Silence, so I can hear the fly

Former pupils from three classes at Simon Jenko Primary School in Kranj gathered on October 16 to mark their fiftieth graduation anniversary. This reunion was unique because students from all three cohorts of the school’s first intake met together for the first time in this format. Although these individuals had sat in the same classrooms daily decades ago, many had not seen one another for fifty years. Name stickers helped attendees recognize familiar faces during the gathering. The event was organized by Nada Grozl, Selma Tercon, and Bojana Slabe Naumov. Grozl described her primary school experience as wonderful, noting that times were completely different from today. Classes operated on two shifts, with students attending either mornings or afternoons depending on the week. The organizers noted that the group remained close because they knew each other from kindergarten and mostly lived in the same neighborhood. Participants recalled that graduations back then were far less significant than modern ceremonies. Events took place in the school gymnasium where awards were distributed without elaborate preparations or formal attire. Students wore jeans and perhaps a new blouse or shirt. They emphasized that they were still children at the time. Slabe Naumov remembered the evening ending with a trip for juice with cream, which she considered the highlight of the night. Conversations turned to teachers who held significantly more authority in the past. Grozl stated that some teachers commanded such silence in the classroom that one could hear a fly. Participants observed that there was less supervision previously, yet students understood their duties better. Today’s children have extensive protection and rights, whereas the alumni primarily knew responsibilities. Tercon added that they managed everything without needing digital assistants. Two former class teachers, Marjeta Cvirn and Draguska Vlasic, attended the meeting. A third teacher, Magda Rogelj, could not join them. Attendees reviewed old photographs to revive memories of their shared school years while creating new ones through socializing. The central message of the reunion was that everyone enjoyed themselves and would gladly repeat those times. If given the choice, participants agreed they would return to their childhood school desks without hesitation. Organizers expressed hope for more frequent meetings in the future. Perhaps at the next gathering, name stickers will already be unnecessary.