Langer lends name to new hall

Rita Langer outside the new hall at Blair State School.

Claudia Baxter

A BLAIR State School student was once asked to spell “legend”.

He said that was easy because the school had one of its own – Rita Langer, mother of league icon Allan.

After 39 years as a volunteer in the tuckshop, Mrs Langer deserves the title.

She and library helper Del Black, a volunteer of 30 years, were honoured by having new facilities named after them last week.

Both ladies still give one day a week to the school.

Mrs Langer will give her name to the new multipurpose hall and the resource centre will carry the name of Mrs Black.

All five of the Langer kids attended Blair, Allan being the “baby”.

“My husband came here too, so Blair has always been my family school,” Mrs Langer said.

“I've worked with some beautiful ladies and that's why I keep coming.”

Principal Mark Mitchell said Mrs Langer would soon celebrate her 75th birthday.

“She's still working on our sports day and at our fete,” he said.

“One thing I appreciate is her devilish sense of humour and the influence she has on the raucous banter in the tuckshop.”

Mrs Black began helping at the school when her eldest son Steven enrolled in 1977.

“In 1986 she was invited to help with work in the library,” Mr Mitchell said.

“Del tells me she's on to her third library. She too has some wonderful memories of our school community.”

Mrs Black said her volunteer work now included covering and filing books.

The hall and resource centre were built with $2.65 million provided through the Federal Government's Building the Education Revolution.