Nearly 100 people turned up to celebrate the Hopeland School’s centenary on Saturday.
Event organiser, and former pupil, Sue Mead said she was thrilled with how it all went.
“I’d been looking forward to this for ages,” she said.
“It’s a very important place to me – it’s home really. I started my primary school education with one teacher – Mrs Ivy Muller – who was the same teacher my dad finished with.
“She taught everyone. And later, she came to all our weddings.
“When my first baby was born, Mrs Muller came with a present for me.”
At the reunion, one of Mrs Muller’s son, Eric, cut the commemorative cake alongside Sue’s auntie Corrie, who celebrated her 96th birthday the very next day.
Mrs Muller’s grandchildren were also in attendance at the anniversary celebration and brought with them the school bell that had been presented to Mrs Muller on her 50th wedding anniversary.
“It was the same one she used to ring to get us all in school,” Sue said.
Jean Ritchie, wife of the late Reg Ritchie who followed on from Mrs Muller, was also in attendance.
“And she remembered everyone – it was really wonderful to have her there,” Sue said.
She explained that attending school at Hopeland was like being part of one big family.
“All the grades from one to seven were in the one classroom. And the older ones looked after the younger ones,” she said.
Those in attendance pored over memorabilia from the school days, and the contents of the time capsule from the 70th and 80th anniversaries were showcased.
Sue Mead and fellow organiser Jan Johnson had laboriously transcribed and updated their ‘Brief History of the Life of Hopeland School’ which they had originally written up on a typewriter for the 70th anniversary.
They sold 50 copies of the new edition, and 50 commemorative mugs which they had made up thanks to a donation from local member Hugh Jones.
“It was a glorious day for the Hopeland School 100-year celebrations and there were plenty of laughs as old students and their families caught up and reminisced with their former classmates,” Mr Jones said.
“Thanks to Jan Johnson, Sue Mead and the Hopeland Community Association for keeping the memories alive and everyone who came along to celebrate them.”
Photographs – Richard Polden.
