I wish to make some comments regarding your “full story” in Thursday’s issue of the Champion on May 19.

You ask for the whereabouts of the bell that was at the Moree Reserve School from 1971 when the school closed? The answer is, I do not know nor apparently does anyone else.

However, I do know that the bell you are so intent on getting from MEPS was never and has never been part of the Reserve School.

What you wrote in many instances is not correct. 

You contradict yourself on a number of occasions.

Your assumption that that the MEPS school was built in 1962 is incorrect. 

This school was open in 1959. It was the new fire station that was built or opened in that year. 

That can be verified by Mr James Pritchard of the Moree Historical Society. 

The only siren I can remember was at the old electricity building which used to blare at 8am, 1pm and 5pm.

If you really wanted the “full story” perhaps I can suggest that you speak to the Moree Historical Society or perhaps someone like myself.

If you have already contacted the Historical Society then you have chosen to disregard the information they supply.

I do know that the bell at MEPS was donated by the NSW Moree Fire Brigade and presented to the MEPS Parent and Citizens Association. 

The P&C Association at the school wrote to Moree Fire Brigade, to ask what they were going to do with the old bell once the new fire station was complete. The NSW Fire Brigade agreed give their bell to the MEPS.

As the Reserve School had a bell well before the new fire brigade building was open in 1962, how could the bell at the MEPS be the Reserve School bell? MEPS did not have two bells after 1971.

You also mention the segregation of Aboriginals children at school in Moree, this is not entirely correct. 

I went to a school known as the Moree Intermediate School, the class went from Kindergarten to Year 10. 

The only other schools were the Catholic schools at East and West Moree. Whilst at school there was no segregation as we all sat together.

If there is any disrespect to the past Aunties, as you claim, it is being shown by people who do not get all the facts correct before they make aspersions on the honesty of the Education Department and the adults who had children at the MEPS at that time.

Problems occur with historical research when the person who is doing the research does not get all the relevant information. 

This certainly becomes the situation when accusing people of not respecting other people or the great effect put in by the past generation to provide a great education to everyone. I suggest you get all your facts correct and don’t handle the truth carelessly. Your “full story” is like a sieve.

Alf Scott

Moree