Woodlands School

BUT... does anyone remember Sue Underwood? - 1st female teacher at Woodlands, I s**t you not!! Oh yes, just mentioned her. I also recall a full assembly in the main block where she played folk stylie guitar for the gathered slavering pubescent hordes. Thunderous applause followed. But, still in my mind after all these years, is the crushing disappointment of discovering that Sue Underwood had done a 'life drawing' class for Jim Wilkinson... and IT WASN'T MINE. Oh well.

Hi Escapee - Jim Wilkinson, Bentley and Don Thompson were still there going in to the 80's when I was there as a fellow Stringer-lite! Jim was a nutter who often spent Art classes standing on a desk eating chalk. And DT was certainly a little unstable with the cane - often whacking me on the head because of my long mop!

Considering part of what I do for a living now is artwork for book covers, canvases and silk scarves, I think Jim Wilkinson would be proud of me. The only teacher I ever met after school was Jock Edney, who upon discovering I was unemployed at the time suggested I join the army. Which showed how much he'd learned about me while I was in his House. Btw, I also recall an hilarious assembly where he accidentally said "Any 5th former wishing to enter a 6th former..." And when the assembly deteriorated into laughter, he compounded his error by smashing a tray on the desk, and shouting "I'll have you all."

Just to say I've been having a lot of fun reading this forum! In particular the descriptions and memories of the teachers. It reads like some kind of movie, but those of us who lived through it know it's all for real. So many of those entrusted with our care would today be fired on the spot, or quite possibly put in prison. I can't imagine a modern headmaster issuing Don Thompson's notice that coloured underwear was henceforth banned, * then going round the school looking down pupils trousers at random to see if the edict was being obeyed! * The reason being someone had tossed someone else's underwear into the indoor swimming pool, just for a laugh. But DT thought it was because the colour had inflamed the boy's mind. Seriously, the bloke was that mad.

New to this site attended Woodlands from 1964 to 69 in Brook House. Robert Griffiths

Welcome aboard Robert. I was there from 1955-59 in Malins House.

I remember "Sooty" he had an interesting way of making you remember formulae as I recall, holding two old pennies either side of your ear lobs and if you didn't quote the formulae fast enough and correctly he would squeeze the pennies together . I have never forgotten the formulae for solving quadratic equations Bob

I think the pupil might have been Gordon Wardell, he was later convicted of murdering his wife

Hi all, A quote from the judge when sending the murderer down. "Before passing sentence the court was told of a previous conviction when Wardell, as a 17-year-old student, was jailed for four years for wounding with intent after indecently assaulting and stabbing the wife of his science master." Obviously, four years was not enough for this disaster in society.

Hi Robert, I too attended from 64-69. Malins.

I was one of the first intake in 1954, Mclachlan House. Great to hear and be reminded of all the old teachers, and an environment where what is now called "child abuse" was then called "character building". Did it do me much harm or much good? Who can tell but it did make me enjoy sport and I wish I'd studied harder, but then I've had more fun because of sport than ever I would have because of education

I left Woodlands in 1954. Was prefect in Mr Long's house: Sparkes (Stringer at Tech). I also suffered under F Perrins as I was no good at Maths. I was in the Lower Sixth for a year only with NF Parbury who had taught me English and French at Junior Tech both of which subjects I thoroughly enjoyed. Birdie (Mr Burdett) was music master at The 'Tech' also for my brother and cousin some years before me. The enforced discipline of those days was perhaps character building, or so we may have been told. How unlike the schoolrooms of today, but respect for teachers has gone too which is a shame. Some were excellent but probably all did their best and discipline was enforced undoubtedly. I note what Heritage and others have written and can confirm what they wrote. Not quite Mr Squeers but bad enough at times.

Hello & welcome to our forum, Prof Hope that you have an enjoyable & happy time with us. Thank you for your post.

Clive Bentley was in my form at the Tech and also in 6th form at Woodlands.