Tuesday 24 March 2009

That First Day at Normal School

1947.
Sitting in the front row right under the eagle eye of Mrs. X. The lesson was "learning to write!!
My writing book had lines to guide me so that I knew the correct height for each part of a letter as we started with learning proper script.
We had to copy the letters only as a first exercise and later full words. If we made a mistake then the dreaded "ruler" would come crashing down on our knuckles. This certainly helped with "attention".
To add to the excitement we were using pen and ink from the ink wells in our desks. All together lots of chances to make a mess and get bruised knuckles again. It worked!!!
And so began almost five years at St. John's School Weymouth.

3 comments:

  1. I've never understood how teachers thought thrashing your knuckles with a ruler helped you write better..hands are pretty important when it comes to writing!!

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  2. I read a story like yours and it's hard to believe in this lifetime people were so harsh. I wonder if you felt bitter at the time?

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  3. I don't have any memories of feeling bitter except for once when I was canned by the headmaster for something I did not do. As a normal boy it was not unusual to get into a trouble and get a little physical retribution.

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