Our most senior Old Boys come back to school

18/11/2008

The Foundation was delighted to host a Reunion of our most senior living Old Boys last week.

Seven pupils from the 1920s revisited their school during the two-day gathering, enjoying the company of chums they hadn’t seen for years and, in some cases, meeting fellow Old Boys for the first time.

Percy Wellington (1925-28), Rodney Eastgate (1929-33) and John 'Wheat' Manning (1928-32) tour the school during last week's Reunion

During the Reunion, the ‘magnificent seven’ were entertained by a portion of the school choir accompanied by some of the teaching staff, they toured the school, had official photographs taken, were addressed by Rector Clive Rennie and the 2008 Head Boy Matt Alai, and visited a Year 9 (3rd form) class in action – where today’s young men marvelled at the longevity of those parading before them and were inquisitive about the days of corporal punishment.

It was a privilege and a pleasure for the Foundation to organise and host this gathering as we saluted men who faced a terrible introduction into the working world with the Great Depression making its presence felt in the late 1920s and who then were confronted with the atrocities of the Second World War just a decade later.

It is a tribute to those Old Boys – and to those who sent their apologies – that they remain so active and interested in their alma mater.

Bill Isaac (1925-29) during the school tour

The roll call for this Reunion was:

* Bill Isaac (1925-29), aged 97, resident in Dunedin;

* Percy Wellington (1925-28), aged 97, resident in Dunedin;

* Donald Munro (1927), aged 95 and resident in Sydney;

* John Manning (1928-32), aged 94 and living in Lower Hutt;

* Stewart Anderson (1928-33), aged 92 and resident in Lower Hutt;

* Rodney Eastgate (1929-32), aged 92, resident in Christchurch;

* Angus MacIvor (1929-33), aged 92 and living in Auckland.

Next year the Foundation will host of Reunion for those who attended Otago Boys’ in the 1930s and a Reunion for the boys of the 1940s in 2010. A gathering of the intakes of 1950 to 1954 is scheduled for 2011.