Narrabri West Public School classrooms will echo to the sound of not so little feet on Sunday when 30 ex-pupils visit their old school of 50 years ago.
Former pupils are meeting for a reunion at the school they attended in 1963 and ‘64.
The West students of half a century ago are nowadays scattered far and wide, but the lure of the reunion was strong, and since Terry Smith floated the idea of the get together he and his co-organisers have had an enthusiastic response.
It will be a weekend of reminiscences and nostalgia for school days which seem like yesterday, but the West Public of ‘64 is a world away from today’s student experience.
Take the cane, for instance.
Nowadays there is no cane, but not so back in the good old days when it was freely administered at country schools.
But school days were definitely the good old days, and the West Public is fondly remembered.
Much tracking down of ex-pupils and a lot of planning has gone into the reunion.
The get together will kick off with a dinner at Narrabri RSL Club on Saturday night.
Former teacher Mr Kevin Clifton (1963-67) now of Tamworth (married to Wynne Gett from Narrabri) is coming to the reunion and will take roll call at the dinner.
Rowie Panton has done a drawing for the night of ‘all the wild kids’ with principal of the era, the late Mr Geoff Evans, to be displayed at the dinner.
Mr Evans’ daughter Megan was school captain and dux of 1964 and is coming to the reunion.
“We have RSVPs from 30 ex-students plus partners,” said former pupil Charley Richards.
An organising committee comprising Terry Smith, Rowie Panton, Lesley Anderson (nee Smith), Denis ‘Taffey’ Bruce, Susan Smith (nee Gordon) Max Panton and Audrey Trindall (nee Knox), Don Ireland and Charley Richards has planned the event.
Dianne Richards is the group’s treasurer (although not a pupil of that era.)
“We will have a dinner on Saturday night at Narrabri RSL Club and brunch at the West School on Sunday,” the group said.
Most of the former pupils now live away, with only about one third still living in Narrabri.
Several former classmates are, sadly, deceased: Gary Charlton, Tony Haverhoek, Robert Finlay, Robert Tribe, Robert Duff and Brian Barrett.
Ex-students from Sydney and the Gold Coast, Canberra and the region will attend.
The former pupils are excited about the reunion.
“This will probably be our last 50 year reunion, but we could have more get togethers in future years,” they said.
What do they recall about the good old days at the West School.
Rowie Panton: “I was quiet but no angel. I did get the cane - but not as much as some of the others. I got into strife for drawing instead of taking notice of the teacher.
Bill Hannaford: “One teacher used to bring the cane down and then back up under your hand.”
Taffey Bruce: “They had a cane with my name on it. That’s why I’ve got arthritis in my fingers.
“On sports days the townies and the conny whackers didn’t like to come over the West because our footy oval was BC grass - it was there Before Christ. The ground was bone dry and hard.
“We only had one building with four big rooms, it’s still there, and then they built another building near the teachers’ house.
“Some of us went to the weather shed for woodwork.”
Taffey: “Mr Hazelwood was about 6 foot six and he would get you out in the playground with the cane.
“I should have the brain of two lawyers the number of times I had to write ‘I must not go out of the playground’ on the blackboard.
“You wouldn’t wag it. Someone would pick you up and take you to school.”
John Bell used to ride a horse in to school, they recalled.
Vigero was remembered and how the big padded bat was sometimes used for discipline.
Charley: “I remember playing marbles. I was pretty good at it and won bucket loads of marbles. And playing football and cricket.
“We travelled to Tamworth, Gunnedah and Moree to play cricket and football.”
Taffey: “I said to Mum on my first day at school when I started kindergarten at five years old, ‘what time will you come and get me?’
She said when the bell goes. ‘‘It went at 11am for morning break and I headed for the gate and went home.
“I only got as far as the railway bridge and they took me back.”
The only thing some didn’t like was the folk dancing.
Taffey: “We won it one year in a contest at the show competing against other schools.
“We all had to do it and the best got picked.
“I got picked because I deserved it.”
The polio and TB injections were well remembered.
“They had a huge stainless steel needle. We lined up at the West School for Dr Buckley and Dr Woolford but others got their needles at the Narrabri Town Hall.
“We had a tuck shop once a month, and Billy Eather came around with hot dogs, three days a week.
“On Wednesday you could order pies and they would bring them over on Mr Francis’ bus from Miller and Moons bakery.
“The sausage rolls were threepence and the pies one shilling.
“For morning break crates of pink, banana, chocolate and white milk were delivered.
“Trips to Eckford’s store, later Tabner’s, were made for other goodies.”
The West had more of its own identity in those days, and the town was ‘the town.’
Bill Francis’ bus was the link for most and certainly for inter-school visits.
Memories of school days will flow at the reunion as the former West pupils, proud of their school, recall the good times and old classmates and teachers - and no doubt plan for another get together in the not too distant future.