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During
woodwork, the lads always knew when "Satch" Burgess was on his
way because they could hear him tip-tapping along the corridor (he wore
metal plates under his shoes to preserve his soles and heels) so they
were able to quieten down before he actually entered the woodwork
room. One day, the door opened and "Nobby" Clarke
entered because Satch was absent, and the class was in uproar. He
decided to perform a "fingernail" inspection, and when he got
to John's fingers, he looked at them for several moments and then said
"do you eat your breakfast with those fingernails lad?"
John (impertinently) replied "No sir, as I always have egg and
bacon, I use a knife and fork!" For that remark he was
rewarded with a detention!
One form
tutor carried out a cap, hymn book and sock inspection every week during
form period, to ensure the lads were not wearing fluorescent-coloured
socks under their trousers. (the fashion of the day).
Several
streets surrounding the school (Arthur Street, Brockton Street and
Bunting Road) were deemed "out of bounds" because they
bordered a nudist camp. Not sure whether anyone ever saw a
nude. John said that he never managed to site one, even when he
got into Room 13 at the top of the tower, with a strong pair of
binoculars.
Pupils were
banned from using buses on routes No.8 and No 14 despite them being the
most convenient routes to the school.
Girls were
not allowed to wear stockings any sheerer that 30 denier. They
were continually threatened by Mrs Watson (senior mistress - I am not
sure she would want to be called by that title these days!) that if she
saw girls in sheer stockings, she would "put them back into
lisle!" (granny stockings).
During cross
country running, many of the lads would descend on another lad's home in
Eastern Avenue (a few hundred yards from the school) and stay there for
the duration of the lesson. At the appropriate time, they would leave
the house and run back down to school, breathless. |
