The Victorian building, which had opened in 1878 as a Board School, became a Council School in 1903  and had also been home to the Oystermouth Secondary Modern School,  consisted of a large main hall and classrooms going off all around with cloakrooms at the end of the hall and separate entrances for boys and girls. There were also other classrooms and a dining hall in the grounds, made of breeze blocks, plus a cookery room  and science room, which were made of wood.  There was a central heating system with big iron radiators which worked well. The school gym was added in 1971.

 Some had nicknames — the Headmaster was known as ‘The Beek’,

Mr McGairl as ‘Slag’, Mr. L. Williams as ‘Sparrow’, Mr. Evans as ‘Hitler’, Mr. Williams as ‘Bull’ as he had a habit of saying ‘You can do this till the cows come home,’ Mrs. Davies, as ‘Tweed’ and Miss Morgan as ‘Mini.’

          There were many characters among them - Miss Cox used to watch a TV programme called ‘Up Pompeii’ which was a bit rude by 1970s standards and being a  very short person could only write a few lines on the bottom of the board. She certainly brought history to life! Another was Deputy Head, Mr. McGairl, who could be very kind and fair but also very strict. Being a woodwork teacher, after every lesson we had to check our benches to see we had the same number of tools, the same order of tools being read out — one saw, two hammers, three chisels, one plane etc. This ritual became like singing the National Anthem at the end of a musical concert!

 As in Dunns Lane school, we were put into Houses and again these were painted above the classrooms around the hall — ‘Fairwood', ‘Norton’, ‘Murton’ and ‘Castle’. Games were held in Underhill park under the direction of Mr. Aston, Mr. Evans and Mr. L. Williams. School hours were much the same as Dunns Lane School, lesson times being indicated by the bell boy running running around the school starting at the hall and finishing in the school grounds, ringing a small hand bell as loud as he could.It must have been cracked as it made a distinct ‘donk’ rather than a ‘dong’. End of break times and lunchtimes  were indicated by the whistle being blown very loudly, which meant ‘into lines and stand up straight.’ Each class went in turn and in silence as prefects would be posted at all corners and in the hall, waiting to catch the talkers!

          Discipline was strict but fair, the cane being used on occasions for more serious problems. For non-attention in class, the chalk or even the board rubber was thrown with great accuracy at the  culprit and woe betide anyone caught laughing! Other punishments were litter-picking for the week around the playground and detention. Prefects  in form 2 (the older pupils) were also in operation and a rota, which lasted a week, was drawn up of all areas to be covered, everyone having a turn to be head prefect. One teacher even ended up being locked in a cupboard for ten minutes, but the perpetrators certainly paid for it.

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