Kelvin High School

One of the disadvantages of being this far away from your home, friends and family is you miss out on some important events.

Last weekend was the 100th Anniversary of Kelvin High School in Winnipeg, my alma mater. I lived in Winnipeg for 8 years, long enough to get a high school diploma, a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Manitoba and stong roots in social democracy.

I had attended Kelvin’s 75th Anniversary where I had a nice chat with another alumni, albeit one who didn’t graduate, Neil Young. Yes my school had many famous, and not so famous graduates.

So today I laughed at some of the photos my sister and friends sent me, and pondered the faces of others who I couldn’t place.

Some are noticeably absent like my dear friend Ian, a dentist who was doing postgraduagte work in anthropology when he passed away from complications of HIV in 1992. And Geoff, who was piloting a small plane up north on a mercy flight when it crashed killing all on board in the early 1980s.

We’re all getting on so to speak. The world has changed since the simple 70s. But some of us stay connected. Some folks are planning the 40th anniversary of our graduation.

Life goes on. I hope I’ll be there.