Roseworthy College scholars of the 1968 to 1971 class years have been meeting annually since graduating and have celebrated their fiftieth reunion at Waite Campus Library reminiscing the good ole days.
John Crosby, West Lakes, said the meet-ups were important to keep in touch with people, and their wives encouraged them to attend the reunions.
"In 1971, 26 students graduated but there were around 44 students who started the course, but over time some people have joined the group as it's become a central point for those who were around the same graduate year but may have done the plonkies course," he said.
"The group is not exclusive and as a student at Roseworthy, you created a whole network you could go to and could put your hand on information very quickly.
"The college gave me the confidence to wander up to anybody and find out anything I needed to know."
Brian Ashton, Torrensville, said the annual reunions were a way for the scholars to get together once a year.
"It is almost as if you saw each other yesterday and the conversations just continue on," he said.
"We do not talk about the good old days, we talk more about what's going on today and the future of agriculture."
John said, David Spencer has been the key part of organizing the reunions and it takes a few certain personalities to make reunions work.
David said by keeping in contact with all his Roseworthy College mates it has assisted him to use knowledge from them in his career as a teacher.
"Our meetups have varied over the years - in the early days it was with our kids and we'd drink away the day," David said.
"It used to be an afternoon but now it's a weekend where we start on Thursday and go through to Tuesday.
"We do a lot of exploring on trips together. Time is much more available as we are either retired or semi retired."
Brian says the reunions attracts around 70 per cent of the group each year but, it rotates around with it not the same 70pc every year.
"Some will come one year and then not again for a couple of years because there is a baby being born or their kids are getting married, but a reasonable percentage will put together a page or a page and half of what they have done in the past year for the magazine," Brian said.
"It will usually include what's happening, additions to the family, and similar where the focus changes over the years but its an update on the scholar who has submitted it.
"The magazine once received is usually read from cover to cover, there is also some comments on things which are happening in agriculture as well so it is a broad production of everything."
John said the idea of the magazine is so even if you don't make the physical reunion you will still get a written update.
"There is usually around 24 supplied article profiles," he said.
Daryl Gravestocks said he believed 35 magazines were mailed out last year.
Tim Prance, Victor Harbor, said an important point of the reunion success was persistence and commitment.
"You have to work on it, it doesn't just happen, it's like a relationship or marriage, you have got to work on it," Tim said.
"Through our lives we have had different levels of success but when we come to these reunions we are all mates, just like we were in college.
"You feel very comfortable despite being different, we respect each others opinions."
"Were not critical of the people around us," John agreed.
At the meet-up attendees enjoyed their findings which included many average school results and in 1970, Brain was on duty to pack eggs and 14 dozen eggs were downgraded, resulting in a $4.90 loss and a bill for $2.45 sent to Brian's parents for half the loss.
The archives event was one of many planned for this years 50th reunion which spanned across a weekend earlier this month.
On the agenda was a ROCA dinner at the Adelaide Zoo, a garden party in North Adelaide, and evening show, Roseworthy Campus Tour, Farmers Market outing, Wakes Barbecue, and an University of Adelaide Jubilee outing.
Snodgrass legacy continues in Lucindale
David Snodgrass went to Roseworthy College to be a better farm manager on his Lucindale family farm.
David's father solider-settler Bill Snodgrass, was also a graduate of Roseworthy College in 1938 and his son, Brett Snodgrass, works on the farm with David where they run a mixed enterprise of beef and lamb, and beans and wheat on a 2000-hectare property.
"I suppose learning about how to manage anything over the course was the main thing which helped me grow into the farmer I am," he said.
"I think the friendships I made at Roseworthy College was credit to the other people putting up with me as we were all locked up together.
"While the practical side was second nature having come off a farm, what I took away from Roseworthy was mathematics, biology and chemistry so it was more the theory components and being able to discuss the academic side I learnt.
"I have a good appreciation for science theories and I am able to have conversations with my daughter who has a degree in science and worked as a medical scientist."
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