My Childhood - part two

Continuing my memories of my early years, this was my first day of Infants school, there were no prep schools or nurseries back then, well, not around here, only perhaps in the big cities, you just got on with it.

My Childhood Part two - My early school years.

In the Easter of 1956 I started St Mary’s Infants school, I was four years and 3 months old, You joined school in those days at the start of any new term, Mother made a real fuss of me, pulling my oversize shirt down by putting her hand up my overlong short trousers, then the famous handkerchief made its appearance, a quick lick of her tongue, a quick wipe of my face and the mark that had been there for almost two days -despite washing – miraculously disappeared, I remember holding Mum’s hand, while my little brother held her other, as we stepped off the big red double decker bus her dress was blowing in my face as we walked, in those days dresses were of a typical 50’s fashion with lots of petticoats beneath a plain or floral dress, Mum must have been going somewhere else because it was rare for her to be dressed up on a week day. Anyway, this dress was buffeting in my face as we walked along on my first day at school, it also obscured my view, so I hung on following the clickety click of her high heels. She was also heavily pregnant with her seventh child which was due any time. It was a warm Spring day and as we stood at the school gates there was none of the paraphernalia of weeping and holding on for grim life – well not with me anyway – but I’m sure I saw a glistening tear on her cheek as she turned away.

So I headed in to that unseen territory known as the playground, I have to say my first impressions were a bit of a disappointment, for days I had worried that others would know that I was wearing my big brothers hand me downs, I looked around and most of the boys were wearing short trousers that stretched halfway down their calves, shirts with very long sleeves rolled up and shoes or boots with no caps in them!

The girls fared a little better with dresses obviously handed down but been ‘made to do’ by caring mothers, they always looked a lot smarter than the boys but close inspection would reveal the odd well sewn patch of a slightly different material. Anyway, back to my first day as I surveyed my new territory I said hello to a red haired freckle-faced little girl who responded with ‘eff off. I was quite ahead of my time as my elder siblings had taught me how to look after myself and learn new things, so, as I said, always willing to learn I stored the ‘eff’ word in my memory bank for use on whichever occasion would arise.

I carried on looking around and as I walked past a brick building the most awful smell knocked me back, I found out later that these were the school toilets! One group of lads were playing football with what seemed to be a part deflated tennis ball, others were squat down playing marbles, some were playing flick with cards we collected on packets of loose tea like Brooke Bond or PG Tips, or from our dad’s cigarette packets, the idea was you ‘flicked the card’ until you overlapped an opponent’s, the cards on the floor would then belong to you, I was later to become a master at this game, boasting a big wedge of well curled cards,

The girls also hung around in groups, some had a skipping rope and chanted rhymes or verses as they skipped, other stood around cuddling dolls etc. A few were being consoled by elder girls who at 7 years of age were in their last year, but most just generally ran around screaming and shouting. I thought Sundays in our house were chaotic, but this noise was deafening, a whole new experience for me.

This scene of mayhem was interrupted by the ferocious clanging of the hand-held school bell, suddenly the hordes of children were nicely lined up in separate but neat long rows. Except of course myself, and a few other stragglers who hadn’t got a clue what was going on! Eventually we were saved by an elderly teacher.

We were ushered into a little room called the cloakroom, the walls were half tiled in a bottle green colour with a whitewash wall above, splattered with the graffiti of the day – crayon marks!, there was a stack of empty crates containing small empty bottles the remnants of yesterday’s milk allowance, each of us was allowed to choose a peg, these pegs had stickers of animals next to them and whichever one you chose became your peg for the next two years, As I said earlier, I was a bit worldly wise for my years and noticed a peg away from the door and by a big cast iron radiator, in the winter if it snowed or rained that would be the best peg to dry out my coat, should I have one. I was torn between the lion or the elephant, I chose the lion!

The school was of the old type with three classrooms around a central hall which doubled up as an exercise room for playing in. There were around forty seven of us and we were escorted to the big classroom and told to sit, a scramble was made for the small desks at the back of the room and obviously the furthest away from teacher, I being far too slow inevitably ended up on the front row! As I looked around there was an actual sandpit in one corner, in another corner was a massive dolls house and then a circle of small tables covered in all different colours of previously spent paints.

A very elderly woman ( I suspect now that she was only probably about thirtyish) swept into the room with a rousing ‘Good morning children’ and met with a deafening silence, Undaunted she continued to tell us that her name was Miss Smith and that she would be teaching us for the next twelve months, she went round the room asking each of us our name and I cannot remember her ever asking again, yet within the hour she knew every one of us personally. The morning continued with us basically doing whatever we wanted as long as it was in the confines of the classroom. I was in my high delight, coming from a large family we didn’t have things like paints, crayons and my personal favourite plasticine, there were soldiers, cowboys and Indians and I eagerly ran from one item to another like a child in a sweet shop.

At twelve o clock precisely the bell rang again and we were all dismissed for lunch, The teachers just left you to it, they didn’t seem to mind or care where you went or what you did, but, having said that, the streets were a lot safer than they are today, there were no school dinners in those days, you either took sandwiches or you went home, Wandering towards the door I had earlier come through I saw my seven year old sister waiting, she had walked from the junior school down the road to escort me home for dinner, it was two miles home and the same back to school, between those two journeys I had around about half an hour to eat my dinner which had already been prepared by Mum, Four miles today seems a long way but I was young, fit and able, the amazing thing was that it felt like a short stretch of the legs to me.

Back at school for 1.30 I had ten minutes left to spend in the playground, on my return I once again bumped into the ‘eff’ girl, wanting to enhance my education I asked her what it meant and she replied ‘I don’t effin know me mam and dad use it all the time so it must be ok’

The first hour of the afternoon was spent with the teacher probing our reading and writing ability, being at home with my elder brother and sisters I already had the fundamentals of reading and writing, I actually found Janet and John quite boring lol! As we settled down in the classroom the teacher fetched a book from the shelf,

“Now listen children, I’m going to read you a story, if you feel sleepy cross your arms on the table and have a nap”

I couldn’t believe my ears, even my mum didn’t let us nap in the afternoon and yet the teacher said it was ok.

The story that the teacher read out kept me so enthralled that I didn’t sleep, though a lot of the others around me snored gently, the story was about Mr and Mrs Vinegar who lived in a vinegar bottle, Mrs Vinegar accidentally broke the bottle as she was cleaning, they then go in search of a new home. That first story was embedded into my mind forever, as it was also the first story I’d ever heard where the wife was in charge!

Just before home time the whole school assembled in the hall and sang this hymn which I have never ever forgotten.

Now the day is over,

Night is drawing nigh,

Shadows of the evening

Steal across the sky.

1. Jesus, give the weary

Calm and sweet repose;

With Thy tend’rest blessing

May mine eyelids close.

2. Grant to little children

Visions bright of Thee;

Guard the sailors tossing

On the deep, blue sea.

3. Comfort those who suffer,

Watching late in pain;

Those who plan some evil

From their sin restrain.

4. Through the long night watches

May Thine angels spread

Their white wings above me,

Watching round my bed.

5. When the morning wakens,

Then may I arise

Pure, and fresh, and sinless

In Thy holy eyes.

At 3.00pm it was home time, once again my sister was there to meet me and we trudged home but I had suddenly become very tired, we waked down the entry to the back door the smell of freshly baked bread pudding wafted up my nostrils, not only was I tired but I was also very hungry, as I entered the kitchen my Mum bombarded me with questions and as I stuffed my mouth full of warm bread pudding I casually and calmly told her to ‘eff off’. I was pulled up stairs by my ear, mum swirled some of dad’s shaving stick in a cup of water and told me to wash my dirty mouth out! I never swore again in front of my Mother and I have abhorred swearing ever since lol.

Until next time…