The name is absent

321

19.3 Taperoo High School

The Taperoo/Port Adelaide area is one which has traditionally
had large groupings of Aborigines (Gale 1972:103; , Gale,and Wunder-
sitz, 1982:12ff.) As in the case of Augusta Parlς there was
a concern to avoid the backlash that was seen to take place in
city areas in the late seventies. As programmes of positive
discrimination for Aborigines were initiated, whites came to resent
money and opportunities being given to Aborigines when some whites
saw themselves suffering under' many of the same disadvantages,
but without the same access to support systems.

The philosophy of the school was directed towards establishing
identity-building programmes for Aboriginal people without incurring
adverse reaction from the white population.

At Taperoo, a staff counsellor was appointed initially for
Aboriginal students; his role was later widened to include care
for all students experiencing academic or social problems.

The school decided to shift its primary emphasis for the work
of the counsellor from one of dealing with problem cases to one
of promoting success and achievement for all students, including
Aboriginal students. Their aim was thus to promote success rather
than to counter problems.

A programme aimed at structuring Aboriginal identity was formulated,
using a special grant for this purpose. Students (both Aboriginal
and non-Aboriginal) with certain skills, (for example, in art,
writing, photography, taping), were formed into a group to go to
the territory of a Flinders Ranges Aboriginal tribal group and

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