The Central School – 1944 to 1945



1944 saw me in Form 1b where the Form Mistress was Miss Kissane, 

a white haired lady, who spoke very softly but would suddenly startle 

the class by raising her voice by what seemed to be a thunderous thousand 

decibels---her way of ensuring we paid attention. 

Other teachers I remember were Mr Miller (Science), Miss Fanny Jones (Latin), 

Miss Rankin (Drawing) and a popular Miss McGilpin who taught singing/music 

but was not replaced when she left. Other teache...

The Big School – 1940 to 1943



1940 saw me in the "big school" where Grade 3s were taught by 

Miss Quirk and Mr Winkle. Grade 4s had Miss Opie and Miss Tynan. 

Mr Mc Donald and Miss Oulton taught Grade 5s. In Grade 6, 

Mr Lester taught the boys and Miss Wall taught the girls. 

Whilst at the Big School, my teachers were Miss Quirk, Miss Tynan, 

Mr McDonald and Mr Lester. 

 
The 3rd grade was the beginning of a good grounding in the three 

"R's".  Miss Quirk seemed to be obsessed with multiplication...

 In 1937 I started at Elwood Central School in the 'babies' grade, aged 4.   My mother was divorced and had to go to work, so I began school at a very young age.    The Little School, as it was called, was in Mitford Street, across the road from the Big School.    The headmistress was a very aptly named Miss Cross.   I seem to remember that if we were late for school we were made to stand on a dot in the school hall, quite a humiliating experience.    The little school went to grade 2, and ...