Ardrossan Academy

[sheenaj]

Hi Milda I don't post as much as should,but I check in [maybe anon] every day.
I remember they had a dalmation,but I think the dogs I saw her with were Irish wolfhounds-she was being walked by them just about.I think someone told me she may be in the kennel business.
Her mum was a gentle soul, Welsh i think!

She Maureen and I always seem to be in near bottom 3 in class grading

[Milda]

Yes Sheena Mrs Rourke was a nice wee soul and Welsh,hence Lynwynn and her brother Brindley's names.

[jane]

Yes Sheena, met up with Elaine, Christine and Louise just a few weeks ago. We drove up and stayed a the Laurieston Hotel on the sea front. Had icecream with Louise and her husband in Nardini's in Largs, with a nice drive up the coast, she lives in Ayr. Then had a meal with Elaine and her husband at the new italian restaurant at Ardrossan harbour, lovely view of boats and Arran hills. On the third night met up with Christine for a chinese. In between times boat trip to Rothesay and up around the lochs and back to Ardrossan via Erskine Bridge. That was a lovely few days, with plenty of walks around locally. It was 6 years since I had been up there. You mention Jennifer Jack, last I heard she was a GP on the island of Mull, my mum kept in touch with her mum and her aunt.
It seems like only yesterday since we were at school, time flies!!

Jane

[sheenaj]

Hi Jane .Sounds like you had a nice trip up and catchng up with old friends.
Been a few years since I was over,since my Dad's passing I really have little connection in Saltcoats anymore,and most other relatives have also passed on.
Those I was friends with I have no contact with anymore. I have more connections in the Glasgow area.
When I visited Largs last it was quite blustery,[always seem to be that -funny!] Wendy and I had a look in that nice [expensive ]shop on the High Road and lunch at a sandwich shop across from it.The town has not much changed

[Lesley Vass]

Hi Meg/Jane

I too went to Ardrossan Academy Primary and remember Miss Miller, Mrs Reid, Mrs Connel - also Mrs Gemmell (she was a lovely lady) and Mrs McDougal. I remember also Miss Christie - she was always very frugal about using excess paper and she used to cut up the unused parts of old used jotters and would make us use them for doing our arithmetic calculations, rather than waste a whole page on our jotters. She was 'environmentally friendly' even in those days!

I too was in the school choir and sang at the Ayr Festival several times - as you say we always were either first or second - which says a lot about her teaching! I can't for the life of me remember any of the songs which we sung! Can you?

I also remember attending a gaelic choir in Largs once a fortnight in the evening (I think it was held by Mrs McDougal) - but didn't stick at it for very long as I didn't like travelling back and forward from Ardrossan to Largs by bus (one an hour) in the dark, wet, windy nights!

I also remember the separate entrances for boys and girls and us all forming a long queue, class by class, outside and we were all called back into school in an orderly single file after 'playtime'.

Happy Days!...

Lesley Vass (Shearer)

[jane]

Hello Lesley

What class would you have been in. Sheena Stewart and Louise Rorie were in my class, Christine Ewing was in the class below and Elaine Robertson was the class above. You mention Miss Christie, we are always so scared about getting our maths homework wrong with her. My mum's cousin was Mrs Connell, I had her just after that. I loved the choir and did want to go to Largs for the Gaelic choir but my parents would not let me go, as I was still in primary school and with another brother and sisters, I did not get to go. Mrs McDougal piano used to get pushed from class to class, I used to look forward to the lessons with her. Do you remember all the knitting and sewing we did in class, it stood us in good steed for the rest of our lives. I have just finished making a brightly coloured pair of fingerless mittens for my daughter. It has been so cold this Winter, even though we live down in the south of England now. Do you remember the slides in the playground we made in the wintertime and the long skipping ropes with us all jumping in. My surname was Ramsay, my brother David was 3 years below me.

[down south]

Your brother was in the same class as me, Jane. I remember how brilliant he was at Art; he could draw like a grown-up .

I had no idea Mrs Connell was related to your family. She lived just round the corner from the school in Sorbie Road ( so did Mrs Gemmell, and some secondary teachers too ), and a few times when I was walking past on my own I found myself joined by her for the walk up and a little friendly chat. A little bit alarming, because I was rather shy...but she seemed very nice, and I was quite disappointed she had left by the time we got to Primary 7. Only Mrs Blythe was left of the old familiar teachers by then, and they had to find some new ones for us.

I don't remember the piano being moved about; but then by the time I really know about, the room next to the hall had been turned into a music room. It must have been needed as an ordinary classroom before I should think, when there were still a full fourteen primary classes. I do remember Miss Miller having a piano to herself in her room, and playing along as we sang hymns; Mrs McDougall used to come in to us there, with her sol-fa chart and a box of tambourines and triangles.

i still recall a choir which I think was your year group, Lesley, singing their festival-winning song to us at Assembly once; a ditty called " Marianina ". So there's one for you. It started "O'er the water flies a merry fay", if that's any help ( we used to sing it later ).

But the songs I remember best were the ones out of the Songs of The Isles book that Mrs McDougall liked to use; with a map of the Highlands and Islands on a creamish cover. I've still got great chunks of those in my head: Westering Home, Mairi's Wedding, Ho Ree Ho Ro My Little Wee Girl ( ! ), and this one that starts

Now the fiddler's ready let us all begin
So step it out and step it in
To the merry music of the violin
We'll dance the hours away

and finishes

Dance till dawn is in the sky
What care you and what care I
Hearts a-beating, spirits high
We'll dance, DANCE, dance !

I've been hearing it said in another topic that there isn't much traditional Scottish music learned in school these days , but we certainly did with Mrs McDougall around.

Susan

[George Ardrossan]

But the songs I remember best were the ones out of the Songs of The Isles book that Mrs McDougall liked to use; with a map of the Highlands and Islands on a creamish cover. I've still got great chunks of those in my head: Westering Home, Mairi's Wedding, Ho Ree Ho Ro My Little Wee Girl ( ! ), and this one that starts

Now the fiddler's ready let us all begin
So step it out and step it in
To the merry music of the violin
We'll dance the hours away

and finishes

Dance till dawn is in the sky
What care you and what care I
Hearts a-beating, spirits high
We'll dance, DANCE, dance !

Susan

This song is the Dashing White Sergeant, Susan.

George

[morag]

Gosh, I know those like the back of my hand, Susan!Wonder if they were school curriculum in Ayrshire?

[Meg]

Now the fiddler's ready let us all begin
So step it out and step it in
To the merry music of the violin
We'll dance the hours away

and finishes

Dance till dawn is in the sky
What care you and what care I
Hearts a-beating, spirits high
We'll dance, DANCE, dance !

Susan

From memory Susan, so not 100% sure

Now the fiddler's ready let us all begin
So step it out and step it in
To the merry music of the violin
We'll dance the hours away


Katy, Peggy Patsy and Coll
Callum, Peter, Flora and Moll
Dance, dance, dance dance
Dance away the hours together


Dance till dawn be in the sky
What care you and what care I?
Hearts a beating, spirits high
We'll dance, dance, dance.

Meg

[jane]

Hello Susan

I remember the book Mrs McDougal used, all lovely scottish folk songs. What was your surname, maybe my brother will remember you. I remember there being a pretty little girl in his class, he took her to the cub party and it took him so much courage to ask her to go. There was a song we sang about an Irish washerwoman as well. She always practiced so much for the competitions, it is a shame there is not so much music in schools. She set up a recorder group in primary as well, and in the school concert we all played the tune to "Z Cars" with someone dressed as a policeman running across the stage.

The music classroom you talk about was used by a music teacher from the secondary side Mr Tate I think was his name, the other was Mr Heatherington.

It was a full primary school when I was there but gradually things were closing down and teachers going, what a shame.

Jane

[JammyDodger]

I've been hearing it said in another topic that there isn't much traditional Scottish music learned in school these days , but we certainly did with Mrs McDougall around.

Susan

I know it's not quite the same as the traditional music referred to, but my daughter, who is in P4 at St Peter's in Ardrossan has been learning 'Donald Where's Your Trooser's' to sing at their assembly this week. Donna