DOROTHY C. MAGUIRE (NEE COLES) RECALLS THE OLD ARNSIDE NATIONAL SCHOOL

I CAN distinctly remember the layout of the old Arnside National School, now Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.

Formerly the junior and senior departments were in one big room, but divided into two classrooms by a full-height heavy moveable partition.

The junior room was heated by a coke stove, and Mr Lindsay's, the headmasters's class, by an open fire.

If the buckets ran out of fuel the boys would be sent out to the coal sheds in the girls' playground to replenish stocks.

I can still see the displays on the high window sills: a large ostrich egg and stuffed birds in glass cases.

When attending a service in the church recently I was amazed how low the window sills were. I'd forgotten I'd now grown and the images were a child's.

Mr Lindsay gave us a love of reading. There were whole sets of series of books, including Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows, and Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson.

In arithmetic tables were essential. We learned up to the 14 and 16 times tables, which were necessary as 12 shillings made a monetary pound, 14 pounds a stone in weight, and 16 ounces in a pound.

We would chant them together and recite individually. Today's educationalists are now beginning to realise how important tables are.

Being a church school we were well-grounded in religious knowledge, being able to recite some of the psalms and the Ten Commandments.

But my favourite lesson was the singing lesson when we learned the British national songs.

With it being war time we were very patriotic and my favourite was I Vow to Thee my Country, and, of course, we usually ended by singing The National Anthem.

My memories of Arnside School were all happy, though discipline was strict, and lasting friendships were made.