Hi Pam, you’ve studied and worked in a number of different fields can you tell us about them?
I have a degree in genetics and biochemistry and a postgraduate in teaching and special education.
Working in genetics there was a lot of cancer research, meaning I was working with chemicals that can cause cancer, so when I had children I completed my dip ed. It was during that time we moved to Maldon- towards the end of 1999. I worked at Latrobe teaching education and then spent 20-odd years working with gifted children and their families.
That’s quite a career change! You must have a lot of knowledge and insight into working with gifted children.
I appeared in one state government and one senate inquiry about educating gifted children and I won the Pauline Toner Award in 2008 which was a huge honour.
I still don’t think we are catering for gifted children in schools. Study units in working with gifted children should be mandated for teachers. The ideal would be for all mainstream schools to be streamed so that students can work at their own pace. Teachers are often working with children with ability ranges of eight years.
You had a major car accident in 2010 can you tell us about that?
I was driving to Bendigo on Lockwood Road, it was dark and drizzly, and I could see bright lights ahead (it turns out a truck had the bright idea to park with its high beams turned on). I was concentrating on driving straight in my lane and drove straight into a tree that had fallen across the road. The steering wheel smashed into my face and the seatbelt broke my sternum. I had a bleed in the brain and a ripped aorta and they had to sew my nose back together.
I was unconscious at this time but apparently, my car jumped the tree, slid 200 metres, and tipped upside down. That was when I came to. I undid my seatbelt and climbed out and the Maldon CERT were there, one of the CERT team was my plumber and I told him he was supposed to be at my house doing the plumbing!
I’m still not fully recovered. My sternum moved and fused and I can’t sit for any length of time. But I can walk and cycle. I had like a near-death experience. While I was unconscious in the car I remember having a conversation with some women about whether I should stay or not, I could have gone if I wanted to, but I had to stay because my two kids were in high school. I’m not frightened of death anymore.
How did you become involved in the Maldon Folk Festival?
I was on the committee before my accident, but afterward, I wasn’t able to work for 18 months so I thought I’d take over the folk festival! At the beginning of 2012 the rest of the committee resigned so I was it just me for four months! We’ve got a nice committee that’s come together and this year will be the 50th festival!
Do you have other interests?
I have a folding Brompton bike that I take on trains, trams, and buses and ride around. I’m teaching myself to draw and am trying to read all of the books on my shelf. I play piano, guitar, and mandolin. They all take more time than I can give. I’ve nearly finished this year’s folk program-I’m a bit of a tech head. Oh and I’ve been a CFA volunteer for over 25 years.
What are you reading at the moment?
A book about Australian archaeology. I studied archaeology as part of my degree and I would like to go back and do a master’s, you know- in my spare time, after practicing the piano, guitar, mandolin, and drawing. I’m going to have to live until I’m over 100!
Who are your three dream dinner guests?
My children and their partners and my friend who was a singer who died.
What philosophy do you live life by?
Just be.
This seems like a bit of a silly question, but what genre of music do you like listening to?
Hmmmm…Folk! But I like most music except heavy metal, hip hop, and rap.
And finally, what do you love most about the place you call home?
The lovely community feeling. That you can just pop down the street for something and end up chatting for ages. That welcoming community feeling is what helps make the folky such a successful community event.