REGARDING Eric Beardsworth's article (LET, January 28) about the old Accrington Grammar School, I started there in September, 1952.

I was in 1A, my form room was Room 19, which looked out on to Hardman Street, and my form master was Eric Cordingley. There were 25 boys in my form and I can still recite the register from Airey, Edwin J to Wilson, Edward J.

Among the pupils in my form were Bob Dobson (known as "Buggins" in the first year) who writes regularly for the Accrington Observer, amd Geoffrey Garnett, who became President of the British Dental Association a few years ago. John Slinger, of Slinger's Meats was also a fellow pupil.

On Tuesdays, Miss Richardson came round with a chalk box, rattled it and said 'Charity collection". We were all expected to give something, even if only one halfpenny. The money went to a different charity each week such as UNICEF, Pestalozzi, Children's Village, etc.

Our physics teacher, the elderly Mr Acklam, known as Daddy Ack, wore glasses and what bit of hair he had was grey and his moustache was "Woodbined" to a brilliant yellow.

He had a very dry sense of humour but if anyone committed a misdemeanour he would get hold of a few strands of their hair with one hand and with one of those round rulers, he would gently tap the strands of hair. As he continued to speak quietly to the miscreant the tapping got gradually harder until it eventually felt as if their hair was coming out by the roots!

I remember during a chemistry experiment with Mr Almond when we were being shown how to make hydrogen, the apparatus exploded. Some weeks later, small holes began to appear in our clothing and it became evident that we had been sprayed with acid! Our music teacher was George Crick. He was a nice chap, but he once said to me, "Porter, you'll never be any good at music - you're too thick!" (I have been a church organist since 1966).

All the teachers had nicknames - 'Ben'Johnson (head), 'Pop' Cordingley (woodwork), 'Pug' Portno (French), 'Pinky' White and 'Rocky' Wilson (geography), 'Winky Barrel' (Mr R P Owen - chemistry) who was on the stout side and opened and closed his eyes as he spoke.

Mr E J Owen, who taught maths was 'Gobbin'. 'Ma' Birtwell also taught maths. 'Flossie' Ferguson taught English and RI as did Mr Slater (a perfect shot with a blackboard duster!) and 'Dozy' Ken Marsden, while 'Jackie' Foulds taught physics and often appeared to be asleep or in another world.

Reggie Moss taught French and his favourite saying if we got something wrong was "Turn his face to the wall, Mother, and tie round a black piece of stwing" (sic). Another French teacher was Mr Samuels whose nickname was the time-honoured 'Froggy'. Mr Almond, another chemistry teacher, was 'Percy'.

At the annual swimming gala and the annual sports day we always received instructions in assembly about where to meet, etc. and we were told 'there will be no chewing and no booing'.

In 1955 there was a general election and, like many other schools, we had a mock election. The Independent candidate was a lad called James Whittaker, sometimes known as 'Wilbur' or 'Jimmy Wick'. His speech was very witty. However, he did not enter the political arena, but went on to become comedian Jim Bowen of 'Bullseye' fame.

Life was good at the old school in those austere post-war years and although it's sad to see the old buildings go, life continues and we must never lose sight of the fact that the pupils make a school, not the building.

GEOFFREY PORTER, Westhoughton, Bolton.

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