Physical description

Written by George E Scott who was born in Creswick March 1900. Moved to Vaughan in 1904. Attended Yapeen State School utill 1913 then to Castlemaine high school and technical schools. Poem written in 1950s.

Inscriptions & markings

There is a lift to the old boys step tonight,
and is feeling young and gay
his eyes are bright and his heart is light,
and his thoughts are far away.

Back in his dear old Castlemaine,
or out in the hills around
living the days of his youth again
feeling his pulses bound.

For he's just answered the call that comes
to the loyal hearts every year
insistent, clear as the beating of drums
it falls on the listening ear

so the old boy went and his mates went to
back home in their hundreds strong
and years were bridged in at long day through
in story and speech and song.

At at the Bush school love so well
he gathered with his comrades gay,
old Lads and Lassie's with tales to tell
of memories tucked away.

And bright eyed children had joined them in there
happy young faces shone,
as they showed old scholars are pride and care
in the school that was handed on.

Around them the bushland was bright with flowers,
and the dear little orchid blue
Bloom there with bright, in the sunlit bowers-
for it is our emblem true.

So the old boy drained through that day again,
and it lifted his heart like a song,
then Knight came down on the old home town
and the hall, with its happy throng.

In long brave lines they had mustered there
as they had on the days of yore,
and as they answered the roll - but the years take toll-
there were mates who would come no more.

The toast called, and the speeches made,
when, trooping into the hall,
with faces bright, and their eyes alight,
came the girls- the toast of them all.

So they broke up and wandered and formed into groups,
while many have time for a song,
But bashing the ear was permissible here,
and they kept at it- steady and long.

So the hours flitted by happiest notes
of memories sweet old refrain,
old friendships renewed - past doing's reviewed,
the old boy was feeling strain.

For his ears had been punished, his hand had been wrung,
his voice was hoarse as a crow,
with an ache in his jaw- "I can't take any more,
while I'm all in one piece, mates, I'll go."

With Auld lang syne is singing a broke up and parted,
"next year we will see you again"
when the message goes ringing, their thoughts will go winging
and calling them back to 'Maine