Dorothy Hill, School Lollipop Lady 1973 - 1984

It seems a long time ago, 1973 in fact. My husband had died at the beginning of the summer holiday that year. Mr Maskell, the headmaster, asked me if I would consider taking the job of School Crossing Patrol. I didn’t think it would be possible as my children all came home for their dinner at lunchtime."No bother” said Mr. Maskell, “I will see the children across the road at lunchtime if you could manage the morning and afternoon duties". So it was. My youngest daughter, two year old Frances, would come with me, rain or shine. In very cold weather, wrapped in a blanket in the pushchair with a hot water bottle. Over the years I got to know all the children by name and Frances was the same. She couldn’t wait to go to school herself.

One particularly bad winter there was a great deal of snow and I armed myself with a shovel and cleared the pathway and some of the road. I believe a number of parents helped me at the time. In my memory I don’t think the school ever closed for bad weather mainly because the teachers lived locally and were able to get to school by foot.

Mrs Dorothy Hill, School Crossing patrol - 1974

In 1977 I had the honour of one of the pupils, Neil Munro, nominating me for ‘Lollipop of the Year’ but unfortunately I didn’t make it to the finals.

Corporal Punishment in 1903

Jim Allen contacted the school recently. He had a dark tale to tell.

His grandfather, William Cornish, when an 11 year old pupil at the school was attacked and beaten by the headmaster. Apparently the headmaster 'went beserk' hitting him with extreme force. Not surprisingly, William's father, Edwin Cornish, did not consider the head a fit person to teach his son and William was sent to the Methodist School at New Scotland Hill.

William Cornish as a baby with this mother,  Mary  Hannah Cornish
1st May 1892

William Cornish

Edwin Cornish

At the time the family lived in the house now known as Tumbledown, on the High Street, Sandhurst

Tumbledown, High Street Sandhurst

Update 5th Feb 2012: Excerpt from school log book from 5th & 7th October 1913:

Excerpt from School Logbook Page 394, 1903

Log book entry reads:
Oct 5th. I punished two boys W Cornish & R Grove this morning for insubordination, the former said his father had told him not to do as he was told. I have sent fro his father who did not come.
Oct 7th. The father has taken out a summons. I have to appear before the magistrates on Oct 13th
The punishment was 6 stripes on lower part of back.


From the newspaper report on the case (13th October 1903):

"At the Wokingham County Bench on Tuesday before Sir Warwick Morehead and other magistrates, George Oldham, of Sandhurst Church School, schoolmaster, was summoned for assaulting William Cornish, son of Edwin Cornish of Sandhurst Street, auxiliary postman."

In those days, caning was a seen as an acceptable method of maintaining discipline within a school. From the news report, it would seem  that Mr Cornish objected not to the fact that William had been caned, but to the manner of the caning.  Caning was normally administered  to the hand. In this case,  William resisted and struggled with the master. As a result,  the caning, in this instance, was applied to the legs and left visible marks.

After hearing both sides and calling several witnesses, the Chairman and the magistrates were unanimously of opinion that the case must be dismissed. 

The school would like to thank Mr Allen for his kind permission to use the images in this blog post.

Extracts from the School Log Book 1911 - 1936

March 29th 1911
Staff Sergt. Chandler, Drill Instructor inspected Drill this afternoon.

May 11th 1911
Mr. Frost,  H.M.I. of Drawing visited the school this afternoon and inspected Drawing.

February 29th 1912
Miss K.H. Whitfield terminates her engagement today.  She is leaving to marry.

June 3rd 1913
King's birthday.  Children saluted the flag.

September 24th 1913
An aeroplane in a field by the school.

February 15th 1915
Sixteen boys commenced manual training in woodwork this afternoon under Mr. Selman.

June 31st 1916
Mr. Yorke, Sanitary Inspector, visited, owing to there being several cases of diptheria in the village.

November 12th 1917
Boys have commenced trenching a piece of ground in the playground for school gardens.

July 2nd 1918
The 'Garden Boys' sprayed their potatoes this afternoon.

December 16th 1918
School closed to be cleaned.  Owing to the election on Saturday 14th the floors were exceedingly dirty.

May 1st 1919
The Infant Department which has been a separate school is, for the present, to be taken with the mixed school to form one department.

November 11th 1919
Anniversary of Armistice, observed in accordance with the King's wish.

November 16th 1922
General Election - school used for polling stations.

March 23rd 1923
Result of Terminal Examination.  The work of the school is generally good. Spelling  in 1,  2 and  3  requires  more attention.  Much improvement shown in arithmetic and writing.

July 6th 1927
J.  Rogers broke his arm while playing in the playground during the dinner hour (in mischief).

December 12th 1928
The School Fence which has been knocked down by a motor lorry has been repaired.

St Michael's Senior Class - 1928

January 17th 1929
A boy, Ernest Honeybell, was killed on his way home from school yesterday afternoon being run over by a motor lorry near the lych gate.

January 20th 1936
Death of H.M. King George V.

January 22nd 1936
Edward VIII proclaimed King. x

January 28th 1936
King's Funeral - Children taken to church at 9.15.

September 30th 1936
Mr.  R.  Randle of Sunninghill appointed as my successor to commence duties in January 1937.

School Panto - 1914

The pantomime was organised to raise money to buy wool so that the pupils and staff could knit scarves and gloves and socks for the soldiers during the First World War.

St Michaels School Pantomime cast - 1914

Daisy Wiseman is on the left as the fairy, Monica Farrant is on the right as the witch and the royal couple in the centre were played by two pupil teachers - Dorothy (Dolly) James and Madge Evans.

The pantomime took place in Dr. Russell's hall in Scotland Hill. The hall was later sold to Over's, the Camberley firm, to house their furniture.

Link to larger image