Penny Barrett

I was in Mr Mills Grade 6 class in 1964, then in (?) Mr Clark's (?) Mrs Rose's Form 1 and Form 2 before returning to OZ in March '66. My best friends were Elisabeth Farmer & Sue Tonkin (we LOVED Elvis), Libby McClean, Carol Plenty, Gai Hindley - boys I remember were Gary Kitchenside (I had a HUGE crush on him), Graham Beresford, Arthur Heather (my first kiss at a party across the road from the school playing 'spin the bottle'!!).

I was good at swimming but after doing well in 1965 stopped competition as I couldn't stand the anxiety I experienced prior to race starts. Mr Murray awakened in me my life-time love of writing in his English classes - he used to take us on location into the country near the school to write creatively and was very encouraging.Mr Clark was the first person to mention what a 'thesis' was in one of his science classes. I obtained my PhD in 1999.

My brother is Peter Barrett who went into the RAAF and ended up being #1 Roulette a few years ago. He is now in Saudi Arabia as Assistant Manager with British Aerospace in Tabuk. I did nursing after going to Ipswich Girls Grammar School to matriculation, obtained my Bachelor of Education (Nursing) from U.N.E. in 1990 and the PhD from SCU in 1999. I was a lecturer in midwifery and nursing from 1986-2003 and now I am really enjoying being a nurse again (as opposed to just talking about it) - in mental health for a change.

We lived at 6 Lorong Bunga Katcha Piring near Jalan Gaga. I have so many memories that I could write a book. I would love to see anyone from these years, including teachers. How does one contact ex teachers, I wonder?

I now live in the beautiful Blue Mountains after having worked in Sydney since 1977 and in the UK and Canada in the '70s and '80s for a couple of years.