It takes a long time to grow an old friend and so luckily gathered today are some fully grown, blossoming old friends who are rooted in the Riebeek traditions. (there’s a garden theme, you’ll see). We will now introduce each reunion group and ask the group to stand so we can applaud.

The elegant roses of our reunion groups, the Class of 1956 celebrates their 60 year reunion with the reunion co-ordinator, headgirl and Good Fellowship Cup recipient Joan Edwards Beckley. While actress Grace Kelly married her prince in Monaco in 1956, this class forged ahead with their studies singing along to Doris Day’s Que Sera Sera (whatever will be will be). Class of 1956, please stand.

The sweetpeas Class of 1961 celebrates their 55 year reunion. Jenny Edwards Serfontein is the reunion co-ordinator and Megan Davies Jones is the headgirl. They were the first to have a 25 year reunion, in 1986, two years before Founder’s Day began and continue with this forward thinking: This matter of fact class planned ahead deciding to have a 55^th reunion because, they say, “we are not sure how many of us will still be around for a 60^th. Class of 1961, please stand.

The sunflower class of 1966 celebrates their 50 year reunion and were enthusiastically co-ordinated by Jean Slater Dunn. The Headgirl Joan Hickson Field said of their reunion this year: “So much work has gone into this. We all feel like kids in a candy shop!” This class meets about four times a year and are passionate about not acting their age! Class of 1966, please stand.

The Class of 1976 celebrates their 40 year reunion with Belinda van Teylingen Samuels as reunion co-ordinator. In that year, the band Chicago sang If you leave me now you'll take away the biggest part of me but unperturbed the Class of 1976 did uproot themselves and leave. Class of 1976, please stand.

The Class of 1986 celebrates their 25 year reunion. Lauren van Loggerenberg Olivier took on the role of co-ordinator and Frauke Hellmann flew in from Germany. Rumour has it that those who could not make it are still recovering from their boisterous reunion in 2011. With Mrs Brennan calling them petunias and Mr Hoare calling them mossies, you can understand the notion of Riebeek as a garden! Class of 1986, please stand.

The Class of 1991 celebrates their 25 year reunion with Lynne Reynolds Craill as co-ordinator. They are the garden gnomes of the Riebeek garden with their eccentric and colourful personalities, such as Beth Cooper Howell, famed for her weekly column in La Femme and her stint as a teacher here. They matriculated to the sounds of Roxette’s Fading like a flower but they seem to have not faded at all. Class of 1991, please stand.

The Class of 1996 celebrates their 20 year reunion with Ingrid Kosaber Potgieter as headgirl and reunion co-ordinator. It was an absolute delight for us to view the complex reunion excel document rivalling anything the FBI could come up with detailing the whereabouts and information of this class. Some believe that the girls attending are doing so because of the legendary lemon meringue of Karen Baker Hume of this class. Karen remembers: The walks from Lee Anne’s house (re-enacted this morning) and carols: how we hated the rehearsals but loved the big night. Class of 1996, please stand.

The Class of 2006 celebrates their 10 year reunion with Linley Myburg Fourie as headgirl and reunion co-ordinator, complete with a beaming proud mom on stage. Their matric farewell theme was colours of paradise but they may well be the scarecrows of Riebeek’s garden given what Linley said at Valedictory, “For many years our grade has been titled the naughtiest, laziest and definitely the dumbest; but we always stood together.” Together, please stand, Class of 2006.

In addition, there are a number of Old Girls here who are not part of official reunion groups but are In the Class of Experience and Nostalgia. Could all the Old Girls from reunion years not yet formally introduced please stand.

Then in a class of her own, the Queen Bee Old Girl Marilyn Woods will from next year be a full time Old Girl . Some say it is almost like she is only now truly matriculating from the corridors of this school, albeit with honours.

Special mention must be made of the reunion co-ordinators. They have weeded out thoughts of class mates not attending, rooted out the whereabouts of everyone and taken the reunion group ideas from seedlings to fully fledged flowering events. And they have done this with spadefuls of enthusiasm! They deserve bouquets of gratitude!