I was fortunate to catch up with Alan True, our fabulous music lecturer. He is just as articulate and interesting as I remembered him. When I reminded Alan how the recorders squeaked, when we had to perform for the class, he told me a wonderful story, which I will pass on to you.
I was a foundation staff member of Mt Lawley Teachers’ College in 1970 and endured all the tribulations of a remarkable year, starting in the old Subiaco Infants’ School where we were crammed in. After that we moved to the new building in Mt Lawley which wasn’t finished. The airconditioning was a hole in the ground beneath where the eventual admin section was built and the windows could not be opened.
All foundation staff were awarded framed diplomas as a reward for a job well done. Each one was awarded a “The sub-order of the sardonic sardine” and the “Sub-order of the anaerobic troglodyte”. As you can imagine, humour abounded in those days. There was a final individualised Diploma. Mine was “Subigo Recordam Subitus” Roughly meaning:
“You can shove your recorder where it does the most good”
Of course I was the foundation Music lecturer. The Diploma now hangs in my study.
I was in the first intake and though the teaching career did not work out, I learnt a lot. I always remember our music lessons; though my parents loved music and passed that on, I learnt a whole lot more about music from Alan True which led to a life long appreciation – though I did not progress far with playing!