Page 10 - BOL July 21 Edition

LOCAL STORIES

Ordinary Folk doing Extraordinary things for Others!
Ken Hatchman

- a Local Lad, teaching local Kids for Life & serving his Community!

“Hello Mr Hatchman”, is a common greeting that Ken Hatchman still hears from time to time from former pupils around Pine
Rivers, even though the former teacher retired in 2009 after 45 years of teaching local kids. “Only recently, I bumped into
another former student and realised that it was not their son I taught at Dakabin, but their Grandson!”.

Early Days: Born in Glasshouse on the Sunshine Coast in the final months of World
War 2 (29 June 1945), Ken Hatchman is a true “Baby Boomer”, the 2nd son of Jim and
Rose Morgan who owed a farm in the Glasshouse Mountains hinterland.
Sadly, Jim Morgan was killed in a farming accident when Ken was only 11 months old.
For the next two years, Ken and older brother Edward moved to Ilfracombe in the
Central Western Qld to live with their Grandparents before returning to Caboolture
in 1948 where Rose was to marry another Jim, this time, Jim Hatchman.

Soon to be the 2nd of 4 brothers with Edward, Peter and Geoffrey, the Hatchman boys
attended Caboolture State and then the local State High School. “I was a small wiry
lad”, commented Ken. “I loved tennis and represented Caboolture High in District
Tennis and Athletics and went to the State Cross Country championships one year.”

On leaving school at the end of 1962, it was no surprise that Ken took on teaching as
a career and graduated from Kedron Teachers College in 1964, before taking up his
first teaching position at Kallangur State School in 1965 for 3 years. Ken Hatchman (right) with older brother Edward

Along the way, the young teacher met his match at a School Fancy Dress
function meeting a local girl from Strathpine, Pat Hodson whose family owned
Piggots Bakery on Gympie Rd, opposite the current Council Chambers.

It was to be a love affair that has endured the test of time over 55 years. The
young teacher and trainee accountant celebrated their wedding before the
year was out (17 Dec 1966) at the old Petrie Presbyterian Church, settling
down in Kallangur.

However, as for most young Teachers, Country Service was a condition of
employment and in early 1968, the young couple moved to Mt Isa where Ken
taught at the then Mt Isa Opportunity School (now called Special School)
and Pat took up an accounting position in the Mt Isa City Council.
Ken’s appointment may have been for two (2) years, but the young couple “loved the
Isa” and stayed for 5 years. “We loved to travel out into the country and Ken loved
teaching the children. Our first son, Doug in was born in the Isa.” Pat commented.

Return to the Big Smoke! On their return to suburbia, Ken & Pat built a home in
Bray Park close to his next appointment at Strathpine State School where he was to
teach Pine Rivers kids for the next 18 years, moving but once when the old primary
school was relocated across Gympie Road to its present address behind Pine Rivers
State High School.

In 1992, Ken accepted a change of school and moved up to Dakabin State School, a
little closer to his new home in Mango Hill. Ken would continue his distinguished
career for a further 17 years until his well deserved retirement from Teaching in 2009,
almost 45 years after commencing his career only 3 km down the road at Kallangur
State School. It is no wonder that many “local kids” still say, “Hi Mr Hatchman”, despite
the years that have flowed by since!

Asked if he ever wanted to be a Principal, Ken promptly quipped. “I always loved