Last Friday, Donald Primary School (DPS) celebrated an incredible milestone and an incredible legacy: 150 years of teachers, students, and community coming together to paint a picture of the school’s rich history. 

To get to come and see where the once tiny school had come from, I couldn't wait to see the roots of such a beloved school. 

The afternoon started with a wonderful speech from the Principal, Gavin Young, who welcomed all and asked us to enjoy the wonderful trip down memory lane the school had set up. With a ring of the now ceremonial bell we started moving between the class rooms.

Spoken History
As we started walking, a building off to the side of the school caught my eye, and I was given a brief and entertaining history lesson from Shirley Evans, who also was visiting. She told me how at one point in time that small building was the whole school. I was delighted and astounded by how clearly she recalled the room, from where the teachers sat to how the room was divided between the different grades. Some memories last a lifetime and Shirley showcased just how impactful our memories of primary school can be, with near perfect recollection of how the room once was, even recalling her seat by the window!

Growth
As I walked the grounds of the school, something that quickly became apparent to even someone who had never been, would have had to be how much it has grown. The school had prepared a bunch of posters with beautiful write-ups on the history of the room of which they were outside. There were even some with QR codes that took you to a video where some of the students had volunteered to talk about the location and its history. 

As I walked the halls and read all the posters, it became very clear to me that the school grew as the community around it had, reflecting the town of Donald at large, the different sections of the school growing and being adding on as needed. What gave it a true sense of growth though, was how many pieces were preserved. Old fireplaces and items such as the ceremonial bell still being around to help show the next generation how things were before. In many ways it felt almost like building with lego bricks, where the old pieces supported the new that were added on top.

About halfway through the school I eyed a larger group of people enjoying a cup of tea and a scone and I knew I had to have one myself! I moved my way over to enjoy a cup of tea and to write down a few of the things that had truly fascinated me; as I did so I was struck by another of those fascinating things. 

The whole room was bursting with laughter and cheer, people reminiscing, reconnecting, and all around rejoicing. I could not help but overhear as so many voices overlapped, sharing beautiful stories and delighting each other in memories some of them had not thought about in half a decade or more. A beautiful symphony of laughter showcasing the love for the time shared in this school.

I proceeded with my walk, and before long found myself looking at a classroom loaded with incredible art work and a smiling face proud to show off how talented the kids had been. I am of course talking about the classroom of Jenny Goldsmith, who showcased some of the beautiful things they had been working on with the kids, including maintaining the friendship river, a collection of brilliantly painted rocks each covered in personality and exploding with creativity. However what truly stood out to me was the love of the school, and how it was a love shared between the kids and the teachers.

The Big Shed
I entered the aptly named Big Shed at around 6:30 p.m., having taken a quick jaunt home for a bite to eat and some water. The place was bustling as I took my steps inside, loud and happy voices rang out and echoed in the building, as the place was so full of memories I was worried it might simply burst! Showcased in a style similar to an art gallery, there were numerous tables all laid out organised by year, so one could easily find their old school photos, be that to the enjoyment of yourself or your friends! I drifted between the tables looking at the photos and various classroom items such as books that were reviewed during those years and the changing school uniform. After lots of reconnecting, the Principal asked everyone to take a seat as they had a special surprise in store. As we took our seats and they dimmed the lights a presentation came to life, featuring voices sent in from a mix of alumni, current staff, and current students.

Love Vocalised
The very first of these was Robin Letts, of the “The Buloke Times” who gave a very warm and heartfelt recount of his time in the primary school. 

After him followed Shirley Evans, with amazing tales and most importantly an incredible message about how the community around the school truly helped make it special. 

Jenny Campbell's was on next with a tale of lost dough, which may have been found later when the building was torn down, and her journey through the school as a student, teacher, and parent of a child in the school. 

Following that was Kevin Anderson who gave lots of love to the school and the teachers who guided him. Lachlan Jones then took to the stage, with the stage being the very same Donald Primary School field that was just outside, and expressed just how many great memories the school held for him. Continuing on was Nicole Nunn, another student who would later continue to work with the primary school to give to kids the excellent love, learning, and experience she had. 

With most people in the crowd knowing her name, Jenny Goldsmith’s video came on to much delight. With such a long history within DPS it was no surprise that her name was known to almost all in the room! Following soon after were the two most recent principals, Danny Forrest and Gavin Young. Danny spoke about the wonderful time that he had overseeing the school, and spoke on some things he viewed as highlights including getting the Big Shed, the very same one we were in, funded and built! Gavin spoke on his time as a student, his year as a teacher, and then of course his past years as principal. The last alumni to speak was Myf Warhurst, who lamented being unable to join in person but applauded everyone who could “make it” and asked everyone to share all the love that was shared between them all for DPS with each other.

As the lights came back on I couldn’t help but look around me, at all the people who surrounded me and filled the room. So many people, many had travelled far to visit on this day. To visit a place they were as kids, a place that left such a lasting impression on so many people. Donald Primary School has built an incredible reputation as a school that cares about its students, its staff, and the community around it at large. Echoed in every person I met was a love for DPS mirrored only by the love of Donald itself. The community and the school together have built an incredible place filled with incredible people. 

Another piece of history was witnessed today, an astounding milestone. This was a day celebrating people relating to one another over a shared connection, a shared love to DPS, to Donald, and to the history of them both; 150 years is an amazing milestone, and I’m sure I’m not the only one excited to see what lies in store for this school in the years to come.