General News
25 April, 2024
Classmates reunite after 58-year wait
MORTLAKE High School students have reunited 58 years after their graduation.
Former students in the class of 1966 Gary Humm, Janette Sagnol and Dianne Robertson organised the reunion at Rafferty’s Tavern in Warrnambool this month, with an estimated 50 former classmates and their partners attending.
The trio made the decision to hold the reunion after 58-years as it aligned with when most of the class would be turning 70, and they wanted to ensure as many people could attend as possible.
Mrs Sagnol said she enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect with her peers, some of whom had attended from as far away as South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.
“It was certainly fun, especially working out who was who,” she said.
“That’s the whole part, finding out what everyone else is doing and what life has led them to.
“A lot of studentS went in to education in one way or another, some went in to teaching, a lot of girls went in to nursing.”
Mrs Robertson said she had helped to track down former classmates ahead of the reunion, utilising social media and long-standing connections with fellow classmates to ensure as many as possible knew the reunion had been organised.
“It was a great night,” she said.
“The son of the ex-headmaster, Jack Everson, brought a video of athletics and school sports. Everyone fell down to see themselves or other people they knew.
“It was overwhelming, but really good to see people I hadn’t since we were at school.
“I had some little black and white photos from a trip to Lake Bolac that nobody else remembered going on, but could remember the people in the photos, so it was very interesting and very funny.”