Description: 

When did you go to Newton school?

I went to Newton from 1950 to 1956.

Where did you live and who with?

I lived at the Woodlands with my parents, sister Joan and brother Alan

How did you get to school?

I walked to school with a lot of children.

Who was you teacher?

Infant teacher was Miss Smith and then Mrs. Van Camille.

What did you do through your school day?

I don't remember much about what I did in school; we use to go for nature walks around to wards the vicarage, I use to sit behind Grace Davies in the middle room. We use to play rounders in the pasture, skipping and hopscotch at playtime, I would wear my Wellingtons to school, then change into my shoes at school. I wore a gymslip to school. I missed quite a bit of school because I had rheumatic fever. They had a party at school and Father Christmas came and they sent me my present, which was a little tea set with Donald Duck on it. Also I remember the day Miss Smith got married I was laying in bed and the church bells were ringing.

What did you have for lunch?

We had school dinners, the semolina was horrible. If the dinners did not come we had the war rations which was ryvita and corn beef. There was also a bottle of milk for every child.

Can you remember any local event or any thing else about your school days?

We went to the Three Counties Show. My dad was there on the same day and he heard on the loud speaker asking if anyone knew where Ruth Williams was. We went to Castle Green to dance for Princess Alexander, We had a puppet show in the big room, I was the only one out of the small class who was allowed to partake in the show. Ruth was told off by her parents for fighting on the way home and was told if she did not stop it they would dress her like a boy. We all picked strawberries on the way home and would thread them on a piece of grass. Jimmy Price convinces us that he had to put the conkers over a machine before we could have some to play with. I left Newton to go to Fairfield after eighteen months I moved to Bluecoat school in Hereford.

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Observations:

This contribution from Ruth Watkins, maiden name Williams, January 2003