When approached to
recall my most memorable times at Prescot School,
I was concerned that my memories would be unlike
many of you Old Boys - for a start, I am of the
wrong gender and probably the youngest Old
Prescotian here this evening. But, having thought
long and hard, I feel that perhaps things weren't
so different after all - perhaps we all tend to
think that the school went into a rapid decline
once we no longer graced it with our own personal
presence !!
I joined Prescot School four Years
after my brother Ian and quite a few more behind
my uncle, Frank Purslow, whom some of you may
remember.
For the two years I was based at
Lathum Wing in St Helens Road where the biggest
shock was the number of Portakabins that served
permanently as classrooms. The sudden
responsibilities of a locker key and text books
seriously hampered the activities of an active 11
year old and I could never fathom out why the
whole form changed classrooms instead of justthe
teachers ! The girls' changing rooms for P.E. at
Lathum had to be seen to be believed - they
consisted of one long, cold static caravan next
to the long-jump pit. Of course, the boys were
privileged to enjoy tiled floors and hot showers.
However, after hearing what they got up to in
those showers, I think we girls we re better off
outside. A trip to Dent House was compulsory in
the First year and very tame it was in comparison
with the return visit I paid as a sixth-former.
I'm sure every past pupil who had the chance to
go to Dent enjoyed it thoroughly. What a shame
the facility no longer exists.
Travelling to Park Wing, formerly
the Girls' Grammar School. was a frequent
occurrence. The exodus every breaktime across
Prescot for PE or Art with Mr Jones was often an
excuse for an illicit trip to Sullivan's comer
shop or to the Cottage Loaf in St Helens Road.
Moving over permanently to Park Wing in the Third
year was a big change; it was nearer to home for
a start and also I was in the same building as my
big brother, a fact about which I'm sure he was
not overjoyed. The move also signalled the
beginning of decision making. I clearly remember
sitting in Mr Barlow's office discussing my
0-level options with the intention of doing
Needlework as my Craft option and leaving having
signed up for a rather male dominated class in
Control Technology. It involved a lot of'simple
wiring diagrams and the splitting of fingernails
on the Meccano.
Sporting memories consist mainly of
begging Miss Bridge to allow us to wear tracksuit
bottoms during the winter and gloves when plaving
netball. I was quite proud to have played
successfully for the Senior Hockey XI for a
couple of seasons.
I must say that I have probably
become a product of the 'equality drive' as my
main interests at school became scientific,
cultured during the Fourth and Fifth years by the
likes of Mr Dempster (Physics), Miss Fraser and
Mr Taylor (Biology) and Mr Ikestley (Chemistry).
. Mid-term tests were always a favourite,
especially with Mr Dempster who had the knack of
tuning his questions to the season - yellow
Easter chickens rolling down a slope at a certain
velocity etc etc.
Throughout my time at the school we
were fortunate to have the opportunities to go on
numerous Field trips, including a visits to a
mining museum, the Lake Distr ict, where I
managed to break a leg, and to North Wales where
I seem to remember throwing oranges into a fast
river and timing their descent downstream -
rather frantically, much to the amusement of Mr
Rowland.
After O-levels I also went on a
school holiday to France to try out my linguistic
skills. Of course, it rained the whole time.
The Sixth form is what I remember
most vividly. I became a member of a very small
community of nineteen students which turned out
to be enormous fun. With less supervision and no
uniform we felt very gown-up at sixteen and
seventeen. Playing cards and loud music featured
heavily as did the second Common Room, the
Wellington public house. Biology field trips
continued with Mr Taylor and most of them
involved welly-wearing and sand -dune
mountaineering. Who said learning can't be fun '?
The Pensioners' Christmas Party was
a big event for Sixth formers. Janet Waring, Head
Girl, and myself as Deputy Head Girl greatly
enjoyed providing entertainment for Prescot's
senior citizens - as much as they did being
entertained.
Janet and I were also privileged to
be awarded a Travel Scholarship from the
Foundation Governors of Prescot School. With this
we were able to enjoy a a weeks activity holiday
in North Devon. I seem to recall that Janet
enjoyed herself more than I due to the violent
bruising of my shins received during my emergency
evacuation of a cave.
A-levels forced one to be more
independent and self-confident. Prescot School
was not merely a factory producing university and
polytechnic entrants . It was a character-forming
establishment providing in the Sixth form the two
probably most important years of my life. Now in
my final university year, I often look back and
am most grateful for those years at Prescot
School.
I should like to dedicate this piece
to Des Roberts who was my Form Tutor and French
teacher for many years and who retired last year
- Thanks. Also to Mr Keith Westley who, in being
always so approachable, save me confidence in
myself sufficient to provide the ambition to
excel in all I attempted.
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