|
I arrive at the school when I was about 7 years old. The term
started a meeting in school hall with lots of new children, probably mostly
evacuees like me. No doubt nervous as what was about to happen to us, Miss
Croombes soon put us at ease. Cannot remember much else about those early
years. Later I was in Mr Urry's class with his son David. We sat at double
desks with inkwells. In front were a couple of girls, one whose name may have
been Ruth. She had pigtails: do I need to go on? My mother helped in the
kitchen to prepare the lunches. No problem for her as she had been in service
before marriage.
I do recall the separate boys and girls playgrounds
separated by a high fence. The lads had the occasional 'bunk up' to see what
the girls were up to. Boring....hopscotch, skipping and the like. A favourite
game for us boys was storming the East gate. It was wooden at about 5 feet high
and not too easy to climb. Two boys would straddle across the top and others
would try to climb over. There were of course bruised knees from falling off,
but no broken bones. However, the worst was yet to come as the gate was very
close to the main road along that was passed by the bus from The Cricketers
Pub. On one occasion, carried on by his excitement of crossing the gate, my
brother ran into the road straight into the side of the bus. Fortunately he was
more scared than hurt, but a reminder for all of us.
Between the school
and the Club was the former rifle range. In future years it would become the
Scout hut. Alongside this was the canal where some times a group of boys and
girls would sit on the bank. We played a question game called Truth, Love, Hate
or Dare. As infant children it cannot be believed that the questions were too
provocative as they might be today with mass communication. For example, on one
occasion we went to the duck ponds, up the road at Aldsworth. It was Spring
time and the frogs were busy laying their frog spawn. We told our parents that
we had seen them giving each other piggy backs. We recall that we were late
back for school and had to report to Mr Simmonds, the Headmaster.
At the
end of one winter term us 2 boys were taken by our mother to Morgans shop to
buy waterproof coats for the beginning of next term. Naturally we were keen to
wear them, but it didn't rain for weeks. If we waited much longer I would have
outgrown mine and my brother would have had yet again another hand down. It was
war time and the clothing coupons had to stretch just as far as the money did.
Repair the worn-through heels of school socks and shoe soles with old bycycle
tyres.
All too soon I was in my final year and my parents were
considering my future education. All children would attend some type of
secondary school which was decided by an exam which was named the 11+. Somehow
I found myself attending Chichester High School for Boys.
Further
History: The Village Schools 1819 -1984 by Nigel Peake ISBN 0 9507496 1 3
|