Page 142 - Through a glass brightly

being with neighbours (or friends or family). The virtual get-together is very much second best.
The rain it raineth every day! But that’s Scotland’s summer for you! At least it’s warm,
From Judy at 15.09
It’s lovely to hear these stories of us getting back to something like normal and re-discovering some of life’s summer pleasures. During the very hot period, Keith and I sat in our garden in the evening when it was cool enough to be out there, drinking wine in the gloaming. Very pleasant but I miss being in pub gardens with others enjoying themselves as well; and being able to go out for meals. Takeaways, though better than nothing, don’t quite cut it...
Going back to school lessons, I was interested to hear again one or two of your French names. Mine was Fleurette: anyone less like a little flower! Even nice Miss Girling couldn’t help smiling when I suggested this name and she told me what it meant! I had seen it in one of those magazines, like ‘Girl’ or ‘School friend’, which I read avidly at one point. Fleurette was a girl heroine, in the Resistance (of course). I expect I wanted to emulate her.
I don’t remember Miss Gunnery in tears over the Easter story and am surprised as I would expect to recall seeing a teacher weeping. A rare event in our day... I will mention a games lesson; it was the dreaded lacrosse and involved Sandy, Judy Clegg (I think) and me. We were all quite frightened of being injured in this rough game and reluctant to participate. So we lingered around the edge, trying to look involved. Anyway, the ball came near us and we all stood there, pretending to scoop it up while Miss Bryan urged us on! She wasn’t fooled. Janet, I remember Miss Slaymaker who taught us German. She told us a story about how she used to throw her stockings (this was before tights) into the bath after she got out, to wash them, and how she had once mistakenly thrown her petticoat in as well. It seemed such a personal sort of story to tell the Lower Vth, but she was young of course.
I have a vivid memory of Miss Eatock passing an electrical current through the class. Can’t remember in what year. We had to stand in a ring, holding hands. Her face, when we dropped our hands in horror! She was delighted. I’m sure that wouldn’t be allowed now- imagine if she’d made a mistake and electrocuted us all.
Any more lesson memories?
From Maggie H. at 19.46
Well folks, better late than never I follow up with memories of walking to school. Like so many Barnet Hill is forever engraved on my mind.
As Val mentioned, for many years I would leave home in Western Way, make my way up Sherrards Way and call for Sally (year below) and Pat Wyness (year above) and then we would farther up the Way call for Susan Collins (year above). All sensible stuff. But, somehow on many occasions Pat would be ‘not ready’ so Sally (tutting as she came out of the front door) and I would sally (excuse the pun..) forth by ourselves. Again, all boringly straight forward. HOWEVER, it was soon evident that on Wednesday mornings both girls were inexplicably detained and mum would suggest I might like to carry on to meet up with Susan who would be anxiously waiting. Ok. SUSAN, on Wednesday mornings would be waiting for me along with her Wednesday companion - the DOUBLE BASS! This giant delectable piece of wood and gut had to be lugged up Fairfield Way and Barnet Hill. Susan, who was an ardent Goon Show fan, having listened to the radio programme the evening before, as per usual would enquire whether I had heard it (always a negative reply on my part. I HATED the Goons..) feeling I had missed a great treat, dear Susan puffed away and mimicked all the (Stupid, in my opinion) voices word for word (what a memory..) of the previous evening’s Goons. Complete torture for half an hour - AND I often carried her school bag! Sally and Pat knew what they were doing...
Some years ago at an OG’s lunch I found myself sitting at table next to a member from the year above us, she being one of only a few contemporaries attending that year. I asked where
141