Interesting but not very relevant given any professional is only as good as his or her reference library.

I attended night school and gained certificates in three disciplines. Gained employment as a chemical engineer and had the dubious privilege of being touted as the best they ever had. And only possible due to access to a good reference library.

Political aspirations usually require interest and sponsors. Very few professionals want to get that far down, dirty and effectively owned.
Alan B.

1956 here. Of the 13 of us who went through 5Th year in a large country town high school of 375 pupils all passed well thanks to the great teachers we still had back then.

3 did well enough to gain private company university scholarships, 4 teachers university scholarships, 2 stayed in the family business or farm, & the rest went to teachers collage. No wonder we had such good teachers back then, when much of the academic cream each year became teachers.

One of those at uni had to go back to the farm after his fathers heart attack, the businessman married one of the teachers, & I realised after about 18 months, that after graduation I would spend my life designing a better car door handle, or head light switch.

I joined the navy & went flying jets off aircraft carriers, at least it felt more useful. Most continued the tradition of smart country kids becoming teachers. I wonder when that all fell apart?

A fascinating look back to the times that were.
But it is too narrow a look?
And in any case, we cannot live in the past.
Only learn from it.
However, as we age, we have this tendency to 'relive' our early years.
It is fortunate that we have the wherewithal to do so?
And comparisons can be revealing.

We should note that not all successful persons were high achievers at school.
It would be interesting to know how many of the latter came from that time.
Do they outnumber the 'high achievers'?
Academic excellence is just one indicator of possible success?
It seems to me that those who are 'smart', and have drive, will go on to make a path through life which might inspire others?
Further back in history, A B Facey was one such?

But thank you for the 'look back'.
It jogged my memory of those times.
However, I do think that 'rose tinted glasses' play a part here.
As to be expected, we were surrounded by growing 'intellects', all striving to make the most of the opportunities on offer.
The main difference now is that there are so many readily available ways and means available to do this.

Even I could go back to school?
And hope I would have a teacher who could keep up with me?
And life experience has taught me that our early teachers were flawed.
Very human of course, but most were flawed in the way they thought.
But they did what was expected of them at the time.
Which is really all anyone can do?

What is success? I've refrained from going to school reunions as I don't want to compare life stories, good or bad. I imagine former classmate A saying they left after year 10 and drove garbage trucks all their life. Classmate B says they went to uni, became a professional and own several investment properties. They (B) may not mention stress related health problems or hip replacements. I'd rate contentment over accomplishment.

Hear, hear and well said, Taswegian.
Alan B.

What is contentment, & how is it achieved? Is it the same for all.

I am very pleased I was able to teach my kids to ride a horse, sail a boat, & drive a car. These will be easier to achieve for some than for others.

It takes a certain wherewithal to achieve contentment, & the quality of the education many receive makes achieving much very difficult.

I would love to know how some of my school mates achieved. Being from a country school requiring us to leave to get the education we wanted meant most lost contact with their past.

The last thing on my bucket list is to make it to the 29Th February next year & have my 21St birthday party. There won't be any school mates, & the way the potential guests are falling off the perch, it won't be a large gathering, but it would be nice. I did feel a little deprived, being crew on HMAS Melbourne, there was no opportunity & no such date back in the day.