Dursley Modern School (Highfields)

[dursleyglos]

Is there anyone who has memories of going to the school at Highfields when it first opened, sometime after the end of the Second World War. I would be interested in hearing any memories of those early days.

[Patricia]

I went to Highfield School from 1954 to 1958 when it was a Secondary Modern School.

During the time I was there they built a swimming pool

The headmaster was Mr Peet
The Senior Master was Mr Trevellyan (his wife was the District Nurse)
I cannot remember the name of the Senior Mistress (girls just avoided her like the plague in case your uniform was not to her exact requirements). She told me off once because I had a "Bill Haley" curl in my fringe
The PE teacher was Johnny Morris
The music teacher was Mr Sheasby
The maths teacher was Mr Radcliffe

There was a fully equipped flat where the girls learnt how to cook, wash, iron etc.
The boys went to the woodwork building.

Remembering my school days are easy, it is what I was meant to do five minutes ago that is hard!!!

[dursleyglos]

Thanks for this Patricia. I know John Morris and he's still going strong!

[kriskros]

Fond memories, I went to the Secondary school from 1959 to 1963 roughly!
I remember the swimming pool and holding on to white plastic blocks and kicking like mad with your legs, never did learn to swim though, it wasn't very big either if I remember correctly.
The english teacher was Mr Ward, I think. He was a very good teacher.
I remember well Mr Radcliffe the maths teacher, I was having difficulty understanding that 1/4 was bigger than 1/8 so he told me to imagine a cake and which size would I rather have, when I said the quarter, he roared 'you greedy girl' I seem to remember being embarrassed but never forgot my fraction lessons.
I remember the 'housecraft' lessons in the flat, I still turn the open end of the pillow towards the window, my husband asks me the reason why and I can't remember just that we were told that was the correct way to make a bed.
Thanks for stirring the old memory, will keep checking in to see what anyone else remembers.

[Patricia]

Thanks kriskros

I remember Mr Ward now, he also taught me English

I also face the pillowcase ends to face the window (or to the side of the bed, never facing in), but I didn't know before where I got that from.

I remember cooking a meal in the housecraft flat, and laundering tray cloths, mens shirts. When I took my Dad's shirt home he said I made a better job of it than my Mum. That was a mistake. I was doing shirts for weeks after that!

At Christmas, my granddaughter had a homework project about school in the 1950's. By the time I had told her what I could remember, she went off with sheets and sheets of paper. Its amazing what can come back to your mind with a bit of prompting

I enjoyed my time at Highfield School - with the exception of swimming lessons. Because the water was so cold and the teachers gave more time to the pupils who could swim already, my friend and I spent the whole class clinging onto the steps.

Margaret and I realised that if we took a note from home to say we were indisposed (for obvious reasons) we could play tennis instead of swimming. So every week we took notes and played tennis. The PE teachers never guessed.

To be fair they were the PE teachers and not qualified swimming instructors.

I eventually learnt to swim many years later at Dursley Swimming Pool.

[dursleyglos]

Some great memories being stirred up here. By the way, I've changed the title of this topic to Dursley Modern School (rather than C of E School). It should have said that in the first place. Thanks a lot.

[Jeaw]

[quote="dursleyglos"]Is there anyone who has memories of going to the school at Highfields when it first opened, sometime after the end of the Second World War. I would be interested in hearing any memories of those early days.[/quote]

Hi my name is Julie (Whittard) Smith
We are former pupils of the Modern School which opened in 1949 and I was in the first form and was called the backbone of the school as our class would be another first to attend all classes before leaving school. My husband Patrick Smith was a year older and was placed in 2nd grade. Mr. Peet was our headmaster and Miss Lewis-Thomas was head mistress. We also had a Johnny Morris who was PE and music (who did not like football so he didn't start a team). The second Johnny Morris came after perhaps a year and he started the football team to our delight. Miss Smith was the girls gym teacher and although very strict we did get a lot accomplished in the years I was there. She established a Gym club, basketball team, tennis team, field hockey and rounders. Glad to say I enjoyed all of them. Miss Owens was needlework teacher after the first year and she was excellent, she had us making the netball uniforms for the team (white shirts and green shorts),she also put me on the path to sewing my own clothes and have enjoyed that all my life. Mr Tremain was geography teacher and would get very frustrated with me as I was a hopeless case...Who ever thought I would travel and find my way around the world as I have done..now living in the U.S.A. Our math teacher at that time was Mr. Walters he also got uptight with me, thank goodness Pat did much better in both subjects. Perhaps my favourite teacher was Mr. Bailey (Science) with his big dark mustache, we always called him flying officer Bailey! Mr.Watters(?) taught art and was a really nice guy after dealing with Miss Pryce (Price)? who was not very pleasant....Miss Davis taught Domestic Science and for the most part it was fun. Mr. Hunter was woodshop,Bunny Clark-English, Mr.Dawson , Religious Knowledge and History?

[Claude]

I left Dursley Modern 42 years ago in 1968 . I lived at Cam house . I would like to no if Johnny Morris the PE + English teacher is still alive i went back 30 tears ago and saw him he was living in Ashmead by Cam peak i ges he would be in his 80s 73s Claude

[dursleyglos]

Hi Claude
John Morris is still very much alive and well, I know him fairly well. He's now living in the Woodmancote area of Dursley.
Regards
Andy

[andrew15]

I also have same thoughts.

dursleyglos wrote:
> Some great memories being stirred up here. By the way, I've changed the
> title of this topic to Dursley Modern School (rather than C of E School).
> It should have said that in the first place. Thanks a lot.

[Oldboy1968]

That is a surprise! I too lived at Cam House (School) when it was still being transformed into a boarding school (for Maladjusted Children) between 1968 and 1972. Claude? When you left in 1968 you must have been part of whatever Cam House had been before the change. I would be very interested to know what 'that' was!? Some of its history i have been informed about by another member (Hunting Lodge 1886). And from 1886-1968 leaves 82 years unaccounted for!

[Claude]

Thought it has always been called Cam House. I remember Garath Cradock, Mike Taylor. They were still there when I left them being 3 yrs younger than me. Always wonder what happened to the Holden's, guess they went back up north to Bury. I know Mike was seeing Jane Elliot over at Uley, her father was a builder. Had look round Dursley last year, lots of changes, like Sainsbury's, you can see Cam House from car park. Have to go up Cam House this holiday take some photo's.