Former Pupils Articles - Page 2
17 July 2001Subject: Greetings from VancouverHello, My name is Graeme Dempsey and I attended Hillhead Primary School from 1970 - 1977. In fact, I remember a newspaper article from years ago labelled us the Class of 1984. At the time, we lived in Kersland Street. Unfortunately, I emigrated to Canada before starting Hillhead High but had set my heart on going there and have regretted it ever since. I guess I was feeling a wee bit homesick hence this e-mail. I think about Hillhead School often with tremendous fondness, and every time I return to Glasgow (repeatedly), I hardly ever miss an opportunity to visit the old primary and high schools. It seems to me that life was much sweeter and simpler back then, and I have talked with adults who agree with me on that one so it's not just the wistful thinking of the child in me speaking here!
Hillhead Primary and the many marvellous teachers who taught me there were of major importance in making me the happy, hardworking person I am today and I would like those teachers to know that. I am also convinced that my time at Hillhead High would have been an incredible and rich experience far exceeding what I went through during my teenage years in Canadian public schools. I often wonder what happened to Mrs. MacLeod, Mrs Chryssides, Miss Dand, Miss Elder & Mrs. MacConnell at the primary school. Did they have any idea then how much of a powerful influence they would have over some of their young pupils? I guess I just wanted to say thank you to all of them. I have never forgotten. Yours Sincerely,
Graeme J.A. Dempsey, Vancouver, Canada
9 August 2001Just found this site today, couldn't understand why Hillhead would not have a site. Will enjoy checking to see if any of my schoolmates are listed. A bit scary when one sees all these folk who graduated in the 70's and 80's. How old age creeps up one one. Noticed one chap wrote about several primary teachers - havn't heard these names for years. Although cannot agree with him regarding Miss McLeod. Unfortunately we had her as a teacher for the last two years in primary school. What a nasty vindictive person she was. It took a good husband and many years to regain my self esteem. Other than that everyone was great especially in High School. My name back then was Muriel Langlands now it is Inch. We live in Sherwood Park Alberta in the summer and have a home in Yuma Arizona where we spend our winters. We have a daughter living on a farm in New Zealand so also visit her every year and stop off in Malaysia and Taiwan on our return. Little did I think I would travel to all these places and feel very blessed.
Would love to hear from anyone from my era. started about 1943-1956 Miss Allen was headmistress in primary and Mr Patterson headmaster in High school. Don't mind my bio going out, thanks again,
Muriel Inch. Alberta
02 September 2001 (date received)Subject: THE SAGA OF BRUCE'S PENNY CAP
The return to school in the early 50s meant a visit to Hoeys or if your parents were well off - Paisleys for replacement uniform which could not pass muster after the previous session.
Although uniform was generally acceptable one item which was detested by the growing boy was the school cap - navy blue with four stripes of contrasting colour and the badge "HHS" on the front.
Its compulsory inclusion in the uniform list caused serious suffering and mockery from boys attending the "rougher" schools of the city. To this end boys avoided wearing the cap and went bare headed. I understood that the girls were likewise not impressed with their baling pan hats. When the order was given that "caps & hats will be worn" the bad boys in the school, of which I was one, would head for the lost property office run by the Janitor, Mr Bruce, where one was presented with a large box of assorted nameless official caps from which you would select one small enough to stay in the back of your head but never in a month of Sundays fitted, and for this prized item you paid the princely sum of one old penny. Thus you could legally pass the assembled prefects at the gate, who rubbed their hands with glee as they couldn't spot the offending object until you were right up against them. Gradually as the year went on and the heat on proper uniform wore off, the poor cap took up its rightful place as a football in a lunchtime game in the cloakrooms until,inevitably, it found its way back to Bruces Penny Store as it was known ready for its new owner in the following session.
Kenny MacLeod, HHS, 1941 - 1952
07 September 2001 (date received)Subject: Hillhead Rowing Club
I was at Hillhead from about 1944 to 1955. For the benefit of those who think there was nothing but rugby, hockey and OTC in those days, here's a picture of one of the Hillhead Rowing Club crews on the river by Glasgow Green around 1954. Robin McSkimming is Stroke, and I think the boy at no.3 may have been called Smith.
Dr Edward H. Thompson
22 September 2001 (date received)Subject: THE continuing SAGA OF BRUCE'S PENNY CAP
More on the dreaded cap
As I already stated there were occasional purges on wearing complete school uniform but one place we felt we could go capless was on the bus into school. Earlier Ronald Stirling wrote in glowing terms re Doctor Merry but to a nervous first year like myself he was Hell on two legs & the Ogre from Unst rolled into one. Muriel Langlands mentioned his successor. Mr Paterson - School was a more relaxed place when he came.
The Doc. travelled from Anniesland in the tram and olds like myself will remember that trams generally ran up the centre of the road. This placed the Doc., who was a smoker and rode on the top deck of the tram, at a height advantage of about 3 - 4 feet above the upper decks of the buses where he could note those capless individuals that passed him.
As many of his pupils travelled in from Knightswood the upper decks of those early morning vehicles carried a fair number of capless HHS pupils - however a wary eye was kept for each number one tram on approach and when the offending individual was spotted a cry would shatter the top deck "Caps on" and they would remain on until that particular tram was at a safe distance astern when the caps would return to their normal residences such as pockets or schoolbags.
Kenny MacLeod 1941 - 1952
18 September 2001 (date received)Subject: Hi
I just found your website via Friends Reunited and I think its great fun. I left Hillhead High in 1977, and at that time was Irene Molloy. I got my degree at Strathclyde in Computer Science, and since then have worked near London in the IT business - and am still there. I married Allister who was in the same class at Uni.
I have lost touch will all my old school pals since I moved so far away. So it is great fun to see their pictures and read their stories.
I was in Glasgow in the Spring and we ( hubby and me) decided to splash out on dinner at the Ubiquitous chip. We got of at Kelvinbridge and I indulged in an orgy of reminiscing as I traced my path from the station to the school, telling Allister silly little stories about things that happened in all the local shops and buildings en route. It was a bit of a shock to turn into Oakfield and see the school, it seemed to be under a mass of scaffolding. So it is great to see your pictures and know that it is up and running again and looking good.
I had to laugh when I saw all the mod cons - when I was there we still had the old desks with inkwells! Do you still have the rogues gallery? There used to be lots of staff photographs lining the corridor outside the headmasters room, from way way back.
Irene Reid (nee Molloy) irene.reid@bragbury.freeserve.co.uk
04 October 2001 (date received)Subject: HHS Girls & Boys Swimming Teams -circa 1946
Dear Webmaster,
So far I think every sport enjoyed at HHS has had a mention. I attach a photo of the Girls and boys Swimming teams circa 1946.
L-Right, standing. Herbert H. Foulds, Jenny B. Nicoll, William K. MacKay, Marjorie G. White, Walter J. Guy, ( plastering one's shirt collar over the jacket collar was to tell everyone that you were really "COOL" and a non-conformer, good swimmer though!) Ronald J.Stirling (Capt), Joey MacKay, (Williams sister) Front: Marjory Train, 'Choo-Choo' to distinguish herself from her 1st cousin Marjorie Train, 'Puff-Puff', who attended Glasgow Girls High School.
The Certificate shows that we won First Place in the Glasgow Schools Swimming Association gala 1946. About this time John Service was training for the Olympics in 'Butterfly breast-stroke', I can't remember how he fared but I think he either won it or was in the first three.
Regards,
Ron Stirling
04 October 2001 (date received)Subject: HHS 7-A side, 1946
Hi,
Attached is a Photograph of the 1946 Seven a-side team, Winners of the coveted Paisley Shield.
Standing L-R: John Chisholm, William K. MacKay,
Seated: Ronald J. Stirling, Ian Ross,(Scottish Internationalist),
J. Edgar S. Fergusson (Capt), Ian M. Fraser, George M. Allen
Bottom: The Shield.
Ron Stirling
10 October 2001Subject: Alfred Terrace
Saw a nice photo of Hillhead Primary in an ad. for a housing development in Alfred Terrace. (Daily Express - Housing Supplement).
Can any old hands remember when, during WW2 we had to decant to Oakfield Ave. for school dinners. This required a trip along Alfred Terr. to meet up with Hillhead St. At that time Number One Alf. Terr was empty and derelict and rumours ran round the school that a Ghost lived there. How we all broke the 4 minute mile passing that building!!!
Ken & Ann MacLeod kenann@macleod74.freeserve.co.uk
11 October 2001I was a pupil at Hillhead Primary and Secondary, leaving there in 1968 in my 5th year for the Glasgow School of Art.
I ended up actually at jordanhill College and graduated from there with a Merit in Academic Studies and am now a Science Fiction writer published in New York by DAW books.
I remember fondly Mr Brown from the Art Department and my English Teacher whose name I am sorry to say I cannot remember, but might have been Miss Grant - she was very slim n tall, probably in her 40's then, with grey wavy hair. She taught me English in Form 5D, I believe I was. :) She organized the school magazine then and thanks to her, my first every story in print was for her in the school magazine of 1968, the year I left.
I wonder if she is still around, but I sadly doubt it.
I curently am working on my 7th novel for DAW Books and have several short SF and Fantasy stories also in print with DAW Anthologies. Funny how you start out in one direction and end up in another, isn't it? Still, my dream was to be a writer so i did realize that even if I didn't make the grade at Art School. It still taught me a lot that I use in my writing to this day because the two disciplines are not that disparate.
All the best, and many thanks for giving me the education that let me realize my dreams. If you are interested, my professional web site is listed below.
Lisanne Norman
mail :Hyperkittey@aol.com
web: http://www.sff.net/people/Lisanne