More than 840 former pupils of what was once New Zealand's largest school descended on Dunedin at the weekend for centenary celebrations.
The King Edward Technical College jubilee celebrated 100 years of day school, 120 years of night school and 140 years of art school education.
Taking part in tours, decade photographs and a formal dinner, jubilee participants had fond memories of their time learning everything from typing to mechanics in the prominent Stuart St building.
One of the oldest former pupils to attend the celebrations, Bill Mitchell, of Oamaru, said he "was not a good pupil" but there was "no trouble" at the college.
He studied building from 1930-31, but when he left he could not get a job because of the Depression.
"It was terrible."
Jack Simpson (88), of Dunedin, also studied building at the college, from 1937-38, though he really wanted to study plumbing.
"In class, I was the only one who did not want to be a builder and I won the scholarship at the end of the year ... I was able to buy a pushbike," he said.
When he returned from the war, he fulfilled his dream of becoming a plumber. He believed the apprenticeship system was not what it used to be.
"We had the best apprenticeship system in the world ... when we came out we were trained and we could work," he said.
He believed the system was now too focused on theoretical, rather than practical, work.
"If they had carried on there would not be this problem with the earthquake rebuild and the shortage of trades," he said.
Jubilee committee member Bruce Cromb said the reunion had been "brilliant" for catching up with old classmates, meeting those from decades before, and touring his old classrooms.
• King Edward Technical College opened in 1914, a purpose-built facility for the Dunedin Technical Classes Association.
In 1966 the tertiary arm of the college split, forming the Otago Polytechnic, which eventually moved to a new site.
In 1974 the secondary component became Logan Park High School.
