Page 115 - Through a glass brightly

From Mag P. at 10.52
Quite a mammoth project for you but I imagine it gives you pleasure. My maiden name was Youngs not Young as is shown by my photograph in the rogues’ gallery. I keep on thinking of things about school, other people’s memories really spark things off. Miss Balaam walked the corridors sometimes and if I had been sent out of class for chatting I used to hide in the those toilets next to the games cupboard on the lower corridor. I think they were sixth form loos and I know I was not meant to be in them! I also spent time before school standing at the games cupboard blowing up netballs and greasing lacrosse sticks. One day because I used to give out notices in Assembly, which had to be rehearsed with Miss Iliff in the Hall beforehand, I and a few others decided I should give out a spoof notice. I told all girls born between certain dates to go to room 3 at break, however room 3 was a book cupboard on a half landing on the stairs. You can imagine the confusion. As I went out of Assembly, Miss Bryan gave me a wicked look bless her.
I have hope today that we are moving in the right direction and one day we will start to return to the new normal.
From Ruth at 11.10
Just to say how much I’m sure we all appreciate the work you and Val have been doing for the QEGGS record of all our lives now and then. After all, 74/5 years is quite a span to cover in 104 or so pages, after all. Not much more than a page a year, after all!
A harsher edit might split and highlight the difference between the ‘then’ and the ‘now’, of course. I was wondering whether we couldn’t set up a questionnaire to delve more deeply into what we all recall most clearly about our school days. It might add some focus to the great variety of the material, though I realise that this would take us away from the sweet conversational randomness of all the emails – apart from the fact that it would probably take about a year to do!
What kind of questions might focus and help sort out the memories, do you think?
Who was your favourite teacher? What was your earliest memory? What was your naughtiest deed? Sort of thing. Struggling a bit here, obviously, as these are not very promising examples...
At least this might spur us on to a few more memories and keep us going. What do you think?
Hope I’m not setting a cat among the pigeons, here! Don’t groan! Just sharing a thought.
From Pat at 12.13
It's really great to see what you've done with all our disparate thoughts and ramblings. Thank you so much for all the time invested. I'd fully support Glenda's plan for in-house 'publication' in the form suggested, with limited circulation, rather than external printing.
There were a number of the earlier emails (early April) which I don't think I ever received, so it's so good to have a record. On the other side of the coin, there would seem to be a batch missing, dated 11th May, several of which relate to the suggested title, and why people thought it might be appropriate. However, if you've omitted them for editorial reasons, I'm quite happy with that!
From Janet at 15.56
Hope you are all keeping well and easing possibly into the end of lockdown - we shall see!
Coming up for air having done my fair share of admin work today - I stop each day before I get too bogged down.
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