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Is That You Ruthie Analysis

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TThe 1999 autobiographical account, Is that you, Ruthie? by Ruth Hegarty provides an insightful portrayal of the harsh realities experienced by Indigenous Queenslanders, under the control of The Aboriginals Protection and Restriction of the Sale of Opium Act 1897 (Qld.). Hegartys’ account of the limited education of Indigenous Queenslanders living on reserves, highlights the intention for preordained employment outcomes governed by the 1897 Act. The Governor in Council was responsible for all matters pertaining to Indigenous Queenslanders (The Act 1897, s31.). Furthermore, Section 8 of the 1897 Act placed every reserve under the control and regulations of the 1897 Act (The 1897 Act s.8). Moreover, The Governor in Council was responsible, …show more content…

However, the extent to which the children were educated was limited to racist theories of polygenesis and Social Darwinism and on the ideology of an uneducable race (Hollinsworth 2006, pp.100-101). In addition, Hickling-Hudson and Ahlquist (2004 p.42) argue the limited education was due to racist beliefs resultant from European settlement. Therefore, the curriculum designed in the 1930’s by the Barambah Aboriginal settlements’ Headmaster was based on these assumptions (Blake 1991, cited in Hegarty 1999, p.74). Sarra (2008) contends that the purpose of education was to discipline and control (p.114). Furthermore, McConaghy (2000, cited in Sarra 2008 p.111) states that there was never an intention to provide education. Schooling began at the age of 5 for most children although in Ruth Hegarty’s case, a disciplinary decision meant that she commenced aged four and a half (Hegarty 1999, pp.22-25,74). This was also the age at which the children were removed from the care of their mothers, to become wards of the state (Hegarty 1999, p.24,26). The regulated education focused on vocational training in the form of domestic service for the girls (Hegarty 1999, p.74, Wilson 2005, p. 55-56). This was to equip them with all

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