*DISCLAIMER*: THIS POSTING CONTAINS IMAGES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY
Wongutha Christian Aboriginal Parent-directed School celebrated its 70th anniversary with an open day on Monday.
School elder and Ngadju man Harry Graham treated Weekender staff to a special guided tour ahead of the evening graduation ceremony and dinner.
At the same time he told the story of the School’s beginnings with Mt Margaret mission’s visionary founder Rodolphe Shenk.
Later his son Rodney Shenk continued the work, beginning with a facility to train Aboriginal boys as farm workers while learning basic literacy and numeracy, and later admitting girls.
Horticultural technician and work placement officer Dave Rose then took over, showing us the gardens and aquaculture facilities.
He said it was a relief to work at Wongutha after the State School system.
“I use to spend my time ticking boxes,” he said.
“When I got here I was told not to trying ticking any boxes for at least a month, instead to build relationships with the students.
“After the first month I found they will do anything for you.”
Students are all graded according to their ability levels, not their age, and class sizes are kept small.
As a boarding school Wongutha CAPS only has places for 70 students at a time.
It attracts Aboriginal teenagers from all parts of remote WA who have academic education as well as vocational training in subjects such as wood and metalwork, automotive and horticulture.
