Is it me?

[Brew 5,413]

I've just had some pics of my youngest grandson, 4yrs old, in a full graduation cap and gown. Today apparently he graduated from nursery and goes to infants school in September.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Part of me thinks it cute, part of me thinks it a ridiculous creeping Americanisation

[MargieH 7,600]

I supppose it's just a harmless way of marking a special occasion.  When our kids at Toddler Group 'graduate' to go to preschool, we just have cake, clapping and then more cake!

[LizzieM 9,507]

Same happened when our granddaughter finished nursery school last year Brew.  Silly really and I agree that it’s Americanism.  

At the other end of school life, they all seem to have Prom Nights now as well, very American that.  I was in the hairdressers last week and 3 16 year old girls came in, with their mothers, to get their hair done for their school Prom.  They chatted away excitedly about the dresses they were wearing that night. All very well but there will be lots of kids who’s parents can’t afford all these beauty treatments and new outfits.  Bet there were a few tears at Bestwood Lodge Hotel last Friday night !! 

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

There was no prom when I left The Manning School.

 

I recall the final assembly which was held in the school hall just before the end of the school day...around 4.15 in those far off times. It was a tradition on the last day of term and some of the more downtrodden girls cried! 

 

The hymn God Be With You Til We Meet Again (not the well known version with the repetitive tune) was always sung on these occasions. Actually, I like this hymn but I'd stood in that hall every year from age 11, singing it and despairing of how many more years of my sentence remained before I could walk free. However, the time eventually came and there we all stood, singing the hymn...for the last time so far as I was concerned. To mark the occasion, I had rewritten the words and the first line became God Forbid We Ever Meet Again! I don't recall my version of the rest of it...all 6 verses... but it included barbed references to our tormentors, the teaching staff, and the strict routines they operated. I sang it loudly and with feeling, noting the angry faces swiveling in my direction from those battleaxes who had made my life a misery for 5 years and relishing the knowledge there was nothing they could do about it.

 

God answered my request....I never encountered any of them again!  Yippee! 

[catfan 14,793]

I didn't bother attending on the last day, couldn't get away quick enough.

[denshaw 2,871]

Me too, some mates went in to let a few car tyres down.

[Oztalgian 3,278]

I would have liked this

 But instead it was always this 

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,305]

Our hymn book at the Manning was the blue hardbacked Songs of Praise. It has always remained my favourite hymn book because the melodies it contained were mainly by classical composers and I loved them,

 

It contained some obscure hymns, including this one, whose words fascinated me although I was too young to understand their meaning.

 

Once to every man and nation, 
comes the moment to decide, 
in the strife of truth with falsehood, 
for the good or evil side; 
some great cause, God's new Messiah,
offering each the bloom or blight, 
and the choice goes by forever, 
'twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble, 
when we share her wretched crust, 
ere her cause bring fame and profit, 
and 'tis prosperous to be just; 
then it is the brave man chooses 
while the coward stands aside, 
till the multitude make virtue 
of the faith they had denied.

By the light of burning martyrs, 
Christ, thy bleeding feet we track, 
toiling up new Calvaries ever 
with the cross that turns not back; 
new occasions teach new duties, 
time makes ancient good uncouth.
they must upward still and onward, 
who would keep abreast of truth.

Though the cause of evil prosper, 
yet the truth alone is strong; 
though her portion be the scaffold, 
and upon the throne be wrong; 
yet that scaffold sways the future, 
and behind the dim unknown, 
standeth God within the shadow, 
keeping watch above his own.

 

 

I understand now exactly what it means and how true it is. Even the non-religious can find meaning...and subtle cynicism... in the words. The tune is also beautiful. It is a Welsh melody in the key of F minor but ends on the major chord with a dramatic effect.

 

It is only recently I discovered the words were written by an American poet who was protesting at the U.S. war with Mexico!

[philmayfield 6,123]

At Mellish we sang from ‘The Public School Hymn Book’. I think they had ideas above their station but it was run on public school lines so we knew no better.

[Compo 10,328]

Our school piano would sometimes sound a little out of tune....it was where the deputy head used to keep his cricket bat - the one covered with the names of naughty boys who were made to sign it each time they received a whacking.  When the bat was not put back correctly it would affect the notes and the piano would sound flat.  Now to the point: our class, for the most part,  had a special relationship with school staff. We would push to the line but rarely cross that line and as a result we all had a great time. One teacher, who used the thee thonged leather strap, would administer it to the bum.  One day he was punishing a classmate, "Whizzo" his name, for making oily smoke in the metalwork room. "Bend over!" demanded Mr (Lord) Byron and Whizzo did so; bending so far that he looked back up through his legs and grinned at the furious teacher. At this the teacher burst into laughter and suspended the punishment indefinitely.  A couple of years alter, Whizzo went back to the school and spoke with the teaching staff who told him that, by-and-large, teaching our class was the most fun they had during their teaching careers....which was nice.  Sadly, time has taken its toll and every one of those teachers are now dead and gone forever.

[benjamin1945 16,157]

Sounds much like my old school 'Compo'  great Teachers ,even the one's who dished out the 'Strap Cane etc' never held it against em,, one lad 'Legged it home rather than take the 'Strap,.,and still got Strapped''the next day......lol

[philmayfield 6,123]

47 minutes ago, Compo said:

Our school piano would sometimes sound a little out of tune....it was where the deputy head used to keep his cricket bat - the one covered with the names of naughty boys who were made to sign it each time they received a whacking.  When the bat was not put back correctly it would affect the notes and the piano would sound flat.  Now to the point: our class, for the most part,  had a special relationship with school staff. We would push to the line but rarely cross that line and as a result we all had a great time. One teacher, who used the thee thonged leather strap, would administer it to the bum.  One day he was punishing a classmate, "Whizzo" his name, for making oily smoke in the metalwork room. "Bend over!" demanded Mr (Lord) Byron and Whizzo did so; bending so far that he looked back up through his legs and grinned at the furious teacher. At this the teacher burst into laughter and suspended the punishment indefinitely.  A couple of years alter, Whizzo went back to the school and spoke with the teaching staff who told him that, by-and-large, teaching our class was the most fun they had during their teaching careers....which was nice.  Sadly, time has taken its toll and every one of those teachers are now dead and gone forever.

We had the same problem with the school piano sounding out of tune but after I'd left the choir apparently it sounded normal again! 

[Brew 5,413]

St Francis church organ Clifton once had some weird sound effects, turns out some bugger had put dried peas in some of the pipes....   

[Willow wilson 894]

 

[philmayfield 6,123]

That brought back memories. For once it was an easy melody to play. I’ve still got a cherry red Strat just like Hank’s. I must find my prosthetic third finger and have a go!

[loppylugs 8,429]

2 hours ago, Brew said:

St Francis church organ Clifton once had some weird sound effects, turns out some bugger had put dried peas in some of the pipes....   

 

Nah that's just plain mean innit?  If I'd been playing it I would have had a fit wondering what I'd done to it.