OS REUNIONS
Top and above: 30 and 40 Year Reunions
30 AND 40 YEAR REUNIONS CLASSES OF 1995 AND 1985
‘ Everything has to change, so that everything stays as it is.’( Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa)
When I received the invitation for the reunion, it was clear to me that I would want to attend. I wanted to see the school and catch up with former schoolfellows and teachers. And I was not disappointed. I was overwhelmed. Lots of things and buildings have changed: Aisher Hall, the sports centre, and there is more security for the students. But I suppose the thing which has changed most is the work of the Headmaster, as he pointed out in his speech: he is not‘ only’ leading a school.
We had a great lunch( from the school kitchen!) with lots of opportunities to catch up. It was as if time had not passed. Having spent time together in our youth is a great bond. Alumni from Paris, Antwerp and all over the world were there. After that we had a tour of the school, visiting our former places of study and living. This brought back good memories and was very reassuring; the GIH is still as it was, as well as the Library.
I most enjoyed seeing how peaceful we were together, although the world around us is not.
My time at Sevenoaks showed me that we as a world can live together peacefully and respectfully if we understand one another, learn and live together with different nations, and that this can be so inspiring. Maybe in due time there will be students from nations which are at war now, studying together and preparing for life next to one another.
I would like to thank the organisers for a great reunion and I am very much looking forward to the next one.
Katharina Krebs( OS 1985)
ANNUAL LUNCH: CLASSES OF 1980, 1975 AND EARLIER
Thank you to the OS team for organising a wonderful reunion luncheon on Thursday 19 June for the older generations of alumni. It was particularly great seeing so many people who made the effort to come back from the Class of 1975. Yes, you read this properly, we left in 1975 – 50 years ago!
Think of how every aspect of our lives has changed in that era. Technology, we are older than Google and googling was not a word. Mobile phones, who needs a telephone you carry around? Now you can barely survive without one. Yes, infrastructure has moved on, global warming has become a reality and no longer just a theory, houses are built in factories, and cars are electric.
It was interesting to hear from Jesse Elzinga about the strategy and aspirations for the future of the school, as well as lauding the successes of this year’ s students. The change to the IB has, it appears, stood the school in good stead. The clear and confident talk from School Captain, Fran, was testament to the positive attitude of everyone we met.
It was encouraging to hear that the Sevenoaks School Foundation continues to provide bursary support and assisted places, which allows for greater diversity in the uptake of places. In 1975 the local authority( KCC) provided assisted places as part of the KCC selective
114 ALUMNI