Dear Old Michaelian's,

This is the last letter I shall be writing to you as Chairman of The Old Michaelian Association. It has been a very enjoyable three years, which, like time generally at our age, has flown past.

I have been a member of the Old Michaelian Association, like most of you, since the day I walked out of the school, equipped for the outside world! I did lapse for about three years in the early seventies,
but that is about all. Why do so many keep in touch? I don't know why or what it is, or was, but there seems to be that 'something' that makes the last weekend in October special, every year.

From time to time, throughout the year, a letter from an Old Michaelian drops through the letterbox.
The reasons for this vary, members who have heard some news of someone, do we know the whereabouts of so-and-so, etc, etc. The most remarkable are probably the one or two a year from someone who went to the school and has just discovered that the OMA still exists.

Recently I was talking to someone who went to a school in Surrey which closed its doors in 1974.
There were approximately four hundred pupils at the school at any time, and it was open for more than
fifty years. They had a reunion this summer and they only had fifty old pupils attend their weekend.

As so many of you know our reunion weekends are always enjoyable, and that is what makes them so
successful. Every year a 'new face or two' appear, but circumstances also mean that someone else has
to miss a year. If only we could get you all together... what a wonderful bash it would be. Some people
worry about how they've changed. The certainty is that we have all changed, some are bigger (!),
balder (!), wiser (?). I know there are people I would be very pleased to see again, and I know that I
am not alone in these thoughts.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the committee members who have made my three
years so pleasurable, and occasionally, good fun! We meet twice a year around March/April at
someone's house, and in July at the Le Strange Arms, Old Hunstanton. Over the past couple of years a
lot of effort has been made by several people to ensure The Mitre retains the standards it has enjoyed
over the years, whilst also keeping up with the times. A job well done by those involved, and my
thanks to you all. (My apologies for the consistently late Chairman's Letter!). Those that arrange the
reunion weekends also put a lot of time and effort into making these a success every year. It is difficult
to make changes each year, whilst at the same time retaining the core reason for the weekend.

Finally I should like to thank all of YOU for supporting YOUR Association so enthusiastically.
Without you there would not be an Association, let alone a Reunion. Thank you.

My final request is that you ALL continue to support the Old Michaelian Association, and the new
Chairperson and committee, as enthusiastically as you have in the past.

Yours

Bob Hill.