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Demonstration School
"Moray House was and is a teacher training
college. My mother did her training there, and perhaps it was
because she enjoyed it that I was sent to the Demonstration School.
Otherwise, it would have been more likely to have been Leith Academy.
The Training School was an infant and primary
school. The students practised their teaching there, and the
children spent a lot of time over at the college having lessons with
lecturers. What an amazing experience!
I have very happy memories of this time.
It was especially good for English. I think many of the pupils
changed to other schools at age 10 or 11. I passed the entrance exam
for Mary Erskine's with top marks at age 10, which would have been because
of the English teaching, as my numeracy skills were sadly lacking. Others
went to Gillespies, the Royal High and Heriots."
Secondary School
"Those who stayed on to age 15 were in the
Higher Grade. My best friend was among them. The EdinPhoto web
site has a photo of Class 3, secondary:
Class 3B - 1955
©
I think the girls probably learned commercial
subjects. My friend did very well, working in a lawyer's office."
Nursery School
"There was also a nursery school attached to
Moray House. We we used to see the little ones in their coloured smocks,
playing in their garden. I think it was famous for its care of pre-school
children. There was, I think, the 150th Anniversary a few years ago and
former pupils were invited to donate. I gave two rose bushes in memory of
my mother and her friend and fellow-student, Maida Cassells."
School Photos
"I wish I could see some of the school photos,
I think the archive is held by Edinburgh University as Moray House now belongs
to it. You have to make an appointment, which is difficult for me.
Moray House Building
"We used to have sewing lessons in the old
Moray House, which was an incredible place, with narrow winding stairs.
We
sat in a little old room and learned to knit and sew.
The children all
went to the College for school dinners, and there was a big playground. Although there was a large number of boys and girls, I don't remember
bullying.
There was a 'janny' who was on the prowl and who lived in the
grounds. We seemed to have quite a lot of freedom too, to wander around
during the dinner-hour. I used to go to the Museum in the Royal Mile, now
the Museum of Childhood. It cost 1d!"
The Strap
"There was also the strap for naughtiness and
for persistent laziness - boys especially being lined up for spelling
errors. We had Schonnell's Spelling List, ten words a night to learn. I
only had the strap once, and that was for spelling!"
Christmas Parties
"I was sad when they closed the school - it had
a 'Rural' class for a variety of ages, and I'd have loved to have gone to
that. They had wonderful class Christmas parties. We were sent home after
morning school and came back to find the desks put together to make one
long table."
School Song
"The carols and songs and poems we learned have always stayed
with me. There were ups and downs as in any school, but for me it was a
very happy time. The school song 'House of memories' is true for me."
Christine Muir, North Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland:
May 7, 2012 |
