[Ah yes, I remember it well ... 1939 to 1948]
School beloved, school long vanished, never from our memory banished.
Country school, most truly rural, (long before the spray-can mural!)
“Docendo Discimus” our blazon, which we dear children in re-phrasing
Construed, and deemed it clever stuff,
“CATCH ‘EM YOUNG AND TREAT ‘EM ROUGH.”
Assembly first, the day’s beginning, list read out of those caught sinning …
Then to prayers, the way to God, all heads bowed, none thought it odd.
Into cloakrooms, plimsoll smelling, shrill young voices, young tales telling.
Satchels, boots, flung helter-skelter, “Pick that up, ready for the Shelter!”
Keen eyed staff, firm orders giving, showing us our plan for living.
Rush to classrooms, chitter-chatter, open desks with noisy clatter.
Black-gowned staff, respect demanding, “Order, class!” their firm commanding.
Wall hung blackboards, white chalk screeching, all embark on learning, teaching -
Siren’s howling cuts the air: “To the Shelters!” - off we tear.
“All Clear” screaming, back indoors, sturdy boots pound wooden floors.
Playground battles, feuds and games, call each other nasty names …
School of sport, with victors lauded, favourites winning, loud applauded …
School of stage plays, fine speech training: platform voices each one gaining.
School unmoved by wartime crises, making do with strange devices.
School beloved, when we left you, of our presence we bereft you,
Others came to take our places, glad receivers of your graces.
Six decades later, still we meet, grey, grown aged, no more fleet,
But our nineteen forty class happy reminiscence pass.
“I remember - you do too - deeds of mischief we would do,
Bringing teachers to despair - bang the desk and tear the hair … !”
“Good lot, really though, our staff: stern-faced Head - who made us laugh!
Taught us what we ought to know, ensured we knew which way to go …”
Old School Song aloud we sing, once more we make the rafters ring.
Could we bring back by heartfelt longing School to which we were belonging,
We would trust our children to you, find their way to good life through you.
We need you here with us today - why could you not forever stay?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
School beloved, school long vanished, never from our memory banished.
Country school, most truly rural, (long before the spray-can mural!)
“Docendo Discimus” our blazon, which we dear children in re-phrasing
Construed, and deemed it clever stuff,
“CATCH ‘EM YOUNG AND TREAT ‘EM ROUGH.”
Assembly first, the day’s beginning, list read out of those caught sinning …
Then to prayers, the way to God, all heads bowed, none thought it odd.
Into cloakrooms, plimsoll smelling, shrill young voices, young tales telling.
Satchels, boots, flung helter-skelter, “Pick that up, ready for the Shelter!”
Keen eyed staff, firm orders giving, showing us our plan for living.
Rush to classrooms, chitter-chatter, open desks with noisy clatter.
Black-gowned staff, respect demanding, “Order, class!” their firm commanding.
Wall hung blackboards, white chalk screeching, all embark on learning, teaching -
Siren’s howling cuts the air: “To the Shelters!” - off we tear.
“All Clear” screaming, back indoors, sturdy boots pound wooden floors.
Playground battles, feuds and games, call each other nasty names …
School of sport, with victors lauded, favourites winning, loud applauded …
School of stage plays, fine speech training: platform voices each one gaining.
School unmoved by wartime crises, making do with strange devices.
School beloved, when we left you, of our presence we bereft you,
Others came to take our places, glad receivers of your graces.
Six decades later, still we meet, grey, grown aged, no more fleet,
But our nineteen forty class happy reminiscence pass.
“I remember - you do too - deeds of mischief we would do,
Bringing teachers to despair - bang the desk and tear the hair … !”
“Good lot, really though, our staff: stern-faced Head - who made us laugh!
Taught us what we ought to know, ensured we knew which way to go …”
Old School Song aloud we sing, once more we make the rafters ring.
Could we bring back by heartfelt longing School to which we were belonging,
We would trust our children to you, find their way to good life through you.
We need you here with us today - why could you not forever stay?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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