Wollongong West kindergarteners Hermione Arnold, Georgia Hili, Lennox Seymour and William Hayden with former teacher Darryl Walker and current principal Michelle Barnes. Photos: Keeli Dyson.
A century of memories, stories and special moments at an Illawarra primary school have been celebrated by hundreds of community members who came together to mark the major milestone.
It’s been seven decades since Helen and Kevin Stenton met as cheeky children sharing the classroom at Wollongong West Public School.
“We came to school together and he lived two doors down from my godmother who I stayed with quite a lot,” Helen said.
“I used to get her pigtails and dip her hair in the ink well and get into trouble for that,” Kevin said.
They went their separate ways, even living in different states when the school’s 75th reunion unexpectedly reunited them.
“I had the next-door neighbour from where I lived up until I was 10 ring me, found my number I don’t know how, and said, ‘There’s a reunion on, are you coming down?’ So I did,” Helen said.
“Kevin’s sister Judith, she recognised me and then she pulled Kevin in on it and that was it.
“I went back to Brisbane and he sent me a Christmas card with photos of people from school at the reunion.”
Three years later they were married.
“I’m very fortunate because when I re-met Kevin and he introduced me to his daughter we just clicked and he’s seven wonderful grandchildren that I love,” Helen said.
“All our families have connected and it’s just so good.
“We’re very very lucky.”
“We had good memories; we had good times,” Kevin said.
“We’ve travelled and we’ve really enjoyed our retirement; we’ve had a great life.”
The 77-year-olds’ return to West Wollongong Public School for its centenary celebrations brought up memories of those who impacted their lives.
“I had this teacher, Mrs Thistleton, and she just mesmerised me,” Helen said.
“Her way of teaching got me into everything – she was just magnetic.”
And had them reflecting on what had changed.
“Look at the air-conditioning in the classrooms, that would’ve been unheard of,” Kevin said.
“We used to have those stupid oil heaters and they didn’t do a thing.
“It was freezing in the winter and stinking hot in the summer.
“They have it too good today!”
Former teacher Darryl Walker can still picture everything as it was when he worked there in the 50s and 60s.
“It hasn’t changed,” Darryl said.
“They used to have a blind class in that room there; my classroom is the second one there; the room straight ahead was a craft room – it was almost like a private school, it was ahead of its time.”
West Wollongong was the first fully staffed school he had worked at just four years into his teaching career.
Although he went on to climb the ladder at schools across the region, eventually becoming principal, the posting still holds a special place in the 90-year-old’s heart.
“As I’ve reflected over the years, this was probably the happiest school I ever was in,” Darryl said.
“It was just one of those schools that had a special aura about it.”
He was able to spread that joy to his children as they later also attended the school as students.
“My son was the captain of the school here,” Darryl said.
“Our three kids all attended here.”
Hundreds joined the current cohort to sing happy birthday to the school and celebrate the 100-year milestone, with a cake cut, time capsule buried and special assembly held where children asked notable alumni and former teachers about their experiences.
Many took a trip down memory lane as they flicked through books of class photos, filling in the blanks of names to help piece together the school’s history and retain its legacy for future generations.
“It was a wonderful school,” Darryl said. “It still is a wonderful school.”
To find out more or to contact Wollongong West Public School, visit the school’s website.
