Memories from 1957 - 1962

Very smart uniforms and very strict on the correct wearing, including indoor and outdoor shoes.

The dining room was a separate building as was the gym/assembly hall. The dining room had a hard red floor which when the weather was wet became damp and one could slide on it, which was not allowed. The lunched were very good for school food. The school buildings, being separate houses, had basements where coats and bags were kept, and we all had shoe bags on the peg to keep whichever shoes we were not wearing, tidy.

There was nowhere to store our school books, so each day the required text books had to be taken to school and returned home. This was not so bad for hose who went on the bus or arrived by car, but a few of us walked from Dore. No buses were available and the round trip was 2 1/2 miles, and shopping trolleys were not allowed. We needed very stout legs and bags, and in winter with chilblains - no fun.

One of the school buildings did not have an outdoor fire escape, so every year the class in the top room had fire drill. The class was lowered one at a time by a sling effect to the floor. Most of us would have died because it was so slow.

The first time the school went abroad on a holiday was just before I left. It was to Switzerland and we arrived after 2 days on the train to a two storey building in a little village. Very bad luck, for the teachers had picked this quiet place on purpose, but there was an army camp just outside the village, and the sixth formers were seen disappearing in all directions in cars. We all had a great time, but I don't know if it was repeated. Underneath my bedroom, which I shared with 2 others, was the local small cinema, and every night the film for the week was a Western with, of course, gun-fights, which kept us awake. Also it cost to have a bath which was the equivalent of 50p each.

We had a hockey field at the end of the road and for several years we had a hockey mistress who ran up and down the side-lines in a pale blue suit.

Every year all classes would sit on the grass selling out text books to the year below us and buying out books from the year above. No free book for us year by year. We bought our own plus any new ones required.

The classes were small, and we were well taught and with great care; all the teachers were excellent. If we were ever out of line we were sent outside the headmistress' office, where there was a glass covered grating which we had to stand on until she appeared. We would have to state what we had done wrong and we would then receive our punishment.

Margaret Jackson nee Stead