Journey towards a dream – Reader profile Pamela Neville

She always wanted to go to school and ran away from home to get there – convinced her mother it was time to begin! This was a sign of what was to come over the next decades, a love of being part of the education system as both student and then teacher. Within this was also the longing to paint, but in most respects, that had to wait.

Gradually, Pam’s family moved back toward Sydney and she ended up at Burwood Girls’ High School. She was compliant when her mother discouraged her from studying art and trained as a teacher at what was then the Sydney Teachers’ College at Sydney University. Her first teaching position was at Walgett in 1969 at the time of the Freedom Ride and then at Gulargambone where she was asked to teach Geography, Commerce, French and Physical Education!

Still Pam longed to move into the world of art and so, while still teaching at Bankstown High, she attended the National Art School and qualified with a Diploma in Arts Education. After two years teaching non-art subjects in a rough part of London, she returned to take up a position at Miller High School in Green Valley. It was the time when people were being moved out of the public housing in places like Waterloo and into “garden suburbs”. In fact it brought together many disadvantaged people with few resources around them.

By the time Pam moved into Redfern, she decided that she would prefer to teach younger children but, having no formal Primary teacher training, this was not possible. She moved into the area of Special Education after doing yet more training, this time at UTS. In many ways this suited her, as one who likes working on the ground – a grass-roots person rather than being politically inclined.

She loves living in Redfern – sees it as quiet, convenient and neighbourly. Like many residents there, she is puzzled when pizza shop owners refuse to deliver pizzas into the area or taxis tell her that they don’t want to go there. She enjoys the “buzz” of cultural activity, hearing people laughing and talking as they flow back from the markets and the vibrancy of students as they head for the day at Sydney University.

In retirement, Pamela Neville has, at last, become an artist. Her dream has been realised! Her work is included in various exhibitions and she sells some of her beautiful paintings as well as simply enjoying doing them. They often reflect her love of flowers and gardens – like the beautifully tended one which lies around the home where she lives. She watches the insects and birds and the frogs in a little pond there too and would love the City of Sydney to add even more flowers to the streets.

If Pam had one thing to say to those around her, she would ask that each person take responsibility for the caring of the community there – she talked of each picking up one bit of rubbish as they pass it. She believes with all her heart that “one person can make a difference”.

Photo: Ali Blogg - Caption: Pamela Neville

Source: South Sydney Herald March 2009 www.southsydneyherald.com.au