School Daze

I was never academically gifted at school. They really were school daze to me as it was just one big blur, well, most of it was.

Ok Hun?

I’m not sure if it was just me, but the school I went to seemed to be run by people who had been raised by Atilla the Hun. Ok, he was long gone by then, but I do wonder if you traced their DNA back, you would find Atilla or Gengis Khan at the top of the tree. Yet some former pupils I have spoken to since say it was the best time of their lives! I always feel that’s a little sad as it means since they were about 16, they have not enjoyed their lives as much as then.

I’m A Pensioner Now

Looking back as a Pensioner, I think I was what they used to call a ‘Juvenile Delinquent.’ I was never in trouble, as in overstepping the line of the law, but there was certainly something lacking in the old grey matter that would appear as though I might be completely bonkers to the outsider. I was 13 or 14 and just decided one day that school wasn’t for me and off I went, spending time over the local park. That was so much better.

Naughty Boy

Because I was out of school and my parents were working, it meant I had first dibs when the Postman came. The letters from school, the school reports etc were all intercepted. I told you I was naughty and I honestly feel bad about the anguish I must have caused my parents. Yet with hand on heart, I did not know why I was bunking off school, except that it was better to be free than held captive in my head.

School report 1971 where I have filled in an empty space as my form teacher was off ill.

Caught Out

I was eventually caught when filling in a couple of blank spaces on my school report in my best ‘grown up’ handwriting. One space was Latin, although it was there, they never taught it at my school. I had filled it in with a comment of what a natural ability I had for the language and was a pure joy to teach. Obviously, when parents evening came, my Mother & Father wanted to see the Latin teacher, only to be told that there was no such person and certainly the school had no intention of teaching the subject.

Disappointed

They were disappointed to find that my form teacher, Mrs Freeman was unavailable and had been away from school for several months with a kidney problem. How then had she managed to sign the school report saying what a future I had? I was finally done for and this period of bunking off was well and truly over. Unfortunately, it didn’t last long and when the new term started, I was off on my mind adventures again.

The Real World

Trouble was, I got to 16 and they kicked me out, with me being completely stupid, I thought it was my freedom. However, not being able to cope with the sudden onset of the adult world, I found myself in some dreadful working scenarios which my 16-year-old mind couldn’t cope with. So I headed for the park! I did get lucky with the help from a local butcher who took me under his wings. When I finally grew old enough to comprehend what life was about, I took myself off to the Open University and had a happy ending to my education.

Reunion

Some years later there was a school reunion to which I got invited. I didn’t really want to go, but curiosity got the better of me and I went. I was worried that no one would remember me, but, it turned out they did but I couldn’t remember half of them! One guy who shall remain nameless, asked me if I could read and write? Come on, what on earth did he think I was? Has he never read my blog? Cheeky so and so! Strangely, a few years ago, my school was bulldozed. I don’t know of any other school in Birmingham that has been demolished.

Grow Up? Never

I always said as a young teenager that they should have blown the school up and time has shown I was right. I wasn’t as daft as they thought I was. One thing’s for sure, I’ve certainly had a great time growing up. I haven’t quite got there yet, but I’m working on it!

P.S. I just reminded myself of the time when my Art teacher gave me an A+ on my school report. Of course, because I had given myself such a glowing Latin report, my parents thought I was at it again and had written the art report. No, it was true. Once bitten, twice shy as they say.

It was a sad affair: This is when they shut down my old school. I was sort of right when I said they should have closed it all those years ago. Perhaps I wasn’t as daft after all?

A report of when and why they closed the school.

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26 Comments
  • Lauren
    February 20, 2022

    I am surprised you got away with ditching for so long. No truant officers?

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      Thank you, Lauren. There were truant officers, known as the ‘wag man’ back then. They were never able to get me back to school for very long. 😊

  • KINDNESS WISDOM
    February 20, 2022

    ” All the Education without application makes a fool 🤪” my Dad said. So there Trev , imagine that , all the time you wasted at school 😁 if only they unstoppable Trev was a brilliant Author. No wonder they destroyed that building . Thank goodness 😊 you escaped, to entertain us Yeah 😁🍃🍃🍃😁😊

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      Thank you, Kindness. Your Dad sounds like he was a wise man. It’s like common sense, why do they say it’s common when it seems very rare? 😊

  • Peter's pondering
    February 20, 2022

    Did they ever find the boy they left behind in France? Looking back at some of my old reports there are inane statements such as “Only Fair”. That was for Geography. Interpret that as you may!

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      I have no idea if they ever found him, Peter. I always found that no matter how hard you tried at a subject, you would still get ‘can do much better if he tries harder.’ Thankfully, things have improved vastly since those days. 🙂

  • delphini510
    February 20, 2022

    Ahh.., Trev, I have to admit to enjoying your story and escapades. Must have been a worry for your parents at times but as later proven, you saw the ‘light’ and did fine. And found a way to still enjoy. 😊.

    Miriam

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      Thank you, Miriam. Yes, all worked out well in the end. 🙂

  • derrickjknight
    February 20, 2022

    I liked school, but I also like your debunking of “the best days of your life”

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      Thank you, Derrick. 🙂

  • Yetismith
    February 20, 2022

    Lovely, Trevor. Not everyone is into book learning. The University of Life can teach one so much more. I had one whole year of running around with another girl. I think I messed up her correspondence courses a bit because instead of studying she was out with me getting into trouble. Never anything more serious than annoying grown up people!

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      Thank you, Yeti. The strange thing is, I enjoy reading and writing, it’s just that I never enjoyed any of it until a good few years after I left school. Oh dear, I hope you didn’t get into too much trouble. 🙂

  • John
    February 20, 2022

    I feel your pain, Trev. I despised school, especially high school. I went to one of those reunions and it was an incredibly uncomfortable experience! Haven’t been to another one in decades…

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      Thank you, John. You hit the nail on the head about the reunion. I have not been to one since. 🙂

  • pIEdTyPe
    February 20, 2022

    Don’t ever grow up. Adulthood is not all it’s cracked up to be. And obviously your art teacher was right. You’ve a real talent there, IMHO.

    • Trev
      February 20, 2022

      Thank you, that’s very kind of you. I’m determined to stay 17, at least in my head. 🙂

  • Herb
    February 20, 2022

    Well, it kind of sounds like bad start, good finish.

    • Trev
      February 21, 2022

      Yep, you got it, Herb. Thank you 😊

  • the press music reviews
    February 21, 2022

    Great read Trev

    • Trev
      February 21, 2022

      Thank you, that’s very kind of you. 😊

  • SueW
    February 23, 2022

    I played truant from the age of seven! We moved house and with it came a new school. a dreadful teacher who made me feel unwelcome and kids that made fun of me.

    Eventually, after a year or so I settled down, but in the third year of secondary school I began again when I hooked up with a couple of girls who were like-minded.

    Strangely, my best friends never played truant. My parents had lots of visits from the school Board-man but somehow I never felt guilty.

    Move on a few years and I was married and moving in to our first home and guess who our new neighbour was? No other than than the school Board-man !

    I did the same as you and as a mature student I went to university.

    I regret those years, I missed on a chunk of education that I’ll never get back.

    • Trev
      February 23, 2022

      I honestly believe I just couldn’t understand anything that was going on around me when I was a young teenager. It was such a strange time in my life. Thank you, Sue. 😊

  • Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet
    February 23, 2022

    You remind me of my father and the stories he told about his school days! It seems you turned out OK! <3 Very funny post, Trev!

    • Trev
      February 23, 2022

      Thank you, Cheryl. I think I turned out ok. 🙂

  • JosieHolford
    February 11, 2024

    My school – custom built in the 1950s – was bulldozed too.

    • Trev
      February 11, 2024

      Thank you, Josie. I hope your schooldays were not as bad as mine. 🙂