FROM THE ARCHIVES

Year 11 Biology class, 1986

Our Year 11 Biology teacher was Mr John McKenzie and he took this photo of the class. He was a wonderful person and teacher, and he had a big influence on my decision to study science after school (Diploma of Applied Science) and my later career as a park ranger. He was probably the first ‘environmentally-aware’ teacher we came across - what we’d call a ‘greenie’ now. On one occasion he took the class to his mudbrick house on the PakenhamGembrook Rd in Pakenham Upper. Inevitably, he drove an old Kombi!

While he was a wonderful teacher, we were capable of easily distracting him to tell us about his various trips and projects out of school - probably how we came to be outside for the photo!

In those days, I remember all our teachers were good, very caring, but he was especially good at making the subject interesting for all of us.

It’s hard to believe, but computers were only just coming into people’s lives, and he was our first teacher who had an interest in them, and encouraged staff and students to connect with the way of the future – how right he was!