The Kintyre Forum

I attended the Grammar in the mid sixties, and disliked immensely the subject....History. I received the "belt" on several occasions in that class. Think the teacher was called Mr Watson.
My favourite teacher of my school days was Mrs Barbara Hunter who taught p3 in Dalintober in 1961?
She was wonderful, and I have never forgotton her. When I left Dalintober for the Grammar, I asked the teachers to sign
an autograph book I had brought in, and Mr Mc Neil sketched a drawing of Davaar Island on one of the pages and signed it.
I still have that wee book.

I was only ever belted once at school, and it was for something I was wrongly accused of. I was seven years old.

If any teacher assaulted a seven year old child of mine with a weapon, I would seek them, find them and mete out a punishment the like of which they would never, ever forget as long as they lived - IF they lived.

Mzz pasico wrote:I attended the Grammar in the mid sixties, and disliked immensely the subject....History. I received the "belt" on several occasions in that class. Think the teacher was called Mr Watson.
My favourite teacher of my school days was Mrs Barbara Hunter who taught p3 in Dalintober in 1961?
She was wonderful, and I have never forgotton her. When I left Dalintober for the Grammar, I asked the teachers to sign
an autograph book I had brought in, and Mr Mc Neil sketched a drawing of Davaar Island on one of the pages and signed it.
I still have that wee book.

That was Tom Watson the Principal History teacher. He was awarded the nickname "This Man Craig" because the pupils thought he looked like the actor John Cairney who was at that time playing the principal role as a teacher called Ian Craig, in a TV series of that name, based in a fictional school, which ran in the mid sixties. (great imaginations we had)

As far as Dalintober School was concerned, I didn't want any mementoes. That was where I became very acquainted with the Lochgelly. (as you will probably remember) I was just glad to get out of the place. On the last day you couldna see me for stoor.

Ach, yi wirna that bad EMDEE!!!

There was a clique of us in that year that were as bad as each other.

EMDEE wrote:There was a clique of us in that year that were as bad as each other.

Same here.Five of us were expelled on the same day.One of the main reasons was that we painted something on the science lab.exterior wall."Bill is a b*****d".Bill Potts was the head master and the slogan could be seen half-way across Stoke-on-Trent.When we left we set off the fire alarm,all fire extingushers were emptied and the school gates were taken off the hinges and left in the main road.

Hector the Rector,what a guy,whatever became of his son,Neil, if i remember.Johnny Burgoyne what a legend he was,top man.They dont make teachers like those old boys any more.Anyone got a photo of Miss Marks of Castlehill? no nonsense in her classroom.

The "One Show " was in Lochgelly tonight with an item on the history of the ~"belt ". I didn't realise it was unique to Scotland. Ian Rankin was interviewed about his encounters with the tawse when he was a schoolboy

Haven't got a photo I'm afraid foureyes but I met her in person several years ago now. I was doing some work with a special needs school in Greenock and she was in the hall playing the piano for the kids. When she saw me she asked for every kid, by name, that was in my class in 1967/68. Nowhere nearly as scary as I remembered her!!

I had Miss Marks in P3 in Millknowe and we got her again in P4 at Castlehill. Bertie reckons she wasnt as scary recently, but I bet I sleep with the light on tonight.

Nae luck Gizmo.....two years on the trot!!!

I bet you're good at spelling though.

aye,she was a dab hand on the piano,i remember singing along to Scots wha hae many a time.

I remember her singing Scots wha hae and thinking she was building us up to attack Carlisle, and with her in charge I bet we would have got further than Derby. If she had the primary 5 class as well, we would have taken London.
I remember her telling the entire class our "real writing" was rubbish and from then on we would have to do printing, I was devastated, I thought my hand writing was pretty good, indeed I used to practice my autograph for when the Rangers finally made it down to scout the Quarry Green.

what a woman she was, one shout from her and the entire class was jelly.

spare the rod , spoil the child ...