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More about the Boys’ School in Mr. J. Ray’s Time

When Harold Wilkins was 17, he left school and went to St. John’s Boys’ School prior to going to Training College.  On arrival at the school, he was greeted by Mr. John Ray, the headmaster, with the words, “I am very glad to see you.  You can take this class” (a class of 70 boys).  The school was short of staff for some reason at the time. Mr. Wilkins later became a headmaster and considered that his work at St. John’s School had been a good experience.

Jack Scard, started school at St. John’s in 1923.  He liked his first teacher, Miss. Williams.  They had a sand box and sticks to play with.  He took jam sandwiches for his playtime lunch.  The window sills were high up, so there was no distraction from the playground. The other teachers in the Infant School were Miss. McKenzie, Miss. Davis and Miss Lee.  Copy books were used to teach them to write.  These were printed books, with lines of printed words on the top line and spaces for several copies underneath.  Each line of writing consisted of graduated spaces for taller letters, tails and small letters.

The Rev. R. O’Gorman Power was the Vicar at that time.

Mr. Ray was Headmaster in the Boys’ School.  He later went to Grove Road School.  Miss. Eunice Small taught in the Boys’ School.  Clay modelling was one of the things Jack enjoyed doing (not plasticine).  Miss. Small gave pear drops to those who worked well. Mr. Lucock taught Art, Mr. Maunder took Standard IV.  Mr. Stainer taught football – he was the sporty type.  “Pop” Williams and Mr. Keep were assistant teachers.  There were nice teachers, some more strict than others and one, “daunting”.

Pupil teachers helped, while learning to teach.  Monitors also helped.  There was a counting monitor whose job was to go round the school every Friday and to count the children in each class.  The totals for the week were put up on a board.

When Mr. Ray left St. John’s School, Mr. B.T.R. Williams became headmaster.

Dennis Haines started school at St. John’s in 1925.  He always enjoyed school but on his first day at school, he was told to stand out at the front.  He supposed it was because he was fidgeting.  He was very fond of football and was taught to play by Mr. Stainer when he was in the Boys’ school.

Bob Edwards started learning in St. John’s Infants’ school in 1928.  His first day at school was made memorable by his wearing of a dunce’s cap, - a tall pointed hat with D for dunce or the actual word “dunce” printed on it.  The wearer was stood out at the front of the class for all to see.  Bob was disgraced in this way for fighting!

From the Infants’ school, Bob went into the Boys’ School.  His favourite teacher in the junior part of the school was Mr. Thomas who was very fair in his treatment of the boys.  He liked Mr. Stainer too, who was also fair.  Mr. Stainer taught sport including football.  The boys went to Gordon Road Recreation Ground every Friday afternoon for football and other sports.  Matches were played on Saturday.  Bob was quite keen on football.  He played outside right and was nicknamed the whippet because he was so fast.  Mr. Stainer often told him he was to play football on the Saturday.  However, with 12 children in the family, Bob was glad to have a Saturday job to earn a little money.  He worked with Chapman’s, the furniture removers on Saturdays.

One playtime a ball went on to the roof.  Mr. Stainer sent two boys to Vaux’s the ironmonger’s to borrow a ladder.  Bob went with another boy and the ladder was duly returned afterwards.

Mr. Williams was the headmaster.  Besides Mr. Thomas and Mr. Stainer, there was Mr. Hancock and Mr. Maunder.

Bob left school when he was 14.  His father had wanted him to stay on until he was 16 and wrote a letter to this effect.  However, his mother had other ideas, so he started work.  He began work as an errand boy at Galpin’s, the grocer’s.  then he became an errand boy at Dewhurst’s, the butcher’s for 12 shillings a week (60p).One day the butcher asked him to make sausages.  He put the meat into the top of the machine and was pushing it down with the wooden plunger and the plunger went into the machine and was broken up with the meat.  The sausages were spoilt and had to be thrown away.

His next job was with Chapman’s.  Chapman’s carrier carts were covered and part of Bob’s job was to drive the horse.  He was driving along Forton Road towards the station one day when the siren on top of St. Vincent went off, just as he was passing.  The horse took fright and bolted.  Bob had great difficulty in restraining the horse.  He only managed to slow him down just as they approached the station.