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Articles
Hammerwich School
Memories of Mrs Knean - Headmistress 1949 to 1961
"Summer term 1949 began on April 1st, my first day as a head teacher. The previous head, Miss George, had gone to Brownhills Infants School and Mrs Daker transferred to Chasetown School, nearer her home. The remaining teacher was Mrs Feast.
Two classes shared the 'big room' with the folding partition; Mrs Feast took the younger children in the room at the Mansion Hill end, and I taught the older children in the other part. The third (small) room was used for school dinners delivered from Brownhills (?) and served by Mrs Cooke and Mrs Griffiths.
The first child I admitted was (I think) Roger Bagnall, bringing the number on the roll to 60. Gradually I made a list of additions or changes which would benefit the children.
The position of the school, with a playground completely surrounded by roads, provided little space for the children to play, and no protection against balls going over the walls at playtime or during P.E. sessions. There was no playing field. Eventually a fence was erected - but only on one side, facing the shop and houses. The school was allowed to use a field behind the houses for a games period, eventually.
At that time there was no village playground, just a small school yard and no outdoor equipment. It was suggested that a sandpit could be made with fathers helping with the work. The planning was arranged by Mr Alf Evans. In the interests of cleanliness or good hygiene, not only was the sandpit built but it was provided with a cover made of corrugated iron which slid on and off quite easily. My father made a wooden seat for a swing, complete with ropes to build the swing on a strong branch of a big tree opposite the shop.
No playing field for the Juniors meant that they were at a disadvantage when competing in the annual Inter-Schools Sports. It was unlikely that they would score many points, but they would be dressed to 'shine' in the Country Dancing display at the end of the sports. We bought T shirts and shorts for the boys and the mothers helped to make pretty green skirts for the girls to wear with their T shirts. Talk about raising morale! - and money well spent.
Highlights of the School Year
The Harvest Service was conducted each year by the vicar, the Reverend Clayton. Gifts of fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs were given by the parents and friends, and made a wonderful display. After the service these gifts were sold and the money put into the School Fund for a variety of purchases.
CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS: From the early days of December, excitement began to grow. The partition was opened on the party day so both classes could enjoy games. Tea, consisting mainly of sandwiches and cakes given by the mothers, was followed by a gathering around the tall Christmas tree and a present for everyone. The Carol service was held a few days before the party, before the excitement grew too much. Anyone and everyone in the village was welcome to join in, and this was a highlight for many people.
May day was new to me, but it was a tradition which had to be continued. Following the pattern of past years, one of the older girls was crowned queen. She had a retinue of six girls, and a small boy carried the crown ahead of the procession to the outdoor stage.
After the crowning ceremony by the retiring queen, the dancing began. The younger children performed simple singing games, with the older children repeating country dances learned for the Inter-School Sports and the all-important Maypole Dances. One of the wonderful sights was the 'May Sticks' carried by all the children, made by proud mothers; a wooden stick, between 2 to 3 feet long, was topped by bunches of flowers and ribbons - lots of room for competition among the mums! They volunteered to make 6 long dresses to be worn by the Queen's attendants, and a beautiful crown was made by Mrs Evans of Stockhay Lane - I was told that she had been a milliner!
Outings and Activities
In the 1950s, not many families owned cars so it was suggested that the school should have an annual 'outing' to include parents and any villagers who would like to join the party. Details of three 'special' outings are here:
Liverpool and New Brighton
The party travelled to Birkenhead in several coaches, stopping for a cooked meal at the British Restaurant - one of many introduced in wartime where people could have a reasonably cheap meal, so saving coupons for a bigger meat ration. Rejoining the coaches, the party split into two sections before going through the Mersey Tunnel. The younger children and their mothers then went on the ferry to New Brighton and its sandy beach. The other group went on the overhead railway from the Pierhead through the dock area, with many ships tied up. Rejoining the coaches, we all went to the ferry terminal and sailed to join the other party in New Brighton, homeward bound after an exciting trip.
Festival of Britain - 1951
Parents and children - and staff - travelled to London by train. The father of one family jumped off at a station to buy a newspaper and had to be hauled aboard by another father when the train only slowed down but did not actually stop!
London coaches took us on a tour of the city to see the well-known buildings and the special decorations. A stop at the Tower of London was a MUST DO! Warnings that the queue to see the Crown Jewels would cause us to have to stand for at least half an hour were ignored - and more than compensated for when we at last reached the wonderful display. From the Tower to the South Bank Festival. We crossed in a big open-topped ferry, one of the highlights of the day, enjoyed by all. After a tour of the Festival areas which included the Ferris Wheel and the Royal Festival Hall, we returned to Euston Station, weary but happy.
1953 Coronation Year
Most of the population of Hammerwich joined an outing to London, a Friday at the end of two weeks of special celebrations. when our coaches reached Buckingham Palace we were told the Queen and Prince Philip would be travelling from the Palace along the Mall in an open carriage and then by boat to a lunch at the Guildhall. A unanimous decision was made - we would wait to see the Royal carriage driven past. We stood on the edge of the pavement and had a wonderful view.
Then came the news that no boats would be allowed on the river until the Royal couple returned home - so our proposed ferry trip was cancelled. A big disappointment, but our helpful coach drivers took us on a city tour to see the special places and their decorations before we arrived at Kew Gardens. There were plants and flowers to interest some of the party and big open spaces where the children could work off their energy before starting off for Hammerwich again - tired and happy.
'OLD TYME DANCING'
Having watched the children dancing at the school Christmas Party, some of the adults asked 'Couldn't we learn to dance?' Eventually we decided to organise an 'Old Tyme Dancing' session weekly through winter - eventually for longer periods! We had a school gramophone and begged and bought records. The partition was opened and created a good big floor space. I had been involved with Country Dancing, changed to Old Tyme, so with my friend, Mrs Eardley, we started, wondering whether there would be much support - we were almost overwhelmed!
On Thursday evenings 7.30-10pm, the classes flourished. A small change was made - tea and biscuits in the interval - and raffle prizes were donated. School funds swelled tremendously, and many people gained enough confidence to go to dances elsewhere - provided that Thursday night sessions would continue.
Years of Change
Hammerwich House was no longer a private property. It had been purchased by Walsall Education Authority to provide a home for children who needed residential care - a few girls and a larger number of boys.
The total of children in school rose to 90, with an age range from 5 to 11 plus. It was obvious that an extra teacher was needed to take the third class. When I applied to Staffordshire Education Authority for an extra teacher, a desperate shortage existing at that time, I was told that I could have an extra teacher if I could find one!
Coincidence was to play a large part in the solution of the problem. In the doctor's surgery one evening, there was a woman busy with a piece of embroidery which brought us into conversation, and revealed that she had been an unqualified teacher who had left the profession to have a family. Middle-aged, with a husband teaching in Cannock, she had not been in school for several years, BUT, if the LEA agreed and if I would help her when help was needed, she was prepared to attempt a trial period with the new class. Fortunately for us, Mrs Davies was a good teacher, willing to ask for help if she needed it. She stayed some years. The teachers were:
Reception Class Mrs Feast
Class 2 Mrs Davies
Class 3 Mrs A Knean
The next problem was classrooms. The third room, previously used as the 'dinner room' was required for the new Class 3. Eventually, the Education Office rented the WI Hall for 2.5 hours daily, the children being escorted by the teaching staff - pleasant on fine days, difficult in bad weather! The move made the job easier for the 'dinner ladies' who now had a large water boiler and a sink with a draining board - no longer washing-up bowls on a classroom table!
The Walsall children presented a variety of problems - behavioural, lack of discipline or security, no caring parents at hand, and mainly low-to-average intelligence. Gradually, the problems were tackled and resolved, returning the school to what it was 'before the invasion'.
The children and school staff were very fortunate when Mr and Mrs Wanless took charge of the home.
When there was a problem, we met together and worked out the best solution for all - as illustrated in the story of Donald and Billy Shaw:
Donald was the elder of the brothers; he was near the lowest end of the intelligence scale, learning little but quiet and no trouble in the classroom. Billy was quite different - brighter, happy to avoid instructions, talkative and inattentive in the classroom and a general pest. His teacher, Jim Ward, came one day with Billy's 'sum book'. The previous day's sums were all correct, but on the day in question, he had scribbled a random selection of answers, all incorrect. We decided to contact Mr Wanless who came to school immediately. The school's suggestion (or the teacher's) was to demote Billy to the bottom class, making it clear that if he behaved as a 'bottom class' boy, that was where we would put him. Mr Wanless approved our suggestion and added two of his own, namely that Billy would be returned to the earlier bed time of the younger children, and on pocket money day, his allowance would be cut to the level of the youngest also! Needless to say, Billy was soon a totally reformed boy whose ability range grew higher when the 'losses' were eventually stopped. Many teachers, especially at this time, would be happy to have Mr Wanless to help with problem children. As time passed, staff and children learned to accept each other's ways, and the school regained its relaxed and happy atmosphere
Staff during the period 1949-1961
Teachers: Mrs Feast, Mrs Davies, Barbara Walls?, Myra Ellis?, Harry Pickering
Dinner Ladies: Mrs Cook and Mrs Griffiths
Clerical Assistance: This came into being about 1957, two hours a week. The first was a young woman who thought shopping in the village was more important than being in school to answer the phone etc. She stayed a few weeks, name forgotten. Her successor was Mrs Isabel Wall, who became so involved with the school that she eventually trained as a primary school teacher and worked with me at Shelfield and Burntwood Park School."
Many Thanks to Mrs Knean for letting us share her memories and to all those whose contributed photographs
