September 19, 2015
101-year-old Stanley Le Feuvre will be an honoured guest at Tanduringie State School’s Centenary Celebrations on Saturday, September 19.
Stanley, who now lives at Caboolture, grew up on a farm in the Maidenwell area and attended the Tandaringie Tent School from 1924 to 1927.
He would wake up at dawn, milk the cows, have breakfast and walk to school; then come home after school to attend to more chores.
During breaks in the school day, he’d play marbles, rounders and red rover with his friends – simple pleasures that enlivened everyday life in an age where the pace was much slower; where many children went to school barefoot; and where many more wore home-made clothes.
Stanley left school at the age of 14 to work full-time on the farm until he retired at the age of 68.
But on Saturday he’ll be returning to the school to share his school day memories, as well as see how things have changed since he was last in the area.
Tanduringie State School is the only school that serves the Maidenwell area.
Today’s school incorporates all the closed schools that once served the Bunya Mountains: Peron, Maidenwell, Tandaringie, Tureen, Wengenville and Pimpimbudgee.
But the little school has survived a century of breathtaking changes in fine form.
And this Saturday hundreds of past students, staff and people from the general community will be coming together to celebrate it.
The day will kick off at 8:30am with registrations for early-birds.
Tea, coffee, sandwiches and home-baked goodies will be available for breakfast and Jen’s Party Supplies will begin running children’s activities to keep youngsters amused.
A drink stall will open at 9:00am, and current students will come together for a school performance at 10:30am.
At 11:00am – with lunch time looming – a barbecue and hot chips stall will spring into life, and there’ll be face painting for children to add to the festive mood.
The main ceremonies of the day will commence at 1:00pm with a formal welcome, speeches, the cutting of the Centenary cake, a roll call and class photos.
Then at 3:00pm, the bar will open and popular performer Arthur Nettelfield will entertain the crowds with country-rock.
Throughout the day there’ll be class tours with classroom displays to inspect, and also periodic personally-guided bus tours of the current school route.
Souvenirs and a specially printed Commemorative Magazine will be available from the souvenir tent, and guests will also be able to sign off on the attendance register wall and catch up with past students and teachers.
And for those who’d like to leave a lasting impression, Saturday will also be the last day they can buy an individually engraved paver in the Centenary Pathway that will be built in the school over the next few months as an enduring legacy of the event.
Single name or message pavers (3 lines, maximum 12 characters per line) will be available Tandaringiefor $25; and family double-size pavers (6 lines, maximum 12 characters per line) for $50.
- Anyone who is unable to attend the celebration but would like to order souvenir items can contact the school on (07) 4164-6146 or Jodie on (07) 4164-6189 after the school returns from Spring vacation on October 5.
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