Courtesy of Betsy Jane Carter (married name Smith) - 1943 to '46

l attended the Tech from 1943 to 46, war years of course, travelling on a bus from Amersham to High Wycombe where the widows were taped to prevent the glass flying if an explosion occurred.

The wartime experience at my age did not carry a huge concern of responsibility as it did for adults for whom it was the second time in their lives, the sweet rationing was the only affect to recall !

The teaching staff were limited at the time to men and women, to old or unable to serve in the armed forces. I am struggling to recall the name of a very talented lady who taught us design in a commercial context,whose employment had been in Liberty's of London's Regent Street Store, of real repute for modern style.The boys at this time learned Technical Drawing.

The Art College was the only one for both sexes, ahead of its time,as with, to my thinking,a belief in change for progress. We all came together for wood work, great for encouragement especially for girls, carving as well as joining, I loved it, framed my own paintings in a later life.

For me, those years gave me the self belief that i could make my living with employment, associated with what I had learned, I did, along with marriage and family, as a painter finally, with gallery shows and sales, and teaching adults too. I am now 89 and of course still painting.

Remarkably,the scholarship to Wycombe Tech, was only in its second year of creation, I have never discovered the political origins, I should however regard it as - "enlightening".