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[31 JAN 10]
BROAD STREET School
I attended Broad Street School from 1957- til 1961.
The memories I have are kind of mixed. I remember getting the cane over
the back of my hand twice by a woman teacher, for looking out of the
window into the boys school yard in our 15 minute break time. I was
actually looking for my brother who attended the same school but we were
separated by a wall.
Another smacking was by a man teacher who slapped my skinny little legs
for talking when I was told to keep quiet. He looked at me with pity
afterwards, probably hurt him more than it hurt me, but he had to carry
out his duties.
I remember a Miss Cooper, she wore her hair in what we called wireless
coils, had the same grey-blue dress on every day and wore brown lace up
shoes. She appeared strict, but seldom scolded pupils. The tone of her
voice was enough to keep us in check. She selected me for the school
choir, so of course, I loved her forever after that. Maybe the only
person of my schooldays, that believed in me.
There was a Miss Cross, and cross she was too. She shouted at me and
asked where my manners were, when I walked in front of the blackboard
instead of behind it, when calling in to her class to get my dinner
money from my sister. I was just 5 years old and it was my first day at
school.
Those were the days I guess.
Although bombed (before my time there), the section that fronted
Pridmore Road was completely intact. I assume the section that was
bombed was the other end of the playground along Guild Road. A temporary
building stood there, which, if I remember correctly, served as the
Canteen. I didn't stay for dinners as I lived in Pridmore Road.
It's funny that after all this time, I still remember the teachers'
names. The Head Teacher was a Mrs Walker. The teachers I remember were
Miss Bownes (later to become Mrs Thompson), Mrs Simpson, Mrs Storer and
the final year a Miss Rowden (who became Mrs Cooper). Mrs Cooper was an
excellent teacher, who brought out the best in every pupil (she managed
to get me through an Eleven-plus anyway).
Although there was a war on during the first couple of years, children
of that age assumed that was the usual way of things, never having been
old enough to know anything different. Luckily,my family arrived in
Coventry after the Blitz. My father was sent there from Daventry as
bakers were needed in Coventry.
I often wonder how many families actually moved TO Coventry during the
war. I seemed to get Evacuation in reverse.
