Some recollections from Michael Hanson CGS 1943 to 1949.
In my early days at City
Grammar the Second World War was on most student's
minds because they all
had a father or other relative serving in one of the
Forces and although the
Sheffield Blitz was a distant memory there were
still constant reminders
in the shape of damaged buildings.
There were trips through
the streets to the Y.M.C.A for gym, and then out to the
Sports Field where the
travelling time detracted from the time in play.
There were Field trips
too to the Steel Mills and other Industrial plants
and boys went to see
Henry Vth. whilst the girls went to see The Red Shoes.
I suppose some of the
things which also tease the memory are some of the
silly things that we
got up to and how a talent for mischief may have
carried on into later
life.
It was relatively childs
play to slip the end of the cooling tube hose into
someones pocket and see
their surprise when they found the source of their
discomfort and similarly
the practice of dumping used Biology specimens
into the back of the
piano came to an abrupt halt when the morning pianist
hit notes which produced
nothing but a squelch.
The things however which
may give concern about their future are the way in
which one individual
patiently drilled a small hole into Blackboard chalk
into which he placed
a live match head or different powdered colours, both
of which produced spectacular
results when the chalk was used. The
student(s) who produced
a compound which in its moist state was folded into
paper pellets and when
dry gave a loud report when run over by a car. Great
care necessary in handling
here. Then there was the person with a great
touch who was called
upon when keys had been forgotten and the usual
practice was to call
the woodwork Master to hacksaw the lock with the
student required to replace
it. He could open all or any locks with one and
sometimes two compass
points.