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Will Carter
Poet, Teacher, Journalist

After searching for two years through newspapers, school records and family history files a new glimpse backwards to a past era has opened. Ron and Catherine Frew of the Tumbarumba Historical Society have published
SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT - the life and writings of Will Carter.

Will Carter was born and grew up the 1870s on the Middle Adelong goldfields where his ex mariner father tried his hand in numerous local pubs, goldmines and small farms.

Will owned the first bicycle in Adelong.

He became a compulsive writer, poet and storyteller who knew and admired writers from Henry Lawson to Stella Miles Franklin. He developed a devoted following in numerous country and metropolitan newspapers including the Bulletin where he was published alongside Lawson, ‘the Breaker’ Morant, and A B Paterson.

Will Carter was founding president of the Henry Lawson Society having long held a great sympathy for the poet as he battled poverty, alcoholism, depression and gaol. In November 1904 the Bulletin published Will’s encouragement to his mate who seemed to be ‘coming back.’

RIDING BACK Will Carter

You have been away a season, And you left us no address. You had vanished with your bluey from the track. There were horses in the stable, There were friends around the table – But we missed you and we’re glad you’re coming back. Some declared that you had travelled On an avalanche to hell, And sighed, “Poor Harry Lawson,” and “Alack!” But you’ve ridden o’er the waters, You have left the devil’s quarters And Australia greets you riding - riding back. There are nights that know no measure, There are days that have no end, There are faintings after fury of attack. But again across the ranges, After storm and after changes, Comes our brother, Harry Lawson, riding back.

Carter the poet was a teacher who preferred turning playground sugar-doodles in the tiniest of bush schools at places like Lower Tarcutta, Wondalga, Courabyra, Batlow, Sutton Forest and Kurrajong to his work pioneering the first NSW Correspondence School. His teaching methods exemplified what has become known as the ‘golden age’ of the New Education.

After forty years of teaching Carter blossomed as a full time journalist with the Hurstville Propeller from whence his writings spread far and wide.

Schools of Thought is his story and that of his family, of the times in which they lived, and the characters he knew. The story is told directly, using contemporary reports and seventy two of Will Carter’s own poems plus many extracts from his prose works.

The book launch on 5 November 2010 was a celebration of bush poetry with a number of local of poets reciting their own work, that of Will Carter and others.

Schools of Thought is available from Ron and Catherine Frew, PO Box 15 Tumbarumba 2653, $30 + $10 p+p.

Cathy Hardy is Will Carter's great great granddaughter with her son Daniel with John Peel bush poet.

Cathy and Daniel Hardy at Whitegate on the Tumbarumba, Batlow Road

These photos are from the opening.

This article and images kindly provided by Ron and Catherine Frew.