The retiring school office administrator has seen plenty of changes in education and the community in her 42 years in the role.
"I was married at 18, and being 10 years older than my brother and 17 years older than my sister I felt ready for married adult life," she said.
"Today’s 18-year-olds tend to still be at school with plenty to learn."
Born in Paretai, Mrs McPherson’s ancestors hailed from Kaitangata and in 1966 she moved there to raise her family.
"I started getting involved with the school by helping with things like swimming, then as an assistant and teacher aide and a formal employee.
"There were 180-200 children then compared to about 100 now.
"The principal back then was often behind finishing the newsletter.
"I’d be typing it out at 2.50pm, cutting the wax stencil and winding the copier handle with ink prints flying out the other end and the bus children just grabbing them before going home for the weekend.
"The first computer in this school was the BBC I brought here myself."
She had witnessed a lot of changes at the school.
"Teaching styles change and the curriculum goes through cycles depending on who’s in government.
"The variety kept it interesting.
"One time in the ’80s, we bused the children to Balclutha for manual training and one of them just ran away. He escaped over the railway bridge.
"I can still see the teacher in her heels looking for him at the old pig farm — he was hiding out by the sewage pond.
"Cleaning bumps and grazes was all part of it.
"Of course we like to see everybody qualified with first aid certificates now."
Now a great-grandmother, Mrs McPherson said retirement would involve gardening, possibly a new camera and being there for her family.
"In the last few weeks as Alma’s been working with her trainee, it’s really come home to us how much is managed through the office," school principal Anneta Payne said.
"Payroll’s sorted, bills just get paid, communications are getting sent out.
"When a school qualifies to have an administrator ... they’re worth their weight in gold.
"It leaves you free to focus on the children and teaching.
"As we press on, it’s very comforting to know Alma’s still only a street and a-half away."
