Derbyshire teacher and pupil return to old school after 60 years
A teacher and pupil who were at a Derbyshire school on its opening day joined current staff and students to celebrate the school’s 60th anniversary.
Susan Skinner was a pupil at Saint John Houghton Catholic Voluntary Academy, Ilkeston on the day it opened its doors in 1965. She was in a class taught by Paul Booth and both Susan and Paul returned to Saint John Houghton for a day of Jubilee celebrations.
Paul was joined by other ex-pupils and staff for a question and answer session with current pupils and this was followed by Mass which was celebrated by the Bishop of Nottingham, Patrick McKinney.
Three former Headteachers at the school also attended Mass, including Bernard Monaghan, Joan McCarthy and Terry Murphy.
Ex-pupil Kieran Armstrong, 66, attended Saint John Houghton between 1969 and 1974.
He said: “The school was great when I was a pupil. It’s strange to come back; it’s 50 years since I was a pupil here.
“Both of my children came here and my grandchildren will probably come here too. We do have a group of about a dozen ex-pupils who keep in touch and meet up. It’s great to see my old woodwork teacher, Mr Booth, after I had left school I ended up fitting his kitchen for him!”
Mr Booth worked at Saint John Houghton from 1965 to 1996. He started as a Design and Technology teacher before becoming Head of Lower School and finally he was Deputy Headteacher before he retired.
He said: “I remember when I was here we had three sittings for lunch which took 90 minutes. There was no café and it was all table service.
“We have a bit of a strange anniversary with it being in January because the school wasn’t ready to open in the September of 1964 because it wasn’t finished.”
Susan was one of his first pupils, she said: “I was here when the school first opened in 1965 and I left in 1967 when I was 15. I remember the uniform we had to wear; we wore straw boaters in the summer and hats in the winter. My dad was also a caretaker at the school. Strangely I found out about the Jubilee celebrations from my sister in Australia who had seen it on an app. It’s been lovely to see Mr Booth again, he was quite firm and strict but teachers were in those days.”
Steve Brogan, Headteacher at Saint John Houghton, said: “We were so proud to celebrate 60 years of Catholic education in Ilkeston and the surrounding areas 60 years after students walked through the doors of our school for the very first time. We had a wonderful day in school and we were joined by several members of the local community who were here on that very first day. We were also joined by Bishop Patrick, who led us in our celebration of the Holy Mass. Huge thanks to all of our students and staff for their efforts in making the day such a special celebration. I feel so blessed and honoured to be the Headteacher of this terrific school.”
https://www.stjohnhoughtonilkeston.srscmat.co.uk/
Pic: Current Headteacher Steve Brogan, former Heads Bernard Monaghan, Joan McCarthy and Terry Murphy