Pat Hearn’s story is such a useful summary of those who ‘went there and did that’ without remorse [see "Departmental Officer"] that it is told in detail. Pat’s love of teaching primary school children, encouragement of his fellow teachers, innovative style and infectious good humour were the ingredients of an outstanding administrator.He started teaching in 1941 as an ATp [Assistant Teacher on Probation] at the two-teacher school at Mulgildie on a salary of ?130 p.a. His duties, apart from teaching Prep 1, Prep 3, Grade 1 and Grade 3 included taking the Junior Choir, the Senior Sport, the Project Club [Pigs] and the Milk and Cream Testing Program. In July of the same year, he was appointed as Head Teacher to Fraser Island State School [15 pupils] on a salary of ?4/13/11 per fortnight. The school closed at the end of the year, so Pat was off to Goomarum Creek near Eidsvold.
During 1943 to 1945 he saw service with the RAAF as a Navigator-Bomb-Aimer with the 149 Squadron in England flying mostly at night over France and Germany. Back to the chalk-face, he returned to Goomarum Creek in 1946 and remained there until 1947, when he was promoted to a Class 5 school at Beebo, near Texas on a salary of ?320 + ?15 [Class 5 allowance] + ?23 [Cost of living]. 1949 saw him at Cynthia, near Eidsvold. He and Thelie were married at the end of the school year and they moved to Gooroolba, near Gayndah for a couple of years.
In 1952, he was promoted to Abercorn. Pat’s personality helped to sooth the aftermath of a much publicised school gallimaufry of the previous year. Teaching 49 pupils in all grades kept him on his toes and he received a justified promotion in mid-1955 to Wallumbilla, a three teacher school not far from Pickanjinnie [says Pat]. He moved to Inglewood in 1959 where he established a Secondary Department. There was no building for it, no text books, no furniture. With no induction or orientation program, he read about requirements and called in favours from mates who had been through a similar experience. He called it the ‘Hunter System’, hunting for what you can find and capturing it.
In mid-1962 he moved to Goondiwindi, a Year 1 to 12 school of 580 pupils. No deputy. No secretary. No groundsman. No teacher aides. Primary classes up to 52 in size. Teaching two subjects in the High School section, Pat says, “You found yourself listening to Dick and Dora with Year 1 and suddenly realised you were late for your Hamlet lesson with Year 12.”
A Class 1 school at Bowen from mid-1965 with Years 1-7 was different. It had a Deputy Principal and a newly appointed Secretary. Bliss. He moved to Inala with 1100 pupils in mid-1968. 1000 of them claims Pat were amongst the best he had met anywhere.
From mid-1976 to retirement in July 1983 Pat served at Moorooka. [He was replaced by our hero Ray Kelley.] Pat was known for his love of children, of teaching and learning and his encouragement to all. His colleagues always described him as a great bloke.
In retirement this caring attitude saw him help at Lifeline for a long time, teach literary skills to adults, teach English to folk from El Salvador, Ethiopia and Sudan.
That’s Pat. Ray Kelley and friends sang about him at the Oxley Golf Club on 20 June 1983.
PAT THE FREE
[Tune: "Men of Harlech"]
To Pat Hearn we raise a tankard -
Here’s to life by care uncankered,
In Retirement Harbour anchored,
Worthier none than he.
Drink his health in foaming Fourex,
Drink to one who’s found that Fourex
Friday arvo can restore wrecks
Back to sanity.
Laden with his lucre,
Pat will leave Moorooka
School room chalk
For poolroom chalk
That’s only used in cuing up for snooker!
Thanks to superannuation,
No more blackboard preparation -
Give the man a big ovation -
Here’s to Pat the Free.
STAYING POWER
[Tune: My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean"]
If you should go boozing with Patrick
You’re bound to discover this truth:
When you’re feeling quite geriatric
Old Patrick is blooming with youth.
Bring back, bring back, O bring back such springtime to me,to me,
Bring back, bring back, O bring back such CA – PA – CI – TY!
LED ASTRAY
[Tune : "Four Leaf Clover"]
I’m getting over a worse hangover
Than I ever had before …
On sarsaparilla
Stone sober I sat;
In walks a feller
Turns out to be Pat.
No need explaining
The drinks remaining -
I sank double-sars no more !
I’m getting over a worse hangover
Than I ever had before.
