Armidale Dem turns 150

This last weekend I drove to Armidale for the Armidale Demonstration (City Public) School 150 year celebration.

I had a fantastic time, one that I am featuring in this week and next week's Armidale Express column and will write about here as well.

The following photo was sent to me by the Armidale Express.
From left to right, yours truly (Dem 1950-1956), our friend Rob Richardson and fellow blogger Paul Barratt (Dem 1949-1955).
There is a certain symmetry in the photo. My dad was first lecturer to arrive at the newly formed New England University College, Paul's the first student to be enrolled at NEUC. Both our parents became professors, our families and Rob's were friends, while Paul and I went to the Misses Coopers, then Dem, then TAS and UNE and from there to the Commonwealth Public Service.

Armidale was a strange city, the only real university city in Australia. But more on that later.