The National Museum of Australia has produced a resource about Forgotten Australians for teachers of History and Studies of Society. This unit has been sent to every seconday school in Australia.
Download ‘The Forgotten Australians: a depth study’ (PDF 4.39MB)
I read this curriculum a few times over, first I thought it was a bit tame from what we as Forgotten Australians experienced as children. Then I read it again last night; witch was a mistake, must have been a vulnerable time for me or I felt so much referral pain in that project… I was still sleepless late hours of the morning feelings of disgust and still not understanding why and how they got away with all this genocide at what ‘human’ did to children…. How this is going to get astounding reaction from students and teachers; how many of our perpetrators will see our exhibition travelling, my mind was so scattered. No matter how much we hear, read or experienced in these hell holes it is still so far from disbelief and comprehension that any of this happened. Amazing how the mind and body can work and protect us as children but so sad to be made of steel to survive…
Thanks to Adele, Jay and others at the NMA, who put this solid piece of history together so Australia’s government’s churches and charities dirty piece of history is out and about far and wide. This has made our voices so much stronger. When our Forgotten Australians exhibition travels hopefully other FA and families of FA will realise what there Mother or Father, sister or brother aunty or uncle or friend went through and probably experienced as children and can hopefully mend some hurts .
Hi, Adele,
I thank Adele, Jay for the their hard work in putting the Museum on Life in Childrens Homes, and the government for allowing it to take place. THANKYOU.
I have a question please
The depth study [PDF 4.39MB] , how come nothing is mentioned about the children that stood up to tyrannical authority, bed wetters, adolescent rebellous to tyrannical authority, absconders from orphanages or to short for ones age were placed by the state childrens Department into adult mental asylums , not for mental problems but as a form of punishment as young as 12 yrs of age.
They were given multipal electric shock treatment, placed in straight jackets, tied to a bed for days that had no mattress given no food and little water, drugged worse than zombies and whilst in an unconscious state from the drugs sexual things were done to some.
Forgotten Australians in those asylums went through horrific abuse, how come that information is omitted, is there a reason for that?
The Museum of Life in Children’s Homes I think was very well done. I believe it went as far as it could go and to go further would have been too much for Year 10 and upwards to manage . To pick how far not to go and to go not far enough would have been a difficult decision . I believe a right balance has been achieved . I also believe a more detail account should be available later for professional teachers and counselors much to what Christine Waite is asking .Congratulations
Hi; Adele;
I would like to know who organized the speech and selected the wording for the Apology in Canberra Parliament on the 16/11/09 it was a wonderful speech.
I would like to know why the Forgotten Australians that were placed into adult mental asylums as a form of punishment, not mental problems, why they were excluded from the apology and what was their honest specific reasons for the ommission.
In my opion, it causes me think the reasons they were omitted was as follows and please correct me thinking otherwise.
Reason 1. Perhaps the gutsy strong willed Orphans were selected for various Psychiatric tests and also for drug testing , which we know was happening. The use of the” Electric Shock Treatment” is primarily used just to remove as much memory as possible.
Reason 2. As there were thousands of these Orphans who ‘just went missing” so we are told, perhaps some of these Speech Writers were worded to “forget to mention this and other facts regarding these Orphans. The speech was very carefully worded to just say so much and no more maybe.
Reason 3. Perhaps the Government ,State Childrens Dept and the Church were all working TOGETHER in supplying these Mental Hospitals within an unlimited supply of “Guinea Pigs” [Orphans] for all the weird and sick experiments that these people[Psychiatrists and the Australian Medical Assosation ] were doing at the time.
If this is so, then we do have a lot of these people with a lot of innocent blood on their hands does anyone agree.? This certainly occured in Canada with the Duplessis Orphans saga you know.
Check the evidence on the net …[banishedbabies-canada.blogspot.com]
What happened to S.Treweek, Rhonda T., Joy, Sandra, my sister and many others was horrific. I can understand WHY they wanted it kept in the dark, but found it cruelty to ommit from the Forde Inquiry and Apology 16/11/09 and not wanting pandores box to open as it would reveal top level involvement. Am I correct?
Thank you Adele and staff. For history never to repeat itself , awareness and education are foremost. You are wonderful to do this and I hope the government adds it to the history cirriculum for all schools not just public ones. A job well done.
The pen is mighter then the sword so they say,this time I can agree with that with so many letters and stories that have been written over the years ,they are now on display for all to see and to read, thank you NMA along with Adele and the team that have worked so hard to gather and collect the most powerful collection that I believe will ever be displayed, the truth, the honesty of so many thousands of Australians that were Forgotten and left without a Voice Well done to all.
This study “What do Forgotten Australians teach us?” should be posted to the side of the page so it does not get lost ,this is a great piece of education for all to get involved in.
Wilma
Hi; Adele;
Do you know if Researchers have investigated and have the statistics of Forgotten Australians that were placed by the State Childrens Department into adult mental asylums as[supposedly] a form of punishment not mental problems just as the Duplissis Orphans Quebec Cananda.
1. How many deaths
2. Causes of death
3. Causes of death on their death certificates
4. How many F.A were given electric shock treatment
5. How many had Seizures
6. How many died from seizures
7. How many F.As placed into asylums for adolescent rebellion and bad behavour
8. Bed wetters
9. Absconders from orphanages
10 Stealing
11. To short for ones age
12. Who authorized the electric shock treatments
13. Is elctric shock treatment warented for adolescent rebellion to tyrannical authority
14. Was it docutmented by police murders committed in the asylums as R.T wittnesses , or was the paper work doctored.
15. How many rapes reported
16. Was it legal the State Childrens Department placing children into adult mental asylums as a form of punishment reasons mentioned above.
17. Was the Australian Medical Assosiation, State Childrens Department and the Churches in it together supplying guinea pigs to mental hospitals for experiements and churches paid for supplying as the Duplissis Orphans in Quebec.
18. Was any lobotomized and sent to Unversities for body parts just as the Duplissis Orphans Quebec
19. Has the evidence been destroyed