Looking Back

AMES students Ajsa, Hosai and Carmelita with volunteer tutors Wendy Yassarah and Marlene Desouza in 2015. 134010_01 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

100 years ago

11 May 1922

Rechabite Tea and Concert

The girls’ section of the I.O.R held their annual tea and concert in the Temperance Hall on Saturday, April 25. The tables were tastefully laid out and decorated by the girl members, who also did all the cooking which took the form of a competition – the “Reds” against the “Blues. The girls eagerly awaited the arrival of the judges. After all, had partaken of a bountiful tea Bro George, D.S.J.T amidst great excitement, made known the decision of the judges, who awarded first place to the “Reds”. The judges considered that both tables were a credit to the girls, but the “Reds” table was – by a shade – the best.

50 years ago

11 May 1972

Traders favour night trading

The majority of Dandenong traders are in favour of Friday night shopping and staying open on Saturday mornings. Only 12% of Dandenong Chamber of Commerce and Industry members voted in a recent survey against Saturday morning trade. However, the consensus of opinion at a meeting of 30 retailers at a chamber meeting on Monday afternoon was that if the big Melbourne stores opened on a Friday night but closed on a Saturday, Dandenong stores would be quick to follow their lead. In another survey on the produce market, 37% of retailers were in favour of the market opening on another day of the week, as well as Tuesday, and 63% against.

20years ago

13 May 2002

Monk 81, runs amok

An 81-year-old Buddhist monk from Springvale South exploited the trust of five female devotees by having sex with them in so-called spiritual healing and religious ceremonies at his home. Ajarn Manivong was last month jailed in the County Court on five counts of procuring sex by fraud. His victims are angry and scared that the disgraced monk may be out of jail in seven months because of time already spent in custody. Police have described it as the most unique, extraordinary, and bizarre sexual assault case in local history.

5 years ago

8 May 2017

Migrant settlement and jobs blow

Successful settlement for hundreds of migrants and 400 teaching jobs. These are the likely costs of AMES losing the Federal Government contract to deliver English services to Australia’s newest residents – a role it has performed for about 60 years. AMES spokesman Laurie Nowell said the settlement service, which had locations in Dandenong and Noble Park, would help its clients with the transition. A group of TAFEs led my Melbourne Polytechnic won the tender to deliver the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) in Victoria from July. He was hopeful that the new provider would hire some of the outgoing AMES teachers “We are concerned that the holistic service delivery we’ve been pioneering could be lost” he said. “That will have an impact on successful settlement.” Mr Nowell explained that AMES provided not just English classes, but settlement and employment services.

Compiled by Dandenong & District Historical Society