When Alister Smyth celebrated his 80th birthday with about 50 people in Ashburton, among them were all four of his fellow pupils from his 1958 standard 6 class at Lowcliffe Primary School.
The five former classmates are now either nearing, or have turned 80, and made the most of the chance to catch up on the last several decades since they were together at the now-closed country school near the Mid Canterbury coast between the mouths of the Hinds and Rangitata Rivers.
All five lived on farms — some schoolmates rode ponies to school — but after their secondary school education, they took different paths in life.
Mr Smyth farmed deer and sheep, John Wright became a panel beater and later managed a panel shop, Arthur Cartwright became a fulltime musician, Kathleen Talbot (nee Bond) worked as a dental assistant and Paul Wilkins is still working fulltime, running his farm machinery business. — Allied Media
