Post by Les on Aug 19, 2017 3:56:07 GMT
Maidstone I remember it well:
I started school on 5th April 1947 at St.Paul's Infants School. It was a grey stone Victorian building next to St. Paul's Church, in Fisher Street. The main hall was divided into three by curtains, and three classes were taught in it at once.
There was an ancient green stove at the end of each section (by the teacher's desk!!) but I don't remember any more heating than that. When you started you were known as the "Babies" class, and much derided by the pupils of the loftier ages of 6 plus!! We learned our letters by writing them on sand trays, then shaking the sand to make a clean surface for the next letter. (No-one believes me when I tell them this, but it's true!!)
The toilets defied description, and the staff toilet was at the end of the row of pupil's toilets. so the staff must have suffered as well!! Friday was Toy Day, when you could take one of your own toys to school, or play with the very motley collection the school had.
There was a maypole in the hall in a corner, but it was never used when I was there. We were sometimes given a sweet for good answers, which during sweet rationing was a real treat. Bad behaviour in the Babies class was rewarded by being "Put to bed" on a camp bed in front of the whole class, a shaming experience! I left there at 6 to go to North Borough, which was much more modern, and the work harder. Victorian conditions seemed to affect the atmosphere, but I am glad I had such a good grounding in how to behave at school.