Page 51 - A Life - my Live - my path

3. School – my youth

When we moved to Forchies-la-Marche, my mother enrolled
me in the nursery school close to the house. Surprisingly,
I have no memory of those few months at school.
In September 1957, I was going to be 6 in November, but
I was still able to start my first year at the local school in
Goutroux. I did my six years of primary school there.
The village had an oblong layout with two large
neighbourhoods. “America" at the bottom and "Brittany" at
the top. We lived in "Goutroux Bretagne".
The school was on the border of the two districts. We
went there on foot. We'd walk a kilometre past the football
pitch, along the wood and past the entrance to the cemetery
with its tall cypress trees. In winter, when it snowed, one of
the parents would take a group of boys and girls from the
miner’s community to school. At 10 o'clock we'd get a carton
of milk and for St Nicholas Day a pair of shoes. Different
times!
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The principal taught primary 5 and 6. His house was
next to the playground. In his own way, he was strict.
Wearing a grey dust jacket, when he came into the
playground, he forbade us to speak Walloon. He demanded

that we speak French. In the local schools, co-education was
not yet the rule. The girls' playground was kept separate
from the boys' playground. It was not until 3rd primary that
I had my first mixed (girls and boys) class.

54 Mister WAUTELET
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