| Brief History | The following historical information is drawn from Wilson and Robinson (1971) Aboriginal Hostels in Perth: A Comparative Survey:
“The Pallottine Order…[is] exlusively concerned with Aboriginal welfare….[and] prefers to restrict residents to Catholics, most of whom are recruited from Pallottine missions further afield….
The Pallottine Fathers (Society of the Catholic Apostolate) are a regional branch of an order originally established in Rome by Vincenz Pallotti. One of the German Provincial Houses (responsible directly to the Vatican) first became involved in mission work in the Kimberley region of Western Australia in 1901 when the Trappists abandoned Beagle Bay Mission….Since then, the Order has gradually enlarged its influence, especially in Western Australia, where it controls missions at La Grange, Beagle Bay, Lombadina, Balgo Hills, Tardun and Wandering, St Joseph’s Hostel in Derby, the Pallottine Training Centre at Riverton and the Departmental hostels at Perth (Oceanview) and Albany [see entries]. Parish work is also conducted at major urban centres in the Kimberley region, Geraldton, and the south west of the State.
The Bishop of Broome, Bishop Jobst, is coincidentally of the same order, although authority is administratively vested in the Regional House at Kew, Victoria. [Local dioceses had oversight of the Pallottine facilities in their region]….
The expansion of Pallottine activity in Australia in recent years has led to consideration being given to having the Victorian Regional House formally raised to the status of Provincial House. In the past, recruitment of priests and associated mission workers was almost solely through [the North German Provincial House at] Limburg, but there is increasing emphasis now on recruitment of Australians into the Order, especially since the recent establishment of a seminary in Victoria. Administratively, the Victorian Regional now acts virtually as a Provincial, dictating and coordinating policy, although remaining a Regional in formal terms. Ties are maintained with Germany possibly for two reasons: firstly, contact ensures additional and continuing financial support; and, secondly, the remaining German mission workers would prefer to maintain some contact with their house of origin.
In fact, then, policy is dictated from Kew by Father Kearney (to some extent in conjunction with local bishops, especially Bishop Jobst). Each local mission or hostel superintendent is responsible directly to Father Kearney, although there are some local links with diocesan personnel.
The Pallottines assert that theirs is organizationally the most efficient controlling authority, and [Wilson and Robinson, the researchers] contact with them supports this assertion. They operate ‘as a business’ and, from evidence on files, appear to get relatively prompt cooperation from the Department [of Native Welfare]. They are politically astute and whereas other groups may be disinclined to pursue problems further than the local level, the Pallottines make full use of direct contact at the upper levels of policy-makers, if necessary, dealing with Ministers and Members of Parliament in an effort to further particular projects….
The Pallottine Training Centre at Riverton evolved from an extension of a rest and recreation centre for country mission workers originally established at Rivervale in 1951. These missionaries on furlough were given parish duties at Riverton, and when it was suggested that a larger, more permanent base be set up in the parish itself, Father Goerke agreed if the new premises could also be used as a Perth accommodation centre for Aboriginal boys from Tardun [see entry for Pallottine Mission, Tardun].
Father John Luemmen was transferred from Tardun at the end of 1955, and the first potential apprentice…[name supplied at page 127 of Wilson and Robinson’s report] was accommodated in 1956. At that time, according to Father Luemmen, it was difficult to secure apprenticeships for Aborigines, and he decided to divert attention to secondary schooling instead. Within a short time, six boys were living in at Riverton and [the first resident, again named in the report] had passed his Junior Certificate examinations.
Because of the perceived success of the scheme, and changing public opinion, it was decided to enlarge the scope of the venture to include accommodation for working girls….
With the assistance of a Lotteries Commission grant and further financial aid found ‘…by the way’, an extension catering for 19 girls was built in 1960 [this was the Villa Maria Hostel]. Seven girls were in residence in 1961, and the unit had a full complement in 1962.
The Pallottine resources in Germany provided further finance in 1963, and an extension for 14 boys was planned. In the meantime, a new Minister for Native Welfare had been appointed in Western Australia, and, according to Father Luemmen, he was more sympathetic to the Pallottine cause. Plans for the extension to the boys’ accommodation were held in abeyance whilst Father Luemman and the new Minister discussed another proposal.
‘I invited the new Minister to see Riverton. Actually, he asked if he could come. So, I decided to have a shot at getting some money from him. The Government had not helped until then. I asked for money to build a new social centre. Lewis said, “What about extending accommodation?”, to which I answered that we didn’t want to extend accommodation, but to settle the children socially.
The next day, Lewis rang. He said he was impressed. He said he had no money, but asked, “If we had the money, where would you get the rest?” I knew it was on then, in the way he said it. I asked him for a recommendation to the Lotteries Commission which he did. We got the funds from Lotteries and Native Welfare, and the Social Centre was built in a short time. We then built a new place for working boys in 1965.’ [Quote from Father Luemmen]
Additional small extensions were made between 1965 and 1968, with minor alterations to the chapel and administrative block. The next large development was in 1968, when additions were made to the girls’ accommodation.
Since 1968, other improvements of a minor nature have been made, with funds provided variously by the Department [of Native Welfare], the Lotteries Commission and Pallottine sources in Australia and Germany (Father Luemmen maintains that the Mother House in Germany receives grants from the West German Government for work in ‘underdeveloped areas’, and apparently Australia qualifies in this category). It is understood that more recent extensions have been made through a grant from the Australian Commonwealth Government.”
From a small start in 1955, the Pallottine Training Centre has grown into a large and well-equipped accommodation unit catering for some 70 Aboriginal students and workers and roughly a dozen resident lay workers, assistants and mission workers on leave. Its primary emphasis is on education, and most of its residents attend Catholic colleges in Perth. It is, in effect, a boarding school and Father Luemmen himself recognises this when he comments
‘…it was called the Pallottine Training Centre – this name was chosen recently by the children because they said they felt ashamed of the name “Mission”. Today, I think if I had the choice, I would call it a college.’
….The centre had its critics…[including] the Department [of Native Welfare]’s Mr Tilbrook, and his misgivings deserve quotation.
‘At this stage, I would like to place on record the fact that all these children (i.e. those at Riverton) could have been adequately educated at the Derby Technical High School which was in fact established at great expense to provide educational opportunities for just such children.
Once this precedent has been established for these children there will be no end to the demands of the Church for other children to be sent to Perth rather than to the local High School.
Respectfully, too, I would like to point out that this exodus of children to Perth, probably ultimately at the Department’s expense is contrary to policy laid down at the recent Commissioner’s conference….’ (Letter Tilbrook to Commissioner of Native Welfare, 25.5.61; DNW 71/56.)
The Pallottines disagree about the suitability of local education centres such as the Derby Technical School. It is not sufficiently equipped, they maintain, to provide a high standard of education for those Aboriginal students felt to have above-average potential. In fact, some use is made of the school at Derby through the Pallottine St. Joseph’s Hostel in Derby [see entry], and primary grade children receive their education at convent schools in the Kimberley.
In fact, that the Pallottines would prefer to channel ex-mission children through Catholic schools is also relevant, and this is a contributing factor in the establishment of the ‘College’ at Riverton….
The Superintendent of the Pallottine Training Centre visits the Kimberleys each year specifically to select students for the mission in Perth. Although the Department of Native Welfare and the Department of Education and Science can exercise control in theory, in practice the final authority in student placement at Riverton rests with Father Luemmen in association with Pallottine workers in the field. [Wilson and Robinson also note that the placements to Oceanview, the Departmentally-owned but Pallottine administered hostel in Cottesloe [see entry] were preferred by the Order to come from another Pallottine establishment as they believed that familiarity had a positive impact on the ‘success rate’ of residents]….
[In terms of ongoing welfare], the Pallottine hostels form a closed group within which most of the welfare work is carried out or directed by the staff. At Riverton, Father Luemmen has delegated responsibility within living areas to Aboriginal and part-Aboriginal matrons and European lay workers. Lay workers are also involved in local training programmes and boys are instructed in automotive mechanics and carpentry, while girls receive special tuition in dressmaking, domestic science and so on. External tutors offer their services to scholars and lectures are organised on a wide range of topics….
Working boys and girls are also placed in employment by Father Luemmen. In many cases, young working people have been students at Riverton and continue to live there after completion of schooling.” Wilson and Robinson (1971) Aboriginal Hostels in Perth: A Comparative Survey.
Administration Files from the Child Welfare Department in 1972 show that the homes run by Mr and Mrs Sedley are mentioned in relation to taking children who couldn’t be accommodated (through lack of beds) at the Pallottine Centre in Riverton, so it might be useful for any person who believes they may have been accommodated with the Sedleys for a period of time to refer to the entry “Bethel Inc” in Signposts.
The WELSTAT (welfare statistics) Collection of 1979 notes “Pallottine Cottage 1-2” as a ‘clustered group home’ (ie. “a family group home whose grounds adjoin those of another family group home, or other residential child care establishment, operated by the same enterprise”) that was operated by an agency other than the Department. It is likely that this is the facility to which the statistics referred.
Departmental administration files show that in 1980, the Pallottine Centre at Riverton’s Superintendent was Fr Eddy Weirmarker, who had succeeded the recently-retired Rev. Fr J. Leumann. The Centre could accommodate 60 Aboriginal children, in a cottage setting.
It was noted in February 1995 that the Edith Little Centre that had operated in Rossmoyne from the Pallottine Order’s facility to “accommodate tertiary students” had “run into financial difficulties” and had to close in late 1994. At the time the report was written, re-opening in 1995 was being considered. (Out of Home, Preventative and Alternative Care Services Review, “Terms of Reference”, Family and Children’s Services, 1995).
A more detailed chronology of major events, admissions and discharges is included in Table 34. |