ABSTRACT
When I mentioned my discovery of this hamlet and my dismay at the state of neglect in which so many fine intelligent-looking children were growing up, every one warned me not to interfere, assuring me the Cockatoo was a very independent bird, that he considered he had left all the Ladies Bountiful and blanket and coal charities behind him in the old country; that, in short, as it is generally put, “Jack is as good as his master” out here, and any attempt at patronage would be deeply resented. But I determined to try the effect of a little visiting among the cottages, and was most agreeably surprised at the kind and cordial welcome I received. The women liked to have some one to chat to about their domestic affairs, and were most hospitable in offers of tea, &c. and everywhere invitations to “come again” were given; so the next week I ventured to invite the men over to our Sunday services. Those who were fond of reading eagerly accepted the offer to join the book-club, and at last we started the educational subject. Many plans were discussed, and finally we arranged for one woman, who had received an excellent education and was quite fitted for the post, to commence a day-school; but this entailed so much loss of her valuable time
that the terms she is obliged to ask seem disproportionately high to the people’s means. She wants 2s. 6d. a week with each child, and this is terribly heavy on the head of a family who is anxious and willing to give them some “schooling.” However, the plan is to be tried, and I have promised to start them with books, slates, copybooks, &c. It was quite touching to hear their earnest entreaties that F-—— would come over on Sunday sometimes and hold a service there, but I tried to show them this could not be managed. The tears actually came into their eyes when I talked of the happiness it would be to see a little church and school in their midst; and the almost invariable remark was, “Ah, but it’ll be a far day first.” And so I fear it will-a very far day; but I have often heard it said, that if you propose one definite object to
yourself as the serious purpose of your life, you will accomplish it some day. Well, the purpose of my life hence-forward is to raise money somehow or somewhere to build a little wooden schoolroom (licensed for service, to be held whenever a missionary clergyman comes by), and to pay the salary of a schoolmaster and mistress, so that the poor Cockatoo need not be charged more than threepence a week for each child. The Board of Education will give a third of the sum required, when two-thirds have been already raised; but it is difficult to collect subscriptions, or indeed to induce the squatters to listen to any plan for improving the condition of the small farmers, and every year which slips away and leaves these swarms of children in ignorance adds to the difficulty of training them. [. . .]
