The life of Joyce Chin

Joyce Cheong Ah Toy (now Joyce Chin) was born in Pine Creek of the Northern Territory on July 12, 1940 as the eldest daughter of five children. Her family moved from China to Australia in 1850 during the gold rush, and Joyce being third generation Australian, has only ever spoken fluent English. Growing up in a poor family in Pine Creek, Joyce’s parents didn’t have the opportunity to seek a higher education, and were therefore very conscious of the importance of schooling. After completing High School in Darwin, Joyce and her two younger sisters, Elaine and Grace, were expected to move back down to Pine Creek to work in the family ‘Ah Toy’ Shop, whilst her two elder brothers, Edward and Lawrence, had the opportunity to receive tertiary education.

Figure 1: Joyce with the School House Captain shield at Darwin High School

However, Joyce had dreams of entering a career in dressmaking and cooking, to which her father did not approve, and instead persuaded her to work at the family shop in Pine Creek. Whist Joyce’s parents had high hopes of a change in mind; she quietly kept up with her studies and took a correspondence course in physics.

After one short year of working, Joyce’s parents reluctantly allowed her to have a tertiary education at a Teachers College in Adelaide. With no encouragement from either parent, she was independent in finding and paying for her own accommodation and education at the young age of 17. The education department generously paid her eight pounds a week to be educated at the Teachers College with the assurance that she would teach for the department for three years following her education.

Figure 2: Joyce at Teacher's College in Adelaide

In 1958 Joyce left Darwin to Adelaide and was looked after by an Uncle whom she’d never met, before heading to the all girls boarding accommodation. The new experience in a new city was frightening, as she’d never been further away from home then Alice Springs and had never experienced a family holiday, as her parents simply couldn’t afford it. Joyce lived in the all girls boarding accommodation for three years, where she independently paid four pounds a week until she completed her teaching course.

Following her tertiary education, Joyce applied to go back to Darwin to work as part of her bond from the education department. However, with little say of the location of her work, Alice Springs became her teaching ground. From 1961-62, Joyce taught home science at Alice Springs High School, which involved cooking, home management, laundry work and dressmaking. As the subject was considered feminine, pay was the lowest in teaching of all the high schools, which became tedious and frustratingly partial.

Figure 3: Joyce speaking on assembly at Alice Springs High School

                                                                       

In 1962, Joyce got married to Kevin Chin in Darwin. These actions proved to be scandalous, when Joyce had no choice but to break her bond with the education department after only a year and a half. Following marriage women were expected to resign, which after doing so, Joyce became pregnant and had her son Mark Chin in 1963.

Within a few short weeks following the bond breach, Joyce received a dis-heartening letter from the Government demanding the three years worth of education they had provided her in cash before the month was up. Joyce felt her only option was to reply and explain that she simply could not afford it. Thereafter, an agreement was made for her to pay 20 pounds upfront, and one pound a week from then on until all her owing’s to the Government were paid off.

Throughout this period, Joyce’s parents were very disappointed in her choices, particularly her father, as he had warned her from the beginning that tertiary education for women was a  terrible idea. With continued negativity and no support, Joyce felt the need to continue teaching after Mark was of age to be in childcare. This decision came about not only for her personal beliefs in herself, but to also prove to her father that he had made the right decision by allowing her the opportunity for a higher education.

After living in Brisbane for a year for Kevin’s work, Joyce moved back up to Darwin with her husband and son in 1964 to complete her outstanding teaching bond. Here, Joyce became the first home science teacher at Darwin High School. Once completing her obligation, Joyce stopped full time work to resume having more family, and received all the money she gave the department following her bond breakage.

Joyce had her second child, Natalie Chin, in 1968. Once her daughter was of childcare age, Joyce resumed teaching part time, moving from high school to adult education. As women were expected to look after children and do household jobs, only part time teaching was available to work. However, in 1969 Joyce built up enough classes to create herself a full time position of teaching fashion and dressmaking. Through this, Joyce was the first female full time lecturer in the Northern Territory. Eventually, Joyce took on the role of responsibility for women’s subjects including pottery, dressmaking, cooking and yoga, where she pushed to develop courses for women. Throughout her years in this role Joyce introduced day classes (initially only night classes were available), initiated the first ‘Child Minding Centre’ where opportunities developed for women to study and have a qualification whist having children, as well as various course awards for women. Through this, Joyce introduced the Certificate of Dressmaking course so women had the opportunity to pursue more serious studies and receive qualifications.

In 1970, Joyce was acknowledged for her outstanding achievements and was appointed as the first female full-time technical teacher at the Adult Education Centre in Darwin. In this year, Joyce also initiated sewing classes for female prisoners at the Fannie Bay Gaol in Darwin.

In 1974, Joyce was assigned Senior Lecturer and Head of Department in Dressmaking at the postgraduate institute for higher education, called the Darwin Community College. Throughout this period, there were very few female executives, and many females complained about there being a glass ceiling impossible to break into. However, Joyce’s diligence and determination reached her success as she quietly work away at it before she was acknowledged for her achievements.

 Figure 4: Joyce as Associate Dean of the Northern Territory University

Joyce’s achievements were further recognized in 1984 when she was assigned Senior Lecturer and Head of Department in Dressmaking at the Darwin Institute of Technology. After five years of teaching, Joyce was appointed the same position at the Northern Territory University (now known as Charles Darwin University). Here, Joyce was further given the role of Associate Dean of the School of Fashion and Library Studies, where she succeeded in further upgrading the fashion and dressmaking course to a diploma with national recognition.

In 2000, Joyce retired after over 34 years of dedication working full time at adult and tertiary levels. During this time Joyce was recognised as the longest serving staff member of Tertiary Education in Darwin.

Joyce’s family, and in particular her father, were very proud of her achievements and outstanding determination to follow her dreams.

Figure 5: Joyce recognised by the Chief Minister on International Women's Day

On International Women’s Day in 2004, the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory praised the service of women who have made a significant contribution in the development and advancement of Darwin’s community. On this day, Joyce received a personal tribute for her outstanding contribution to women’s education and the economic, social and cultural life of the Northern Territory. Today the Damoe-Ra Park, located in Darwin holds a mosaic pathway of recognised women, where Joyce’s name and photo is on display.

Figure 6: Joyce recognised at the Damoe-Ra Park, Darwin

My grandmother has had a long and fulfilling life, achieving her dreams and exceeding her family’s expectations. I am so very proud of her successes throughout her life, and only hope I will have the opportunity to make my mark on the world as she did. This story inspires me to be the best I can be, and do all that I can do, to prove as she did, that the ‘impossible’ really is possible.