School is fun - learning piano and scary teachers
17th September, 2007
Dear Jeremy,
You suggested I write for half an hour a day recalling my memories. So sorry, I missed out yesterday, just could not fit it in and neither did I complete my 'TO DO ' list for the day either.
The new school year has started so that seems an appropriate time to talk about my school days. Though I do not recall my first day I know I was very excited and really looked forward to starting school. I liked school, I liked learning.
Orange Grove Primary school consisted of four classrooms built in a long straight row with a staff room in the middle. The grounds were spacious and the sea was always in view. On one side was the girl's lavatory and on the other side was the boy's.There was a netball field for the girls and a football field for the boys and on the side was a bicycle shed. We started school in Substandard A when we turned six years old and left after Standard Six. Two standards were taught in each classroom.
We were blessed with two lovely young teachers from the Grahamstown Teacher Training College, Miss Agnes Cloete and Miss Mavis Reed, who were Froebel trained. Gerald always liked to take flowers to Miss Cloete because she always gave him a kiss. Miss Reed played the piano and we enjoyed learning all the favourite old songs with her. In Standards Three and Four Miss Forrester taught us. She was older and more strict but she had a good system - when you finished your work you could select a toy or game from the cupboard and play until the others had completed their work.
When I first went to school I did not like the Headmaster. I could not bear to look at him at morning assembly and froze if he ever talked to me. Later Mr McQuaig came and taught Standards Five and Six. I think we were a little afraid of him as he was very serious and strict but he was a very good teacher and laid a firm foundation in English grammar. I still cringe when I hear people, especially on the radio or television, making grammatical mistakes like split infinitives and using pronouns in wrong positions. We girls learned sewing while the boys did cardboard modelling.
Later, another class room was built and Miss Pedersen came to teach the Afrikaans children and to teach us Afrikaans. I never was any good at Afrikaans. Mr Stoebel joined her to teach the older children.
It was 1933 when I started school and my cousin, Pearl, started at the same time but she was already seven. We did well - sometimes she would come first in class and at other times I would come first.
I walked to school each day until I was given a bicycle for my 8th birthday.
Love Mum