Len
Stephenson Remembers…
When first asked by Lance for some JCS memories
last year, I was at a loss as to where to start. Now I think a little background
may be appropriate.
I started my school years at Hebburn Quay school in 1938. My education was interrupted by being evacuated during the war years; first a short evacuation to a Durham village called Morden then, in Aug 1940, evacuated to Canada along with hundreds of others under a government child overseas evacuation scheme (C.O.R.B). I returned to Hebburn in April 1945, just prior to the end of hostilities in Europe. I sat what I believe was some sort of 11+ school exam. During this time, I attended Clegwell. Somehow or other I passed for JCS and, after the summer holiday, started JCS. It was with a discontented attitude because I was obliged to start, yet again, at another strange school. My first sight of JCS nearly overwhelmed me; the building being so old and tall.
I
was placed in form 1B;the form teacher being Tommy Dean. My first experience was
running the gauntlet at the morning recess. This was when all first formers ran
the gauntlet between two columns of older boys who tried to pummel the
unfortunates. I escaped relatively untouched thanks, I believe, to flailing my
arms as I ran. The older boys also tried to intimidate by telling us about the horrors of GD popularly known as “gentle death.” GD
was geometric drawing taught by Daddy Hoyle, a hard task master who was also our
art teacher
Other
intimidation was the threat of being given lines to write by prefects, a system
which was completely foreign to me.
However
during my first 2 years I never once heard of a student having to do” lines”
for a prefect. Also when I became a prefect in later years, no prefect I know
ever carried out the threat of “lines”.
In fact the threat seemed to die in my latter years. Prefects then
obviously realized the whole process was meaningless besides, who could
“punish” those they were friendly with? It was a tradition that I believe
died a natural death. However, I’m curious if “line giving” by prefects
was ever reintroduced after 1950.
Although
a Hebburn lad, I Was placed in Palmer House (blue)
The
following are some of the lessons/teachers
I remember.
Mrs.
Young tried to instill history into us.
Pop
Young had the difficult task of teaching us French.
Taffy
Jones began the task of introducing us to the world of Mathematics.
Big
Bill Ramsey was our science teacher, lessons which were always in the science
lab.
Mr.
Archibald was our PT teacher
A
vivid memory was the entire class being caned by Tommy Dean for not standing up
soon enough when he once entered the room Another time, a repeat performance for
not sitting down quickly enough
During
the winter months there was a dance held every 2nd Friday night for
the 1st and second year students at a cost of 3d, the seniors had
their dance on alternate Friday nights.
We
were instructed in the art of ballroom dancing by Taffy Jones who showed
remarkable patience despite the task at hand. Not only did he instruct with
dance lessons, he taught us how to behave in the presence of ladies; courtesy,
good manners and the like. The Initial Bradford
barn dance was a wonderful way to meet the girls, that is if one didn’t
already know any.
My
first and closest friend at JCS was David Green who happened to live in the
adjacent street to me in Hebburn
After
having a fairly successful academic year, I was placed in the ‘A” stream in
my second year. Our form teacher was Miss Scaife, a gentle spoken, lovely, lady.
Our French, Math's and Science teachers remained unchanged. Miss Earnshaw
taught us English. Another year
increased my confidence and I finally settled in and in actual fact quite
enjoyed attending school during this time. This was the time also when I started
to make friends with my peers who lived in Jarrow, Pelaw, and Felling.
Although
the teachers were strict, I thought them to be fair although one or two of them
still had a penchant for using the bamboo cane
Archie
Campbell who taught woodwork and metalwork as well as technical drawing
preferred to use a long steel rule on an offender’s buttocks, in lieu of the
cane.
The
Friday night dances continued to the delight of
most students. Being a year older meant we knew the girls much better.
After
2A, I progressed to 3A, 4A then finally 5A which was my final year.
Our
3rd year form teacher was Miss Carr.
Our
history studies remained with Mr. Dean. Science and Math's
were instilled by Mr. Ramsay (Big Bill) as he was popularly known by.
Our
4th year form teacher was E.G. Smith
Science
and Math's once again remained with Mr. Ramsay while Mr. Casey took over our
History lessons.
I’m
not sure but I believe Geography was handled by Mr. Copeland. Our History
teacher was Mr. Casey and he continued to be during our 5th year.
Our
5th year form master was Mr. Ramsay who also continued with Math's
and Science
Miss
Mackie taught us French in both 4A
and 5A and Pop Young was our Scripture instructor for the same years.
For
at least part of our 5th year, Miss Davis was our geography teacher.
Although
I’ve mentioned many teachers and their associated subjects, I can’t vouch
for the information due to my memory not being what it should after 54 years of
leaving school.
While
in 5A our form room was any room that was empty. we had no desks per se. our
books were kept in lockers off the main hall. this didn’t present a problem
but it illustrated the lack of classroom space.
During
my senior years, I became fond of playing Handball in the Beech Street Drill
Hall. Our house football games were
played in Jarrow West Park. Ollie Overton, our PT instructor often joined in the games we used to participate in, in the
playground. Occasionally, under the supervision of Ollie, we played a form of
cricket in the playground.
I
was fond of and did reasonably well in most sports; I had no interest, nor was I
any good playing football.
During
all my years, a favorite pastime at recess was playing “headers” there was
always a scramble to secure what many lads thought were the best “pitches.”
No
kicking a ball was allowed in the playground. A vivid memory when I was a first
former was seeing a senior lad attempt to kick a ball, he missed the ball but
his shoe went through one of the windows…….. much to the delight of many
juniors.
I
remember we boys were once challenged by the girls to game of netball. Joe
Hunter and myself both being tall gladly accepted in the belief we would win but
unfortunately the boys were trounced!! Thanks mainly to Margaret Craig, Ruth
Simpson and Maureen Kelly. Miss Davis was referee for that game, held in the
Grange playground, we never again accepted or issued another challenge.
The
most momentous events for me were summer camps The first held at Redcar when I
was in the second year and another held at Barnard Castle during my 3rd
year. We sang our heads off there
and back while perched atop the tents in the back of the lorry. Both camps
resulted in long walks and plenty of sports. A sort of unofficial sports day was
held with participants representing their respective houses With the camp at
Barnard Castle being compact and close to town, we were allowed a lot of free
time to do as we pleased. Nobody abused this privilege resulting in the camp
being a complete success. The camp bell tents were stored under the stage in the
school hall.
I
sat and passed the Oxford School
Certificate exams in late Spring of 1950 then a few short
weeks later, walked through the school door for the last time. I felt sad
for I realised I was leaving the best years of my life behind me.
As
with most students, I had my ups and downs while at Central but overall I quite
enjoyed my Central time. In later years I began to appreciate more fully the
standard and quality of the “instruction” at JCS.
When
on a trip home to visit my roots, I journeyed to Jarrow only to be devastated by
the old school building being no longer in existence. Since then I’ve often
wondered if any “artifacts” from the old school were ever saved for
posterity ;for instance the honour boards that used to hang in the main hall .
Too bad the desk lid where Mr. Younson once carved his initials into wasn’t
saved and what happened to the stained glass?
The following are
names of some of the teachers and students that I remember:-
TEACHERS
Mr. Casey
Mr. Copeland
Mr. Taylor
Miss Scaife
Miss Carr
Miss Davis
Miss Mackie
Miss Earnshaw
Mrs. Young
Mr. Younson...Headmaster
Taffy Jones
Mr. Trainor
Archie Campbell
Mr. Scurfield
Tommy Dean
Big Bill Ramsay
Pop Young
Ollie Overton
Mr. Morrison---caretaker
HEBBURN STUDENTS
Jacqueline Paisley
Dorothy Cameron
Catherine Kelly
Joyce Beattie
Enid Ritchie
Enid Laurie/Lawrie
Maureen Kelly
Freda Thompson
Beryl Nicod
David Green
Bill Fullerton
Tommy Lough
June? Fairweather
Moira Patterson
Valerie Thackeray
George Smith
Brian? Tones
Leslie Stephenson
Enid Laurie
Ruth Roberts
JARROW STUDENTS
Margaret Craig
Muriel Robertson
Patricia Wright
Ken Wilson
?? Petrie (m)
Ray Lawson
Stan Ward
George Suggitt
Trevor Paterson
Les Davison
Doug Sinclair
Joe Hunter
Margaret Grey
Ruth Simpson
Bobby Hawyes
Arthur? Cooke
Norman Smith
Margaret Scott
?????McDermot (m)
????? Mitchell (m)
Arthur Kerr
Jean? Gibson
?? Turner (f)
---??? McDermot (m)
PELAW/FELLING
STUDENTS
Tom Carr
Mildred Blacklock
Audrey Moore
Dorothy Bruce
Audrey Fitkin
Vera Gardner
Ritson Elliot
Jean Anderson
Tan Hollywell
Arthur Yellowly
Edna Waugh
2-Ranson Brothers
Paul? Henderson
????? Dorman (m)
Norman Dodds
Ron Davidson
John Foster
Chris? Hodgson
Robert Parkin
Joe Graham
Tom Carr
Jackie Ellison
Marjorie? Clish
Martha Archer
Joan Simms
Lillian Smith <----Mr. Younson' secretary?
Len Stephenson April 2004