1930s Reunion

8/11/2009

Last year the Foundation arranged and hosted a Reunion for Old Boys from the 1920s with seven alumni attending, ranging in age from 92 to 97.

Our Old Boys of the 1930s in official photograph mode. Photo supplied by Dr Peter Fleischl (1939-42)

This week it was the turn of the Old Boys from the 1930s with 23 former pupils (aged 83 to 90) from that era enjoying the reassembly, a number being joined by wives or companions.

The Foundation was privileged to salute these men, whose years at Otago Boys were dulled to a large degree by the Great Depression which didn’t loosen its grip until 1935, and the Second World War, declared in September 1939. There was terrific camaraderie last week with a multitude of memories, stories and recollections of a Dunedin and New Zealand still growing and feeling its way in the world, and a school where the Rector ruled with an iron rod, where there were limited subjects on offer (compared to today’s wide and varied curriculum) and where many boys lost close friends to the ravages of war just months after enlisting.

Those who were able to join us were - Edgar Gregory (1939-42, engineering), Ben Naylor (1937-41, construction), Ken Clark (1932, grocery trade), Jim Robb (1937-41, industrial chemist), Keith Moore (1936-40, teaching), Bill Brown (1937-40, banking), Alan Richards (1934-38, accounting), Cyril McDermott (1933-35, accounting), Fraser Mitchell (1936-37, accounting), Bernard Esquilant (1939-43, acting, hospitality), Dr Kelvin Bremner (1939-43, medicine), Don Galland (1935-36, a 50 year career with the Post Office), Edgar Frazer (1938-41, company secretary), John Black (1935-37, police and CIB), Rev Robin Smith (1936-38, Presbytarian Minister), Frank Weedon (1939-43, physiotherapy), Les Boyles (1937-38, business management), Dr Peter Grayson (1937-41, medicine), Len Simpson (1939-40, business management), Gordon Johnston (1932-36, teachers college lecturer), Adam Coxon (1935-38, teaching), Dr Peter Fleischl (1939-42, medicine) and Rae Hill-Scully (1938-41, teaching).

The spirit of those who joined us was indomitable and the Foundation was humbled by the dedication they showed to their alma mater by – in many cases – travelling long distances to again walk through the memorial archway, doff their caps and rekindle old friendships.