Ethel Arek relates that Paulus Arek was teaching at Sogeri High School when the Director of Education called him down to go to Baluan Island. She describes that she went to stay with the Groves in Port Moresby to test her 'suitability' for marriage to Paulus Arek when she was 19.
Ethel Arek states that her husband Paulus Arek was also from Wanigela. She states that he received his primary education at the local mission school and then went to the Sogeri school. She says that when he returned to the village for his holidays they arranged to get married.
Biga Lebasi remembers that he first heard about independence at Sogeri. He recalls that due to family circumstances he joined the headmaster's family as a domestic where he had access to Australian newspapers.
Biga Lebasi states that he welcomed the suggestion that Papua New Guinea become one nation separate from Australia. He recalls that blacks and whites lived together well on Kwato Island but that when he came to Port Moresby to attend Sogeri High School he encountered racism, describing an event when he was refused service at the Steamships supermarket. He states that he became bitter and thought independence might be an answer to this racism and he looked to the USA and South African experience.
Ted Diro describes taking the entrance exam for the Sogeri National High School where he completed grade 7-9, then Queensland sub-junior and junior exams. He briefly discusses the teachers and other pupils at Sogeri. He describes the allocation of clothing, rations and pocket money at the school.
Michael Somare discusses his selection to the Administrative College in Sogeri, his qualifying for the Australian public service and the use of the Queensland curriculum and examinations in the College.
