Memories of schooldays
“Memories of schooldays”
It seems like centuries ago since we went to Prizon School and sat at wooden desks, with a special pen and “ink well” which was inserted in the desk. We were taught how to write very carefully.
One of the teachers created an atmosphere of fear and tried to impart knowledge by beating it into us. If you didn’t have your lessons done correctly, or misbehaved in any way, you got a hard slap from a leather strap. Therefore, we looked forward to playtime in the yard where we had our sandwiches and milk. The Kennedys always had lovely apples from their garden. Sometimes we went across the fields to school. During the winter when the river was flooded we went around the low road and met up with the Murphy’s, Kearn’s and Ansbro’s.
Every year our parents had to bring a cart of turf for heating the school. Some families would bring timber as well. It was a very cold school and hard to heat in those days.
That time a dentist would visit the school once a year. I had a bad experience when my tooth was extracted without any injection and I was sent home to my mother all blood and was off school for a week.
The day the school inspector came was a big event. Teacher made sure that we all came well dressed up. It was the only day we got a few biscuits. That time we had a primary cert exam which was a big occasion. We had to go to Balla school for that.
Looking back, they were strict days but happy times. All innocent fun.
