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Memories of a childhood in wartime Leith. The trials and tribulations of the period, allied to the camaraderie of the community in facing up to an uncertain future made a lasting impression on John Stewart.
Dr Bell's School, although no longer used for primary education, still stands in Great Junction Street in Leith as a memorial to the renowned Scottish educationalist, Andrew Bell, 1753-1832.
I can't recall too vividly my days in the infant class whose teacher was an elderly lady called Miss Olsen, but I do remember her severely chastising me for a certain misdemeanour on my part.
All pupils' toilets were situated outside in the playground and these were used winter and summer months despite the extreme weather conditions. The teachers at least had inside facilities.
Three o'clock and we were dismissed for the day. I ran out of the classroom and through the school gate and immediately relieved myself at the pavement's kerb.
Miss Olsen was close on my heels and she exploded with rage as she caught sight of me. I was immediately dragged back into school where I was lectured in no uncertain terms.
We were taught the rudiments of arithmetic by means of different coloured wooden pegs and blocks. Slates and pencils were used extensively with each new day's work going onto a newly wiped surface. No record of your work survived a damp cloth.
An important lesson that was instilled in us was the donning of gas masks in a daily drill bordering on a ritual. Each of us had to carry our gas masks everywhere we went.
This eventually went out of practice as the danger of air raids receded. These were carefree days in the infant classes, but they were soon to pass as we moved up through the grades.
Miss Olsen passed us onto Miss Ironside and she in turn to Miss Mackie. Eventually we were taken under the wing of Miss Gellatly who supervised us up to the time we were ready to leave our primary education behind us.
John Stewart, 2001
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