Maurice and Leone Eastlake decided to come and check out the school and were shown around by school leader Lucy Hall.

They discovered while many things had changed, fond memories still came flooding back. 

Maurice started school at Young High School in 1939 and one of his responsibilities was to dig trenches in case of air raids.

Leone started a few years later in 1942 and remembers running up and down in the trenches, practicing in case they ever needed to use them.

War time meant strict rations, with everything from petrol, food and clothing in short supply.

Maurice recalls riding more than six miles on his bike to school each morning, while Leone travelled on horse and sulky with her father for a period.

Leone said most of the time, being kids, they didn’t worry about the war, with one exception.

“When the Japanese broke out of Cowra, we were all worried. Most people didn’t even have locks on their doors,” she said.

She vividly remembers Japanese prisoners of war being taken to Cowra on the train in what looked like cattle carriages. 

Maurice said the trip to school reminded him about what a great time in his life school was. 

“Children don’t know how great school is until they leave,” Maurice said.

“It was like going back to an old house you haven’t been to in a long time,” Leone added. 

The biggest differences they noticed were all the new buildings and technology.

Leone was particularly impressed with the science building. 

“The children there were all terrific and the teachers were all so lovely,” she said.