gaze out of the window and imagine that I was flying through the clouds
and soaring into the stratosphere at super-speed, doing all the things
that beings gifted with the powers of flight are prone to. (Well, apart from
pooping on pedestrians below. I was a superhero, not a seagull.) Yup,
I was a nutter even back then.
 |
| 1987, and the end windows still provide access to the view. When this photo was taken, things were still pretty much as they had been in my day. My dog Zara (lying down on the right of the picture) waits patiently for me to complete my task |
As previously stated on this blog, when I was much younger and still at
school, I was prone to daydreaming. On pleasant sunny days, I'd sit andgaze out of the window and imagine that I was flying through the clouds
and soaring into the stratosphere at super-speed, doing all the things
that beings gifted with the powers of flight are prone to. (Well, apart from
pooping on pedestrians below. I was a superhero, not a seagull.) Yup,
I was a nutter even back then.
.JPG) |
| 2010, and the windows are now blocked off. Note also the old folks' home on he left of the picture, and the railings (with razor wire on the roof of the small building on the right), giving the school a less than appealling appearance |
On rainy days I was more relaxed, preferring just to look out at the gray
skies beyond, as rivulets of rain raced down the pane, leaving little trails
in the dirt on the window. As I type this, it's raining outside, and it's with
difficulty that I tear my gaze from the sky to apply myself to the task of
producing yet another historically accurate, rousing reminiscence with
which to thrill and enthrall you. I hope you appreciate all the sacrifices
I make on your behalf.
skies beyond, as rivulets of rain raced down the pane, leaving little trails
in the dirt on the window. As I type this, it's raining outside, and it's with
difficulty that I tear my gaze from the sky to apply myself to the task of
producing yet another historically accurate, rousing reminiscence with
which to thrill and enthrall you. I hope you appreciate all the sacrifices
I make on your behalf.
 |
| Me in my old classroom circa 1986 |
In previous posts, I've alluded to the fact that all our horizons seem to
be narrowing, as fields and play areas are consumed and crammed with
sheltered housing for the elderly or squashed, tiny houses or flats for
those climbing the property ladder. For someone who grew up in a new
town in the '60s, with its wide open spaces and acres of greenbelt for as
far as the eye could see - and beyond - the disappearance of those green
areas is casting a claustrophobic shadow over what was once an open
and spacious place in which to live.
My town currently has a new schools programme underway, in which
they build a new school and demolish the old one, supposedly freeing up
land on which to erect houses. One thing that strikes me about these new
educational establishments is that they have far fewer windows than their
predecessors, in many cases resulting in pupils only having four walls to
stare at (although I'm sure the classrooms are bright and well-lit), as
opposed to a view beyond a window. It must be like living in a prison.
Even where the classrooms do have windows, they're high-up, narrow
ones, which allow no sight of the scenery (such as it is) beyond.
Take a look at the accompanying photographs of one of my old primary
classrooms. The above photo was taken around 1986, about sixteen years
after I had left to go to secondary school. Apart from new desks, everything
was much as I remembered it. As you can see, two of the walls have large
windows, through which the pupils have a view of houses and fields outwith
the school. In the photo below, taken in the same class in 2012, one side
has had its windows covered so that it can be used for pinning up pictures,
etc. This wasn't restricted to that one room; that entire side of the school
had all the windows blocked off, restricting the pupils' view of the wider
world outside.
Maybe there's no correlation, but I can't help wondering if narrowing
people's horizons may also narrow their dreams and aspirations. As a
schoolboy, I used to explore the clouds from the comfort of my desk, and
felt free and unfettered. What do today's schoolkids dream of, or explore
in their imagination with only the claustrophobic confines of four walls
to 'inspire' them?
Any thoughts on the matter?
be narrowing, as fields and play areas are consumed and crammed with
sheltered housing for the elderly or squashed, tiny houses or flats for
those climbing the property ladder. For someone who grew up in a new
town in the '60s, with its wide open spaces and acres of greenbelt for as
far as the eye could see - and beyond - the disappearance of those green
areas is casting a claustrophobic shadow over what was once an open
and spacious place in which to live.
.jpg) |
| Close-up of part of the view from the back windows |
My town currently has a new schools programme underway, in which
they build a new school and demolish the old one, supposedly freeing up
land on which to erect houses. One thing that strikes me about these new
educational establishments is that they have far fewer windows than their
predecessors, in many cases resulting in pupils only having four walls to
stare at (although I'm sure the classrooms are bright and well-lit), as
opposed to a view beyond a window. It must be like living in a prison.
Even where the classrooms do have windows, they're high-up, narrow
ones, which allow no sight of the scenery (such as it is) beyond.
 |
| The same room as above and below. As you can see, the pupils had quite an expansive view before the windows on one side were blocked off |
classrooms. The above photo was taken around 1986, about sixteen years
after I had left to go to secondary school. Apart from new desks, everything
was much as I remembered it. As you can see, two of the walls have large
windows, through which the pupils have a view of houses and fields outwith
the school. In the photo below, taken in the same class in 2012, one side
has had its windows covered so that it can be used for pinning up pictures,
etc. This wasn't restricted to that one room; that entire side of the school
had all the windows blocked off, restricting the pupils' view of the wider
world outside.
 |
| 2012. Dull, dreary, dismal and despairing. I'm glad it wasn't like this in my day |
Maybe there's no correlation, but I can't help wondering if narrowing
people's horizons may also narrow their dreams and aspirations. As a
schoolboy, I used to explore the clouds from the comfort of my desk, and
felt free and unfettered. What do today's schoolkids dream of, or explore
in their imagination with only the claustrophobic confines of four walls
to 'inspire' them?
Any thoughts on the matter?
8 comments:
Hard to believe it's a school, looks like it could be a building harbouring a dozen sweatshops or even less salubrious businesses wishing to hide their affairs from public gaze. Can't believe the school governors and parents association would put up with this rubbish but I suppose it's a good indicator of how folk just acquiesce to all the crap that's heaped on them, no matter how insane.
It's a crazy world and no mistake. I think perhaps they were trying to make the building as unattractive as possible so there'd be no objections about building another and pulling the original down.
Plenty of daylight is inspiring and good for kids.
Anyways its good they let you in the school to take your pix.
It was especially good of them considering how I looked at the time. Just look at that 'flasher's mac'.
That must explain why everyone scarpered. :-)
Nah, I arranged to go in after school hours. I didn't want a bunch of kids getting in the way of the fixtures and fittings.
Surprised if they don't have a SMART Board yet.
They may have one in the new building, Chris. I've not been in it yet, don't know if I ever will be. It's only the old school I have an interest in, seeing as it's the one I went to.
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