The children of my heart

It has been a agelong clip since I wanted to write a fewer thoughts astir the “generation” of students who attended our Greek Afternoon Schools during the 1980s and 1990s.

There are years when, according to National Census Data, the fig of Greek speakers successful the state was overmuch higher than it is today, and Greek was the third astir spoken connection aft English.

My intension, of course, is not to comparison the past with the present. Because adjacent if the Greek schoolhouse left, for galore and antithetic reasons, a faint representation to their hearts, present parents themselves, they springiness their ain children the accidental to larn Greek. They are doing precisely what their ain parents erstwhile did for them.

So, successful the year 2026, I judge that the Greek schoolhouse remains the connecting nexus with the homeland where their parents and grandparents were calved and possibly raised, arsenic well arsenic for those who travel from mixed marriages.

1979 – Greek schoolhouse students, Northcote High School. Photos: Supplied

Greek schoolhouse besides leads students connected the large travel of learning the Greek language, enriches their cognition of humanities events, and highlights elements of our civilization and practice successful applicable ways.

I take this accidental to mention, that the archetypal Greek schoolhouse successful Victoria was founded successful 1922 by the Greek Orthodox Community, and I honour the anonymous migrant compatriot who, under hard circumstances, supported it, sustained it, and passed it connected to us, the teachers of aboriginal decades.

The inspiration for the nonfiction “The children of my heart” came from speechmaking the insert “Mathitofreneia”, the School Newspaper of Greek Schools of Australia, published successful Neos Kosmos, 18 April 2026, where teachers invited students to explicit their emotion and appreciation for their favourite Greek School teacher.

1988 – Marching for the 25th of March 1821 astatine the Shrine of Remembrance

Even though, 34 years person passed since I retired from the Templestowe School of the Greek Community of Melbourne and Victoria, it was December 1992 under the presidency of Georgios Foundas, I consciousness arsenic if I americium still there.

My bosom leaps with joyousness and restitution when I spot the seeds we planted backmost then, becoming trees, blossoming and bearing fruit.

I person written this before: what joyousness and blessing it is when I spot young radical who passed done Greek Schools and were nurtured with Hellenic Christian values, getting joined successful church, baptising their children, attending religion arsenic a family, pursuing our customs, traditions, and heritage, and sending their ain children to their section Greek school!

1990 – Teachers, aft a gathering astatine the Greek Community with main Kypros Kyprianou

My soul truly rejoices. They marque us proud, knowing that they are bully citizens, galore excelling successful scientific, economic, and concern fields, others progressive successful the arts, sports and philanthropy, and most, being devoted household people.

Now from the grandmother’s constituent of view, I spot that though the young radical of that procreation unrecorded and think connected a very antithetic wavelength from ours, they still retrieve with respect the teacher and the schoolhouse where they learned Greek.

Amazing! What much could a teacher of my property inquire for, than to beryllium approached by a young idiosyncratic connected the street, astatine the market, oregon astatine church, reminding maine that helium was erstwhile my student?

My pridefulness is besides immense for the appreciation shown by their parents. A narration that, though it goes backmost galore years, remains strong and respectful.

1991 – 25th of March 1821.Celebration astatine the grounds of the Templestowe High School

A small while ago, arsenic I was leaving a neighbourhood café, a well–built young antheral approached maine and asked if I was Mrs G. After we introduced ourselves, helium had been my student successful 1978 – 1979 astatine the Northcote school, helium introduced maine to his daughter. A tall, striking young woman, who spoke to maine successful Greek.

So, I americium overjoyed and blessed of seeing my students proceed the tradition successful the footsteps of their parents, to their children.

I besides see, adjacent faintly, a airy astatine the extremity of the tunnel that gives maine strength and anticipation that there is continuity, provided that Greek schoolhouse keeps gait with the learning capableness of its students.

Therefore, you tin understand my joyousness when a erstwhile student of excavation chants successful the mediate of the church: “Kelevson, Despota. Mode B.”

Am I close to consciousness that they are the children of my heart?