Memories
This page is where you will find anecdotes and memories of our school days. If you have any you would like published please send them to the admin team by clicking here admin@newtownhighschoolreunion.com
Submitted by Rhys Thomas
In the fourth year when sitting in Miss Stoners English class, bursting through the door came Nicky Spears to obtain a book from his desk as we were sitting in his form room.
Miss Stoner told him off for his bad manners to which Nicky gave an off hand remark, so Miss Stoner attempting to get the upper hand, returned with a comment about Jimmy Rutter having fallen through the ice at the Fachwen pool while he and Nicky had walked over it at the previous weekend.
Without flinching Nicky retorted with the words "I don't think that was funny Miss!" to which Miss Stoner replied "Why what do you mean?" and with the trap baited and now about to spring he finished with "Well Jimmy died Miss" (always polite) and then left the room.
"Horrified as to her mistake and unfortunately not very street wise but always well meaning she had us all stand for two minutes silence in memory of Jimmy." What she thought when she next bumped into Jimmy I never heard but I bet it uncharacteristically included "That", "B*", "Nicky", "Spears".
Submitted by Alan Jones
I remember one cold January day we arrived in the bus car park on a Mid Wales Motorways bus, one of the old ones with the bull nose and a door that was pulled open by a large lever by the driver. Our driver this day was Mr Charlie Grosvenor who was the slowest safest driver Mid Wales Motorways had. Travelling to school at no more than 30 mph was great but not so good going home of course!
This particular day we left Carno at the scheduled time of ten past eight, the weather was fine but as we got nearer to Newtown the snow started coming down and Charlie was driving slower and slower. We got to the car park about five past nine. Waiting for us at the school gate was our headmaster Mr Nelson Jones wearing his black cape. I was the first off the bus, eager as ever to get to my lessons! As I approached the gate Mr Nelson Jones asked me why we were late. I saw this as an opportunity to leave school early if I could play my cards right, so I promptly said, "the snow was terrible in Carno sir I'm not sure we will be able to get back home"!
I walked off real smug thinking that after lunch we would be let out early. I then heard Mr Nelson Jones ask Valerie Evans what the weather was like in Carno, a lot better than here sir she replied, it was fine when we left. The next thing I hear was "You Boy" I knew then that it was straight to the headmasters office, and it was.
Submitted by Alan Jones
I recall another event when I was about thirteen years old. I went through a phase whereby ever morning when I woke up my nose would bleed, so I was referred to the local hospital to have my nose cauterised. The operation was done in about thirty minutes and it did the trick.
About six months later I decided to skip one of the lessons in school and went down town to buy some more strings for my guitar. As I was walking back I sensed a white car driving slowly behind me. My heart started pounding the faster I walked the closer it got. I knew what was happening but was too scared to look. In those days the thought of perverted men in cars following children never entered a child’s head, especially where we lived! It was the headmaster Mr Nelson Jones.
He stopped the car and asked me where I had been and why wasn’t I in school? I didn’t know what to say so I replied quickly stating “I have just been to the hospital sir, for an operation on my nose!” He told me to get in and he drove me back to school. We drove through the school grounds me in the passenger seat of the headmasters car and all the other pupils looking and sniggering.
When we stopped, I opened the door ready to get out quick. The headmaster stopped me and said that I shouldn’t go back to lessons yet it was too soon “you must come with me to my office.” I spent the next hour in the headmaster’s office drinking tea and eating biscuits. I got a taste of the treatment Nicky Spears used to get!
