Last Friday night, more than 100 former students of Rutherglen Academy gathered at Rutherglen Town Hall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the school's closure. The event was organized by property developer David Lang, who bought the old building in 2001 after it was put up for sale by the South Lanarkshire Council. David was a student at Rutherglen Academy in the 1940s and recalled how the school was closed for a period during the war after a stray bomb fell on its playing fields. The organizing committee of the meeting had distributed posters to libraries, community centers and churches in the Rutherglen area in an attempt to locate former pupils. Although more than 40 people had already signed up for the March 6th party, David and Connie faced obstacles when trying to locate those who had married and changed their names. At the alumni meeting, former students happily met old friends and teachers and took a trip to the past.
They reminisced about their school days and shared stories of their time at Rutherglen Academy. It was a night of nostalgia and joy as people reconnected with their past. The list of people educated at Rutherglen Academy includes Archie Baird, Denis William Brogan, Janet Brown, Andy Cameron, and Steven Campbell (artist). It is clear that many of these former pupils have gone on to achieve great things in their lives. School days are often said to be some of the happiest in life, and last Friday night was certainly a reminder of that. The alumni meeting was a great success and it is hoped that more former students will be able to attend future events.
