Apartheid Bantu Education Act drives Sadlers north
Wednesday 9th September,
Dear Jeremy,
During that year, 1954, while Michael was busy studying again and I was busy looking after Christopher and Jill, the Government brought in The Bantu Education Act. I wish I could recall more of the implications. I just know we did not agree as it was against our principles. We felt it was designed to educate the Africans to be ‘hewers of wood and drawers of water’, that is to fit them for a servile position in society. Perhaps I will find more information amongst Dad’s papers one day.
The upshot of this was that Michael wrote to Dr Shepherd, the Missionary in charge of Lovedale, and said that if the Mission stood against the Nationalist policy and gave up government sponsorship he would be prepared to return to Lovedale at a reduced salary. Dr Shepherd replied that they would be all right if ‘all the rats do not leave the sinking ship’. So that was that.
In the meantime there were advertisements in the local newspapers calling for recruits for Her Majesty’s Overseas Civil Service with vacancies in education. After much discussion we decided to apply and Michael was appointed to Kitwe Teacher Training College as a lecturer in English. This was a new institution just opening on the Copper Belt in Northern Rhodesia.
There was much to inspire us as Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and Malawi had become a Federation. We felt only good could come of such co-operation. Northern Rhodesia had the copper mines and so the wealth, Southern Rhodesia was being developed by pioneer farmers and businessmen and was the bread basket feeding the people. Malawi was poorer but progress was being made there too.
So, as well as preparing for and writing his examination, there was this new life before us to plan and look forward to. Although we did not like going so far from our families, they did not try to dissuade us.
To our, or perhaps my disappointment, Michael did not get a first class pass. I begged him to write what he knew Professor Gardiner, who was very conservative, and had not wanted him to go off on his own imaginative and original ideas. Colin Gardiner, of course, got a first class pass and it amazed me as after one examination the three students were discussing the paper and only Michael seemed to have recognised the poetry quotations and could identify them. The others got hardly any right. However, I think Michael enjoyed expressing his own opinions and ideas. He passed so there was not much more he could ask for.
We crated our possessions and sent them off. I can’t remember but I think our transport was paid for by the Northern Rhodesian Government. It must have been as we were stony broke by this time.
We returned to the Cape to celebrate Christmas and New Year and to say our farewells to our parents. It is possible that Grandpa Sadler quoted Cecil Rhodes “Go north, young man”. And if he didn't it is the kind of thing he could or would have done.
Love, Mum