Registration for reunion closes 1 November
Get set Takaka for a landmark event in our town’s history.
Imagine it’s 1861. Ten years before the birth of Sir Ernest Rutherford and 27 years before the birth of Katherine Mansfield. It’s 32 years before women in New Zealand, or anywhere on the planet for that matter, had the right to vote.
It’s back in the days when children in rural areas did not have to attend school because working on the farm was considered more important. Despite that, down on Waitapu Road in Takaka, a little school opened up on the site of the current Golden Bay High School.
Not until 16 years later did New Zealand pass the Education Act, making school attendance compulsory for children aged five to 15.
That’s quite a lengthy amount of time for a school to have been open in this country, and its sesquicentennial anniversary marks Takaka history in a significant manner that is sure to instil a huge amount of pride.
This year, the reunion committee for Golden Bay High School, formerly Takaka District High School (both primary and secondary), and for the former Upper Takaka School, expects 600 or more alumni at this benchmark event.
“Anyone who attended school on this site is welcome,” says Barry Cashman, chairman of the high-school reunion committee.
Barry says that they had to turn people away from the last reunion because some had not booked early enough, and encourages those wishing to attend to sign up early. “What happens on that first night is unbelievable.
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Old friends having a cuddle and a catchcup. It’s just instantaneous. It’s incredible. Some people haven’t seen each other for 50 years.”
Nick Hodgkinson, a member of the committee, agrees. “It’s such great fun meeting people you went to school with before.”
Barry says people have come to previous reunions from Australia and as far away as Ireland.
The reunion is set to run from Friday 3 February to Sunday 5 February, 2012. Events include organised get-togethers, including a supper on Friday evening, events at the school on Saturday including a black-tie event Saturday night, a farewell breakfast on Sunday morning, and plenty of photo opportunities.
Everything for the event is booked and ready to go. All the organisers need to know is the final number of people in order to plan accordingly.
Barry acknowledges that registration costs have risen steeply since the last reunion but the committee has done its best to ensure that expenses are kept at a minimum. Locals are invited to attend the events, especially the Saturday at the school.
Registration for the event closes 1 November. Registration forms and event programmes can be downloaded online at www.gbh.school.nz/reunion or picked up from First National Real Estate in Takaka, or from Barry Cashman. Any queries can be directed to Mary Ann Tait via gbhsreunion@gbh.school.nz.
Em Hofstede
