Selwyn Park pupils, past and present, celebrate 50 years

Giggles, squeals and laughter could be heard echoing from the courts and hall of Selwyn Park School last weekend as past pupils and staff celebrated the school's 50th anniversary.
While present pupils enjoyed their holidays, the school welcomed back its past students.
Old acquaintances were renewed, new ones made and reminiscences went on well into the wee small hours of the morning.
Following the talk and tipple evening on the Friday night, word spread quickly from those attending prompting others to join the formal celebrations on Saturday and to enjoy a social dance in the town hall on Saturday night.
On Saturday morning, a karanga by members of the school kapa haka called the visitors through the school gates to the ringing of the school bell by principal Vern Stevens _ an ex-pupil of the school.
This was followed by a karakia and welcome by a former long-serving board chairman, Snow Tane.
The cutting of the cake was done by the oldest pupil, Bruce Watkins, 60, and 5-year-old twins Jordyne and Ashleigh McKenzie.
The culture of the school, present and past, was reflected in the items performed by the school kapa haka group, the tamburica band, kolo dancers and a Tongan cultural group.
The oldest surviving principal, Peter Jones, made the official speech for the celebrations in which he reflected on the school's past and the 14-year part he played in its story.
Mr Jones spoke of the days before Tomorrow's Schools when the Education Board doled out meagre amounts of money twice a year for the running of the school.
He remembered the building of the school huts and outdoor adventure playground, the beginning of the PTA's school lunch programme, italic writing and many other little snippets that may well have been otherwise forgotten during the passage of time.
Opened in 1958, the school was originally named Dargaville East School because it was on the eastern boundary of the town.
Nearly all the pupils on opening day came from the large and growing Dargaville Primary School.
The name was changed later to reflect the location of the school to the Selwyn Park reserve.
The school was a mix of children from town and rural areas back them. Today, only about 14 children travel by bus to the school.
Those that gathered for the weekend's celebrations were more interested in reliving memories than speculating about the future, other than to say, who is going to be on the 75th reunion committee?