this is a thoroughly recommended read.
I also have a somewhat personal connection here: Peter spent his first 2 years teaching at Kegworth Public School in in 1958 & 1959, in Leichhardt, Sydney, before I started as a pupil in Kindergarten in1963. I was there until Year 6 in 1969. I enjoyed his references and comparisons to the differences between the 2 schools. Some of the practices he mentions had changed in the years I was there, however, not the cane, on which I was the receiving end twice! Peter O’Brien writes with pathos and humour, and this is a thoroughly recommended read.
January 24, 2022
This book took me, in part back to my own primary school years which was in an old kitchen on a large sheep station. Correspondence supervised by a young ‘teacher’. Up to 10 students, mixed ages. Brown snakes which were known to visit the school room on occasion. Isolation. Peter put so much energy & thought into fostering the education of his young students. Would have loved to have had a teacher like this. Also great stories about the village & the characters of the area. He paints an interesting & thoughtful picture of a relatively isolated village & area in the early 60’s.
I give this book 4.5 stars.
I give this book 4.5 stars.
October 2, 2020
A very refreshing book. Although nothing derogatory was ever said of the characters I was unsure whether correct names were used. I suspect they were. The school was not as 'remote' as I had thought although certainly at the time of writing it was. We spent a short period in the 'country' and the children most certainly did display the innocence and honesty to which the writer refers. Our experience of the adults was more insular at best.
May 9, 2021
As someone whose experience of teaching was post 2000 in inner-city London; I found Bush School fascinating. I am in awe of young Peter's ability to take control of a village school with only two years teaching experience and with so little guidance. I am also in awe of his ability to remember the children's names 60 years later! The book was a wonderful insight into rural Australia in the 1960's. I would happily recommend to other readers.
June 23, 2021
A very interesting memoir of a teacher in charge of a single room class, in a rural setting, in the 1960s. Every teachers dream - a class of children all interested in learning and all having manners and self-discipline. Probably more interesting to teachers, but also those with a love of history. In Victoria, it was common to send young men to these types of schools, first year out. What a terrifying prospect! At least Peter had two years experience prior to his Bush appointment.
July 13, 2022
What a lovely description of his time in this school. It really captured 60s country living and the challenges and joys of being a teacher in a tiny school at this time. The author sounds so likeable and kinda inspired me personally to be a better teacher. It kind of had a bit of everything. Romance, friendship, history, pedagogy and light politics. It was a slow read but not too slow that I couldn't enjoy it on holiday. I found it a pleasure.
March 11, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as my father in 1940 started his teaching career at the age of 17, also as the only teacher in a country school. I also listened to a podcast from this author as he expanded more on his two years at Weabonga which I found delightful. I thought it was fitting that he ended his book with what became of the various residents of Weabonga and the surrounding area as well as the pupils he taught when they became adults.
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