The Stolen Generation: en nonnes brev

I am as a nun had collected 10 children from their houses. It was really bad. They didn’t even have food in some days, so we needed to take them from their families.

Some of the children are very clever and silent, but some of them are also stupid. There were about five children, who tried to run away from the orphanage but we got to capture them and we had hit them so they won’t do it again. They cried in a long time so we gave them food. After they ate their food they became silent. We thought about sending them back to their families. They cannot stay here any longer because of they are afraid and they cry everyday to return to their houses. We cannot send them home again. I have worked here all my life but I have never seen so many children unhappy. They don’t smile even one time. I don’t think it was a good idea to take the children from their parents in this age. They are too young.

A boy named James was really costly. He smashed things and I think he was mentally sick. We thought about to put him in a room alone and only give him some food, not other things. He also troubled the other children in the orphanage. Some children were afraid of him but we talked with them concerning this subject.