As life on one level appears to be on hold it does mean we can look back. So I thought I would give you little snippets of my past that may or may not of contributed to me becoming a Story Teller.

I mentioned a couple of days ago Laurie Lee so I thought I would give you an insight to events leading up to me getting a teaching job in Gloucestershire. As I left college in the mid seventies the country was struggling with its finances (it was just after the three day week and the world had an oil crisis) so public spending was being squeezed. Teaching jobs were like gold dust and often there were a 100 plus applications for one job. I was struggling to find employment and was prepared to go anywhere in the country that would have me! I was rather arrogant about some of the jobs I saw in the Times Educational Supplement and the summer was dragging on and I hadn’t got a job. I saw the job in Stroud and I had never ever been there before but I had read Cider with Rosie so I thought why not it sounds an interesting place and my parents were nagging me about jobs.

I was called for interview in early August (you can tell time was running out for me and there were of course no children in school), First dilemma was how to get there for first thing on a Tuesday-I wasn’t keen on an overnight stay my parents said they would have a day out and drive me there and pick me up later (remember there were no mobile phones then or Sat Navs ). So an early morning drive with a few arguments over directions the nerves jangling frequent glances at my watch soon the distinctive Cotswold Stone buildings loomed either side of us a real contrast to North Hertfordshire we were used to.

I was deposited just in time in the Church Street public car park opposite the school. Wearing my tight fitting suit and tie neatly in position (thanks Mum) I entered. I was met by the ball of energy that was Madge the Headteacher, there were six all male candidates in those days you were all there at the same time not necessarily any gender balance. Interview and presentation  went OK. Lunch was Steak and Kidney pie  (I wasn’t a vegetarian then) and I was hungry following my early start and I tucked in. We were asked did we want seconds all my fellow interviewees declined politely so I said “Yes Please!” I was full of praise for the pie I hadn’t realised it was Madge’s own cooking. I got the job and later my parents who were waiting in the car park were invited in to see the school. The joke for the years afterwards was that I only got the job because I asked for seconds of the Head’s cooking!

I think the above illustrates that era but also the idiosyncratic Headteacher that I first worked for but who taught me so much. It certainly was a different world I was moving to!

Yesterday’s answers

a) 5th July 1948 the NHS came into being  b) 19th January 1944 was the Butler Education Act which meant free secondary education for all pupils  c) There were the two times Jenner first administered his Smallpox Vaccine  d) Penicillin was invented in 1928  e) 3rd Dec 1967 was the first heart transplant.

Today’s question is all on transport

a) where did the Wright Brothers make the first powered flight?  b) where is the first ever train station?   c) Who designed the first helicopter?   d) Who is recognised as designing the first car?  e) which city is Fiat based?