TGS Chapter RUTH BARROW. 1946 - 1953

I had to cycle 3 miles to Penshurst Station and then travel on a steam train that came from Reading and ended at Deal or Dover. Sometimes it was a bit late and we had to go straight to Assembly and we were often only in time for the notices.

I was the only one on this train in my class and I didn’t know any of the other girls so initially was unsure of what was going on.

When the weather was bad we were allowed to catch the 2.12 train home instead of the usual 4.12 one. It was amazing how news of the permission was quickly passed round the school.

This happened often in my first winter of 1947. Snow no longer had any excitement for me I longed to see green grass verges again!

We were all made to use the same style of writing to make it easier for the staff to mark. We were given marks out of ten for home work and every 3 weeks these were added up and averaged to give us a percentage mark divided into Honours, above 75%, credit above 60%, pass above 40%, this was read out by the headmistress, Miss Arnold, in Mark Reading.

Because I was tall I was given the position of Goalkeeper in Netball, I hadn’t played this in junior school but apparently, to my surprise,I was good enough to play in a match for the team in the year above me. Matches took place on Saturdays mostly in the mornings.

I played in matches throughout my time at school, fortunately our season tickets were valid on Saturdays. Mostly we went on coaches for away fixtures but sometimes we had to make our own way there.

We were put into houses and matches in netball and hockey were played between houses at the ends of terms.

Once I hadn’t finished my needlework, when watching one of the matches I was sent for but I sent back a message to say my needlework was at home!

We had to change into indoor shoes in school and even at mid morning break when we had to go outdoors we had to change our shoes.

We were not allowed to speak in the corridor at any time, not even when we were queueing outside the classroom. When there was general movement prefects were posted at strategic points to ensure there was no talking.

I loved sport, I remember playing hockey in a thick fog when it was hard to see Miss Wood who was referee.

At the end of each day there was a half hour when we could do prep. but Tuesdays and Thursdays we could go to team practices instead. Wednesdays there was a longer prep period which was often used for outside lectures and other special events.

I liked it when I had games lessons Monday, Wednesday and Friday so that I played games every day of the week

I played in netball, hockey and cricket teams and was captain of the cricket team in 1952 & 1953 and of the hockey team in 1952/53 season and games secretary 1951/52 when I had to send postcards to arrange match fixtures.

The UVI had a form room in the Study above the office but our year was the first to have too many to fit in so the Head Girl, Janet Waterman, and Deputy, Dorothy Bibby, were in the study and I was made Senior Prefect to lead in Room 1 class room which was carpeted and supplied with a large table in the centre instead of desks. I arranged a party to celebrate our newly furnished room but then was not well enough to attend but the games I planned went ahead.

In 1951 I was in the first year of O Levels when we were able to pass in individual subjects, some people didn’t sit a subject at O Level but continued onto A. Level. We could also drop subjects, I dropped Geography.

I always enjoyed watching the dress rehearsal of the school play which was often one of Shakespeare’s.

I was in an A. Level Chemistry lesson when we received a message that the King had died and there would be a special assembly before lunch.

I was in the UVI in Coronation year and I remember going with Miss Mallard to chose a tree to plant in Commemoration.

To celebrate the Coronation the whole school went on a special train just for us that took us from Tonbridge through to Windsor where we spent the day at the Castle.