Ninelands Primary School

A Memory of Garforth.

I was only thinking about my early education recently, then one evening I stumbled across this photo of my old school.  I was only a baby when my family, along with thousands over the years, moved to the commuter (only it wasn't called that then) village of Garforth.  I remember my first morning at this school, it must have been in 1967 when I would have been four going on five.  I went for the morning, and hid in the wendy house because I was having such a good time I didn't want to leave!  The infants at that time were housed on the ground floor and each classroom had a door so that the kids could play outside with the water or the sand easily.  It was a fantastic school with some amazing teachers; Mr Pritchard was the headmaster and he had some unique ideas on education, for example ballroom dancing and an introduction to music with a pianist who used to regularly visit us (I can't remember his name, maybe Mr Wolfgang? anyway, this guy used to work with a famous singer and go on tour with her).  There was a charismatic teacher called Mr Charlston, he looked a bit like a Elvis (well that's my memory!) and he had a wonderful voice - he used to encourage all of us to sing.  Then there was my all time favourite teacher, Mr Wigan - a bit of a hippy who taught us to sing Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds (but told us to keep it as a surprise for our parents - never understood the need for secrecy as a 9 year old!)  Mr Wigan was the coolest teacher ever who read stories to us with all the voices of the characters, and who never shouted at us.  Miss Burland, Miss Porter, Mr Gill, Mrs Rouston and Mrs Harrison who took over as headmistress, then Mrs Lark the secretary who used to help out with the hearing tests in her office, and Mrs Parker who let us bake cakes in the oven in the staff room, and of course Mrs Pritchard who used to taxi us all over to play netball, and the wonderful meals cooked up by Mrs Holmes (particularly chocolate pudding with chocolate custard - what a treat that seemed!).  As Garforth boomed, a new infants school was built in the field next to the school, I remember it had carpeted areas and classrooms that merged into each other, it seemed very strange.  
Well, my own four children ended up at both schools, so going back into my old school always seemed strange, but the folding doors of the main hall way were still there (anyone remember them?)  And the old school bell is still used to call the kids in after playtime!  Yes, wonderful times, lovely memories, thank you to any of the teachers I have mentioned you gave me a great start in life.
Michelle Massah (nee Butterfield)