Uncle Joe Skeen recalls dormitory life

Uncle Joe Skeen reads a short piece in which he remembers snippets from his time in the Boys’ Dormitory, more than 60 years ago.

Uncle Joe Skeen clip – transcript

Uncle Joe Skeen: I was a bit, bit sentimental when I wrote this but, ah, I say we were dormitory boys but we rode the ranges with Gene Audrey and Roy, Roy Rodger, we was washed up on the beach with the Ghost Who Walks, we flew aeroplanes like Biggles, we hid in the shadows like The Shadow, remember it?  We laughed with Tom and Jerry, we quacked like Donald Duck, we loved Mickey and Minnie Mouse, we flew over the mountain like Superman and even up to the skies.  We loved trying to catch the Road Runner, we looked forward to our weekly serials, we loved Christmas and our Captains.  Remember the Captains? Ah, we had no shoes.  Our foot, were, used to crack with sores every Winter.  We washed the floors every morning, we swept the yard every morning, we played cricket, we played hockey, we played marbles.  We loved meeting other towns and having our annual sports.  Cherbourg won all the time, ‘member?

Aunty Sandra Morgan: Hmm

JS:  We was in the Scouts and the Girl Guides.  We had our show every year which we looked forward to.  We used to look for gums off the tree to eat. We loved Murgon… the show was a good break for us.  Then Hank Willliams came along.  Remember Hank Williams?

SM: Yeah

JS: We had our good times and our bad times.  We never worried about girlfriends although some boys had their idols but, myself, I like to give credit to our carers.  They did a good job to some sad and sorrowful boys that we were, Toddy Demlin, Rachel Sodner, Kittie and Frank Fisher, (who I couldn’t get myself to like). Most of all, I give credit to Mum and Dad Nelly O’Chin who cared about us boys and although there were hicscup along the way, they was good and I loved them.  I love all the boys who have been there.  We were like brothers, and the girls, they were like our sisters.  I think through all this stricts guardian of me, I grew up to respect others and if I had my time to live over, I never have had it any other way although I never had much time with my bloods family. That’s what I just wrote too …

SM :Hmm

JS: … but, ah, teary eye for me, but just my thoughts of things today.  I never, I used to have boys crying all the time around me. Myself, I used to cry but it was it Sandra.

SM: Hmm, well, that’s part of your healing too you know when ya …

JS: Yeah

SM:  … talk about it …

JS: Yeah

Recorded in November 2012, Brisbane.