David Sarich

From the past:

Fond memories of the cry of "fight - fight - fight" in the playground … I too remember the race to Hornsby station to catch the early train - water bombs being thrown along platforms as the train roared out - good times.

2004

Parents moved to West Pymble in 1952 when I was starting School - lots of bush, creeks to go tadpole hunting in. Went to Gordon West - it was a 2 teacher school in those days grew to about 22 by Year 6!!.- spend much of my primary years careering around West P. on bikes - having fights in the bush at the end of Cynthia St with Michael Ip, etc.

Remember getting the letter re going to high school and hearing about ASQUITH BOYS for the first time - I think all at Gordon West expected to go to Normanhurst - we hadn’t even heard about Asquith, let alone thought about spending the next 5 years there.

I was in 1E and then 4C. I remember starting at Chatswood High - fairly disappointed as not much happened for the first couple of weeks and then we moved to join the rest of the rabble at Hornsby. Fond memories of the cry of “fight - fight - fight” in the playground and the general disturbance it caused. I too remember the race to Hornsby station to catch the early train - water bombs being thrown along platforms as the train roared out - good times. I remember English classes where we had Miss Smith for a short time - the lesson wasn’t a success unless she left in tears - remember being roasted by the Head of Manuel Arts over one such fine achievement - I think Miss Smith then moved to another more amenable class.

Finished High School and got a scholarship to Wollongong Teachers College - posted to the bush at the end of that. Took 3 weeks to find my first School on a map - spent 4 years teaching in the bush, one teacher Schools down on the Murray River - great time. Met my wife, also a teacher from the Cental West.

Came back to Sydney in 1970 to complete my degree which I had started externally. I taught for 3 years at Pymble Public School. Wendy and I married at the end of 19971 - thought I was marrying into a share in a rich graziers family, have learned that I only have a share in a large overdraft!!

1973 saw us take off for the Solomon Islands where we taught in a small High School set in an idyllic setting - palm trees, tropical forest, cool river, warm sea - great place, Boat was the only way in and out. We spent 5 years there - all of our children were born there:

1974 Andrew - now the commercial manager for an fibre glass engineering company in Newcastle

1976 Scott - manager for a maintenance company in Newcastle. Happily married - 3 wonderful grand kids.

1978 Katrina - chartered Accountant - now working in London.

In 1979 when we returned we moved to Lake Macquarie - “Australia’s best kept secret” great place to live - 2 mins from Lake and 6/7 mins to beach.

I got a job at Newcastle Grammar School - Head of the Junior School and have been here on and off for 20 + years. Spent a couple of years as head of Lakes Anglican Grammar School at the southern end of the Lake. Managed to complete a Masters during this time.

Enjoying life - kids have all left home, come back - grand kids great - Wendy and I do a bit of tripping in our van. I body surf, wave ski, bush walk, read etc A few trips overseas etc. A fairly contented old codger.

David Sarich 5C.... went to Teacher's College after the Leaving. Ended up teaching in country NSW for 4 years - met my wife, Wendy while there. Returned to the "big smoke" and taught at Pymble Public School for 3 years while I completed my uni degree. We went to the Solomon Islands and taught in a mission High School on the island of Malaita for 5 years - our 3 children were all born there. Returned to Aus. and taught at Newcastle Grammar for over 20 years and later had time at Lakes Grammar. Now retired in Lake Macquarie, enjoying the good life with Wendy - travelling, vanning, family.