General Chat

HI I was wondering whether there might be any people out there who experienced primary school education during the 1940s? I'm doing research into what life was life for primary age children at school after the war and what a typical day's timetable might entail. I'm finding obtaining information on the educational side very difficult to obtain on the internet as most sites tend to concentrate on World War II. It would be great to hear from anyone who can help me! Thanks Sally

Sally, have you tried contacting a local museum? It's a long shot, but the children from the school I work in often take a trip to a nearby museum where they dress up in school uniforms from past times.

Sally I was at Grammar School 1936 to 41. middle and primary in the 1930s. Any use to you? Len

I was in primary school from 1935 to 1940 when I went to Grammar School. Typical day in primary being - learning the alphabet and memorising the 2 x, 3 x etc. tables. Learning how to tie shoes and being in trouble and sent home because I forgot my gas mask. Walking in line (in a hurry) when the sirens went to get to the air raid shelters. Playing games in there like 'whispering'! Someone said something to their neighbour and the neighbour has to whisper it to the next - ad infinitum. Never came out at the end the same as it started. Almost every day ended with a spelling bee. If you could spell the word you could go home. Learned to add and subtract, multiply and didvide -without the use of a calculator! High school not much different but loads of homework, had to wear a uniform, Maths, algebra, geometry, geography, history, biology, physics, physical education a must. Friday afternoons on the sports field, grass hockey, netball, tennis, 'rounders'. Girls school only (but it was nice as there were boys at the College next door! ) Those were the days! I was sitting on a window ledge in the form room the day peace was declared. That day I will never forget! Email me with specific questions if I can help.

Sally, I started Primary School in 1948. I can remember a great many things about life in school then. As reception children we had our own small blackboards, chalk and blackboard eraser. There was a paper shortage so our first efforts at arithmetic and writing were never kept. Later we progressed to pencil and paper and in the Juniors to dip pen ink wells and exercise books! We learned to read by the then new "Look and say" method, using Beacon Readers. My mother was horrified at my lack of progress and the fact I did not know my sounds. My two older brothers had started school in the 1930's and progressed far more quickly. I was a poor reader not really grasping the technique until taken in hand by the Head who had a group of us daily, who were taught by a more phonic based approach. I can remember sitting on the floor in her room reading aloud "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" . If you want any further information please email me. Rosemary(Essex)

I started school in Yorkshire in 1946. Remember that small canvas cots were put out for a short sleep during the day just after having a drink of a wonderful orange drink - we also had a 1/3rd of a pint of milk a day. Those of us that were under weight were given a tbs of cod liver oil and malt. Think they gave me too much as I am having trouble getting the weight off. We were certainly healthy enough but that was maybe because we had to pass a good few orchards on the way to and from school. We respected all and feared some of the teachers. The most feared but looking back one of the best was an ex-R.S.M who ran his class with typical army strickness. He took me from the bottom half to the top of the class in one term, wonderful what fear can do. The school dinners were good. Not until I went to tech College at 13 did I ever see anyone answer a teacher back, and only once saw a parent come to the school to complain about their childs treatment. Must say that we only really feared the teachers when we had been not trying or dodging homework.

I was in Primary school from 1944/1947 and as it was a Church of England school Scripture played a great part in our daily education Every day we had Maths and English we also had Geography, History, P.E Singing and Art and Craft lessons and sometimes Nature Study In the top class we also went to the local Baths for swimming lessons We learned most things by rote and it amazes my grandchildren that I can work some Maths problems in my head whilst they have to resort to using calculators In 1947 I went to Grammar School and there I took Art Biology Chemistry,English, Domestic Science, French, Latin( for a short while until I along with some others got thrown out and had to take extra French) Geography, History ,Maths Music P. E & Physics In the Science subjects the girls were put to the back of the class and totally ignored by some of the male teachers In later years when I took a GC SE in Spanish I found the work and the exams a lot easier to do because nowadays instead of conjugating verbs and getting the grammar right they concentrate on being able to speak write and understand Bren

I was in Primary School 1933-1939 and High School 1939-1945. I remember having to sleep every afternoon in Primary School and, once a week, my friend and I were "allowed" to clean the Headmistress's sitting room. I can remember it still, it was all chintzey, very much like my lounge room now. We were evacuated in 1939 and came home again in 1942 and often had to go to the Air raid shelters during classes. The shelters were underground and I was very claustrophobic and still am, I can't go in lifts or small rooms and have to always know where the door is so that I can get out. When I took my School Certificate, the sirens went several times and we were not allowed to talk to anyone in the shelters. It was very difficult, but I passed with very good results in all subjects!!! I don't suppose this is much help to you but I thought someone might have had the same experiences. Best wishes to all, from Sylvia in Perth WA

Sally - Have you tried posting a message on Friends Reunited? Lou

Hi, My schooling was in the early 50's but looking back through the replies there are one or two things that we did which I'm sure others did earlier. What about the playground games, jackstones, hopscotch, skipping I bet this list is almost endless. Nature walks, I still remember the names of most woodland and wayside flowers, it seemed to be sunny everyday then. Sportsdays, folk and Scottish dancing with the girls yuuk!, poetry with the headmaster. and of course there were punishments, I wasn't a very good child and must have written 'I must not do this or that' thousands of times, sitting with hands on heads, standing in the corner, having to be milk monitor oh happy days xx Dave

HELLO EVERYONE! I am so chuffed that so many people have contacted me with their memories of schooling during the 1940s. It has been so interesting reading all of your accounts and I am in the process of contacting all of you to thank you very much for your contribution! Reading your accounts is bringing home to me all the hardships you had to endure during and after the war as well as being expected to learn at school. What becomes very clear to me that despite conditions most children appeared to have had a very good grounding in maths and english which has held everyone in good stead over the years, particularly the mental arithmetic and spelling. Anyone who wants to contribute further is perfectly welcomed to contact me direct. Cheerio for now! Sally

Hello Sally, Similar memories to the others. I was at primary school from 1950 to 1956, then on to grammar school until 1964. The primary school was a church school, so we started each day with a hymn, reading and prayers in the hall. Also meant that we went over the lane to the church on Ascension Day for a short morning service, then were allowed the rest of the day off! When I started, they were just finishing building new inside toilets to replace the old outside "privies". Big step foward. Most of us had school meals, cooked on the premises, liked most of the food, couldn't stand swede, which was undercooked and tasted like a mouthful of nettles! Segregated play yards for boys and girls. Infant school boys had to share the girls' space, so it was a great life event to hit age 7 and cross into the boys' yard. Both yards had a slope, being on the Pennines, and we were always losing footballs across the road at the bottom (some were run over by vehicles and burst at that point), while others continued down the narrow ginnel to the tannery at the valley bottom, and were never seen again! At Christmas we had the usual visit from Father Christmas. We were told by the head to keep quiet and listen out for Santa's sleigh bells. Sure indeed, we could hear the bells in the distance getting louder as he approached, then stopping overhead as he landed on the roof. Reverse performance when he left. We were true believers until one occasion, when a parent was arriving late, and saw our tough but fair elderly femail 11+ teacher galloping round the outside of the building swinging a set of bells in each hand! Country dancing, yes we had that each week, and enjoyed ourselves(provided we danced with the right girl!). In my final year, we won the local inter-school dancing competition! Recycled text books from pre-war years, old desks progressively being replaced, teachers who could hit a fly on the wing at 20 paces with a piece of chalk (or a child's head at 10 paces with a blackboard rubber!) Real writing at age 8 (wonder where all that skill went?), stubby wooden pens and inkwells, regulation county council boxes to keep our work in. Etc, etc..... Philip