Half a century since one of the great shows

WEDNESDAY was the 50th anniversary of the Dunedin Teachers’ College concert held in the town hall.

These concerts were amazing, if only for the fact that we had a massed choir of some 750 students, most of whom had little or no musical background. These were the days before high schools performed musicals.

The quality of the singing and the arrangements were superb. Two songs, Somewhere My Love and Climb Every Mountain, give testament to this. The legendary Val Drew was the conductor and the internationally acclaimed organ, ‘‘Norma’’, was featured.

I am sure there are many past students who may have a copy of the LP and it would be fitting for a 50th anniversary if one or both of those songs was made available to be played on local radio. Colin Campbell

Auckland

Mosgiel memories

AS a resident of Mosgiel for the past 81 years, your article (ODT, 10.11.18) on the Mosgiel Memorial Park brought back many memories of walking through this park to the Mosgiel District High School.

As we lived in Lanark St, it was a journey taken through the park to school, home for lunch, back to school, and home after school, and I well remember the gun which was situated inside the hedge on Church St.

Many hours either before or after school were spent playing on it and pretending to shoot down the German planes as they flew overhead. These planes always crashed behind the huge tree (this tree was so tall it could be seen just about everywhere in Mosgiel) growing in Jimmy Wilkie’s front garden.

I have often wondered as I have walked through the park where this gun ended up. I was told once it was taken to the recreation ground behind the tennis courts but I have in the past had a look for it but to no avail.

It would be great to know why it was shifted from the park and where it is now. I hope it was not sent to the scrap yard. Bill Bennett

Mosgiel