History of the School - 1934-1939

Infants and Juniors only

When Mrs Croxson retired in 1934 the Inspector congratulated her on having "raised the school to, and maintained it at, a level above that usually found in small rural schools".

Miss Habishaw took over as headteacher for a few months until Alice Smith arrived in June. Her tone is one of no nonsense, and discipline:

"I have today stopped all ball games in the playground, except for drill period. This is because I find boys have been getting the balls without pemnission."

She criticises the primitive state of the toilets (or "offices" as they were called) These consisted of small earth closets in the playground which had to be dug out periodically as the school still had no water supp]y. Mrs Smith asked that earth might be used in them instead of the ashes provided.

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Bert Henbest
Millbrook
Southampton

I started school at Meonstoke in January 1929 at the age of five until 1936 when it was decided that children of 11 and over should go to Droxford. Miss Murray and Mrs Croxson were the teachers when I started, followed by Mrs Smith. There was one thing I always wanted to do and that was to ring the bell on the roof, but in my time it was out of order. It was a very happy country school and I look forward to visiting it again during the birthday celebrations.

Yours sincerely

Bert Henbest
(pupil 1929 to 1936)

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In 1935 Mrs Smith reported that some lessons had been taken from "the wireless" and that they had been greatly appreciated. They also listened to the service which was broadcast on Armistice Day.

The following year Meonstoke School became an Infant and Junior School only. At the age of 11 children went on to Droxford School. This left 69 children on the roll.

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Mr Reg Daniels
Meonstoke

My earliest memory of the school is of hearing much talk of Miss Frayling who had lived with my grandparents, Frederick and Ellen Dummer.

I remember a Mr Joliffe of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Band Of Hope Union used to visit and give lectures on hygiene and the dangers of alcohol.

Water was supplied from our house to the school for quite a number of years by fetch and carry, mains water not arriving until 1956. Our telephone was also used from time to time by Mrs Ware until the school was connected sometime in the late 40s.

The present road to the school, made about 1960, also proved invaluable, as previously the only access was a footpath.

Yours sincerely
R. Daniels
(pupil 1928 to 1934)

Reg Daniels gave us this photo taken of his class in 1930. His best recollection of their names is:

BACK, left to right: Fred Callaghan, Frank Anerau, ? Smith, unknown, ? Stevens, Frederick Robson.
MIDDLE: Jack Boyes, Bobby Callaghan, Norman Brettle, Ethel Bignell, ? Smith, Elsie Monroe (née Bignell), Ethel James (née Robson), Lilian Robson, Richard Brettle, ? Stevens, Reg Daniels.
FRONT: unknown, ? King, ? King, Jean Anerau, unknown, Doris Gould (née Bignell), unknown, John Brettle.

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In the summer of 1938 Mrs Smith recorded how tired the children appeared to be, so she conducted a survey of the bed-times of 24 of them. Eight were going to bed between 10 and 11pm, and three were still up at midnight, and this was before television!

She made the children rest for half an hour each day, and sent a letter to their parents relating to "the hours of sleep necessary for children".

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Ted & Eileen Trigg
The Cottage
Meonstoke

Memories of happy days spent at Meonstoke School. . .

We had two marvellous teachers - Mrs Croxson, Our headmistress, who was very musical and instructed the senior classes, and Miss Murray who was very interested in Nature Study and took the junior classes.

In those days children started school at five and left at 14. All children walked ta school and went home to dinner. Only those from a long distance such as Stoke Wood Or Harvestgate were allowed to bring sandwiches.

The school bell, re-dedicated on 1 May 19B9, summoned us to school and we lined up, girls outside their cloakroom and the boys outside theirs. We marched in, Mrs Croxson playing the piano. The day started with a Hymn and a prayer.

On Friday afternoons after play Mrs Croxson used to read to us a chapter from a book. We shall always remember the Wind in the Willows. Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger really came alive then.

One of the biggest events of the year was the Petersfield Musical Festival held in the Spring - two-part singing and sight-reading. We loved preparing for that. We were always the smallest choir entering, competing against villages like Steep, Sheet and Rogate, but we had great success and came home with the banner for 'most marks' several years.

Another day always remembered was llth November - Armistice Day, when we had two minutes' silence at 11 am and were told there would be no mare wars. Sadly this proved wrong and we were both very much involved in the next one.

Our two daughters, Julie and Carol, attended the school in the l950s so our interest continued and still does today, and we are looking forward to the 150th Birthday Celebrations in June.

Ted Trigg (pupil 1923 to 1931)
Eileen Trigg (née Pearce) (pupil 1926 to 1931)