A few unconnected snippets come to mind about my time at Elwood Central in the 1960s. I recall the great big tree in the front courtyard facing Scott St. I and three other girls, had lunch there on my first day at the school. All of us were new to the school on the day. The tree was magnificent. It provided shade on hot days and shelter on wet days. I recall walking along the first floor verandah and peering into its canopy hoping to spot birds and nests. Apart from the courtyard, the school-yard was grey concrete. I recall that there were floor-boards which creaked on the first floor verandah. I came to know them well.

In French class, in year 8, we had a French boy come to our class. It was great fun to watch him trying to understand our Aussie French teacher speak French. A very polite boy was he. I recall the ‘Pardon Monsieur’ being voiced in a beautiful French accent.

In those days it was a ‘god given rule’ that all children had to be out of the building during recess no matter what. I did not do this one cold winter day and together with 3 or 4 others was lined up in the corridor and given the strap. It was a very light whisk on the back of my legs, but not something, which would happen now. The rest is just a grey non-defined blur of day to day routines.