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Graham Peters YHS 1970 wrote about: “Dogs in Yallourn” (Photo attached) At a distance of fifty years, dogs seemed to play a big part in Yallourn life. My earliest memories include frequent dogs. Two small, friendly terriers constantly attended Mrs Ethel Hill, a kindly old lady living at 9 Latrobe Avenue, opposite the High School, as she poked apparently permanent bonfires of autumn leaves with her walking stick.

CHILDHOOD REFLECTIONS – 10 Years in YALLOURN from 1932 to 1942

Linda Apakian (Hamilton) YHS 1961 wrote: Wagging it in the ‘60’s

This story involves myself and Wendy Parker (now Surman) while at Yallourn High School from 1961–1964.

Every Wednesday afternoon was ‘Sports Day’ which, of course, all students had to attend, and Wendy and I did – occasionally – well, very occasionally!

Lesla Saraghi (Fankhauser) YHS 1952 wrote after attending the last reunion: I am very glad I went. It was so interesting meeting fellow students from over 50 years ago, the years roll off when you are amongst your peer group. Everyone seems to have aged well and their memories are still intact. People recognised me and that was the biggest pleasure.

Helen Fischer (Hender) YHS 1967 wrote an article: Jottings of Yallourn

Graham Peters YHS 1970 wrote:

The Gully (between two hills)

Childhood in 1960’s Yallourn was a privilege. We lived on the fringe of the town, hard under the reservoir in Hazelwood Crescent, but with open fields and bush on our doorstep. My earliest friend, Rodney LeLievre, lived in the next street; a beautiful and kind little girl, Kim Boyd, across the road; indulgent parents and older sisters at home. There was not a lot of money around, but abundant love in a safe and caring community.

Alex McAlister YHS 1935, sent in this poem:

Eye have a spelling chequer It came with my pea sea It plainly marques four my revue Miss steaks I kin knot sea

I strike a quay and type a word And weight four it to say Whether I am write oar wrong It shows me strait a weigh

As soon as a mist ache is maid It nose bee fore two long And eye can put the error rite Its rare lea ever wrong

Eye have run this poem threw it I am shore your pleased two no Its letter perfect awl the weigh My chequer tolled me sew

Irene Coates (Prosinskas) YHS 1952 wrote: "John Lewis wrote about the cooking room being out of bounds for the boys" -- it was a great place, Monday mornings was cooking lunch and Monday afternoons was for baking; Miss Cronin was a very serious teacher and stood no nonsense; we had to wear our white aprons or there would be trouble. She used to get so impatient if you asked a cooking instruction "again", I think she sent me to make the teachers morning tea just to get me out of her hair! It was great having the lunch we cooked, sitting down with jugs of water on the table.

Charles Adams - YTS 1944 wrote: To the team that put the newsletter together, my most sincere thanks and congratulations on a very stimulating edition. Your work is much appreciated (I get out a newsletter myself for the RRVV, so I’m qualified to comment). It gets better and better but there is a dearth of content from the productive end of town, the fellas that got the real work done, those from the Tech. This is from one of them.

Steve Gray YHS 1971 - continues with his High School - the early bits - Part 2: Form 2 The school persisted with “General Studies” despite some parent’s protests about the lack of resources seeing as the “smart kids” grabbed all the good resources first. We were now in the double portable next to the basketball court; yes still 70 odd kids and yes still with a lot of noise. I have come to realise it’s no wonder I did little work, the noise was (and still is!) a big downfall of mine. I had a great year of day dreaming and my results reflected that.

Margaret Reid YHES 1942 Margaret Reid YHES 1942 Margaret Reid YHES 1942 Margaret Reid YHES 1942 still keeps in contact with Barbara Baker and Ann Griffiths. She writes: "School Days in the 1940s - I commenced in Form 1 of Yallourn Higher Elementary School in 1942. At that time, I lived in Morwell and travelled by school bus to Yallourn. Japan had just entered the war and there was a real fear that Yallourn could be attacked from the air, with the Power Station being the prime target. The SEC arranged for air-raid shelters to be built in the school grounds.

Laurel Dodson (Beasley) YHS 1956 - sent this - which would be quite funny if it wasn’t so close to the truth!!

Scenario 1 Jack goes rabbit shooting before school, pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack. 1959 Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack’s rifle, goes to his car and gets his rifle and chats with Jack about guns. School goes into lock down. Tactical Response called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his ute or gun again. Counsellors called in for traumatised students and teachers.

John Lewis YHS 1954: My thanks go to David Drane for his "A Trip Around Yallourn High" as it bought back some nice memories. I am surprised David forgot about the location of room 13, as it was right next to room 12! In fact, it was set between rooms 12 and 14. Room 13 was at the end of the building block opposite the boys’ quadrangle. The next block further along, and set at right angles, was separate and made of detached prefabs with two rooms numbered 14 and 15. A similar set of prefabs parallel it, making up rooms 16 and 17.

Gladys Byrne (Meadows) YHS 1940 used to cycle down to Yallourn High School once a week in the 1940s from the Brown Coal Mine State School for their cooking classes. Her son, Graeme, attended Yallourn Primary School and Yallourn Tech and younger daughter, Lynette, also attended Yallourn PS. However, it's Robyn we want to recognise today - Robyn attended Yallourn PS and started Yallourn High School in 1967. On Australia Day, she was awarded an Order of Australia Day medal for her service to the community of South Melbourne and Port Melbourne through health care and legal services.

YALLOURN SOCCER CLUB Barry Hill wrote: "Having been born in Yallourn Hospital in 1962 and been back numerous times before I was 7 (because my arm was constantly being dislocated after my brothers constantly "threw me into the turnbuckle" (our couch) while trying to imitate Mario Milano), I wanted to reach out to those of you who also grew up at this time and played for the great Yallourn Soccer club.

Valma Frost (Hamilton) YHS 1943 by Sonja Bates (Ostlund): It is with much sadness that my life long friend, Valma, passed away in Feb 08 after a battle with cancer. She lived in Yallourn and attended the State School and the High School. She had been a member of the Yallourn Old Girls' Association since it began in 1976 and as a Committee Member, contributed quietly to the running of the group.

Tim Harvey YHS 1971 the next edition: Part 3 - Earth Okay, Part 3 of the continuing series of I-Can’t-Believe-What’s-Still-In-Your-Head-After-AllThese-Years...and we continue thematically through the classical elements. This time, Earth.

Steve Gray YHS 1971: High School the early bits… For me, secondary school was a mixed bag of emotions, some of the guys from primary went to the Tech School, while the rest went to the High School. I guess this happens everywhere, but in filling out the paper work at primary school some were still undecided and many parents made the decision anyway. Day one saw me introduced to a bunch of students from Yallourn North and new-comers from wherever, for a shy kid like me it was strange to have so much to remember, and then to have new names thrown in on top was hard.

Robert Vincent YHS 1954 wrote:

May Hill (Morton) YHS 1929 by Graeme Kitney: May passed away at her daughter’s home, in Canberra, on 27 February 2008. She will be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her. May was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne UK on 25 May 1917 and at four years old, migrated to Australia with her parents, Alec and Minnie and brother, Bob. They settled originally in Ipswich before moving to Yallourn. May left YHS at 15 and transferred to the Tech to study bookkeeping and on the completion of her course, was employed as a bookkeeper at the Yallourn General Store.