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This book is provided free of charge. However, if you would like to make a gift to the ongoing work of the author and his work

with Wycliffe Bible Translators and help cover the cost of producing this book and others like it, please go to:

Supporting Charles and Barbara Micheals' Work With Wycliffe Bible Translators

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Winter Park, Florida

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© 2012 Charles J. Micheals Published by the Aiyura Valley Historical Society

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,

without prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: Pending

First Printing 2012 (Not for Sale)

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL

VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used

by permission.

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either

trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

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To the Aub and Ancie Schindler family

who have faithfully served the

people of Papua New Guinea.

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1948 - Professor Charles Schindler (Photo courtesy of the University of Queensland)

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ew people in the 1930s and 1940s had the courage or interest to venture into the Highlands of New

Guinea. The world had only recently heard of the Australian territory due to the Japanese invasion of the

island in January 1942 and tales of the hardships of life on the island kept all but the heartiest from

venturing away from the coastal areas after the war. While a few men, such as Mick, Jim and Danny Leahy

and Mick Dwyer had ventured into the interior in the late 1930s, few had any reason to explore the area

further than these men did since little gold had been found in the Highlands like had been found nearer

the coast in the small towns of Wau and Bulolo. However, the war stopped all exploration of what was

thought before this time to be a largely uninhabited area.

After the war a few miners would return to the Highlands area along with a small scattering of

missionaries. Tribal conflicts and the loss of the lives of a number of miners, missionaries and Australian

patrol officers at the hands of the Highland tribes kept the area mostly sealed off from the outside world.

However, for a few men and women with a vision for the future of what life could be like in the Highlands,

these dangers and difficulties could not keep them away. Instead, the Highlands acted like a magnet,

pulling them with an irresistible allure of contacting the last unreached peoples of the earth!

The sense of adventure and the opportunity to take part in the historic development of an emerging

nation proved too much for a handful of men and women to resist. This was especially true for the men

and women who in 1936 began to settle in one of the small remote valleys of the Highlands called Aiyura

Valley. There a very small group of men and women started an Australian government agricultural

research facility called the “Highlands Agricultural Experiment Station” (today known as the National

Agricultural Research Institute). It was initially headed up by Mr. Bill Brechin, an Australian agriculturist,

who pioneered trials of tree crops suitable for Highland’s plantings. He would be followed shortly after

the war’s end by another agriculturalist, Aub Schindler and wife Aubrey and their family. In the late 1940s,

Aub’s father Charles Schindler (Professor Schindler) also arrived and his legacy like others who came

before him would last far beyond the years of his life.

Professor Schindler’s remarkable life is noteworthy for many reasons. First, few if any exceptional and

distinguished educators would consider giving their retirement years up to launch a new career in

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education and devote themselves to teaching in such a resource poor environment with no literates to

work with as Professor Schindler was and did. Second, fewer still are those who would consider doing so

in a place like New Guinea and living as simply as Professor Schindler did and thirdly, fewer still are those

who would live in such a place for many years, die and choose to be buried there as he decided.

The life of Professor Schindler is one of pioneering not only in the field of education, but laboring in New

Guinea for the good of others without expectation of any return and working for peace and harmony in

communities different than his own. Therefore, his life is an example for a new generation who read these

pages to consider following. The Holy Scriptures also remind us of such things:

“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak,

remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

Acts 20:35

My thanks go to the following people who helped make this book possible:

Peter Schindler, Ivan Schindler and Gillian Landers, all grandchildren of Professor Schindler.

David Carne, grew up in Aiyura Valley with the Schindler grandchildren.

Timothy Dean, grew up in Aiyura Valley with the Schindler grandchildren.

Todd Lindley and Joel Iyano, Summer Institute of Linguistics staff currently working in Aiyura

Valley.

A special word of thanks goes to my wife Barb for her patience with me during the time it took to collect

material and to write this book. She encouraged me to keep working on this project and gave advice on

many practical things. She also helped with editing and proofreading. Without her help, this work would

not have been completed.

All Bible texts quoted are from the New International Version of the Bible.

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he recorded Schindler family tree can be traced back a number of generations to the 1800s which shows

that they came from the area of Strasbourg, Alsace in Eastern France. Professor Schindler’s father, Charles

Antoine Schindler, was born in Obernai, France in 1843 and his mother, Louise Prud’Homme, was born in

Paris, France in 1857.

Charles A. Schindler 1890 Charles A. Schindler Family 1890 (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler) (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

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Before being married, Charles Antoine Schindler served in the French Army as a Medical Practitioner in

the 1870s and worked to vastly improve the hygiene of the army barracks in Nice, Southern France. In

1877 he was assigned to work in Batna, Algeria where he stayed until June 1878. It was during this time

that he married Louise on October 20, 1877. In June 1878 Charles Antoine Schindler was ordered to

assume the management of the military hospital of Biskra, Algeria. On September 28, 1878 he was

assigned to the 44th Regiment de ligne at Lons-le-Saulnier, France.

Charles Antoine Schindler and Louise had five children. Charles, who later in life was known as ‘Professor’

Schindler, was the first born. He was born on September 19, 1878 in Mers, Somme, France in his

grandfather’s Prud’Hommes beach home. A few years later Louise (Lily) was born on February 28, 1881,

followed by Pierre on April 7, 1884, Mathilde on June 21, 1885 and finally Jean on November 9, 1887.

While the life of Charles (Professor) Schindler is well known, little is known about the lives of the other

siblings.

Charles (Prof) Schindler chose the law profession as his early vocation. He attended the Académie de Paris

(University of Paris) and received a law degree in 1900. After graduation he served as a journalist on the

staff of the Paris Matin and the London Times for three years. However, as a young man wanting

adventure and wishing to learn English, the lure of Australia caught his heart.

The Gothic Steamer (490 feet long) – (Photo courtesy of Titanic-Titanic.com)

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Australia, a maturing nation which had recently federated in 1901, had a new sense of patriotism and was

attracting a growing number of European immigrants who were needed to sustain the growing economy.

While life in many parts of Australia was difficult, there was a standard of living in many places of Australia

that exceeded life in parts of Europe. The lure of adventure was too great for Charles (Prof) Schindler and

so on January 30, 1904 he left France and boarded the steamer Gothic to make his passage to Hobart,

Tasmania, Australia. From there he travelled on to Wellington, New Zealand on February 7, 1904 where

he stayed for a little over a year.

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ventually Charles (Prof) made his way to Sydney, Australia where he met Eunice Mary Page. Eunice was

born in Sydney in 1884 and was the daughter of John Page and Ellen Mary Notting. Her family had

emigrated from Scotland and was descended from John Knox, the great Scottish reformer.

After courting Eunice for a short time, they were married on

November 16, 1906 in the St. Barnabas Anglican Church on George

Street in Sydney. After their marriage they lived in the Sydney area

for two years, but moved to Armidale, New South Wales, (NSW)

Australia in 1908.

On May 14, 1908 the first of their two boys, Charlie, was born. A

few years later in 1911, Charles (Professor) took up his first

appointment as a teacher in Australia. He was appointed as a tutor

in French at Emmanuel College, a school founded by the

Presbyterian Church of Queensland and one of the first resident

colleges in the country.

1900 – Eunice Page (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler) To take up work at the college, the Schindler family moved to Brisbane, Australia where the school was

located. The same year as their move to Brisbane, Charles became one of 83 students in the first class at

the University of Queensland, then held at the Government House on George Street in Brisbane.

After attending the university for four years, Charles graduated with a B.A. degree in 1915. That same year

on May 16, their second son Aubrey (Aub) was born.

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As busy as life was for Charles and Eunice, Charles went on to further studies at the University of

Queensland. In 1918 he received his M.A. degree at a ceremony in Brisbane held at Australia’s Central

Technical College. Shortly there-after, on May 3, 1918, he became a Professor at the University of

Queensland in the Foreign Language Department teaching French.

Charles continued to stay busy teaching at the University of Queensland as his children were growing up.

In-between teaching at the university and raising his own boys he found time to help teach children in

primary and high schools in the area. He gave some consideration to serving with the Tongan Educational

Services, but family responsibilities kept him in Australia.

In March 1931, Charles was elected to the Alliance Francaise of Brisbane, Australia, an organization to

promote the study of the French language and literature. Knowing the challenges of people from France

immigrating to Australia, Charles wanted to help French people keep their use of the French language

alive while they also learned the English language.

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1916 – Charles (Prof) & Eunice Schindler with Charlie and Aubrey (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

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he two Schindler boys, Charlie and Aub, had a typical life for boys in Australia. They both attended

Brisbane Grammar School and went on to Brisbane State High School. Charlie won the Senior Examination

Scholarship and upon graduation from high school, he enrolled in the University of Queensland and

graduated with honors on May 1, 1931 with Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.

After high school, Aub attended Gatton Agricultural College in Queensland and received a Diploma in

Tropical Dairying in 1934. He also worked at the college’s stables and dairy farm. After graduation from

Gatton, he continued his education at the University of Queensland and graduated in 1938 with a

Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science.

Charlie began his occupation as the Agriculturist at the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in

Queensland, Australia. He served first in Tullabudgera, then Stanthorpe and eventually Brisbane.

He became a librarian for the DPI in the old library at Quay Street, where he

became known as 'Uncle Charlie'. He also served in a variety of other capacities

including the Queensland Place Names Committee.

It was through this organization that a mutual friend introduced Charlie to

Gertrude (Gertie) Carrick who was eventually known as Auntie Gertie. Gertie was

born on July 28, 1908 and was the daughter of John Thomas and Margaret (Aird)

Carrick.

Uncle Charlie was a keen environmentalist, many years before it was trendy to be so, and in his spare time

he became involved with the Naturalist's Society. This group shared an interest in the natural environment

and the group organized walks and discussions for both the relaxation and education of all participants.

Charlie eventually married Gertie in the Presbyterian Chapel at Mowbray Park in Brisbane, Australia on

June 3, 1939. They honeymooned at Binna Burra Lodge located 800 meters above sea level among the

sub-tropical rainforest of Lamington National Park in the Gold Coast Hinterland. However, since there

were no roads for automobiles, they rode in on horses!

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After finishing their careers, Charlie and Gertie had a long retirement together and Charlie was able to

enjoy his two favorite hobbies of reading and vegetable gardening in the new house at Mita Street,

Everton Park, just north of Brisbane. Each year he would always grow flowers out front of their house

especially for Gertie. Charlie was an avid reader and his interest in the environment was a major focus,

but he could discuss any subject and his opinion was always well considered.

Charlie died on December 24, 2001. Gertie died less than a year later on August 24, 2002.

While studying at the University of Queensland, Aubrey (Aub) met Ancie Carson Beales who was a fellow

student at the university studying Arts, who would later become his wife. Ancie was born in Victoria,

Australia on March 15, 1915 and was the daughter of Claude Alfred Herbert Beales and Agnes (Ancie)

Carson.

1948 - Aubrey Schindler 1948 - Ancie Schindler (Photo courtesy of the Peter Schindler) (Photo courtesy of the Ivan Schindler)

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While Aub was studying at the university in the late 1930s, the dark clouds of World War II soon began to

cloud the Pacific and so Aub joined the Citizen’s Militia Force (CMF) 25th battalion. When World War II

broke out Lieutenant Aub Schindler was sent to Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea. While fighting in the

Battle of Milne Bay, he was awarded the Military Cross for his involvement in the battle for the No. 3

airstrip on the night of August 31, 1942.

About a year after the Milne Bay Campaign, while in North Queensland and on Rest and Recreation leave,

Aub was asked to return to New Guinea and serve under the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit

(ANGAU - The civil administration of the Territory of Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea)

and cultivate a cinchona plantation. Cinchona is the source of Quinine which was needed to supply the

troops for the treatment of malaria.

The cinchona plantation would be located at the Department of Agriculture Stock and Fisheries (DASF)

Highland’s Experiment Station (Ag Station) at Aiyura in the Eastern Highlands. It was at this station that

Charles (Professor) would later in life become well known in New Guinea.1

Aub finally finished his military service on March 27, 1946 and just a few months later he again would

make the headlines. This time it was his marriage to Ancie. On May 30, 1946 in New Guinea near the

coastal town of Lae their marriage would become the first civilian marriage in the territory after the war.

This significant event even made the Australian newspapers since it indicated a return to normalcy!

Aub and Ancie eventually had three children, Peter, Ivan and Gillian. Aub devoted himself to work at the

Agricultural Station and Ancie helped in the house. As their children grew, so did the work and staff at the

Agricultural Station. Soon there was a need for a school for the Agricultural Station’s children and Ancie

became the teacher.

1 To learn more about the significance of the Ag. Station, read Though I Walk Through The Valley by Charles Micheals -

http://issuu.com/cbmicheals/docs/aiyura_valley_in_world_war_ii

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As new staff arrived at the Agricultural Station, new opportunities arose for Aub and Ancie. In 1962 they

left the Agricultural Station and bought a coffee plantation at Karanka, 27 miles from Aiyura Valley.

Eventually they moved back to Australia. Ancie died on May 4, 1995 and Aub died on October 12, 1998.

They are both buried in Brisbane, Australia.2

1948 - Agricultural Station (Photo courtesy of Peter Schindler)

2 To read more about Aubrey and Ancie Schindler, read the book, The Foundation of Aiyura Valley by Charles Micheals. - http://issuu.com/cbmicheals/docs/the_foundation_of_aiyura_valley

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n 1918 Professor Charles Schindler took up the role as lecturer in the Department of French at the

University of Queensland. This would be a role he would have for many years. His love for teaching grew

as did his interest in intellectual thought and writing.

University of Queensland Staff- 1922 - Professor Charles Schindler – Third Row, (L-R) Last Man on the Right (Photo courtesy of the University of Queensland)

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One of the areas of interest he developed concerned the study of how conflict and competition between

people could be replaced by understanding and harmony. He not only gave significant thought about this

issue, but he also wrote a volume of works on the foundational principles underlying how harmonious

existence between men and women of various cultures and languages could happen.

University of Queensland Staff -1947 Professor Charles Schindler – Second Row, Second Man on Far Right (Photo courtesy of the University of Queensland)

Many years later, he would have an opportunity to put this study into practice at the Agricultural Station

in New Guinea, where his son Aub lived and worked. However, his main work continued to revolve around

lecturing at the University of Queensland. There, his love for students and teaching made him a well-

known and well-loved professor.

He taught well beyond the normal retirement age. In all he taught at various universities for 37 years.

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1922 - Charles (Prof) Schindler (third from left) at a Garden Party (Photo courtesy of the University of Queensland)

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In early 1947 Charles took a trip to visit his son Aub and Ancie at the Agricultural Station and he began to

consider moving there after retirement. He stayed at the Agricultural Station for a short while, but

returned to Brisbane in May and continued teaching at the university. Finally, in December 1948, at age

70, he decided to retire from the university.

1948 Dr. Charles (Prof) Schindler Retires (Photo courtesy of the University of Queensland)

After retirement Charles stayed in the Brisbane area for a year. It was just long enough for people to give

honor to an esteemed, well respected member of the local community who helped French families though

the Alliance Francaise association and from other educational organizations that he was a part of.

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n June 1949 Professor Schindler was honored in Brisbane, Australia with the Academic Palms at the

presentation of the Palmes d'Officier d'Académie Francaise for outstanding service as an educator. The

French High Commissioner to Australia in Brisbane gave Professor Schindler the award.

June 22, 1949 - Professor Charles Schindler at the Presentation of the Palmes d'Officier d'Académie Francaise (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler) (Photo courtesy of the University of Queensland)

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In 1976, a number of years after his death, Charles was immortalized in stone. Dr. Rhyl (Shepherd)

Hinwood was commissioned by the University of Queensland to chisel the faces of a number of university

faculty members who had a profound influence on the school. These would be twice life size and displayed

six meters above the ground at the university and in a location to survey the student scene.

Rhyl made the gargoyles statues from strong, pink roughhewn

blocks of Helidon freestone. Once done, they were put on

display on the universities buildings of the Great Court and just

outside the main doors of the Michie Building of the St. Lucia

Campus.

Charles was honored because he was one of the university's

original students and was an Associate Professor of French from

1911 to 1948. His statute was the one finished first and as a

result of that piece, Rhyl won the $400 prize in the university's

sculpture competition and the commission to complete six

more statutes.

Photo from the Courier-Mail Newspaper Article - Courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

The other statues were of:

Dr. F.W. Robinson, Associate Professor of English (1923) who had an important influence on the

decoration of the university buildings. In the statue he holds the university shield in one hand, for

his interest in heraldry, and an Aboriginal symbol in the other because he was very concerned for

their ceremonial grounds and sacred sites.

Mr. Robert Cummings, the first Professor in Architecture.

Mr. A.C.V. Melbourne, Associate Professor of History, the Chairman of the Building and Grounds

Committee at the time of the university planning in the 1930s.

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Mr. Stanley Casllehow, Associate Professor in the Classics Department for 41 ½ years helped set

up the Classics Museum. In the statue, he holds Greek household articles.

The final two statues represented the native people of the Pacific region and were carved on site, as the

stone blocks are built into a wall.

Charles Schindler was awarded posthumously in 1977 the LL.B. (Latin - Legum Baccalaureus) Bachelor of

Laws Degree from University of Paris (The Sorbonne) and a M.A., Honorary Doctorate from the University

of Queensland.

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May 2009 – A Gargoyle of Professor Schindler Created Previously to the One Dr. Rhyl Hinwood Produced. Located on the Arts Building in the Main Quadrangle of the University Of Queensland (Photo courtesy of Gillian Landers)

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fter retiring and selling his house in the Brisbane, Australia area and packing a few things, Charles

moved to New Guinea in 1949 where he lived with his son, Aub who was still the director of the

Agricultural station in Aiyura Valley. It was reported that he joked at the thought of going to New Guinea

by stating that his main aim in going to New Guinea was to hold a meeting of natives to form a ‘League

for the Prevention of Examinations’. His days of grading papers were over. However, his years of teaching

were not!

1950 - Aubrey, Peter and Charles Schindler (Photos Courtesy of Ivan Schindler) Peter and Charles Schindler

After spending a short time becoming acquainted with life in New Guinea, he began to teach local people

in the valley. First he started teaching people from the Kuminakera villages, but they lived too far away

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from the valley and so attendance at school was too sporadic. He then began to concentrate on the local

people of Aiyura Valley.

After a few years of living at the Agricultural Station, Aub built Charles a small bush shed for a house in

the valley at the end of the dirt airstrip. It was near another village in the area and up the hill on the

opposite end of the valley from where the Agricultural Station was located. Since he was used to living

alone, he adjusted well to the simple life of the valley.

Professor Schindler’s house in Aiyura Valley (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

He began teaching in a small bush house, using basic English and chose not to use the Pidgin English in

either his home or school. He started the school with only minimum help from the New Guinea Territory’s

Department of Education because he wanted to concentrate on teaching and not having to handle the

‘red tape’ of the educational department.

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Classes were held each morning and afternoon with about 40 young students attending. He helped them

write books in the morning and again worked with them in the afternoon. For a couple of hours at night,

he taught the adults. He mainly read to them science primers, but he also told them stories from the

Bible, Sophocles and the histories of countries around the world.

He avoided discipline in the classroom because he wanted to instill in them a love for learning. However,

the rowdy students were asked to leave at the end of the day and were not allowed back!

Professor Schindler with Students- 1965 (Photo courtesy of Gillian (Schindler) Landers)

The school he started in Aiyura Valley was first called a Primary Territory (T) School as it used a Territory

Syllabus, but later became known as “Professor Schindler’s School”. The school educated many of the

valley children over the years.

Eventually, after living on his own for a number of years, it became necessary for him to have help in the

home. He took on employment of a young man, Orami, as house help. However, Orami soon took on

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additional duties in the school and he began to assist the Professor in the classroom and after getting

married and having children, his children attend the school.

Orami’s oldest son, John, received concentrated teaching opportunities at Professor’s Schindler’s School

and after showing abilities, he went on to attend Goroka High School (Goroka was a town located many

hours by road further up into the Highlands). After high school, John took Teacher’s Training and when

the Department of Education officially took over supervision of Professor Schindler’s School, John Orami

was appointed the first teacher.

1965 - Aubrey and Charles Schindler (Photos Courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

This appointment was unusual because the Department of Education usually did not want teachers to go

back to teach in the community they came from. However, Professor Schindler who was still the

headmaster in charge of the school, wanted John back and so he persisted with the Department of

Education and finally won his case. It proved a good thing as John and the professor made a good team!

Plus, as a team John and Professor Schindler helped develop a “Parents and Citizens” group that served

the valley well for many years.

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John progressed well as a teacher and eventually became the head teacher in Aiyura Valley. He continued

to be promoted and eventually ended up as the Head Teacher of the Southern Highlands.

Another of Professor Schindler’s outstanding students was Baru. While Baru did not learn as well as some

of the other students, he did learn enough at Professor Schindler’s School to apply the opportunities that

came his way while working at the Agricultural Station. That education was passed on to Baru’s son,

Aronisi Baru, who went on to study at the Papuan Medical College. Thus, the efforts of Professor Schindler

began to bear fruit in a second generation.

Another early prize pupil at Professor Schindler’s School was Pita Korambo. Pita went on to study at Cowra

Agricultural College, west of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. He was also chosen to meet Royalty

in Canberra, Australia and later on attended the Papuan University (now the University of Papua New

Guinea) in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

Many other students from Professor Schindler’s School have continued on with their education. Many

have become important village, local and provincial leaders. Many have become important leaders with

various mission agencies.3

3 Read the story of Gware and Arina Nanong, What God Has Joined Together by Charles Micheals - http://issuu.com/cbmicheals/docs/what_god_has_joined_together

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1969 Professor Schindler's School (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

At age 84, Professor Schindler had a well-established school and so he relinquished teaching the adult

students and concentrated on the very youngest students. He continued on with evening classes with the

younger students too.

After John Orami left the school, Professor Schindler took on another young man, Uruma, to help him

with household chores. Uruma was a faithful helper and stayed on with Professor Schindler for many years

until Professor Schindler died.

In 1964 at age 86, Professor Schindler returned to Australia for surgery. However, upon his recovery he

insisted on a speedy return to New Guinea to take up his teaching responsibilities at the school he had

started. At age 90 he lost his physical strength, but his mind remained very bright until the end.

After spending a fortnight in a nearby hospital, he died on Wednesday, June 11, 1969. He was 91 years

old. At the time of his death there were 170 students attending Professor Schindler’s School. After several

nights of wailing by local women who were smeared with mud and feathers to show signs of grief, and a

time of mourning by the family and friends of Professor Schindler, a brief ceremony of remembrance was

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held on Sunday, June 15, 1969. Professor Schindler was buried that day on the grounds of the school. His

grave is located at the school behind the location of the center round house (at the time) and the new

classroom building.

Professor Schindler's Grave (Photos Courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

Professor Schindler's Grave (Photos Courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

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fter Professor Schindler’s death, a proposal to name the school after Professor Schindler was soon made

by the Department of Education. Professor Schindler’s son, Aub, proposed to Mr. William Cotterell-

Dormer, the Director of the Department of Agriculture Stock and Fisheries (D.A.S.F.) in the Territory of

New Guinea (and a former professor from the University of Queensland who taught with Professor

Schindler), to build a small library at the school to further perpetuate Professor Schindler’s name and

work.

Both were accomplished and so the memory and legacy of Professor Schindler has lived on. Today the

school which bears his name continues to teach local students and the efforts of Professor Schindler’s

work continues to bear fruit.

One of the many legacies of Professor Schindler was that of a kind professor. But he was much more than

just that. He was a model teacher who loved his students and demonstrated that it is possible to live a life

of understanding and harmony in a different country, which leads to peace in the valley and happiness in

the home.

Over the years the school has grown. More children from the valley began to attend the school and more

teachers and classrooms were added. Eventually, the school became a government school and in 2011,

Professor Schindler’s school had 26 teachers and over a thousand students in grades 3 – 8. It continues to

serve the children who live in the Gadsup-Tairora area of Aiyura Valley.

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1971 - Professor Schindler's School (Photo courtesy of James Sinclair – “The Highlanders” Book)

Early 1970s Professor Schindler's School (Photo courtesy of David Carne)

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Late 1970s - Professor Schindler's School (Photo courtesy of David Carne)

2010 - Professor Schindler's School (Photo courtesy of Craig Campbell)

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July 2012 - Professor Schindler’s Gravestone (Photos Courtesy of Todd Lindley and Joel Iyano)

July 2012 - Professor Schindler’s School Building and Painting (Photos Courtesy of Todd Lindley and Joel Iyano)

July 2012 - Professor Schindler’s School Buildings (Photos Courtesy of Todd Lindley and Joel Iyano)

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July 2012 - Professor Schindler’s School Sign (Photo courtesy of Todd Lindley and Joel Iyano)

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A beautiful painting of Professor Schindler

currently hangs in a prominent place at the

school. It is painted by a local artist Iso Riq who

lives in Kamanankera Village. Iso attended

Professor Schindler’s School from 1984 – 1989

and is from the Gadsup language area.

The painting was made from a small black and

white photo that the school has kept on file.

The colors of Professor Schindler’s clothing are

based on remembrances of local people. The

names of the school board members listed on

the painting are current as of July 2012.

Iso Riq was interviewed in July 2012 and audio

files (in Melanesian Tok Pisin) of the interview

are found below:

PNG Local Artist Iso Riq (Photo courtesy of Todd Lindley)

Interview with Iso Riq (Part 1)4

Interview with Iso Riq (Part 2)5

4 http://dl.dropbox.com/u/13575361/Interview%20with%20Iso%20Riq%20-%20Part%201.m4a 5 http://db.tt/3Eq82CsB

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Painting of Professor Charles Schindler – By PNG Local Artist Iso Riq. The word ‘Ayogu’ and ‘Kumandim’ are Gadsup words. ‘Ayogu’ in Gadsup means ‘good’ or in some cases ‘better’ and ‘Kumandim’ in Gadsup means ‘living’. (Photo courtesy of Todd Lindley and Joel Iyano)

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fter 50 years, the grandson of Professor Charles Schindler, Dr. Peter

Schindler returned in March 2013 to Aiyura Valley along with his wife

Jan. The time in the valley was filled with emotions to not only see

the school that his grandfather had set up, but to also visit the

agricultural station where his family lived and where he spent most

of his growing up years. The men from Aiyura Valley whom Peter

knew as small children when he left in 1962 had not lost admiration

for the Schindler family. During his return visit, they kept telling Peter

that he was “one of them”. Peter was even able to meet with tears of

joy one of his nannies

Dr. Peter Schindler (Photo courtesy of Toowoomba Medical Centre)

Peter’s returned to the valley coincided with his volunteering in the clinic at the Summer Institute of

Linguistics’ (SIL) linguistic center at Ukarumpa, which is located next to the school and the agricultural

station. The Schindler family was very instrumental in helping SIL get started with its linguistics research

and Bible translation work in the country. That center of operation assisted Peter during his return to the

valley.

When Peter left Aiyura Valley in 1962, perhaps only 10% of the local residents may have been Christians.

During his time away in Australia, Peter became a Christian by putting his faith and trust in Christ alone

for salvation and when he returned to Aiyura Valley in 2013 with great joy he estimated that 70 - 80% of

the residents were Christians with numerous Protestant churches in the valley. He noted that animism

only exists as habits now, to be rooted out as lies, not as truths to be regarded.

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Once Peter and Jan got settled into his room where they were staying and got over their jet lag and the

adjustment of the 5,000 foot altitude where the valley sits, it was time to visit the agricultural station

where Peter grew up and where his parents worked. Then it was time to visit Professor Schindler’s school.

The students and staff gave them great reception starting with two lines that stretched for over 200

meters in length that were filled with children holding welcome signs. A band with bugles and drums were

there to greet them as well. The head master of the school, led Peter and Jan through the two lines into

the school where hundreds of parents, students and older students were gathered for speeches.

Welcome for Peter and Jan Schindler (Photo to the right: John Orami in cap, Sam Bimaka in the center in blue - Board Chairman, Orami – to the right of Sam and holding unbrella assisted Charles Schindler when he first arrived – has since died, in the background in black shirt is a board member) (Photos courtesy of Peter Schindler)

Orami, a young man at the time who helped Professor Schindler do house work when the Professor aged

and eventually assisted him in the school was at the ceremony. Orami, then aged 91 and blind with

cataracts, spoke of how the Professor first started his teaching from a house on the top of the other side

of the valley from where the school is located. He shared about the time in 1953 when Professor Schindler

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moved off the land of the government agriculture center that the Schindler family lived and worked to a

more secure site which was land provided by the Urama family.

The Uruma family then took over the Professor’s care of the students and hand carried his house, plank

by plank, from the agricultural station to the other side of the valley where the school was located. Sadly,

Urama died in 2010, but his family still supports the school.

Professor Schindler’s School in the foreground with the government agricultural station located in the in hills in the distance (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

Orami, now an old man shared how after Professor Schindler left he kept sending his son to learn English

at the school. Then Orami’s son, John Orami, now 74 years of age, stood to tell of his opportunity to learn

English and how he move through the primary grades under the Professor's teaching. He told his story of

going away to a secondary school and then deciding to go to the new Papua New Guinea Teachers college,

first in Goroka and then Port Moresby. He recounted how his father, along with the Professor and Aub

Schindler encouraged him along those lines.

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1967 - (R) Charles Schindler, (C) John Orami, a student and eventually a teacher at Professor Schindler’s School (L) Unknown woman visiting from Hawaii who formerly was a student at the Aiyura Primary School (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

John went on to share how the Professor established a school board of local people which allowed them

to assist the school by their personal involvement and how students would walk for hours daily to attend

the school they loved. He then closed his remarks by stating that these same people who helped start the

school also helped persuaded the Government to change the rules which allowed him to be sent back to

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his own people and assist the Professor. He was able to teach at the school from 1961 to 1964 and during

that time helped the school prosper and grow.

After John spoke, the school pastor, Pastor Paru shared about his dreams and prayer that he hoped to see

a day when a Professor would come from a student who had attended the school. Then Peter and Jan

were invited to speak.

Jan spoke of her gratefulness that the school, supported by the board, has kept the school operating after

the Professor's death. She thanked the school also for the wonderful welcome they received.

Peter Schindler address the school staff and students (Photo courtesy of Peter Schindler)

Peter shared his gratefulness that his grandfather had been able to help the Aiyura valley in such a

wonderful way. He expressed his thanks to the Orami and Urama families who have supported the schools

throughout the schools existence and how great it was that they shared the vision of the importance of

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an education and one in English. Peter went on to tell about his experiences growing up as a student of

their valley and how he received the courage to go to University to be a doctor and of his gladness at

becoming a Christian which has helped him the most.

He stressed the importance of learning English because it is the language that runs government

international affairs and science and how Papua New Guineans were as involved as much as any nation in

these things and so needed to continue to prepare for this work. He urged the students be courageous

as they needed to learn to live away from home to achieve this education which was needed to help them

stand strong as a people and nation. He also reminded them that each child and person was precious,

like gold, and how important it was that they use this gift and carefully listen and apply what their teachers

were teaching.

In closing he shared from his personal experience how they could only stand strong in the face of adversity

and in life with a life dedicated to Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit doing its work inside each one of them.

His prayer was that each student and staff would pray, "Lord, give us this Holy Spirit!"

2013 – Staff at Professor Schindler’s school (Photo courtesy of Peter Schindler)

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2013 – Students at Professor Schindler’s school (Photos courtesy of Peter Schindler)

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2013 – Professor Schindler’s grave at the school (Photos courtesy of Peter Schindler)

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Original Photo of Professor Schindler taken at Christmas time in 1967 or 1968 (Photo courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

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Peter was able to serve the work of Bible translation while at the SIL Ukarumpa center of operations in

Aiyura Valley. He served as an associate member of Wycliffe Bible Translators in the clinic at Ukurumpa.

He stated afterwards how the work of SIL was weaving a miracle in the fabric of PNG society and extending

God's Kingdom on earth and eternity, doing the great work of Bible translation in over 300 languages of

the country. He noted that the clinic at Ukarumpa not only served the mission community, but also the

people from Aiyura Valley and beyond in so many way, including the employment of so many local people

in the various services offered by SIL at Ukarumpa.

1993 - Map of Aiyura Valley (Map courtesy of Terra Nova Publishing, Cliff Brown)

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1943 - Aerial Map of Aiyura Valley (Note Akwitana River is now known as the Ba’e River) (Map courtesy of Ivan Schindler)

Professor Schindler’s Aiyura Primary School P.O. Box 500 Ukarumpa, Eastern Highlands Province Papua New Guinea

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(Photo from Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper, June 25, 1969)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

(Photo from The Daily Telegraph Newspaper, June 25, 1969)

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(Photo from Courier-Mail Newspaper, June 24, 1969)

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(Photo From Courier-Mail Newspaper, December 7, 1948) (Photo From Australian Women's Weekly Newspaper, February 5, 1949)

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“Adieu to French; Now For N.G. Tongue”, The Courier- Mail Newspaper, December 7, 1948: 3 <http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/49934780?searchTerm="Charles Schindler"&searchLimits=> "Alliance Francaise", Online Posting, The Courier- Mail Newspaper (Qld.: 1864 - 1933), March 5, 1931: 8. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21675183>

“Aiyura Valley”, Online Posting, Photos, Australian War Memorial <http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/099617>

“Death of Professor”, The Courier- Mail Newspaper, June 24, 1969 “Doctor Founded NG School at Age 71”, The Daily Telegraph Newspaper, June 25, 1969 “First Wedding of Civilians in New Guinea Since the War”, The Courier- Mail Newspaper, June 24, 1946: 7 <http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/printArticlePdf/50258515/3?print=n> “Emmanuel College", Online Posting, The Courier- Mail Newspaper (Qld.: 1864 - 1933), October 23, 1911: 6. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article19735742> “Interesting People - Charles Schindler”, Online Posting, Australian Women's Weekly Newspaper, 5 February 1949: 18 <http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/printArticlePdf/47221499/3?print=n> “Mud and Feathers Mourn A Teacher”, The Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper, June 25, 1969 MV Montoro, Online Posting, Photo, State Library of Victoria <http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/33542> “Professor’s Last Exam”, The Sydney Morning Herald Newspaper, December 7, 1948: 4 <http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/18090394?searchTerm="Charles Schindler"&searchLimits=> “Professor Gargoyled”, The Courier- Mail Newspaper, November 11, 1976 "Queensland University", Online Posting, The Courier- Mail Newspaper (Qld.: 1864 - 1933) May 4, 1918: 7. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20224839> “Queensland University Students Who Graduated With Honours", Online Posting, The Courier- Mail Newspaper (Qld.: 1864 - 1933), May 12, 1931: 14. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21727672> Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Kemp Family Pages <http://www.kempfamilyhistory.com/getperson.php?personID=I56549&tree=adkemp> Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Fryer Library University of Queensland Library, AL_P_65_1922 <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:196859>

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Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Fryer Library University of Queensland Library, UQFL 466_AL_P_43 <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:196853> Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Fryer Library University of Queensland Library, UQFL 466_AL_P_45 <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:196859>

Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Fryer Library University of Queensland Library, UQFL 466_AL_P_46 <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:196859> Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Fryer Library University of Queensland Library, UQFL 466_AL_P_45 <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:196859> Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Fryer Library University of Queensland Library, UQFL 466_AL_P_60 <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:197497> Schindler, Charles, Online Posting, Fryer Library University of Queensland Library, UQFL 466_AJ_P_74 <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:196859> "Sculptor's 'Faces' a Tribute to Professors", Online Posting, The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) November 9, 1977: 203. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59834201>

University of Queensland, Online Posting, History of UQ < http://www.uq.edu.au/about/history-of-uq>

University of Queensland, Online Posting, Charles Schindler <http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:196853>

"Vacancies Filled", The Courier- Mail Newspaper (Qld.: 1864 - 1933), June 20, 1933: 21. <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22187285>

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harles Micheals is a native of Michigan and lived the first thirty years of his life there, eventually working

in the grocery industry. In 1985 his wife Barbara and their four small children joined Wycliffe Bible

Translators and moved to the country of Papua New Guinea (PNG) where they worked with the

internationally known non-profit linguistic organization, SIL International (formerly the Summer Institute

of Linguistics). Charles served in a variety of administrative roles in PNG, including several years as the

Chairman of the SIL PNG Job Evaluation and Wage Review Committee and on the SIL PNG Executive

Committee.

During their 15 years of service in PNG, Bible translation work was completed in 67 languages and over

100 additional Bible translation projects were started. Today, almost 200 language communities,

representing 2.0 million people in PNG have access to the Scriptures in their own languages.

In 2000, Charles and Barbara moved back to the USA and Charles served for several years as the Regional

Director for Recruitment for Wycliffe, living in the Chicago, Illinois area. In 2005 they moved to Orlando,

Florida where Charles served for six and one half years as the Vice President for Recruitment Ministries

for Wycliffe. He currently heads up Wycliffe’s Management and Professional Recruitment Department

and speaks at various mission conferences and colleges each year. Barbara assists with recruitment by

processing applications for interested people.

Charles holds a B.S. degree in Food Distribution from Western Michigan University and an M.A. degree in

Organization Management from Dallas Baptist University. He is a certified court appointed mediator in

the state of Texas. He served on the Board of Directors for The Finishers Project, a non-profit mission

dedicated to helping people in the second half of life find places to serve in missions. He has also been

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involved in helping create and develop Mission Teach, a ministry dedicated to helping place teachers in

MK (Missionary Kid) mission schools around the world and Military Believer, a growing ministry dedicated

to helping military personnel who are leaving the military find opportunities for service in global missions.

Charles has also authored a number of articles about the work of SIL in PNG and other historical articles

about life in the Aiyura Valley in PNG. (http://issuu.com/cbmicheals)

Both Charles and Barbara are Associate Members of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, FL and are involved

in a variety of church activities there. Charles serves as an elder at the church. However, they are still

members of Second Christian Reformed Church, in Kalamazoo, Michigan which is the church that

commissioned them for their work with Wycliffe. All four of their children are actively supporting missions

and church ministry work. Two of their four children are serving with Wycliffe around the world.

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Back Cover – Professor Charles Schindler Bust

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