By Tyler Wright
The Monbulk Living and Learning Centre is set to be full of laughter and loud voices as past students of Monbulk High School gather to meet once again.
Carmel Mitchell (nee Kay) has organised the 60th anniversary event to commemorate the school’s original opening.
“Back in 1963 when the school opened we had a really nice school out on David Hill Road which has gone now and it’s been replaced,” Carmel said.
“Because we are in our 70s and some are coming up into their 70s, a few wanted to have a 60-year reunion.”
Carmel remembers her cohort as being mixed with quiet girls – alongside a group who were rambunctious and loud – in which she was included.
“We often got dusters and chalk thrown at us,” she said.
“The math teacher – Mr O ‘Leary – if you were staring out the window, he went into song.
“We had good teachers and not so good.”
On Saturday 28 October, between 10am and 4pm, students and teachers who attended between 1963 and 1971 are invited to mark the impact of the school six decades on.
The Monbulk Historical Society will have a display of around 80 class photos at the venue, with attendees welcome to add any names of people captured in the photos to complete some of the society’s records.
Carmel said there has been a good response to the event.
“I’ve got people coming in from interstate, which is good,” she said,
“There’s a few that have got in touch with me who can’t make it for various reasons, but I’m expecting a good turn up.”
“We were all like brothers and sisters, and we’ve all watched each other’s paths go by and a lot of us, my classmates, we still meet up once a month.”
Carmel said some classmates have married their high school sweethearts; herself marrying a local and remaining in Monbulk.
“There’s lots of good memories, there’s been tragic memories; we did lose some students back in those days to a really bad car accident.
“You still think of those people who you went to school with…it is very special to us all.”
