Educational films at school.

[Texas]

Occasionaly, at school, we would have a film show. These were usually films about scholarly subjects. But, no matter, it was a welcome change from the usual grind of lessons. The one I remember most was about plants, and, more specifically Nettles. Does anyone remember that film? I remember it telling you if you brushed against one it gave you a shot of about five different chemicals including formic acid, and, as everyone knows it dont half hurt. Just thought I'd remind you City dwellers. But were there any other films?

[sierraman]

No but I remember the one with the kids p*****g about near the power lines with some chain...

[gmarshman]

An Educational Film that was stored in 'Yorshire Film Archive' was entitled :

Tinker,Taylor? World of Opportunity.

This film was by W.G.Gregory I believe maybe produced the late 1930's.

W.G.Gregory was my Chemistry master at Central Technical School late 50's early 60's a formidable character , but you certainly came away learning about Chemistry.

I certainly would like to see this film again if opportunity arose .

Gary Marshman

North Wales

[lazarus]

I can remember being informed at my school St Theresas one day in the fifties that the film THe Song Of Bernadette was to be shown in the hall, thinking it would be shown in school time I naturally put my hand up indicating as many others did that we would love to watch the film, escape from lessons but how wrong I was at 10 to 4 I thought the film show had been cancelled but no, the Teacher said "all the children who want to see the story of Bernadette go to the school hall" on hearing that I was off home. On seeing my pals the next day they were stuck watching the film untill nearly six oclock and they wished they had legged it like I did.

[fleetwood]

I suppose this fits the topic in a roundabout way, by the early 60's I was in Regina, Sask. and watching a film on 'An Introduction to the New Math System' it was about to become standard in the schools at the time. Not very awe inspiring I agree until the first image appeared on the screen, A.P.Hanwell one of originators and Author on the subject matter. Well to quote the old phrase 'you could knock me over with a feather' apply's I suppose, because the presenter was better known to me as Alf Hanwell my old teacher from Owler Lane School in Grimesthorpe. It's my understanding that Owler Lane School was his first and last teaching job, Alf had just been demobbed at the end of the war where he had been a Sgt. PTI in the army when he got the job at Owler Lane, we were the only kids he taught for the 3yrs or so we were there, I believe he left shortly after that. Have since found out that he had a stint in the Air Force as an education officer prior to him moving to Canada. To say this born and bred Grimesthorpian was a character is putting it mildly, apparently he was a very intelligent and funny one also and is really the stuff of legend, if only by his own characterization of a boy enjoying and eating hot fish and chips out of the newspaper and drinking the vinegar at the end, (this was his much requested 'party piece', at the school assembly every Christmas). His 'love affair' with the 'Blades' and all things Red and White was well known and caused him to have a minor brush with the law coming home from a match along with his brothers, which only added fuel to his seemingly ongoing feud with Godfrey the headmaster at Owler Lane at the time. The late A.P.Hanwell's title when working in education was Principal Ottawa School System, just think, not only a principal (Headmaster) of a school but the head 'enchilada' of all the schools in the Capital City of Ottawa, not too shabby! There may have been other accolades and titles along the way, who knows? It's my understanding he eventually retired very wealthy to Florida with his wife.