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I
have read of a number of Ladywood schools, which have received a mention
on the website, so may I add my 'pennorth' regarding St Peters RC, Broad
Street, the school at which I received my full time education.
By
any criteria it was a modest unpretentious little establishment,
instructing boys and girls from the age of five to fifteen.
There were about a dozen classes accommodating over four hundred
children. Infant classes were conducted on the ground floor.
The second floor consisted of one long room, which served as a
hall for morning assembly and prayers.
This room was dissected by a number of sliding partitions which
when drawn across, would divide into separate classrooms for junior and
senior pupils. During the
nineteen forties heating in the building was very sparse, each class was
equipped with a cast-iron stove, stoked up with coke.
The caretaker Mr. Draper, a dependable man, would regularly tend
to this task. In the fifties all stoves were replaced with hot water
radiators, which were much cleaner and efficient.
Playtime breaks were taken on the small size playground; older
members of my family have told me that this land had formally been a
graveyard. Nevertheless,
every year the annual sports day took place on that minute patch of
ground. On those occasions
the teachers would provide a variety of homemade cakes, and sweet
lemonade, which were much enjoyed.
Head
Mistress, Miss S Clements, ran the school in an exemplary manner;
discipline was firm but fair. Miss
V McIntyre, Head of the infant school, ably supported Miss Clements, and
she also taught music to the older children.
The regime was not over strict, but I cannot remember any serious
disruption in the classrooms, or any exclusion of pupils taking place.
No indiscretions ever took place behind the bike shed; there was simply
no room for a bike shed.
Sporting
activity was encouraged. The
school boasted an excellent swimming team, a moderate soccer team, and
despite the efforts of sports master Mr O’Connor, a pathetic cricket
eleven. The girls supported an enthusiastic netball team, presided over
by Mrs Lester. During sewing lessons, she also oversaw the design and
making of sports attire for the lasses.
The
school severely lacked vocational aids, after it became state aided in
the early fifties, woodwork lessons were laid on at St Thomas’s
school, on Granville Street, and a science class was arranged at nearby
Nelson Street school.
The
dedication of the masters deserves to be mentioned.
Whatever the weather, come rain or snow, they would accompany the
lads every week, on the long trek from the school, to the swimming baths
in Monument Road.
Those
stalwart individuals were: - Messrs. O’Connor, Paddon, Griffin, and Mr
Munton. In these millennium years, when sports training in schools is
so scarce and competition often discouraged, it does seem strange that
in those times a weekly bus was made available by B’ham City
Transport, to take the boys for half day sporting activities, at the
Metchley Lane playing fields.
St
Peters was not noted for its academic achievements, but this was long
before such measures as SATS, and OFSTED were introduced.
I do remember some of the brighter pupils gaining admission to
Aston Commercial School.
In
later years I happened to meet one of my old masters, he was almost
apologetic regarding teaching levels at the school.
Apologies unnecessary Mr ------, in spite of limited funding
available and inadequate resource, you instilled the standards and
values that matter.
And
so at the age of fifteen years, unsure, unqualified, and without
aspirations, we were discharged into the world of industry and commerce.
Of course, the Careers Officer interviewed each child with a view
to placement, prior to leaving. I recall the most popular job, sought
after by my pals, was lorry driver’s mate. I shall always be grateful
to the memory of Miss S Clements, who guided me in the direction of an
indentured apprenticeship, with a local engineering company. The Head
wrote on my leaving certificate “An
extremely intelligent boy, who has done well as school Captain”.
In retrospect, I feel that with the class of 52, myself included,
the teachers had a very lean year.
Geoff
Millington
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The
photo from Brian Crisp of the four teachers brought back many memories
for me as I was taught by all of them 