Khandallah School Year of `69 Class Reunion | Profiles / Simon Davis browse

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Back then

I was a Waru Street boy, on the hill overlooking Nairnville park, best friend Hudson (two houses away), others nearby were Rodney ?, Alex ?, Brent, Mark ?, Peter ?, Greg, John ?, Matthew ? ...
I used to walk to school, except for the wet days when I caught the school bus. Originally I walked via Calcutta St and Cockayne Rd, later over Jubilee Hill (sooo steep going home) and Nicholson Rd (not allowed to go through the village), up Boxhill, and along Clark St.
I remember trolleying around the suburb (those great Khandallah Hills), and down the Bridle track all the way to Kaiwharawhara. Also used to play a lot at Nairnville park, and up the reservoir (now known as Odell Reserve)

Memories

I don't consider myself to have many memories of primary school years, but there are a few things I recall.

The replacement of the Boxhill railway overbridge, the digger in the cutting, the ice on the bridge in winter.
The Wahine storm, the water in the swimming pool slopping up and down it, the windows in the corridor blowing in, having to wait until our parents collected us, the rooves blowing off houses nearby, and then listening to the radio (when the power wasn't off), warm from our oil heater, to the Wahine disaster.
Travelling to the Manual Training centre in Ngaio by train, the metal and woodwork.
Listening to the radio commentary over the school intercom of man landing on the moon.
Being a dollar scholar.
Lining up in our house lines (Arawa I think) in the front (girls) playground, marching to the sound of the kettle drums and recorders.
The old film room (all the old prefabs), playing ball (tennnis ball catch and four square) in the back (boys) playground and the old stainless steel tubs and drinking from the taps.
Two field trips, one to the stream just above the pool, to look at nymphs and caddis flies, the other up the hill behind the knob above the pool, I recall a fine warm day, the gorse, and copper coloured butterflies.
Rubbish duty - and the old incinerator (the used dental drills came in handy for drilling holes), and the old outdoors toilets.
Going to the YMCA in the Town Hall after school for gym.
The many many days swimming at the Khandallah pool after school, watching the bowlers play at the bowling club.
Singing sea shanties Come all ye Tonguers and "Botany Bay"
Hudson going to Wellington College and moving to Broadmeadows, and thus loosing touch until now
Playing in the empty sections (none of them left now), and down the Calcutta Street Stream (now covered over).
Trolleying, in the home made trolley with pram wheels, all the way down the Bridle Track to Kaiwharawhara, and the long walk back up.

Chronology

Onslow College 50th reunion Labour weekend 2006
Victoria University of Wellington (BSc hons - Comp Sci and Math)
Totalisator Agency Board (Programmer, TL, BA, PM)
Victoria University of Wellington (GDBA)
Project Manager (IT)
Flatted around Kelburn, then the top end of Vivian St during and after student days, then first house in Island Bay, and now Petone

Interests

Family
- 3 kids, in 2005 22, 11 and 13
- brother in Waikanae, sisters in Melbourne and Canberra
Tramping
Skiing
Caving
Kiwi wiki
Science fiction
Travel
Computers & Web