Archived at the Flinders Academic Commons:
http://hdl.handle.net/2328/27231
This is a scan of a document number DUN/Speeches/3269
in the Dunstan Collection, Special Collections, Flinders University Library.
http://www.flinders.edu.au/library/info/collections/special/dunstan/
Title:
Speech at the Speech Night of St Aloysius College
Please acknowledge the source as:
Dunstan Collection, Flinders University Library.
Identifier: DUN/Speeches/3269
© Copyright Estate Donald Allan Dunstan
SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. HON. DON DUNSTAN. Q . C . . M . P . . AT THE SPEECH WIGHT OP S T . ALOYSIUS COLLEGE. 8 . 1 2 , 6 7 .
YOUR GRACE (DR. BEOVICH), SISTER MARY CAMPION, SISTERS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND STUDENTS OP THE COLLEGE :
I T HAS BEEN SAID THAT THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE RULES THE UORLD. WHILST THIS MAY NOT BE LITERALLY TRUE, THERE I S NO DOUBT THAT THE WOMEN I N OUR COMMUNITY ARE IN A POSITION TO INFLUENCE I T FOR A GREAT DEAL OP GOOD. I T I S THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO ANY NATION THAT I T S GIRLS RECEIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE TRAINING FOR THEIR FUTURE LIFE.
I N OUR MODERN SOCIETY WE HAVE RECOGNIZED THE EQUALITY OF THE SEXES AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT GIRLS AS WELL AS BOYS LTJST HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF EDUCATIONAL TRAINING FITTING THEIR NATURAL ABILITY.
AT ST. ALOYSIUS COLLEGE THERE I S THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GIRLS TO RECEIVE COMPLETE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION SO THAT WHEN
PAGE 2 . THEY LEAVE THE COLLEGE THEY ARE WELL FITTED TO ENTER EITHER OUR UNIVERSITIES, COMMERCE, NURSING OR WHATEVER SPHERE OF LIFE THEY MAY CHOOSE. FURTHERMORE, THE STUDENTS LEAVING THIS COLLEGE HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY NOT ONLY TO HAVE LEARNED THE FACTS AND FIGURES OF OUR EDUCATION CURRICULUM, BUT HAVE HAD
THEIR TEACHING BASED UPON THE CHRISTIAN BELIEFS OF THEIR CHURCH.
THIS HAS ENABLED THEM TO PROGRESS THUS FAR ON THE BEST POSSIBLE BASIS FOR THE TRAINING OF A YOUNG LIFE.
THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADEQUATE TRAINING CAN NEVER SOLELY REST ON A SCHOOL. WHILST A SCHOOL SUCH AS S T . ALOYSIUS COLLEGE CAN ACHIEVE REMARKABLE RESULTS IN THE TRAINING OF I T S STUDENTS, IT MUST BE SUPPORTED BY ADEQUATE TRAINING WITHIN THE HOMES OF THE STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE THE RESULTS WE ALL WOULD DESIRE IN THE CHILDREN OF THE COMMUNITY. IN THIS RESPECT I AM VERY PLEASED TO SEE THE INTEREST WHICH THE PARENTS OF SCHOLARS AT S T . ALOYSIUS
PAGE 3 COLLEGE TAKE NOT ONLY IN THE LIVES OP THEIR CHILDREN BUT ALSO IN THE LI EE OP THE SCHOOL, I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THE SPLENDID EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE TO
ENABLE THE CONSTRUCTION OP THE NEW BUILDINGS IN THE SCHOOL, AND SISTER CAMPION, YOUR HEAD MISTRESS, HAS TOLD LIE OP THE FORMATION AND AIMS OF YOUR PARENTS AND FRIENDS ASSOCIATION. THIS AUGURS EXTREMELY WELL FOR THE FUTURE LIFE OF ST. ALOYSIUS COLLEGE.
MY GOVERNMENT HAS RECOGNIZED THE OUTSTANDING WORK AND RESULTS ACHIEVED BY THE VARIOUS INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INCLUDING THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. WE RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THE PARENTS OF SCHOLARS AT THESE SCHOOLS ARE MAKING TOWARDS THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN. AS A GOVERNMENT, WE HAVE IN THE PAST PROVIDED CONSIDERABLE ASSISTANCE IN VARIOUS WAYS. SCHOLAR- SHIPS, EXHIBITIONS AND BURSARIES PROVIDED BY THE STATE ARE
OPEN EQUALLY TO STUDENTS ATTENDING NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS AND GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS. BOOK ALLOWANCES, BOARDING ALLOWANCES,
PAGE U .
AND CONVEYANCE ALLOWANCES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS OF NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS IN THE SAME WAY AS THEY ARE AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS. THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE IN THE TRANSPORT OF CHILDREN TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS I N COUNTRY CENTRES, AND OUR TEACHERS COLLEGES ACCEPT, FREE OF CHARGE, STUDENTS IN TRAINING TO BE TEACHERS IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS. THESE STUDENTS ARE ELIGIBLE TO WIN THE UNBONDED TERTIARY TEACHING SCHOLARSHIP VALUED AT § 2 0 0 PER ANNUM, AND MY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN PREPARED AT ALL TIMES TO RELEASE FROM THEIR CONTRACT TO SERVE I N GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS, STUDENTS FROM A TEACHER'S COLLEGE WHO WISH TO TRANSFER TO A RELIGIOUS TEACHING ORDER FOR SERVICE I N A NON-GOVERNMENT SCHOOL OR A MISSION SCHOOL.
THE IN-SERVICE TRAINING CENTRE WHICH 1IY GOVERNMENT
ESTABLISHED FOR IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSES I S NOT ONLY USED FOR TEACHERS IN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, BUT TEACHERS ATTENDING
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS ARE ALSO ABLE TO ATTEND THE IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSES TOGETHER WITH TEACHERS PROM OUR OWN SCHOOLS.
ASSISTANCE I S GIVEN FOR THE PROVISION OF CAPITAL FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AT CHURCH SCHOOLS, THE PURCHASE OF FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT, AND OTHER ASSISTANCE I S PROVIDED BY PARTICIPATION I N BULK PURCHASING ARRANGEMENTS AND THE PROVISION OF FILMS. THE PRESENT FREE BOOK SCHEME IN 1 9 6 6 - 6 7 MEANT THE EXPENDITURE OF 0 8 2 , 0 0 0 FOR THE STUDENTS IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS, AND BOOK ALLOWANCES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOR SCHOLARS OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS MEANT GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE OF $ 2 2 1 , 0 0 0 I N 1 9 6 6 - 6 7 , AND BOARDING ALLOWANCES OF § 1 5 0 TO § 2 0 0 A YEAR I N INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS COST THE STATE A FURTHER $ 6 8 , 0 0 0 .
I SAID EARLIER THAT THE GOVERNMENT APPRECIATED THE SUPPORT GIVEN TO THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS BY THE PARENTS OF SCHOLARS
ATTENDING THEM. EQUALLY, THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES THE NEEDS
PAGE 6 .
AND DIFFICULTIES WHICH THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS FACE. FOR THOSE REASONS, I HAVE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO PROVIDE DURING THE COMING PARLIAMENT, A PER CAPITA GRANT OF
§ 1 0 PER STUDENT IN PRIMARY AND SECONDARY INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS ADDED ASSISTANCE WILL HELP THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS TO CONTINUE THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
I CONGRATULATE THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE CURRENT YEAR'S WORK AT THIS SCHOOL. TO THOSE WHO ARE LEAVING THE COLLEGE THIS YEAR I EXPRESS THE WISH THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THEIR TALENTS ON THE WIDE BASIS OF CHRISTIAN TRAINING THBY HAVE RECEIVED AT ST. ALOYSIUS, AND I WISH THE
SCHOOL CONTINUED SUCCESS I N THE YEARS THAT LIE AHEAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD A FINAL COHJEEDATICH TO SISTER CAI3PI0N THE HEADMISTRESS OF THIS SCHOOL AND THE STAFF WHO ABLY SUPPORT HER. THE STANDARD OF A SCHOOL I S AFFECTED BY THE LEVEL SET
PAGE 7
BY I T S PRINCIPAL, AND AT SAINT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE, THE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF A HEADMISTRESS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND DEVOTION TO HER RESPONSIBILITIES.
