I did write not long ago about how novel it would be to be 'bored' quite forgetting school-days when I was bored to tears...
Primary school was alright most of the time, but once I went to Secondary school the true meaning of utter boredom came to light. Endless hours with a page of A Midsummer Night's Dream open on the desk, waiting while each member of the class took turns in reading out a couple of lines...some read quickly...many read slowly...it was sheer agony, especially if it was summer time and there was a glimpse of bright blue sky visible through the high and grubby windows...
It wasn't long before I discovered I could put a book on top of Shakespeare and read something more interesting, so long as I kept alert for my turn to read what Bottom said next.
Writing essays and have them come back covered in red pen while being told my imagination ran away with me...again.
The essay that received glowing praise and a gold star was one I'd scribbled down in temper while on the school 'bus...no longer than a page and virtually indecipherable hand-writing.
Then there was geography.
Hours spent on where the cocoa bean came from...more hours on remembering how a main road was marked on a map and whether or not the church had a steeple...the longest river in South America...then the teacher suddenly developed an obsession with cannibals...bit worrying when you think about it...but at least it was relatively interesting for a while.
French? I was told to sit at the back of the class...we'd lived in France when I was small and I could speak fluent French...albeit with a strong Normandy accent which the teacher was horrified by. So I sat at the back and wasn't allowed to speak. I ignored all the lessons on verbs and such like and after a while she stopped asking where my homework was...
We learned how to make chocolate éclair's in Domestic Science...and beat Victoria Sponges to death with wooden spoons...Mother put mine out for the birds. And we had to scrub the bottoms of the saucepans until they were as shiny as the insides...
The same woman took us for sewing...we made gingham aprons to wear in cookery but I never finished mine, so had a t-towel tied round my waist for the entire duration of learning how to scrub a saucepan and beat sponges etc.
Those were the days when Games and Gym were compulsory and you could only dodge them if you had your 'monthlies'...we wore thick white knickers with navy blue knickers on top...they had a little pocket...then a vest and a polo-shirt on top of that. The Hall used to reek of sweaty armpits and boiled cabbage.
Playing hockey was my idea of pure undiluted hell...huge girls with muscly thighs racing down the field armed with a hockey stick, bawling at their team mates, while the teacher blew her whistle and cheered whenever one scored...it could have been lashing down with rain or a snow blizzard blowing,but on that field we had to stay until the bitter end...
Communal showers next...along with half a dozen other girls who thought the very idea of stripping naked in front of twenty others was the total pits...we used to sidle carefully into the locker room or the downstairs toilets and hide until the end of day bell rang and we could emerge looking guilty...
It really only leaves Maths lessons...they were taught by a teacher called Mr Cross, but he never was...he quickly discovered those pupils with a natural aptitude for algebra and solving those silly 'if it takes six men to dig a hole' problems...the rest of us floundered along still doing simple sums and counting on our fingers while the clever ones were grappling with logarithm's...to this day I can't for the life of me understand what use algebra is...
No is the simple answer vashti but I had no idea you went to the same school as me! or is that just a coincidence - you describing my schooldays too. I used to have school dinners for a few years at Secondary school and they were ok especially when other kids would give me their cabbage and swede. I hated maths, sports, Geography, Science, Sewing but quite enjoyed English and History with a bit of Domestic Science to be getting on with.
I think remembering my friend Viv tossing her pancake up and seeing it stuck to the ceiling was one of the best times plus she also made a chocolate cake but did not take out the flour to add the cocoa so it was rock hard. It went into the garden at home but the birds wouldn't touch it. Those were the days...........not the best of my life though. xxxxx
Hello Vashti, your memories of school are very similar to mine.Algebra is used by scientists, engine builders ect to do formula in drawings. Not generally used by the average joe bloggs as they say. I used to hate communal showers because of undressing in front of others, now I am retired I could not care less what my body looks like under my trousers ect. I used to miss Hockey if I could but was on the netball team and swam for the school team. Did relay as I could do more than one swimming stroke and dive into the pool. Now I need help to get in the pool in case I slip, how times change. I had to wear brown Knickers as our school colours were brown & yellow, but they were the same style as the navy ones. No beating sponge mixes any more as we have mixers to do it for us or buy ready made. Or avoid cakes to keep our slim waist lines. Thanks for the memories best wishes for Christmas xx
We did not have a school pool, we had to go to the local swimming baths, outdoor on a bus to do are weekly lessons and training. So we got very little time in the pool or for changing. But hey Vashti those were the days my friend as the song says. Kids of today are too computer orientated don't you think.?
Yup for a while there I thought we were in the same class! Maths and geography were my pet hates too. I was only really good at English and art and would loved to have spent my time doing just those two. Loved French and adore spoken French 'til this day. Sadly it didn't like me and I usually failed my tests in it. Big girls like Amazons scared the hell out of me at my one and only hockey match. Gym was fun as we never had to undress much. Just a gym skirt. And any sign of nakedness was highly disapproved of. Knees had to be covered at all times except at gym. The school was run by nuns of course, very few of whom I ever liked.
We had no showers (Bathing was done at home in a tin bath by the fire heated by kettles from the range.
PS Also loathed algebra and later calculus but amazingly passed on both!!
Vashti, I was so interested in your report on your school days. It made me think about mine which at the time had a run of the mill reputation, but nowadays, it way up the school league table. I think the work my grandchildren do is made so interesting whereas those dry as dust textbooks when I was at school are best forgotten.
All your recollections are very similar to mine. I wore green knickers!! Green was the main colour. There was just one memory that was different and very strange. Every September we had to have our backs and posture inspIt ected behind screens. It meant stripping down to just our knickers! It spoilt my summer holidays every year because I was advanced for my age and why did they do it!!!
No, things have changed, and I would like the chance to be young enough to return to this school. Thank you vashti, for another interesting account. Have a happy Christmas. Pergola xxx
looking back, otherwise everything was quite normal. Not even communal showers. I should have complained to my mother but I dont suppose she would have taken action. xx
No I had a plaster paris mould made on my back then it was hinged across the top of the shoulders so my head rested back. I had to lie in it for 3 months the only time they lifted me out was when the porter came and help put me in the bath (how embarrassing I was only 15) but I was not allow to sit up. I had a mirror over me so I could see my dinner which used to be balanced on my tummy.
When I went home the mould went with me and I had to sleep in it for a further 12 months. It was Christmas time and the ambulance driver who took me and the mould home put a piece of holly on it just where my bottom would go.
It worked, although I am still round shouldered I could have actually had a hump had I not done that.
polly xx
Interesting to look back to our school days, I did go to a convent and loved the building, the smell of wax polish, the nuns private garden. The education though was somewhat lacking, much more emphasis on how we wore our straw boaters and if our stocking seams were straight! I was even sent to Rev. Mother's office for being seen meeting a boy after school, he was my brother!!! We never had showers, much too daring, if I could I would skip games and hide in the art room, which I loved. The Sister in charge of art never reported me. We had one dragon of a teacher who was spiteful and impossible to please, she was always critical of my admittedly poor attempts at French. When a French competition was announced I was determined to win it and win it I did but I never received the prize, it didn't matter I knew I had won! Vashti you might have had a Normandy accent but I suspect we all learnt French with Irish accents. There was one truly lovely sister who came to stay with us many years later and we stayed in touch until her death.
Oh memories! It was my primary school which I hated (I've a feeling I am older than some of you) Wartime and all the old biddies were brought out of retirement and did they believe in the cane and ruler to control us! I was left handed (something to do with being on the wrong side of God) and they gave me hell in trying to get me to write with my right hand. We were also punished for talking in line, not lining up to go into classes, writing left handed, you name it they could 'punish' it! Definitely the worse days of my life, the secondary school by comparison was wonderful. Happy memories and a Happy Christmas to everyone.
That was such a bug bear for schools at one time wasn't it...having left-handed pupils...I wonder if the teachers thought you were just being awkward and stubborn..
I loved my school days Vashti. I never wanted to be a "grown up". The day I left school was the end of my childhood and (as far as I'm concerned) my freedom. I would kill to be able to go back to those years even though, like you, I hated maths, and still do.
Great description as usual and I cannot imagine how any essay of your would ever have come back covered in red pen? Your use of words are great and the stories you tell always warrant a gold star - with me anyway. I think your teacher would be very proud of you if she/he could read the lovely things you write for us on here. XX
Yes I did Vashti - sorry! They were the happiest days of my life. I've never been happy being an "adult". No worries, no responsibilities etc., What's not to like?
But I love your stories, so keep 'em coming!
N XX
Mmm, remember them well, Sheila has the ability to go to university the teachers would tell my parents, but all i wanted to do was get married and have children, my poor Mother never let me forget it until her dying day bless her! Xx
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I just wanted to go to Art School but Mother thought it'd be a den of vice and wouldn't let me...!
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That was my ambition too but my parents forbade it like yours a den of vice and I'd become a hippie!!! Horrors....!
Omg haha im convinced your talkin about my school wich was run by nuns and had a convent attached. Hated every minute I really did, I think my parents spent just as much time there as I did! One annoying thing was all my mum used to say was "there the best days of your life" !! Must admit I smile about them days now, but with a one sided grin xx
Hated, hated, hated secondary school with a passion. The one date that sticks in my mind is 23rd June 1975....I left school, yayyyy!
If you were not 'bright' or a teachers pet, you were ignored. I got 100% attendance certificates each year, but did not attend most lessons. I got away with it by getting my registration mark and then leaving the building. I went to Bullring shopping centre and if I saw someone who knew my mum, I would say we are researching. I was never missed at school in the lessons!! My behind would be sore if mum knew then. I told her when I was old enough not to get punished. I loved any other time of my childhood except secondary school.
I know why I didn't like secondary school. The kids at that age are more judgemental and as I had severe eczema along with asthma, the kids called me horrible names and I was having fights all the time.
My eczema cleared completely when I was 17 years old. In hindsight, my stress levels reduced hence the severity of eczema.
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but I never received the prize, it didn't matter I knew I had won! Vashti you might have had a Normandy accent but I suspect we all learnt French with Irish accents. There was one truly lovely sister who came to stay with us many years later and we stayed in touch until her death. 
Coping with COPD on my own
Life in the 1950s - Final Part
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