The Institute Early Forties

A Memory of Eglwysbach.

My first sight of the inside of the Institute was when we went from school for dinners, provided by Lord Aberconway in the winter months and cooked by Tante and her brother? I have a very clear memory of delicious vegatable soups.
A travelling dentist came to attend to the school children and he set up in the institute. All his equipment was manually operated, even the drill done with a foot treddle.
Then, when I was no longer allowed to attend the village school, as I was English speaking, I had to attend the evacuee school in the Institute. There were I think three classes. We sat at tables on long forms and our only equipment was a pencil and paper. I remember that there was a blackboard full of fractions. All Greek to me, so I just put my name on the paper and chatted. The teacher was sitting cross legged reading a paper back. I dont remember learning anything while I was there. Every dry afternoon the whole school was taken out for long walks. My mother complained about this as they always went in a direction away from the Graig and I walked to school to and from Toppan farm.
I also remember walking down from the farm to see a natural history film show one Autumn evening. I was on my own but equipped with a torch. Perhaps I was about 8 years old. A wonderful happy childhood.