STICKING WITH RANGEVILLE STATE SCHOOL
Knights to descend on school day
RANGEVILLE State School old boy Ian Knight has many fond and some not so fond memories of his time at the Toowoomba school.
Mr Knight is one of four generations of his family who attended the school including his late father Ray who was a student there from 1932 to 1939, his daughter Megan Dempsey who attended Rangeville from 1982 to 1988 while his grandson, eight-year-old Lincoln Dempsey, is in Year 3 at the moment.
Mr Knight attended Rangeville State School from 1952 to 59 and remembers once being at odds with the principal of the time Peter Mallon.
“I had been picked in the Toowoomba schoolboys cricket team which was a big thing but the principal wouldn’t let me play,” Mr Knight smiled.
“It was the school’s 50th anniversary and Mr Mallon said I had to do folk dancing at the jubilee celebrations.
“My dad came to the school and spoke to him but I couldn’t get a leave pass.
“Fortunately, the next week I got picked in the team to play against Ipswich.
“I opened the batting with Rod Day... so, it was a case of Day and Knight.”
Mr Knight’s father Ray had more success with his cricket career at the school.
“In Dad’s day if you made 100, Duncan Thompson (sports store owner) would give you a cricket bat and Dad got two.
“It’s funny how things work because we (Mr Knight and business partner Peter Connell) ended up buying Duncan Thompson Sports Store.”
Mr Knight and other past students will be on hand this Saturday at the Rangeville State School’s annual fete which promises to be its biggest yet with exciting rides, laser tag, live performances, dunk the teacher, a market place, dining hub and more.
The fete will be held on the school grounds in High St from 10am to 3pm.