Walkman down memory lane

October 18, 2026 — 9:00pmDavid Leary of Newtown, intrigued by how much the HSC may have changed since he completed it in 1983, looked at this year’s exam timetable and noticed smartwatches and mobile phones on the list of banned items. “But in 2026, students are still allowed to use last-century technology such as a pair of compasses, a protractor, set square and even a piece of string for exams like geography. That got me thinking about things that students were allowed to bring into exams in my day. I remember the weirdest one was in a midterm exam at UNSW when a student was allowed to bring in a Sony Walkman to listen to a tape of bird noises to help her concentrate in the exam. Anyone else born last century remember anything weird like that from their exams?”Donald Hawes of Peel noted “that students with very immigrant-style names were taking up Advanced English. Hopefully, some of the fourth-generation Australian illiterates might adopt their example.” “To keep my brain active as I approach a nice old age, I’ve been teaching myself to fluently say Mark Nawaqanitawase,” admits Geoff Goodfellow of Moss Vale. “Three weeks on and I’m doing a beautiful Mark.”“Yes, Edward Loong (C8), I did attend school at Marist Brothers, Parramatta, in the late fifties,” reports Barry Wooldridge of Harden. “I think you were a year ahead of me, and perhaps a classmate of one of my three brothers, Bill, Peter and Terry. Your family was well known and regarded in the district. Your contributions to Column 8 and Letters are always an enjoyable tonic.” “If Janice Creenaune (C8), takes food to her daughter’s bogong-themed Halloween party, will she be carrying the moth-er load?” asks Caz Willis of Bowral.It’s time to shelve the “shevelled” discussion (C8), and to farewell the fun, we have Rob McPaul of Thirroul: “With the plethora of contributions like ‘couth’, ‘kempt’ and ‘shevelled’, I’m surprised no one has brought up ‘ruth’. A beautiful word and appropriate for the number of women I have known who have been Ruth by name and ‘ruth’ by nature. I’d love to see more ‘ruth’ behaviour in our society and less ruthless behaviour.”“According to Tony Early (C8), the Roosters were poultry in motion at the Grand Final,” observes John Ure of Mount Hutton. “But I don’t recall them incurring many fowls during the game.”Column8@smh.com.auNo attachments, please.Include name, suburb and daytime phone.More:Column 8OpinionFor subscribersPaul HoganSydney RoostersHSCNRL grand finalSchoolsWordPlayFrom our partners