At 102, Les Guy shared experiences with the year 2 students on Monday, recalling memories from his childhood as though they happened last week. 

Mr Guy grew up in Binnaway, near Coonabarabran, where his parents ran the general store and he is now grandfather-in-law to OPS principal Brad Tom.

“He was coming for a family occasion and given he’s 102, it was too good an opportunity,” Mr Tom said.

He said the students were working on the topic Then and Now.

Responding to students’ questions, Mr Guy told them houses were smaller with separate kitchens when he was growing up, the girls played hopscotch while the boys enjoyed marbles, a trip to Hong Kong took three weeks by ship, the role of kerosene lamps before electricity and buying lollies for six cents.

“My family was the first in Binnaway to have a television – the kids used to say, can we come over to your place and watch television?” he said. 

But he said the biggest change he had witnessed was communication, with telephones only reaching a few blocks and the need for telegrams to communicate with the next town.