Wednesday 10 September 2008

Alice in Wonderland Goes Back to School!


I received an interesting email out of the blue this week, from someone I haven't seen in 30 years. By a bizarre chance, a good friend from my class when I was at senior school, is now a teacher at my primary school, Eastfield Primary School in Enfield, where I grew up. She told me that the school is celebrating its 100 year anniversary this year. Congratulations Eastfield!


I had a root around, and dug out this photo. It's a school play from the late 1960s (!), Alice In Wonderland. Can you guess which one is me? I'm not sure exactly how old I was here - perhaps 9 or 10. Whoever painted the scenery did an excellent job, didn't they?
My friend has invited me back to visit my old school next month, to spend the anniversary day working with the children. It should be good fun and very interesting to see if anything I remember is still there. It's the playground I remember best. We girls used to play a game with a tennis ball tied into the end of a leg cut from a pair of our mum's tights. With our backs to a wall, we would swing the ball, bouncing it against the wall while we chanted playground songs.
In case you didn't guess, I am Alice on the far right.

10 comments:

granny grimble said...

What a remarkable story. Did your friend trace you through your blog and was it someone I knew as well?
What a lovely day you will have revisiting your 'days gone by' I wonder if the school looks the same. As I remember your class room was a temporary one out in the playground. It's probably been rebuilt now.

Lynne the Pencil said...

I found my friend, briefly, a few years ago, through Friends Reunited. We swapped news, but didn't keep in touch. I suppose she remembered me because of the Eastfield connection, and made contact again because of the anniversary.

Unfortunately, she tells me that my old classroom has indeed gone. What a shame!

weechuff said...

It will be so nice to go back to your old primary school. What a nice thing to look forward to. I wonder if there is an old teacher heading for retirement, that was there from when you were at school?

Damian Harvey said...

Cor... what a fantastic looking blog you've got here Lynne. Lovely and bright and made even more fantastic with wonderful artwork by the very brilliant artist Lynne Chapman.
I'd be very jealous if my blog wasn't so wonderful too.
In fact... I might still be a little bit jealous anyway but at least I know what I can write about on my blog diary today.

Lynne the Pencil said...

Unfortunately weechuff, the 3 teachers I remember best were all getting on a bit at the time even.

I just worked out that it is 40 YEARS (Ahhhhh!)since I left. I don't suppose they were as old as I remember them, but they'll be easily in their 80s now I reckon. Crikey!

Lynne the Pencil said...

Hi Damian!

Very kind of you to say so! And of course your blog is exceedingly brilliant too (roll over Mr Kipling...)Get over there pronto, all you aspiring authors!

For anyone reading this who doesn't know Damian, he wrote the hilarious An Itch To Scratch, to be featured any day in a blog very near this cinema...

granny grimble said...

Your maths are slightly out. It's 37 years since you left Eastfield. Don't get into your
50s until you have too!

Lynne the Pencil said...

I left when I was 8, in 1968 (I remember my 9th birthday party in Enfield), which makes it 40 years in 2008. Why do you think it is 37?

Croom said...

Another wonderful blog Lynne. I enjoy each and every one. Thank you.

Lynne the Pencil said...

Thank you! I'm so pleased I found the old photo.