Overview

It's 1926 and Australia is in a downward spiral headed for the 1929 stock market crash. Attempts at success as a landlord are falling apart for Colin's dad William. With banks threatening to foreclose, the family must sell their chocolate shop and rent a house. This is the one thing William fears most, since he considers renters to be failures at life. On the upside Colin's old schoolfriend Laura, comes back into his life. Plagued by bullies Colin the weakling ""Tanglefoot"" must learn to fight and defend not only himself but his mates, and who better to show him how it's done than Laura Moore? School continues to be a battle ground as teachers cane him mercilessly for not knowing answers. He fails grade six and is forced to repeat it. Can he face another year of canings when he knows he will fail anyway? As 1927 dawns a new teacher arrives. The appropriately named ""Miss Knight"" is a not only an irreverent and playful flapper, but a brilliant, talented and compassionate teacher. Pauline Knight is a woman far ahead of her time. She takes Colin under her wing promising that she is ""here to teach, not punish"" and that she will never cane anyone for wrong answers. Finding the strengths of each child she fights for their success. Attacked and ostracized by other teachers for playing ""black music"" in class she is put on warning and reacts by starting a weekly ""Jazz party"" for kids at her own house where Colin learns to play the piano and harmonica. The year ends with a ""big goodbye"" at a beach break up party arranged by Miss Knight. Tanglefoot learns to dance the Charleston with Laura and sees a foreshadowing of his future as he and Laura sit listening to the tall tales of a Swagman they find camping on the beach.

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