PAYING a rare visit to St Helens from my home in Lee-on-the-Solent I took the opportunity to visit Cowley school. It has changed less than I thought.

A chance conversation with Wally Ashcroft, who writes about animals in your paper, reminded my that my form was publicly described by the then Head, Mr Cantle, as the worst 5b in the history of the school. (Wally was in 5a).

I started at Cowley in September, 1946 and my old school mates will be 65-ish this year and retired or ready to retire. There may even be some of them who did end up as layabouts. Some may have ended up in gaol, but I'm sure that some will have done rather well for themselves.

I would be interested to hear in any case and hope they will be willing to complete the following brief questionnaire.

1. Married, divorced, single. With/without children.

2. Best/worst that happened since school.

3. Public life achievements or other voluntary service.

4. Sporting achievements.

5. Fairly well off/rather badly off financially over last 50 years.

6. Mainly a happy/unhappy life.

Replies to Wally Ashcroft c/o the newspaper or by e.mail to jimarbeving@compuserve.com.

If there is a significant number of interesting replies I will write to the newspaper again without, of course, mentioning any names.

Jim Bevington,

Lee-on-the-Solent,

Hampshire.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.