Queanbeyan South Primary 50th anniversary plans

Richard Nixon was sworn in as US president, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to set foot on another celestial body, and Charles Manson led his Family to commit the horrifying murders of Sharon Tate and six others over two nights of terror in Los Angeles.

In music, the Beatles released their classic Abbey Road album, thousands of people trekked to Max Yasgur's farm in upstate New York for the Woodstock festival, and the Rolling Stones were singing about a gin-soaked bar-room queen.

Meanwhile, back in Queanbeyan, a few dozen kids were coming to terms with leaving their old schools behind and starting term one at the spanking new Queanbeyan South Primary school.

Opening with no more than five buildings - one of them the canteen - the school has since grown to a respectable size and population to suit the local area.

Current staff and students will mark the anniversary on Friday, November 1, with guided tours of the school, a display of memorabilia and an assembly.

Organising committee chair, acting deputy principal Virginia Bunton, is hoping as many former staff and students will attend as possible.

"The school held a 25^th anniversary, which was well attended, so we hope the message gets out again so we can make it a great day," she said.

Ms Bunton said one of the highlights would be the display of memorabilia.

"The organising committee has had a ball scouring old photos and treasures, and we have found some real gems.

"We found a punishment book - yes they actually recorded punishments in those days - which had an entry for a boy in the first year receiving two strokes of the cane for 'spitting and throwing stones at migrant woman'.

"I can only guess at how they knew she was a migrant, or why they thought it important to describe her that way.

"Two others also received the cane for stealing milk money. Then there are the photos, some of which are priceless.

"We'll make sure people who come along on the day get to see the photos of former teacher Bob Leigh in his outstanding blue-and-white jumper, which he says he still has, and the variety of sideburns and facial hair on many of the male teachers back then."

The school invites enquiries from former staff and students and is welcoming donations or loans of school memorabilia and photos.