IT’S A cohort that loves a catch up.

Past students from the Rosewood Secondary Department meet every year, many decades after the school bell’s final toll.

The Rosewood Secondary Department was born in 1962, when additional buildings were constructed on the Rosewood Primary School grounds.

Those new buildings were to house secondary students up to Year 10.

It would be 1978 before the school had its first intake of Year 11s and Rosewood Secondary Department became Rosewood State High School.

Two years later, a new Rosewood High School opened on its current grounds beside Lanefield Road.

Fay Morris is a foundation student of the Rosewood Secondary Department.

Some years ago, when the 50 year anniversary neared, a past pupil decided a reunion was in order.

“Kay Bruce organised the first reunion and about 35 people turned up,” Fay said.

“It was so well received and enjoyed that I decided to email the people I was in touch with and organise a reunion every year.”

That was some time ago and Kay has passed away since, but the reunions are still happening.

And why wouldn’t they?

This cohort experienced the early years when some classes were held in the confines of an old shoe factory known as the Slipper Factory, while more buildings were under construction on the primary school grounds.

So, in 1962, these teenagers sat at desks in classrooms sectioned off by partitions.

Then a hop, skip and a jump was required to get over the train tracks and to classrooms at the primary school.

It was how Rosewood State High School began and a far cry from the strict safety protocols found in today’s school systems.

The group of foundation students met up at a restaurant in Rosewood a couple of weeks ago.

The banter, laughter and retelling of memories was enjoyed by all, and another get-together is already in the works.