Tomorrow I’m heading up to Newcastle to celebrate a 50th Anniversary. It was 50 years ago that I enrolled at Booragul High School on the shores of Lake Macquarie as a first year student. A group of people from the class of 62 have organised a reunion for other 62-ers and I’ll be attending. We’ve been asked to bring any memorabilia that we have, but, sadly, I have only my old school tie, adorned with the school badge and the school choir badge to show for the intervening years.
I loved my years at BHS; the four years I spent there were the happiest of my whole school career. I joined the choir in 1962 and became completely immersed in the musical life of the school for the rest of the time I was there. Bill Turner, the music teacher and choir master, became a lifelong friend and I plan on visiting him tomorrow. He’s in his 80’s now and in poor health but I try to get to Newcastle at least once a year to visit him and reminisce. Despite the passage of time and the failing of his body, Bill’s mind is still like a steel trap and delights in regaling us with his memories of the good old days of BHS.
It was also at BHS that I met and fell in love with the first real girlfriend I had. Susie was every young guy’s dream (well, THIS young guy, at least). A winning smile, a smashing figure and a delightful personality all rolled into one package. Over the intervening years we have remained close friends and my visits to Newcastle also include a cuppa a chat with Susie. Great memories there too.
BHS was right on the shore of Lake Macquarie, in fact the playground in the bottom of the picture above ran right down to the water’s edge. It was this proximity to the lake that caused the Department of Education to rename the school Lake Macquarie High School in the 1990’s, a move that was greeted with horror and derision by the “true” BHS students who saw it as an attempt to rewrite the school’s history.
Anyway, I’m looking forward to renewing the acquaintance of many, many people, most of whom I haven’t seen since I left BHS for Wollongong at the end of 1965. It should be a beaut day.
On the motorcycling front I have heard from Jim Race, the head honcho (along with Jules Cisek) of motopodcast.com with the details of next week’s programme. I did so many long interviews at the Island that he’s going to have to break them into a number of programmes, but watch out for Episode #308 which will contain some of my interviews.
They will be:
All but the Colin Edwards and the Damian Cudlin interviews are mine, and there’s more where they come from. Be afraid, be very afraid.
jeffb says
All the best Phil- hope the reunion turns out well. Bernadette attended her year 10 40th reunion last Saturday. Much Facebook frivolity has ensued all week! Looking forward to listening to your interviews too- been watching motopodcast all week. Safe travel. Jeff
Phil Hall says
Thanks, mate. It should be a hoot.