School days.

[j.sabourn]

How many can remember their school days. My recollections of secondary moderns as they were called , and were considered modern by that days standards always seemed to be divided into 4 houses , or at least the ones I went to did. I can only remember the name of one of these houses which was Redpath, what that signifies I dont have a clue. Every House had a motto and I can remember 2 which is a bit better, one was Cleanliness is next to Godliness, and the other Manners
Maketh Man , shortened to MMM , anyone if had such education , are your memories better.? JS

[Keith Tindell]

I went to Secondary Modern as well, we were not as posh as you John, down to just 4 colours for houses, red white green and blue. I could not get out of school quick enough at 15 years, this was before such things as O levels etc, just a reference from the headmaster, who strangely enough was also a colour, Mr Pink,. I already had a job, which was a bolt on from my out of school job in a shoe repair shop.This did not last long, just long enough to reach my 16th birthday, and then left to join the MN, best decision i ever made, kt

[Keith Adams]

Hi JS. I have been off having internal stuff handled but on the mend and up to typing.
My School was Wallasey Technical, on the Wirral opposite Gladston Dock across the river. Like you 5 years 11 to 16 and split into 4 Houses — Gold, Red, Blue and Green which provided competition in everything all subjects as well as sports, except we didn't have our own sports field. Houses were Ruskin, Faraday plus two other scientists, as with you, i cannot recall their names. One of my teachers was an ex Draughtsman who has worked on the Spitfire development in the 1930’s. Mr Brown, taught Maths and Engineer Drawing — he had a mustache that reeked of tobacco but i remember him very fondly — all boys classes with very few with Dads at home; most off at war ! So someone to look up to. My other Maths teacher was Mr Sarginson who famously said i had as much chance of passing Maths in Orals for School Certificate (now called “O Levels”) as he did. At that i swung around in my bench desk and grinned at the class — he had to spoil the moment by adding that he wasn’t taking the exam ! Actually he was right, even though I passed a few others but not the one i really needed. Oh happy days …. Keith A.

[j.sabourn]

#2 We have had similar experiences Keith as regards shoes. Didnt wear winkle pickers did you ? just joking my boss charged 12/6d soled and heeled in leather plus a phillips stick on sole to preserve the leather longer. I resigned at 14 and told him to stick his job. At 15 he came round to see my father to offer me an apprenticeship , and my old man who wanted me to go with him on the buildings put the two propositions to me, both of which I turned down. Both trades plus shipping which I chose, all went down the gurgler in any case, shoes you throw away today and buy a new pair, building of houses out here dont require all the knowledge and rules and regulations regarding foundations etc. as just build on a concrete pad. And shipping what can one say , it was hung drawn and quartered, and then towed through shark infested waters to suit the pleasure of those who threw it away to the dogs. Still most of us on here survived to tell the story , which a lot of landlubbers reading will never believe, as is out of their world of believability. Cheers JS...

[Keith Tindell]

That brought back some memories John, sole and heel , mens 12 and 6 pence, ladies stilletoe heels 4 and sixpence. Philips stick on soles, i can still smell that adhesive, we called rubber solution. In that one year i was taught to do the sole and heel job, also hand sew , what was called long sole, which was to strip the complete bottom of the shoe, and rebuild. As you say, no call for that job today, wear them out and throw away. That was all the parents guidance in those days, get an apprenticeship , get a trade etc, sod that i wanted to see the world, kt

[j.sabourn]

#3 Thanks your post Keith. I think all the intelligent blokes must be called Keith as just finished replying to another one. Definetley intelligent when you have people like Faraday in your background, I had to wait till left school to learn about his corkscrew rule which I even try to keep up with today, but there again as in previous post to the other Keith is now out dated as corks in wine bottles is a no goer today. The same as yourself it is usually those that mock you , that get up ones nose , and to be obstinate have to prove them wrong. Mine was when serving my time when often told I would never get a ticket as long as had an aperture in my rectum , went and got them all and in addition went back in the same company with the same people
just to annoy them and to put the fear of Christ into some of them who had been sitting back like kings for years. Life can be very rewarding at times. Hope your internal stuff which I conclude is medical is on the mend, when things go wrong these days I try and not think about them, but they do catch up with one, so keep well. They do say school days were the happiest days of your life, I found the social life in those faraway places very rewarding too. Thanks your post, take care. Cheers JS

[Fouro]

I remember the houses in my school days. They were Glen Carron which was green, Herbertshire which was yellow, Randolph which was red and Torwood which was blue. The houses competed against one another throughout the year. I remember going out to school every morning with my black tackety boots well polished and also wearing the school uniform. I can't remember the houses having a motto bot I do remember the school motto (summa peto) which stands for I, seek but the highest which I thought was a joke as far as I was concerned. Bobby Brown the Glasgow Ranger's goalkeeper was our gym teacher. He was also the Scottish Football Team manager when Scotland beat England the world champs at Wembley in 1967.

Regards from
Fouro.

[Louis the fly]

My senior school was also known as Secondary Modern although there was nothing modern about it. It was a former fever hospital with air raid shelters in the playground, we would sneak into them for a smoke sharing a woodbine. I always had the impression the school was a dustbin, nothing was expected from us we were the next generation of labourers.
In junior school there were houses named after saints, I was in Matthew. It was never explained how in the ancient Middle East there could be names such as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Questions on religious teachings were not welcomed.

[j.sabourn]

#7 Fouro I would of remembered Randolph , but would of probably got mixed up today and said Rudolph to which the colour Red goes without saying. Your memory is better than mine. And would probably have remembered your motto as I came ,I saw, I Conquered. Even though Julius Caesar didn’t get up to Scotland , or did he ? Cheers JS

[j.sabourn]

#8 Louis your old school would be the right one to be today what better place to go than a fever hospital with fever ? Jesus was a very common name in ancient Israel was as common as John today, not saying I’m common though just a bit rough at the edges . Cheers JS