Old school, Harpole: about which terrible tales are told

Image: © Chris Taken: 2 Jul 2014

The following story was told by a former pupil about school life in the 1920's: "Thursday was poetry day. You had to learn a different poem every week. Mr. Bowstead (the headmaster) would point at you and you had to get up and say the name of the poem. One boy, Legady, stood up and said "Requiem", which was the five-line poem he had recited the previous week. Mr Bowstead said "You will learn a new one next week". The next week he pointed at Legady. "Requiem" said Legady. Mr.Bowstead charged at him and sent him flying across the room. There was a bay window with big pipes full of steam running straight across it (this was what we had for heating). Legady landed with his legs across the boiling pipes. I can still hear him screaming!" All in a day's schooling in those days! But it wasn't all bad: "Mr. Bowstead had a son, and daughters Leslie and Barbara, who used to teach us country dances, two of which were called Rufty Tufty and Black Nag. All the village kids were in hobnail boots with metal studs on the sole, and a half moon of steel on the toe and heel. We were lucky, we wore normal soles, probably lace up boots". Furthermore almost at the end of his time at the school (1926 or 1927) it won the School Sports Trophy. 40 of the 42 points were won by the above pupil and his sister. Harpole Primary School still has the trophy. The team was called Jack Burt's Typhoons. They won the trophy in 1926 and 1927.

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