Newspaper Article 1994 – Parkvale school celebrates its 75th jubilee

Parkvale school celebrates its 75th jubilee

Former Parkvale school pupils from as far away as America and Australia will converge on Hastings this coming weekend for the school’s 75th jubilee.

One family from America and 16 former pupils now living in Australia will be among hundreds to take part in the celebrations.

These get under way on Friday when present Parkvale School pupils mark the occasion with a tree-planting ceremony, the burying of a time capsule containing present day data about the school, singing and a cake-cutting ceremony.

Among the highlights of Friday’s celebrations for the present-day pupils will be a talk by past pupil and now children’s stories illustrator, Dick Frizzell, Auckland.

On Friday at 7pm more than 600 former Parkvale School pupils will meet at the Hawke’s Bay Racing Centre for a wine and cheese evening.

Saturday’s celebrations get under way at the school at 10.30am. These include photographs, a cake-cutting ceremony and speeches. Among the speakers will be a former pupil, teacher, principal and school inspector, Kingsley Barley, Taupo.

Past pupils and their partners will have opportunities to reminisce about their school days at a dine and dance function beginning at the racing centre at 7pm on Saturday.

The celebrations will end with a church service at the school on Sunday at 10.30am. This will be led by former pupil the Rev. Dawn Scott, Hastings. The service will include readings from former and present pupils.

A jubilee committee member Flora Ross said a hard-working team of former pupils began working on the preparations – which had gone well – 18 months ago.

The jubilee committee secretary Sue Barrett said the committee was delighted so many former pupils from overseas will attend the celebrations.