St Mary's : head teacher's report 1972, 1973
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 4:06 pm
Here is the report on the closing ceremony of St Mary's Primary School for 1972.
The closing ceremony of Saltcoats St Mary's Primary School was held in two parts - eight classes in the annexe and 13 in the League Hall. The former had a short concert and said farewell to Miss Reid, infant mistress, now retiring.
The other classes also had a short concert, heard a school report from the head teacher and a brief but practical talk from the Rev P Cumming, St Brendan's, who presented the certificates and prizes. He expressed his pleasure in the close association that existed between church and school, thanked the teachers for all their hard work, and advised all the pupils to remember who and what they were for the long holiday.
Mr J Sherry, MA, depute head, conveyed the thanks of all to Fr Gunning, mentioning their gratitude for the lovely Masses that had been celebrated by himself and Fr Murphy in each of the buildings.
In his report the head teacher, Mr J J McCann, said that this was the first session for 26 years that they didn't take in a February class.
" The main reason , " he said, " was the decline in the baptismal roll, but this happened to coincide with the departmental recommendation that only one intake per year become the norm. We have repeated the procedure for 1972/73, only this time three classes of over 30 each will begin school on September 1,each having an age range of almost a year between the oldest and youngest pupils.
St Mary's continued to be a well-staffed school this session and despite the absence of teachers, some of it quite heavy, it was very seldom that a class had to be dispersed. Five teachers joined us in the course of the session, and one left. The three senior teachers who retired last year all returned to do part-time with us in one capacity or another and they have proved they still have the professional touch. It is not likely that Miss Lennox, Mrs McKay or Miss Conlan will be back next session and to their numbers falls to be added a very important member of staff, viz Miss Mary Reid.
" Miss Reid, infants mistress here since 1955, has conducted a very successful infant department over the years. As a result of the high quality of work done there she was invited to serve on the mathematics panel that was set up among others to draft the schemes that would bring the primary memorandum recommendations into operation throughout the county, and she helped to demonstrate methods and results all over Ayrshire.
" The school official charity, the Holy Childhood, was a record when passed on last March - £572.87. This is great work, Brought about by steady concentration from week to week throughout the year. But it isn't our only concern : the Columban fathers benefit from the regular distribution of 318 copies of their magazine , " The Far East ", and only the reinforcement of town by-laws keeps down the enthusiasm of our twelve-year-olds for assisting in the flag days of a multitude of organisations.
One hundred and three of our leavers will join St Andrew's Academy to keep the growth to full secondary status strong and vigorous. It won't be long till they're facing national examinations ; let us hope they give the response and get the reward of concentrated hard work and follow in the footsteps of others like Peter Timmons who has just graduated with a good honours degree in chemistry. He and more like him are all needed in our growing Catholic secondary schools to ensure that our claims to special status are matched by our determination to provide the staff from among the many able Catholic children we have.
" I wish to thank all concerned , " said Mr McCann, " for the effort they expend, much of it beyond the call of duty, in keeping a school of this size going. Our priests have been in the school very regularly over the past session and and have given us all the very best of co-operation for routine administration of the sacraments, and for First Communion and First Confession preparations and contact with the parents. Special reference ought to be made to P 6a2's Mass built up around the theme of " community ", to illustrate how our social act of worship is an offering of our whole active existence to God, our Creator, through Christ Our Saviour. It was an inspiring occasion indeed. "
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 7th July 1972
Susan
The closing ceremony of Saltcoats St Mary's Primary School was held in two parts - eight classes in the annexe and 13 in the League Hall. The former had a short concert and said farewell to Miss Reid, infant mistress, now retiring.
The other classes also had a short concert, heard a school report from the head teacher and a brief but practical talk from the Rev P Cumming, St Brendan's, who presented the certificates and prizes. He expressed his pleasure in the close association that existed between church and school, thanked the teachers for all their hard work, and advised all the pupils to remember who and what they were for the long holiday.
Mr J Sherry, MA, depute head, conveyed the thanks of all to Fr Gunning, mentioning their gratitude for the lovely Masses that had been celebrated by himself and Fr Murphy in each of the buildings.
In his report the head teacher, Mr J J McCann, said that this was the first session for 26 years that they didn't take in a February class.
" The main reason , " he said, " was the decline in the baptismal roll, but this happened to coincide with the departmental recommendation that only one intake per year become the norm. We have repeated the procedure for 1972/73, only this time three classes of over 30 each will begin school on September 1,each having an age range of almost a year between the oldest and youngest pupils.
St Mary's continued to be a well-staffed school this session and despite the absence of teachers, some of it quite heavy, it was very seldom that a class had to be dispersed. Five teachers joined us in the course of the session, and one left. The three senior teachers who retired last year all returned to do part-time with us in one capacity or another and they have proved they still have the professional touch. It is not likely that Miss Lennox, Mrs McKay or Miss Conlan will be back next session and to their numbers falls to be added a very important member of staff, viz Miss Mary Reid.
" Miss Reid, infants mistress here since 1955, has conducted a very successful infant department over the years. As a result of the high quality of work done there she was invited to serve on the mathematics panel that was set up among others to draft the schemes that would bring the primary memorandum recommendations into operation throughout the county, and she helped to demonstrate methods and results all over Ayrshire.
" The school official charity, the Holy Childhood, was a record when passed on last March - £572.87. This is great work, Brought about by steady concentration from week to week throughout the year. But it isn't our only concern : the Columban fathers benefit from the regular distribution of 318 copies of their magazine , " The Far East ", and only the reinforcement of town by-laws keeps down the enthusiasm of our twelve-year-olds for assisting in the flag days of a multitude of organisations.
One hundred and three of our leavers will join St Andrew's Academy to keep the growth to full secondary status strong and vigorous. It won't be long till they're facing national examinations ; let us hope they give the response and get the reward of concentrated hard work and follow in the footsteps of others like Peter Timmons who has just graduated with a good honours degree in chemistry. He and more like him are all needed in our growing Catholic secondary schools to ensure that our claims to special status are matched by our determination to provide the staff from among the many able Catholic children we have.
" I wish to thank all concerned , " said Mr McCann, " for the effort they expend, much of it beyond the call of duty, in keeping a school of this size going. Our priests have been in the school very regularly over the past session and and have given us all the very best of co-operation for routine administration of the sacraments, and for First Communion and First Confession preparations and contact with the parents. Special reference ought to be made to P 6a2's Mass built up around the theme of " community ", to illustrate how our social act of worship is an offering of our whole active existence to God, our Creator, through Christ Our Saviour. It was an inspiring occasion indeed. "
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 7th July 1972
Susan