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This is an account of the observations made by an American visitor to WGHS back in 1970. I (the editor) was in Fenella Bank's year group and, although not a close friend of hers, I do remember her well. We were in year the 4th year back then (Y10).

Mr Worthington was a very memorable teacher – probably the best one we ever had - and he only taught during the 1970 - 1971 years at WGHS as he was not a 'teacher' but an Engineer (married to one of our French Staff) who had agreed to 'help out' inbetween contracts as we were desperate for Maths Staff. He was happy to return to a career with good pay at the end of that year! I well understand Fenella wishing to be taught by him - many of us hoped he would stay on (A sort of 'To Sir, With Love' response to our pleas that he was a brilliant maths teacher and should continue to teach!).

I think that reading this account will bring back many memories for those of us that were at school at the time. It certainly did for me!

The American Lady visitor was not impressed with our lovely school building - and did not realise it was actually built in 1911 - not the 1800s. At the time we were very cash-strapped. The local council wanted to close us down and was spending on the new comprehensives not the 'outdated grammar schools'.... but the dingy decor is not a problem - and the school was always kept very clean!

Her comments on prices and how low-paid the teachers are in England are interesting, as are the contrasts to American schooling.

Enjoy!

The first school I visited was Wolverhampton Girls’ High School, which Fenella attends.  This is a grammar school, for the more gifted girls of the area.  Before I visited the school, I found out some background information on it from Fenella.

Being a grammar school, the school is attended by appointment.  Ninety girls are admitted each year, sixty from primary schools inside the Borough of Wolverhampton, and thirty from schools inside the rest of the county of Staffordshire besides Wolverhampton.  Six hundred twenty-two girls are attending the school altogether this year.  There are only three immigrant pupils on the roll presently.

The girls attending the school are between the ages of eleven, right out of primary school, and eighteen, ready for university or college attendance, or jobs.  The school is divided into “forms”.  There are, this year, three first forms of thirty girls each, aged eleven and twelve; three second forms, thirty in each, for girls aged twelve to thirteen; three third forms of thirty girls aged thirteen and fourteen; three fourth form of thirty girls aged fourteen and fifteen, (Fenella is a member of the fourth form); four fifth forms with approximately twenty-three girls in each, aged fifteen and sixteen; six “lower” sixth forms for sixteen and seventeen year olds; three “upper” sixth forms for seventeen and eighteen year olds; and one third year sixth form, for further preparation for university entrance.

The school is headed by the Headmistress, Miss R.E. Scargill, not-so-affectionately known to everyone (but herself) as “Scrag”.  There is a Deputy Head, also a woman, and under her there are the heads of the various departments.  The school has a faculty of around forty teachers, only four of which are men.  Fenella firmly believes that there should be more men teachers on the staff.

The school terms of most of the schools in England are approximately the same, but each school sets its own schedule, so the terms vary from school to school by a few days and weeks throughout the year.  Wolverhampton Girls’ High has three terms.  The first is from September to December.  Then, after a two week Christmas break the second term convenes.  This term extends from January to March, or Eastertime.  There is then a three week break, and the third term runs from April to the end of July.  August is a “holiday” month.

The curriculum is quite typical of any school.  Academic subjects are: English, maths (the British add an “s” on the shortened form of mathematics), history, geography, physics, biology and chemistry.  There is a wide range of languages offered: French, German, Russian, Latin, Spanish, Italian and Greek.  Art and music are offered, as well as “Domestic Science”, which is “cookery”, and “needlework” and “Games”.  Religious instruction is required.

This seems like a large curriculum, but, in fact, what the girls can actually take is very limited.  English education causes children to specialize at a very early age.  By around the age of fifteen, a child must decide to specialize in either arts or sciences, to the almost total exclusion of the other.  At Fenella’s school, making one choice of subject leads to many other choices made for the girls: classes which go along with the first decision.  The system is a very trapping one.

There are two levels of achievement which English children work towards.  First they study for the “O” or Ordinary Level Exams, which are taken at around sixteen years of age.  “O” levels passed earn for the child the General Certificate of Education.  Children take “O” level classes to work for these exams.  Then, for better jobs of for university or college appointments, some British young people take “A” or Advanced Level Exams.  These are prepared for by taking “A” level courses.  The number of “A” levels passed is a magic number in Britain for many reasons.  Employers look at these records, as do universities and colleges.  Jobs pay better for each additional “A” level passed.

Fenella is now getting to the age at which she needs to decide what “A” levels, if any, she wants to pursue.  She is a very good example of the fact that the age of fifteen and even sixteen may be too early an age to be forced to make such decisions.  When I was in Wolverhampton she was considering taking “A” level maths.  But the only basis she was making her decision on was whether Mr. Worthington, who she then viewed with starry eyes, was going to be the teacher for the course or not!

Fenella’s school has no student council type government.  There is a Head Girl and fifteen “prefects” who only have one purpose: to maintain law and order.  These girls are upper sixth formers, and some are chosen by the Headmistress and some by each sixth form.  All forms have two form leaders who organize form activities and also maintain discipline.

I read through a list of school regulation that Fenella had among her papers.  Some of the rules were:

SILENCE: No talking on the stairs or in the corridors between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., and 2.30 p.m. and 3.50 p.m.
GENERAL:

  • Keep to the right in the corridors, and move in single file.
  • Eating is not permitted on the way to or from school.
  • Fountain pens are not to be used by girls not yet in the fourth form.
  • Bring no money to school except what you need.  Leave the rest in an envelope in the office. 
  • Keep your lunch money in a coin purse fastened to your belt.

COURTESY: Stand when the teacher enters the room.  Remain in silence until she says Good Morning.  Then answer and be seated until the end of the lesson.

DETENTION:
Detention in the form of time spent doing work after school will be given for:

  • lateness
  • badly done work
  • bad conduct.

DINNERTIME: Eat all provided.

UNIFORMs: Complete uniforms must be worn on the way to and from school.
Neatness is of the utmost importance.  Your school has a reputation to maintain!

The school uniform regulations are also very strictly set out.  There are two uniforms – a winter uniform and a summer uniform. 

Winter uniforms consist, for the first through fifth forms, of navy blue tunics and belts, pale blue blouses, red and navy blue striped ties and navy blue pullovers or cardigans.  Black shoes are worn, (and white socks for the first and second formers).  Sixth form girls wear navy blue skirts and sweaters, pale blue blouses, and no tie.  Hats are also required, beret-type.  Coats and mufflers are also regulation-type.  When in public, the girls must always keep a good appearance to keep the school’s standards high.


Wolverhampton Girls’ High offers some extra-curricular activities for the girls.  There are judo, fencing, gymnastics and sailing clubs.  There is an orchestra and several choirs.  A junior and senior dramatic society puts on a play each year.  There is also a debating society.
There are many sports activities available to participate in.  There is swimming, netball, hockey, rounders and cricket competition between the various “houses” of the school.  A “house” is assigned to each girl as she enters the school.  These are assigned at random unless a girl has had a relative attend the school in the past, then she is assigned to the same house as the relative was in.  The girls keep these houses, which each have members in all forms, throughout their years at the school.  Activities and sports are engaged in in these groupings.  So most sports are inter-mural, but some inter-school competition is engaged in.
There is a Parents’ Guild for money-raising efforts on behalf of the school, and a P.T.A. for discussion and problem-solving.

After collecting all this information from Fenella, I was very interested in visiting the school, and Fenella was quite excited to have me go with her.  She likes her school very much, although she would rather still be attending the school she had been going to before the family moved two years ago.  Mrs. Banks feels the school is too stuffy and the staff works the girls too hard.  Fenella usually has around three to four hours of homework every night.  But she does it without complaint, simply because it is expected of her.

It was decided that I would go to school with Fenella on Tuesday, March 17, 1970.  Fenella made all the arrangements with the staff members involved, who all seemed quite willing to take the time to have a visitor under foot, according to Fenella’s reports.  She also informed me that “Scrag” wanted to meet me when I visited.  She told me I was indeed privileged.
After breakfast that Tuesday, Fenella gathered up all her papers, artwork and books and heaped them into her big, well-used briefcase, among what seemed to be reams and reams of torn, written-on paper and old beat-up books.  Somehow she closed the briefcase, put on her coat, hat and scarf, and went storming out of the house at 8:20, yelling good-byes and ‘I’m late’ to whoever was around to hear.  This was a daily process that I usually watched with great interest, but today I was involved in.  Trying to be involved in, at least.  I had a very hard time keeping up with this cyclone of books, paper and energy.  I could tell I had a hard day ahead.

Fenella and I stopped next door to pick up Fenella’s friend, Fiona, who was in her form at school.  Then they both went tearing up the street, chattering to each other so fast I couldn’t even get the gist of the conversation.  We came to a screeching halt at a public bus stop and waited about five minutes, the girls very impatiently.  When the bus came, we piled on and climbed to the top layer.  The girls paid threepence each (3¢), having half-fare cards, and I paid sixpence.  Then they sat back and giggled about a boy sitting in the front of the bus.  About two miles later, we jumped off the bus and joined many other navy blue girls talking brightly and walking into a courtyard.

The bus had gone along a middle-class street, lined with old, but clean, large homes.  The school building was also old, having been built in the nineteenth century.  It was huge, with dingy red-brick construction.  We went in, and were at once overpowered by the wide, dark corridors and high ceilings.  The building lorded over us, and I felt like each wall had eyes, watching and demanding a proper respect and restraint in its presence.  But the school’s girls obviously didn’t feel this atmosphere.  The halls were teeming with laughing, chattering girls, the older ones standing in groups talking confidentially and the younger ones running along the halls in and out of these gatherings.  Fenella, being between the young runners and old gabbers in age sort of walked-ran down the hall while I tried my best to keep up, while at the same time being constantly bombarded by the bodies of “runners” going in the opposite direction.

Suddenly Fenella stopped, in a mall area by the school’s administrative offices.  She thought for a moment, then suggested that I might meet the Headmistress now, and get it over with.  We crept cautiously towards one of the offices, and stopped on the threshold.  The door was open and a small grey-haired woman was seated at a desk in the room.  Behind her was a huge fake fireplace with an electric fire turned on full blast in it.  We stood there for a few moments before the woman looked up.  Fenella introduced me.

“Oh, yes.  Hello, Miss Moe”, said Miss Scargill, not smiling and looking decidedly bored.  “You’re enjoying your stay here?”
“Yes, very much, thank you”.
“Good”.  We stared at each other for a while, then she went back to her work, with a preoccupied, “Thank you, Fenella”.

We left, and Fenella sighed with relief.  I didn’t say anything, but I remembered that once Mrs. Banks had told me that Miss Scargill was “a typical Headmistress.  Very intelligent and proper, but when it comes to everyday friendly relations with people, she just can’t function”.  I agreed heartily.

We resumed our original pace, and eventually came to a halt in front of the faculty room, where a number of other girls had already gathered.  We all waited a few minutes, then the door opened and a young woman stepped out.  Immediately a clamour went up, with each girl in waiting asking the poor woman to go back in and tell a different faculty member to come out.  She smiled tolerantly, and turned but only called out one name into the room, luckily Fenella’s request, Miss Reidy, the teacher I was to spend the morning with.  Miss Reidy came to the door and peered out.  She was small and mousy, about sixty and had thin grey hair.  She wore a longish wool skirt, a white blouse and a thin sweater.  Fenella introduced us, then scooted off quickly.

Miss Reidy, I found, is the Head of the English Department, and teaches mainly sixth form, advanced level English.  She is very intelligent, and very nice.  I followed her first to 9:00 assembly in the large school hall.  When we got there, most of the girls had already been seated.  The girls sat, by form, on the floor in front of a stage.  When they were all seated, the Headmistress and the prefects descended to the stage, looking extremely stern and unbending.  We sang a Lenten hymn from little school hymnals, then the Head Girl read the story of the Last Supper from the Bible.  Then there were some unison prayers spoken, including the Lord’s Prayer.  Miss Scargill then stepped forward.  She made several general school announcements, then called down (by name) a number of girls for various offenses, from having too many absences or tardies to whispering to their neighbour in that morning’s assembly.  On this happy note the assembly was adjourned.

Miss Reidy first took me to her form room; it was 9:15, and until 9:30 each form gathered together for attendance taking.  Then we went together to her first class, which met during the period of 9:30 to 10:05.  Miss Reidy wrote a test consisting of two questions on Milton’s Paradise Lost on the blackboard: 1) Describe briefly the life lived by Adam and Eve in Paradise and notice their relationships, and 2) Do you find Milton’s presentation of them attractive?  She explained the questions, then told me we would leave the room and go somewhere we could talk during the class period.

During our half-hour discussion, Miss Reidy gave me a lot of valuable information on the teachers’ point of view of education in England.

Most of the grammar school teachers are university graduates.  A university offers three years of academic and one year of direct training.  Colleges of education, the other path to becoming a teacher, offer three years of taking one or two academic subjects and several education courses.  A fourth year is offered for work on a Bachelor of Education degree.

It is not mandatory for all teachers to join unions, but it is advisable to do so.  This is because of three reasons: 1) The unions offer legal protection in case of accidental injury to any children, 2) unions give the teachers professional solidarity and a united voice against the government, and 3) the unions keep teachers in touch with other teachers and in touch with new innovations and experiments in the teaching profession, through conferences and publications.
There are quite a few teaching unions in England.  The National Union of Teachers is for teachers in the primary and secondary modern schools.  The grammar school teachers have unions of their own, separate ones for the heads of the schools and the under staff.

I asked Miss Reidy about the salaries of English school teachers.  A college-trained first year teacher receives an equivalent of $2,064 a year, and is entitled to a raise every year for the first fifteen years.  A teacher can apply for a headship of a department for a larger raise in salary.  The salary is figured on a graded scale which the Local Education Authority and some representatives of the local teachers agree upon, considering seniority and degree.  Heads of departments receive between $6,000 and $7,200 a year.  The latter figure is about the maximum any teacher can earn in England.

School headmasters can earn high salaries, however.  A headmaster of a large school can earn between $10,800 and $12,000.  Most school heads are in the $6,000 to $8,400 category.  These salaries are all, obviously, very low, and England’s low cost of living is not the only reason for this.  Teachers in England are sadly underpaid, and the teaching profession is not a popular one to enter in the country.

The 10:05 bell rang, and Miss Reidy hurried me to her next class.  The passing period between classes is only two minutes in length.  For the 10:10 to 10:40 class hour, two classes met together because a teacher was absent.  Miss Reidy showed the girls some slides of drawings of life in Chaucer’s day.  Miss Reidy gave an animated and impromptu narration, and the girls didn’t take notes.

During this class, I took note of the classroom I was in.  The walls were half brick and half plaster painted a dirty yellow.  Four bare lightbulbs hung down from the ceiling.  The desks and chairs were old and wooden.  I had already run my hose on one of the rough chairs.  The teacher’s desk was small, wooden and box-like.  There was a bookcase piled in great disarray with books and papers.  Bulletin boards held announcements and an occasional magazine picture.  There was one small blackboard.  The room was heated (almost) by a radiator.  Indoor heating isn’t one of England’s strong points anyway, and I had been a human ice cube since I’d arrived in the country.  I think the temperature in the school was probably around sixty degrees.

The next class period was from 10:45 to 11:20.  In this class of sixth form girls, the book English Literary Appreciation, by G.C. Rasser, was used.  Miss Reidy first assigned some homework, then led the class in a discussion of metaphors, alliteration, personification and such in some passages by Shakespeare.  The questions she posed were really very difficult.  Then the class participated in a good discussion on the maxim, “To thine own self be true”.  Is this an un-worldly and anti-social viewpoint?  Then the girls were asked to define some words such as picaresque, howitzer, theosophy, phlebitis, hedonism and estaminet.  I was very glad I was not a class member and expected to recite!


Between 11:20 and 11:35 is a school break.  The girls pour into the corridors and stand in groups and talk or sit by walls and eat candy bars, fruit and potato crisps.  I went with Miss Reidy to the faculty room.  She had to make a phone call so left me alone in the midst of about forty rather unfriendly teachers who talked among themselves, drank tea, ate cakes and eyed me suspiciously on the side.  I stood rather nervously, trying to fade into the background, until Miss Reidy came back, gave me a cup of tea and talked to me as though she was compelled to do so.  I was glad when the break was over.


Miss Reidy’s next class was from 11:40 to 12:20.  The girls read a passage on aristocracy, then discussed types of humour, and the concept of humour in general.  Again, the girls discussed very intelligently.


My last class with Miss Reidy was from 12:25 until 1:00.  The girls read from Thomas Hardy’s 'Tess of the d’Urbervilles', and discussed the action.

When the 1:00 bell rang, I left Miss Reidy and met Fenella, to spend the rest of the day with her. Somehow in the mass confusion in the halls I found her, and we headed for the lunchroom. 

There are two lunch sittings; the fourth, fifth and sixth-formers go from 1:00 to 1:30 and the younger girls from 1:30 until 2:00.  First, the girls run to their form rooms and get their aprons, which they are required to wear during lunch.  Then they line up by twos and file into the lunchroom and sit at tables of eight. 

I felt very strange, wearing red in a huge room of girls in navy blue.  I think my extra presence was quite obvious! 

Two girls at each table got the food for the eight of them.  It was served family style, out of aluminium serving dishes.  We had stew, carrots and parsnips, boiled potatoes and apple crisp with custard on it for dessert.  The girls complained, giggled and wiggled, and all ate everything they fit in their mouths in between words.  The meals cost 18¢ each, but were to be raised in a few weeks to 21¢.

After lunch the girls can play ping-pong in a game room, just sit and talk, or walk around the school grounds.  The grounds are extensive and pleasant.  There are tennis courts, and two playing fields, and plenty of big shady trees and one rather murky pond.  The day I visited a film was being shown during the free period, so Fenella and I decided to go to it.  About seventy girls piled into a classroom, and we were shown what I considered to be a very dull film about an architect and his work on one particular building.  The girls weren’t fascinated either, but it was a change for them to stay inside, out of the cold March air, anyway.

At 2:20 the girls go back into their form rooms for the afternoon attendance taking.  Then, the next class begins at 2:30.  Fenella had Geography.  Her teacher was a young, heavily-built woman with an excellent sense of humour.  The classroom atmosphere was much more relaxed in this class than in Miss Reidy’s morning classes.  The girls filled in maps showing parts of France and Germany.  They were allowed to talk while doing so, and joked with each other and their teacher.

At 3:15 the last class period began, and I attended Fenella’s maths class.  Again, the teacher was a quite young woman, but she kept her class in a little bit stricter focus.  The lesson for the day was spheres, and I was reminded of my high school geometry class.  After class, Fenella talked to the teacher very casually, and tried to convince her to confide to Fenella her age.  I found this casual yet strict atmosphere in the school very paradoxical.

After the 3:50 bell had rung, Fenella had to practice a skit with some girls with whom she was going to perform for the school, representing their form.  Apparently there was to be a day in the near future when each form gave a humorous presentation of some sort to the rest of the girls.  Fenella’s group had planned what I considered a very clever and mature skit.  I was always embarrassed to compare Fenella and her friends to myself when I was her age.  Their thinking and actions seemed generally more mature and meaningful to me than those of American teenagers.

Finally, at about 4:30, we left the school building and took the bus home.  Fenella tore into her homework so she could watch “The Top of the Pops” on television later that evening.  I collapsed into a chair, feeling quite done in. 

As I thought about it, I decided that most high schools in America probably have just as fast a pace, but are generally less demanding, being geared for every intellect.  I think Fenella is getting a very good, intellectually stimulating education, but that the scope is a bit too narrow and old fashioned for today.  But Fenella is in England, getting an English education that will prepare her well for the life in her country.  Because of this fact, it is really unfair to judge her education on American standards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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