School Snapshot

In the more sedate days of film cameras, it was quite an occasion when a professional photographer appeared at a school, ready to make valiant attempts at creating a carefully composed and orderly picture of each class.

On the day of the event, proud mothers sent children off to school with nicely pressed uniforms, carefully combed and brushed hair and perfectly straight ties. Occasionally, a Press photographer breezed into a school to capture a successful sports team, sportsman/woman or a particular newsworthy event.

When the pictures appeared in the newspaper proud parents bought stacks of copies to hand round to relatives. Orders were also placed at the YP’s front desk for shiny pin-sharp copies of the original pictures.

Delving into the YP’s and my own archives, I have unearthed numerous pictures and articles from special events concerning local schools. Today a few are given another airing. Given these pictures and stories stretch back at least a quarter of a century, I am sure they will bring back happy and hopefully not too many embarrassing moments. In any event, if the pupils depicted are no longer in touch with each other they will all have fun wondering where everyone is now, where they live, who they married and whether or not they have children.

Barnsley Racecommon Road School’s Empire Day

The first Empire Day celebrations took place on May 24 1902 but it was not officially recognised until 1916, though many schools across the British Empire were celebrating it before then. The day was intended to remind children that they formed part of the British Empire, and the strength of the Empire depended upon them. Typically, the real highlight of the day was when children were let out of school early, enabling them to take part in marches, maypole dances, concerts and parties. Longcar Primary School, at the junction of Barnsley’s Racecommon Road/Longcar Lane, celebrated the day in 1913. Completed six years earlier in November 1907, the school closed in 2007.

Bentley School Strike

In 1913, the parents of children living at Bentley Toll Bar School, near Doncaster, considered they were not properly treated and did not obtain adequate return for payment of rates in the form of elementary school accommodation. So they decided, by a large majority, to keep their children away from school until such time as the authorities built a temporary school. In September 1914, a junior and infants school was opened at Toll Bar.

Edlington Victoria Road School

The Education Act of 1944 placed public education of all types in the hands of county councils and county boroughs. The school leaving age was raised to 15 and a new pattern of education, namely primary and secondary, became the pattern for local authorities. Over the years the major projects were the replacement of old schools, the expansion of higher education, new priorities for different schemes under the Act and the expansion of teacher training for all these purposes.

Warmsworth Low Road Church of England School

The children and staff of Warmsworth Low Road Church of England School said goodbye to their old school on August 4, 1978. As the head teacher Mrs Audrey Green locked the door for the last time, there were a few tears, because it had been such a friendly, family-type of school. “In many ways we are sorry to be leaving the school. Lots of parents and grandparents of our children came here, and they all want to know if it’s going to be the same in the new school,” said Mrs Green, who had been there since 1966. A new school had been built nearby.

Sheffield’s Manor Lodge School

By May 1 1990, children at Sheffield’s Manor Lodge First School had finished a two-year task to create their own wildlife, play and study area, after declaring their original asphalt playground boring. Aged between just six and eight, children had designed and helped to build three separate areas to replace their unwanted concrete tunnel, unsafe wall bars and play areas.

Deputy head Sue Graville said: ‘The ideas for the whole project have come entirely from the children and I believe it is unique. The garden and playground have been designed by children for children and not adults providing what they think children want.”

Gladys Buxton School, Dronfield

In March 1990, a hi-tech computer link-up ensured the people of Dronfield were kept well-informed as world reports rolled off the presses at the Gladys Buxton School. Pupils in the top year formed groups to put together their own newspaper as staff were determined to keep activities on the go despite the school’s impending closure. It was to close at the end of the academic year but. according to the head teacher Dilwyn Scott. there was no lessening of enthusiasm by the pupils and staff.

Rotherham Redscope Junior and Infants School

Pupils who were getting more than a little hot under the collar at a Rotherham School, sizzling at an unbearable 80 degrees, were to be back in the shade on May 1 1990. 
The school’s central heating was finally turned off on the previous day when the school used up enough gas to qualify for a cheap-rate bill. Relieved head teacher Pat Moss said: “It’s very cool in school today and quite a relief. I’m glad it’s all over. But she added that she was angry over the waste of natural resources and hoped the situation never repeated itself.