P1010031
Originally uploaded by bondipublic.
It's was a warm sultry night when John Pilger returned to his former primary
school to launch the AiR scheme. He was met at the gate by a former
classmate who had heard about the event and wanted to meet again for the
first time since they were boys. He too had gone into journalism as it
turned out had others from that era of the school when Bondi wasn't such a
glamorous place.
It was a small moment which summed up a big evening. The special links of
your first school and the influence you may never appreciate until much
later. The sense of possibility and coming together and above all joy.
They were all feelings shared by the 60 or so who gathered in the AiR studio
for the formalities very well fed and watered thanks to generous donations
and willing volunteers.
Committee member Jacqui Feeney explained how it all worked and invited
artists to apply. Principal Tralie McMain gave a potted history of the
school and introduced the choir. They charmed the crowd and especially John
Pilger with two songs including Daydream Believer.
Sue Midgley spoke of the need for well funded public education and what it
could produce and told how artist John Hughes had worked with many of the
BPS pupils to produce an animation. The short film called Monsters ( pls
check for me) was enthusiastically received.
It was then John Pilger's turn and he said in all simple honesty how he
wished he had been able to go to the school as it was now and not the rather
harderless caring place it had been in the past.
He spoke of Bondi and the need to celebrate the struggles of everyday people
which were often overlooked by history but which in many ways were typified
by the journey of his old school.
In a moving finale Tralie presented him with the very first of the school's
new medals for merit. It read: to John for all your achievements since you
have left us. Well Done. Bondi Public School.
It was a fitting start to a scheme which we hope will earn its own stripes
and in celebrating the past of one pupil will mark a future way of many
others.
