Members of Ashburton College’s 3L class at the weekend in the same positions as in their first school photo 50 years earlier. Photos supplied.Fifty years since they first started at Ashburton College as fresh-faced teenagers, the class of 3L reunited for a weekend of catching up and exploring how the district they had grown up in had changed.

“Everyone was so happy to reconnect. For many it had been 47 years or more as they had not met up since leaving school.

“As the weekend progressed it was just like old times,” Jane Hurley said.

3L was unique in that the pupils changed very little over the first three years and it was also the only 4th Form class that was shifted to the High School for the first term of the year in preparation for the move to the new Ashburton College.

Consequently 3L members were among the students who went to the brand new Ashburton College in 1971.

There were 31 students in the class and 22 attended the reunion.

Three came from Australia, and the rest from around New Zealand.

Only four still live locally.

Four were unable to come due to illness, three have died and two were unable to 

be found.

The weekend commenced with a meet and greet, at The Somerset Grocer on Friday night, followed by a bus trip on Saturday – taking in the business park, explaining the town upgrade, a stop in to view the EA Networks Centre followed by morning tea at Nosh.

Next stop was a trip down memory lane at Ashburton College where many memories were shared, Hurley said.

Lunch was at Arabica in Methven followed by a visit to the Alpine and Agriculture Encounter and lastly to the Rakaia Gorge Lodge for further refreshments and chatter.

The last event of the weekend was dinner at Lake Hood which finished with the sharing of memories of events during high school years.

“It was great to catch up on where everyone’s lives had taken them,” she said.

“Now that the connection has been made a further reunion is planned for five years.”

© The Ashburton Guardian - 13 February 2020