Holbeach Bank School Indebted

A Memory of Holbeach Bank.

We didn't have modern technology, it wasn't invented then anyway when arriving at our village school to learn our lessons each day. We didn't need endless classrooms with miles of corridor to walk, just a desk facing the teacher, a blackboard and some chalk. Each morning we'd chant the times tables and have a spelling test. There was art and nature study, science, history and the rest. Being taught geography from a huge map upon the wall, amazed how large some countries looked when ours appeared so small. When it came to dinner-time we took turns to do a chore. Setting up tresle tables in class on which to help serve the food, hungry children came back for more! At playtime there'd be tig and chase or ball against the wall, sometimes a long skipping rope for running and jumping through rhyming call. My favourite lesson, the one I most looked forward too, was after walking down a lane to what was called The Reading Room, and it was there in this little tin hut where teacher unlocked for me, the way of the written word and how wonderful books can be. He read us such gripping stories, bringing characters alive. Without the joy of reading, I know now I wouldn't survive. With grateful thanks to Mr Wright and all, for happy memories.
Sheila Parker nee Walpole ( Wally)

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