English
What stands out in my mind about Stoke School
is that for our homework once, we had to reply by letter declining an
invitation. I so wanted to do well that I asked my father George to write it for
me, this is what he wrote;
DEAR SIR, I THANK YOU
EXCEEDINGLY FOR YOUR KIND AND GENEROUS INVITATION, BUT I REGRET I MUST FORGO
THE PLEASURE OF ATTENDING AS I HAVE A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT etc
This letter I will
always remember as I was marked really low because the teacher knew I did not
write it. Hence the expression “cheats
never prosper”.
I was the flower
monitress and to this day I love gardening.
I still have my recorder but drive my partner Graham mad with the tune
“Little Bird”, the only tune I remember.
Sheila Torrens
Science
I remember how, after a Science lesson with
Mr Milest, I climbed on a bench and tied my cardigan to the Bunsen burner
pipe! Mr Griffiths caught me and, with a
smile, made me climb up and untie it I
think he was amused why I would do such a stupid thing!
I also remember a group of us being
thoroughly told off for making a long icy slide at the side of the Domestic
Science block.
One of my proudest
moments was when in a biology lesson with Mrs Myers, I
was the only one in the class with a comb (not sure if I got a star for that!).
Anne Tilley
Gym took place in the hall and was dreaded by many of the non-sporty girls. The required dress was an Aertex blouse and (most hated) navy knickers. It was with horror that I changed for gym only to find that I’d forgotten to change the bottom half of my baby doll pyjamas that morning and had to prance about the hall in pink, lace edged pants. Mrs Myers ‘(P.E. teacher) response is not recorded!
Dorothy West
Domestic science was taught to all girls and some of us opted to take it at GCSE O’ Level. We had to prepare a menu for approval and then cook it on the day of the exam. This turned out to be the hottest day imaginable and the piped cream on my cherry tart melted into shapeless blobs. With five minutes left I prepared gravy. Adding gravy browning for colour, someone knocked my arm and half the bottle tipped into the gravy spoiling it completely. I poured it away before the examiner could see and told her I’d run out of time.
Three people have since confessed to being the person who knocked my arm. It could only have been one of you but I forgive you completely as I passed with a good mark!
Dorothy West
Lunch
I had forgotten my sandwiches for lunch. I was horrified when my father interrupted Miss Parncutt in assembly presenting her with my lunch. As he left, he called back to her “and see she gets it”!
Jane Hirons
English
I clearly remember an incident as a ‘fuzzer’ based at the second annexe in Mrs Phillips’ class. We were reading a poem which, If my memory serves me correctly, was about a young girl called Rebecca. The details of the poem escape me but I seem to remember it involving a fireman or fire engine. There was a funny piece in the poem which set us off laughing and whoever it was sitting behind me started to laugh and at the same time burped. This made a really funny sound and I was almost hysterical with laughter. Unfortunately I was sat at one of the front desks and was in full vision of Mrs Phillips. Tears rolled down my face and I couldn’t stop laughing. Mrs Phillips asked why I was laughing so hard but I was unable to tell her. She decided I should have a ‘fault’ and said “perhaps that will wipe the smile off your face”. My claim to fame was being the first in the class to get a fault. I gathered quite a few more over the years, though I also gained ‘achievements’ and signed the Achievement Book on a couple of occasions. Does anyone remember this book?
Maureen Poole
Musical Exploits
Back in the early
1950s the school put on a production of the light opera, 'The Bohemian Girl'.
Miss Joan Foulks was the producer. It must have been a major undertaking with
no spare cash available and costumes produced out of thin air. No parent
teacher association in those days to help out, no parents were encouraged to
set foot inside the building! I had a good voice so got the leading role
and it was a very good show.
During the Festival of Britain, myself and another girl were allowed to
audition for a Coventry schools choir which was to take part in a Festival
concert at the Albert Hall. We were both accepted and from then on attended
rehearsals every week, learning a great many songs and a new, specially written
25 minute piece by Ralph Vaughan Williams entitled, 'Sons of Light'. Half way
through the rehearsal schedule, we had a major get together with all the
Midland choirs in Birmingham town hall with Sir Adrian Boult conducting
then in May the same year 1,111 children all met up in London for the actual
concert. Playing was the London Philharmonic orchestra and also featured was
the National Youth orchestra. The previous evening we had all been billeted
with local children and looked after very well. The concert was the most
wonderful experience, R.
V. Williams was there to hear the performance and gave us all a cheery wave.
The whole episode was a fantastic contrast to our rather drab
school lives and the memory vivid to this day.
Megan Walden
First Day
I remember the very first day of
school at Stoke . We were on our way, walking to the
Annexe, when I realized I had somebody else’s mac on !
If you recall, we all had new everything for school uniform. I had to run back
to Stoke, find my coat, then catch up with the rest of
the class.
The funny thing is that my whole life I have made stupid mistakes at the
beginning of every new start. This includes every time I went onto a new ward
when I was training, and we changed every three months! I then have to spend
the rest of the time trying to undo the first impression!
I also remember doing GCE in Domestic Science: I forgot to cook the
Savoy cabbage, so threw it into boiling water at the last minute.
I was complimented on the lovely emerald colour!!
In another cooking class, we were supposed to be making a Victoria
sponge cake. Mine didn’t rise at all and looked like a large biscuit. The
teacher (can’t remember her name) was very sympathetic and said it would
probably taste good.
Lastly: Do you remember how we used to cook a dish, then
take it home with us? I clearly remember taking stewed apple and custard
upstairs on the bus and having it spill all over me… duh!!
Ah me, those were the days!!
Pam Garner
Notes from 1958
Diary Forms 2P and 3M
While having a recent clearout I came across a
small 1958 page a day diary which I'd got no idea I'd still got. The writing
isn't very clear but there were a few decipherable mentions of Stoke which I
thought everyone might like to read. I would be interested to hear if
anyone else had memories of that year at school, especially a different slant
on the events I have mentioned.
January - we started our first Domestic Science lessons at Stoke. For the first month we were restricted to care of the skin and nails. Then shoe cleaning and washing handkerchiefs. The second month we made toast and coffee and then progressed to Welsh rarebit! If I can read my writing the teacher was Mrs Padden.
We had some mysterious tests in March. They were supposed to show if we were in the right forms and were marked by Miss Parncutt, Mrs Saunders and Miss Woodford. On 25th March we had a problem test and a comprehension test. Then, the following day, English and General Knowledge.
I think they must have been shuffling around as some girls had elected to go to Lyng Hall. I don’t think we sat the 13+ although some schools still did.
In September a girl in our class named Sandra Jenkins was found to have TB and sent to a sanatorium for several months. We were encouraged to write to her. I don’t know if she ever came back to Stoke. If she did she was no longer in our class.
Margaret Rose, who had been head girl the year before we started at Stoke, came back to teach after two years at teacher training college.
Most of the class went to Lilleshall for a week from 6th October.
The Bishop of Coventry attended our carol service at Stoke St Michael’s on 16th December. He was very complimentary.
Anne Scotcher
Last updated 17 August 2010