Taree High School Alumni page connecting the school's past with the future

The Facebook page was set up to post photos of past students, school memories and other historic memorabilia.

Since its inception the page has gained 1300 likes.

Senior preparatory teacher Glenda Hutchinson, who together with students launched the page, said the page's popularity is a confirmation of what she already felt was in the school.

"It's an old school with traditions," said Glenda.

"Most people feel a sense of heritage to their school.

"Because school was an important part of their life, they want to remember it."

Apart from bringing back fond memories, the page was able to bring a forgotten tradition back to the school for 2016.

"We found sport and participation photos were the most popular on the page," said Glenda.

"We had stopped getting those group photos done professionally, but seeing their popularity executive principal Allison Aliston has decided to bring them back!"

Another successful outcome for the page was the ability to find out where past students had gone following high school.

The question "Who is Cherry Hope?" was posted by the page with a photo of a girl in the 1948 edition of the school's annual magazine The Torch.

With the help of Lyn McMartin and Gloria Toohey from Manning Wallamba Family History Society, details were found on Cherry's identity.

Her name is Charity Hope and she has a sister named Faith.

After school Charity went on to do a bachelor of arts at the University of Sydney, but the historical society were unaware of her marital status.

When the details of the fact finding mission were posted on the alumni page further gaps were filled in by a former student who commented on the post.

The commenter informed Cherry (Charity) had married and had two children.

People interested in their own family history have also contacted Glenda asking to track down information on their relatives who attended the school.

The page is part of a number of initiatives and ideas Taree High School is using to honour past alumni and to connect current students to the past.

Glenda said the goals Taree High School Alumni has for 2016 include starting up alumni walls where names of family who have had a long history of the school will feature on brick work and also featuring alumni photos in the corridors of the school.

Further goals the Taree High School Alumni page has for this year is to search for what Glenda calls "the missing years".

"We don't have many photos from the 1960s and 1970s," she said.

"It would be great if people brought photos in for us."

If you have any photos you think the Taree High School Alumni Facebook page would be interested in, you can email Glenda at glenda.hutchinson@det.nsw.edu.au or message 'Taree High School Alumni' on Facebook.