Posted March 2021
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Our bi-annual Alumni Connect newsletter features KU’s latest news, stories of our social impact programs that are making the KU difference, and shared memories from the Alumni community.
In our recent Summer edition, Joy Bryan shared memories of attending KU Killara Park as a child in 1947 and a recent visit she made back there.
“One day I decided to go through some old photographs at home when I came across some photos my father had taken at a Christmas party at KU Killara Park. I was absolutely thrilled to find them and contacted my life-long friend Richard Barnett who also attended KU Killara Park at the same time I did. Richard and I share a lot of mutual friends and so have stayed in touch over the years. It was earlier this year that we decided to visit the service together to share some of the treasured photos I had found.
I was born in 1944 and speaking with Richard, we figured that we attended KU Killara Park in 1947, when I was around three years old. Neither of us, nor our friend Michele Cousins (nee Old), remember much because we were so young, but the photos tell the story and dad was such a good photographer. We obviously had a happy time there, and particularly at Christmas time with the tree, presents and lovely festive food.
When Richard and I went back to KU Killara Park after all these years, we met with the Director, Maryann Walker. We were there for nearly an hour and Maryann kindly gave us a grand tour. We were delighted to see all the children’s artwork all over the walls and windows, the play equipment, and the work they had done to the preschool since we were there.
We were trying to find the steps in one of the photos of all the children standing outside a large wooden door. The steps are gone now with the work that has been done and the door has been changed but there’s still a lot of the same timber there in the building.
Richard and I really enjoyed visiting KU Killara Park again and seeing all the wonderful things the staff were doing with the children, inside and outside.
Finding these photos again was a real treat. Just look at all the smiling teachers and children. I still live near KU Killara Park and when I go past, I look over and say to myself, that was where I went, my earliest kindergarten.”