Central Technical School

[PopT]

Iremember 'Wadgy' incessantly going on about pupils dropping sweetmeat wrappers within the precincts of the school.

 

Wouldn't he have field today with the students?

 

Happy Days!

[CHAIRBOY]

Iremember 'Wadgy' incessantly going on about pupils dropping seetmeat wrappers within the precincts of the school.

 

Wouldn't he have field today with the students?

 

Happy Days!

 

I think it should be sweetmeat, but yes, I'd endorse that recollection.

 

How many went on the annual excursion to Farnborough airshow and which masters went on the trip? I was probably too involved with football etc. but I was certainly envious on the Monday morning when fellow trainspotters revealed all the Southern region locomotives in their jotters!

[DavidRa]

I think it was 1946 - 47 when the football team managed to get shirts , they were light and dark blue quarters , did those colours stay the same right to the end?

They were still the same in 1967

[Rebate]

I was at CTS 1962 to 1965 and I detested every single day. The day that I left was without doubt the greatest day of my life, even better than getting married or the birth of my children.

 

The staff were only interested in making you 'ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL'. Your education was of secondary importance to making you conform to their very narrowly defined dress code. I was actually sent home one day for wearing trousers that were an inch too narrow at the bottoms.

 

As for that evil man Herbert Wadge, all I can say is that the world is a far better place for his no longer being with us.

 

What finished it all for me was the day at Gleadless Road when I refused to be caned by Thornton the science teacher for something for which I wasn't responsible. Having been sent to see Wadge I was told by him to apologise to the teacher which I refused to do. The colour of his face lives with me to this day. He went purple with rage but I stood my ground and was sent home with a message for my mother to be at the school next morning.

 

That was probably the biggest mistake that old Herbert ever made. My mother gave him a right old rollocking and at a volume that I was assured could, quite literally, be heard all over the school. Herbert suffered a severe dent in the credibility stakes that day and I believe that he retired shortly afterwards. Good riddance! I never went back and was given early release by the Education Committee in February 1965.

 

I would love to know what became of my two best mates from the time that I was there. One was Derek Poole who lived in the Pitsmoor area and always wanted to join the Fire Brigade. He was affectionately known as Fred because of his striking resemblance to Fred Flintstone. The other was William (Billy) Harling who lived on Gleadless Road near the Carlton Club and was my best mate from our days at Hurlfield Boys School.

The discipine regime at the CTS could be harsh at times. In fact when I was Vice Captain in 68-69 I had more power then than I did as a teacher and HoD several years later. However no system is perferct and it is worth while remembering that this school provided those unfortunate boys who failed the 11 plus and were condemened to the educational scrap heap of a sec. mod.as worthless and incapable of passing an exam, with a second chance. The staff there from Herbert Wadge down believed passionately in our ability to succeed and I thank all of them for their efforts without which my life would not have been as successful as it has been.

[Rebate]

To take the last first, I have a vague recollection of hearing that said but I know how Harrington spoke, to attribute that to his name and credit your memory. It could have been the reason why he gave me an essay to write about the merits of religious assembly after he caught me talking/grinning to a neighbour in the morning gathering.

I am 'congruent' with you on your punishment perspective. I always pride myself by telling it as it is/was and punishments happened with canings in front of the class. When pupils stole yo-yo's (not the chocolate variety) in a lunchtime spree, I would expect them to be walloped and it was reported, they duly were! Most people understood the game and kept their noses clean. I should imagine many Grammar schools were the same - Clapton at King Edwards and Mack at High Storrs were always in action! I don't agree with canings for inability to learn ie if you failed to get 7/10 for a valency test, 'Pop' would cane you.

I think that is harsh. My view is that if you don't make the required standard at the end of the year, you either repeat or are shown the door, as in other educational establishments. But for stealing, lying, bullying, rudeness, and repeated breach of warnings - the canings were in order. As of now, most culprits would be repeat offenders - the majority knew the score and got on with their progress. Do you recall the merit books? Watford have a defender called 'Demerit' and I always link his name with those in the demerit books -who were taken to task in the House office!

I think Chemistry does have more scope for enjoyment than Physics even though Chemistry never appealled to me BUT I detest, and always have done, fireworks!

What about those noxious smells, ammonia etc filtering down Pop Gregory's staircase in Holly Building?

Only 7/10 before pop Gregory canned you! You don't know how lucky you were!!!!! In my day (64-69) it was 9/10 or a thrashing. We learned how to cheat very succintley

[Rebate]

The music room in the new school was designed so that sound waves were not transmitted through the school roof. It was situated on top of the main school building and sat like a set of funnels on a ship! I don't think Sally Hughes was as impressed with its sound reduction system which didn't seem to work as it should, but he did like thr new stereogram which replaced the old mono system he had in the old school.

Ron Underdown or Eiderdown as we called him taught English I think

[Rebate]

Many seem to be interested in the school song so here it is, full length and unabridged! Cast your mind back to the years when you were singing it. Firth Hall maybe?

 

From the Cheviots down to Dover

From the Wash to Milford Town

Yea and all the wide world over

Men are singing thy renown

Thy renown o spartan mother

CTS our pride and boast

Here's good luck to one another

Here's a rousing loyal toast

 

Chorus

 

In remote and rural stations

Mid the busy haunts of men

In the service of the nation

Wielding skill of tool and pen

Ne'er to duty turning traitor

Looking trials in the face

Sons of thine dear Alma Mater

Share the manhood of the race

 

Chorus

 

Some alas their labour ended

Now have oassed within the veil

Some gainst foe their land defended

Died that freedom might prevail

These were tyey who proved not craven

When the call of duty came

Now the roll in bronze is graven

To preserve their honoured name

 

Chorus

 

Alma Mater may their story

Nerve us in the age long fight

For the triumph and the glory

Of a world of truth and light

Once again then spartan mother

CTS! our pride and boast

Here's to all who hail us "brother"

Here's once more The Grand Old Toast

 

Chorus

"Flourish CTS for ever"

Dass the word along!

Here's a band and there's the other

Friendships pledged to one another

Shake for Auld Lang Syne my brother

Shout the good old song

"Flourish CTS foe ever!" "Sheffielders hurrah"

 

How many present day Heads could write a song like that today?.....

[CHAIRBOY]

After such a sterling effort REBATE I hope you don't find this churlish but the words PASS, HAND and FOR should be in the final refrain.

 

How many 'heads' could get their charges to sing it today?

 

Outside of school, I sang it at Speech Day at the Victoria Hall. Did that venue change when the school moved to Gleadless?

[DavidRa]

Only 7/10 before pop Gregory canned you! You don't know how lucky you were!!!!! In my day (64-69) it was 9/10 or a thrashing. We learned how to cheat very succintley

I started CTS the year before you and was hopeless at Chemistry Pop Gregory never caned me.

[sandie]

Hi Last orders,

 

Inverness is great, but I still go back to my home town at least onc/twice a year. In Inverness I am treated as a Yorkshireman first and English second, in fact I am teaching the people I work with and the people in my area where I live the dee dar language. I still after all these years come out with expressions in a yorkshire accent which people find funny.

 

Where in Drumnadrocket did you live and how long ago I pass there on my way to Fort William and Malaig at least 1 or 2 times a month and driving at the side of the Lock in any wether it is still a great site.

 

Going back to CTS Sally Huges at first thought his room on the top was his empire and he made his point this was his room and we all had to treat it with respect or else and there were many of us who felt his displeasure in our conduct in his pride and joy. What a sad man.

Yes from what I can recall it was Sid Gibbons for maths but there was another guy.

 

Much to some peoples accounts of their time at CTS my memories are that yes it was strict but the values that my time there installed respect for others and myself, and the things I was taught have stuck and given me the basis I needed to sucseed I am now a Consulting Engineer and if it wasn't for that school I would have gone down the road with no ambittion.

 

It is sad that we dont still have a school like the CTS in todays education, I know ther will be people who will dissagree but it didn't harm me.

 

Regards