Ardrossan Academy Teachers

Post about your old school - ask about old school pals
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Meg
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Re: Ardrossan Academy Teachers

Post by Meg »

Scott McCallum wrote: Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:40 am Academy teachers about then - I think Mr Strong is three in from left on the front row. May be mistaken it was a long time ago.
Scott McCallum
That’s him Scott - this photo is from around the early/mid 60s I think. I went there in 1967 - and most of the faces are familiar.

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gnyaff
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Re: Ardrossan Academy Teachers

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I recognise a few faces there, directly behind the Rector is Mr Skelly the Science teacher, I had a lot of respect for him, Move along two places to the right and you find Mr Balfour Brown, he is the one wearing the glasses, he was my English teacher one year. He lost the plot in class one day and was punishing a boy for something and wanted to give him six of the best. When the boy wouldn't put his hand up any more as he was in so much pain, Brown started wrestling with him to make him put his hand up again. One of my classmates by the name of John Clibborn was quite distressed about this and left his seat at the back of the class and walking towards Brown shouted "Stop you cant treat a pupil that way". Brown let the boy go and grabbed Clibborn by the throat and had him bent over almost backwards choking him , the class then all started shouting to let him go which he did. Clibborn then headed for the door and said I'm going to see the Rector about this. Brown prevented him from leaving and made him go back to his seat. I believe Clibborn did go to the Rector afterwards, I did not hear any more about it. I can't remember the name of the other boy. That incident never left me I can see it now as if it was yesterday

Another incident I remember was with Mr Wallace who also took me for English one year. Can't remember the first name but the boy's surname was Wilson, we were in room 27 which was normally Mr Partridges room and Wilson had his gym shoes on his desk and he was sitting in the front row. Something was said between him and Wallace, the next thing we saw Wallace picked up the gym shoes and smacked Wilson on the side of his face with them. I imagine it must have been reported as Wallace did not appear at the school the year after.

On to a brighter note fourth from left in the middle row is Mr Davidson who taught Engineering and Technical Drawing, I suppose it is fair to say that he was responsible for starting me on my career path in Engineering and many other things that it lead to.

Question: In the middle row fourth from the right is Jimmy Tait Music teacher, I was wondering if the lady behind him with the blonde hair is Miss Jill Coombes, she taught me French one year. I do remember she did get married, unfortunately I don't know her married name.

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Re: Ardrossan Academy Teachers

Post by down south »

There's a complete list of the teachers in that photo here , and you're correct that that is Miss Coombs, or Mrs McCallum as she was by then. I don't know if you knew, but she died tragically young in 1966.

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Re: Ardrossan Academy Teachers

Post by gnyaff »

Thank you for that information with regard to Miss Coombes. How Tragic, I do remember that she was going to wed and obviously she did. Do you know if she had any children before she died?

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Re: Ardrossan Academy Teachers

Post by down south »

I didn't know her, Boney so I'm afraid I don't know any more; only the report of her death in the 1966 school magazine, and how sorry my big sister who had known her was to hear of it. I believe she had left the school by that time.

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