Bill Ebbott YHS 1954 wrote: I was introduced to the Yallourn Old Girls/Guys Association by one of my four daughters. Later I became a Julie Francis "victim" and overcome, by her enthusiasm I have responded to her request for the "Bill Ebbott" story.
The YHS influence began for me in 1954 and ended scholastically with an inglorious attempt at Matriculation in 1959 but as shall be revealed, YHS was to have a profound effect on my family's life some 38 years later. Early recollections for a 10 1/2 year-old from the small dairying town of Yinnar include a hazardous bus trip from Yinnar to Yallourn and soon after arrival an initiation rite involving water in the boy's toilet. My therapist would be happy if the boys responsible would contact me so that closure can occur. Over the ensuing years memories include: Wally Cass attempting to make a man of me and succeeding to some extent because during my walks with Maxine, my wife (nee Humphrey of Church Street) I some times find myself adjusting my step to a march tempo and ensuring my hand and arm have assumed the required Army position. The trip to the Tech School for wood work where I made an "excellent" copper stick and also received a dose of corporal punishment from a Teacher of Scottish descent with a chisel fetish. The Val Pyers influence is also still with me and as many of his previous students have mentioned he was a teacher without peer. My memory of a tone deaf spotty 6th former performing The Volga Boat song at Dandenong is still strong. Finally it was big wrench to leave YHS at the end of 1959, as school and school friends could not have been better. I must take this opportunity to apologise for lowering the average score for the Matriculation class of 1959. The look on my father's face upon receiving the numerical results in the mail will also long haunt me. Unbeknown to me, one of my class mates - David Wallace - had passed with flying colours and became a skilled neuro-surgeon. Like most school friends, David and I had gone separate ways and were to meet coincidentally some 38 years later in the ICU at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne, following his successful surgery on our beloved 4 year old granddaughter, Georgia. She had been airlifted to the RCH following a serious car accident, which resulted in critical head injuries. Due to his skill and concern, she has made a remarkable recovery and is due to start her second year of high school. My family remains eternally indebted to both David and the teachers at YHS for this outcome