Letter 006 - 1940 - War Begins

25th October, 2007.

Dear Jeremy,

I have not been doing very well with my memories lately - the present has been too much with me entertaining relations and friends.

Liane and Gemma have started a new term at school and Allie and Mac are enjoying a half-term holiday, so I have been thinking of my school days.

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After attending Orange Grove Primary School, now a high school called George Randall, I attended Girls' High School in East London. I remember going for an interview with my Mother to see the headmistress, Miss Donald. We were well dressed, we always wore hat and gloves when we went to town. Miss Donald was a little English lady, very serious and dressed very formally with her hair in a tight bun. Despite her strict control of the school she was always very good to me.

Girls' High was a Grammar School with three streams of study, Academic, Commercial and Domestic. I wanted to do the Academic course as my ambition was to become a teacher. However, after a very serious conversation with my Mother, walking up and down the garden, she persuaded me to take the Commercial course. The war had begun and it was possible that my Father would be called up and there were Gerald and Bazil also to be educated. My Mother did not think they would be able to afford to send to me the Teacher Training College in Grahamstown to qualify.

As it happened my Father was not called up as he was designated a 'KEY' man and was drafted into what was called Basic Training where qualified artisans instructed young soldiers in their trades like mechanics for instance. Dad really enjoyed doing this and it was a happy time for him. I think he was a natural teacher.

The Trennerys were family friends and their daughter Zelda also went to Girls' High and as they worked in town they collected me at my gate each morning and drove us to school. It was a long way, probably 5 miles, into town and 2 miles up Oxford street. Later I caught the bus each morning at 6.45 to the Market Square and changed to a special school bus which collected children all along the way and dropped us at the school gates. We bought a ticket which the conductor punched until it was full of holes then you bought another one. In those days all buses had conductors and no bad behaviour was tolerated. Actually I don't think anyone thought of behaving badly on the buses. There were also school prefects and we had to listen to them or be reported to the Head. This was followed by punishment and shame.

That was in 1940. I loved school and learning and did quite well. I was also made Class Captain which was quite a responsible post as one had to keep order in the classroom when a teacher was absent. In those days the teachers moved from classroom to classroom except for specialised subjects like typing , physics and cookery. The school also had a boarding department where girls from the farms stayed.

There was physical education in the hall and woe betide if you forgot to bring your tackies (plimsolls/runners/joggers) If you did, you were given either a piece of poetry or prose to learn off by heart. I played Netball and was awarded my "colours" - still have the little badge somewhere. I played tennis and took part in athletics but never got beyond the heats. I also swam in the swimming gala. The schools did not have swimming pools, so the galas were held at the Quanza, a large pool built into the rocks down at the Orient Beach. I always thought all swimming pools were called Quanzas until I learnt that this pool was named after a ship which went aground on those rocks {http://www.eastlondon-labyrinth.com/history/quanza.jsp} . The school was divided into houses I belonged to Gittens House called after a former headmistress, my Mother remembered Miss Gittens. Our colour was yellow. In my final year I was vice head of house and acting swimming captain.

When I was in Standard Eight and preparing for the Junior Certificate examination, I, with three other girls, were transferrred to take our lessons with the academic students. After J C we all joined together in Standard Nine as many girls then left.school. I really enjoyed that year as Miss Darroll, the English teacher abandoned the setwork books and gave us a taste of English literature through the ages. We studied the essayists, plays-wrights and novelist. We also had debates where we had to act as characters like Boswell and Dr. Johnson. Finally we wrote our own novel. Each member of the class submitted a plot, and imagine my surprise when my plot called 'Alien Corn' was chosen. The title was from the Biblical story of Ruth who went with Noami to her country and 'stood amidst the Alien Corn'. The story was about a girl who emigrated to South Africa. We then each wrote a chapter and Nancy Lumsden, an Art student, tooled a leather cover.

I matriculated in 1943 and had planned to join the Civil Service or a firm of accountants. However, that summer holiday, I met Mary Paterson sister of Betty with whom I was friendly. I was most envious that Betty was to go on to Rhodes University to study. Mary suggested I apply for a student librarianship post in the library at the university. She thought my typing skill would be an advantage. This post would pay for my residential fees and all I would need to pay would be the study fees.

I was successful in getting the post and the school board granted me their bursary. I think it was about £10 and the Municipality of East London awarded me another bursary. My Mother was worried that I would not have the right clothes but I found the beautiful clothes she made me were envied by girls who bought "off the hook" (shop) dresses. Anyway I did not worry too much about clothes. I managed fine and my Mother sent me pocket money each week. I was in my seventh heaven.

In the meantime I worked as a secretary to a Mr Patterson who owned a big garage and took shorthand dictation from him, and typed his letters. When there was nothing else to do I sorted through the old files turning down the dog ears on the papers. The Pattersons were well off financially and considered one of the so-called 'elite' of East London.

Gosh that is more than enough for one day, so bye for now and much love,

Mum

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