Back in 1967, there was just one public high school in Griffith.
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With history set to repeat itself, Griffith High’s first ever Year 12 celebrated its 50 year reunion over the weekend.
Reunion organiser Bruce Harper said, “in 1967 was the year high school was extended from five years to six, and our class was the first to graduate from a twelfth year.”
Mr Harper said the weekend-long reunion was “brilliant”, with many an old story shared.
The innovative half century reunion kicked off with a session of Tai Chi at Pioneer Park on Saturday morning, before the group headed to Griffith High School in the afternoon. Breakfast Sunday morning at Il Corso rounded off the festivities.
The group of 28 attended the weekend, with Leonie Knight being the only one that still lives in Griffith.
Pretty much all the group went to university.
“It was different from today, when every Tom, Dick and Harry stays at school until Year 12. Back then, if you were doing a trade or apprenticeship, you tended to drop out earlier. Only those intending to do tertiary studes, stayed on,” Mr Harper said.
Mr Harper is now retired and living in Wagga. He was a teacher for 40 years, working at public and private schools across NSW.
“There were other teachers, and also nurses, doctors, teachers and pilots among the class of 1967. We did alright,” he said.
Among the alumni from the class of 1967 was Robert Linacre, a general surgeon in Hobart; and Peter Keenan, who later became a councilor.
John Robinson, a teacher at Griffith High in 1967, also made a welcome appearance.
Mr Harper had some views of the recently announced merger between Griffith High and Wage High across separate sites.
“As an outside observer now living in Wagga, I don’t see a lot of benefits in the merger for Griffith High. I think it’s step backwards. The bigger the school, the more impersonal it gets.”
Mr Harper said Griffith High has state of the art facilities today, as good as any public school he’s ever seen. The school’s current student population of around 600 was “perfect”.