Recalling the schooling of twins Isa and Ina Sutherland
In "Our Old Files" in the NT edition of December 2 last year, we reproduced a paragraph in the 75 Years Ago section about teachers accepting new appointments. Among them was Isabella A Sutherland, who had taken up a post at Dalphaid Side School (near Achness).
On reading the article, her nephew, David Grant of Highland Stoneware, Lochinver, contacted us, saying: "Following your extract in the NT, I am pleased to inform you that my aunt, Isa A Sutherland, aged 97, is currently being very well looked after in Cathay Nursing home in Forres.
"Isa was born on 11th February 1914 - and half an hour later the midwife saw a foot protruding and to everyone's surprise, my mother, Ina, also appeared on the scene, unceremoniously breach born, something my brother John, sister Irene and I are very pleased about!
"Isa taught at several Side Schools in Sutherland before teaching in Egypt during the war. There was always a national holiday on her birthday, as it was also the birthday of King Farouk! Isa returned to Egypt with family, to renew acquaintances when she was 84.
"After the war she lived in Cruden Bay and taught in Aberdeenshire, until the early 1960s when she returned to live in Hazelbank, Lairg, where she taught in the Primary School until she retired.
"Apparently she was a popular teacher everywhere, with many former pupils affectionately keeping in touch over many years."
David's sister, Irene Grant of Lairg, unearthed the following account which had been written by her Aunt Isa, and thought NT readers might be interested.
We hope you enjoy this insight into school life in Sutherland in the 1920s, which will conclude next week.
"MY SIBLINGS, Carrie, Winnie, Elsie, Ina, Alex and I (Isa) all attended Lairg Higher Grade Public School where we received our Primary and Secondary education, and Carrie was the only one who went to university.
Mother was left a widow when we were young (Ina and I were just 14) and we realised that we would have to support the home as soon as we were able.
Winnie went in for nursing, Elsie got a job in Lairg Post Office, Ina became book-keeper in Lairg Electric Laundry and Alex commenced his training as an engineer in the Lairg Power Station and eventually joined the Merchant Navy, rising to the post of Chief Engineer during the war.
I started Side-School teaching and taught in 4 Side-Schools and 1 Public School before going abroad in 1938.
The school layout
A brief description of Lairg H.G.P. School and the classes allocated to each room. The main building consisted of 5 rooms:
Room 1 - Lower Infants, Top Infants, Standard I - one teacher.
Room 2 - Standard II and Standard IV (note no Standard III) - one teacher
Room 3 - StandardV and Standard VI - one teacher.
Room 4 - French teacher's room - one teacher.
Room 5 - Headmaster's room - one teacher.
The Science-cum-Maths room, the Woodwork room and Cookery room were in a separate building across the playground.
The Infant room stands out in my memory. It was a big room with plenty of floor space and broad shallow steps at one end. With the Lower Infants at the front, the Top Infants in the middle and Standard I at the back. We felt very important when we reached Standard I! We sat in double desks and there were extra benches for the senior Girls (H.G) who came in for knitting and sewing.
Also in this room were the following: a treadle sewing machine, a large table with a drawer, a big blackboard, an abacus or ballframe as it was called in our day, a piano and a black stove. There were lots of geraniums on the window ledges.
The shelter and toilets (the latter very primitive) were at the back of the school. There was also a soup kitchen which was only used during the winter months. The school bell was at the top of the building and it was rung from inside.
The early days
Ina and I started at Lairg Higher Grade Public School in April 1920, at the age of 6.
On the whole I enjoyed my early schooldays though I was a bit shy and timid to begin with. This resulted in the way we were brought up. Our parents firmly believed in "children being seen and not heard". So when visitors arrived we made sure we only spoke when we were spoken to. However, I enjoyed all that school had to offer, all the good friends we made and the fun we had.
Slates were used by all the Infants and the pupils in Standards I and II. These had to be taken home every Friday and scrubbed - the wooden frames could get very dirty in a week! We always had to have cleaning rags. Slate pencils were provided.
We were introduced to copy books in Standard I and these continued throughout the Primary School. Writing was considered a very important subject - in fact there was a special prize for Penmanship. I think Alex was the only one in our family who merited that prize.
We learned many proverbs and other interesting facts by the time we went through all the copy books. I only wish I had a sample of each one. Some had figures and even sums in them.
We "chanted" our way through all the adding and multiplication tables. This method stood us in good stead as we had no difficulty with addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (long and short) when we went further up the school.
In the Infant room we were tested in adding by having to gallop round the ring of figures which was permanently on the board!
We "chanted" our way through all our repetition work, too. I have no regrets over this. Poetry, when learned, stays with you. I can still remember lots and lots of poems. Grammar was done on a regular basis - from Reading lessons and from special Grammar books. Spelling was done every day and Dictation and Composition twice a week.
Classes weren't unduly big - about 36 when we were in the Infant room, over 40 when Elsie was there.
The belt or "strap" as it was called in our day was constantly in use though there was never any problem with discipline. We got it for talking or giggling but many of the poorer pupils got it for bad spelling, for untidy work or for not doing their homework. The Headmaster used to carry his in his pocket!
All the teachers were strict, in a nice way, so work went on steadily. We had great respect for our teachers - the boys always saluted and the girls bowed their heads when they met their teachers out of doors. I think discipline has definitely changed for the worse.
Though we had about three quarters of a mile to go to school we went home for lunch. Soup (usually lentil) was provided during the winter months and we partook of this when it was too stormy for us to go home.
We had to queue for our soup which was served in enamel bowls and considered ourselves lucky if we got a corner of a bench to sit on! Bones were supplied by the local butcher and venison was provided by the Lairds.
Clattering slates
One day we were standing back to back in a circle with our slates "at the ready" when I dropped mine with a clatter. The teacher went at once to the table drawer for the strap.
I quickly picked up my slate and prepared myself for the punishment. I was terribly upset when I saw her strapping Ina and couldn't understand why. Ina was just as baffled. Later, we realised that, because we were twins, she had mixed us up.
Shortly after this episode she said, "You two should have brooches with your names on." We made such a fuss about this, that eventually we got them. We firmly believed that everything the teacher said would have to be carried out!
Suffering Psalms
Before I relate this anecdote I must tell you that Elsie used to walk and talk in her sleep. Mother had to take the key out of the door at nights, as she caught her unlocking the door one night.
One day Elsie came home from school and informed us that the teacher had said she would give a penny to the pupil who could recite the whole of the 46th Psalm without a mistake.
This was the Psalm which they were learning at the time. Elsie went over and over it and went to bed, feeling quite confident. Some time during the night she rose, stood at the foot of the bed and recited the whole of the Psalm without a mistake - in her sleep! Then she crawled back into bed. It was mother who witnessed this.
Unfortunately, the next day she made one mistake and did not get the penny!
Don't miss the second part of this account in next week's Northern Times.
