Time for another assembly (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Time for another assembly

Ref. 28978-45Two former Haydon Wick Primary pupils who left more than 50 years ago are organising a reunion.

Shirley Colton and Marie Samways have many happy memories of their time at the school before it transferred to the current building in 1974.

"We wanted a social event, we didn't want to keep meeting at funerals," said Mrs Samways, 65, who now lives in Wood Street, Wootton Bassett.

"It would be lovely for lots of us to meet up again and talk about the old days and some of the things that happened at the school," added Mrs Colton, 67, of Callows Cross, Brinkworth.

The two who have kept in touch since their early school days, plan to hold the reunion on March 18 in Haydon Wick Working-men's club.

The friends, who left the school in the late 1940s when Haydon was still a quiet rural village, have a copy of the old log book which details every day school life since it opened on Septem-ber 27, 1875. with 126 pupils on the roll.

An early school inspector reported that the children were being taught with skill and care, but highlighted discipline problems.

In those days children caught playing truant were flogged.

In 1902 the log recorded that from then on, corporal punishment could only be given by the headmaster.

That same year Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show appeared at Swindon and several children skipped school to go to see it.

Outside attractions and responsibilities often took children out of school.

Harvesting meant many older children were needed on the farms and whenever the local fox hounds were out they usually took some of the older boys with them.

The same thing happened during World War One when military camps surrounded the village and lads were required to act as scouts.

In April 1918 the log stated: "An aeroplane came to earth on the outskirts of Haydon Wick only 74 present this afternoon."

The records did not detail what sort of aircraft it was or if it crashed.

Conditions in the Victorian building weren't always ideal as a later entry showed: "1929 February 14: Impossible to take any written work today as the ink was frozen."

On August 28, 1974, the school reopened in its current building, with 99 children on the register.

Any old schoolmates interested in taking part in the reunion should call 01666 510336 before Monday, March 8.