| I started SGHS in 1938, we were then in the old building in the Valley,
now demolished. It was very inconvenient. The first years were
in a separate tall house next door in Trinity Road. On the ground
Floor was the Domestic Science Department which included the Dining Room,
though very few girls stayed for lunch, mainly the girls from the country.
Our classrooms and cloakrooms were on the upper floors.
My first visit to the new school was in September 1939 before the term
started. We had to collect out gas masks as it was the outbreak of
World War II. The school was not completely finished, but it was
decided to move in, otherwise it might have been requisitioned for military
use. Most of the Scarborough hotels were taken over as accommodation
for the troops in the town. The old building in the Valley became
the Technical College.
I left school with a School Certificate in 1943 - not many girls stayed
into the sixth form at that time. Taking a Secretarial Course was
often the next move, as office work and nursing were popular openings until
National Service at eighteen, which continued until 1945. I went
to the Food Office in St Thomas Street - there was a number of ex-SGHS
girls there. I took the Civil Service exams when they resumed in
1946. We were in a Reserved Occupation so we were not called up into
the Forces.
I married Norman Bogie in 1947 and we had three children, Susan, Martin
and Debra. Both Susan and Debra went to SGHS - Susan in 1960 and
Debra in 1969. When the children were growing up I did have a seasonal
part-time job as a GPO Evening telephonist. In 1967 I took A-level
English at Evening Classes at Scarborough Technical College and later that
year became a mature student at the North Riding Training College.
I taught for 13 years at Snainton C of E Primary School, which I found
very rewarding. I took early retirement in 1983 - I had persistant
back problems and my husband, Norman, whose school was overstaffed, decided
to retire at 60, so we so we felt that it would give us the opportunity
to do things together. I have been connected with the charities Feed
the Minds and Christian Aid with my husband since we retired. We
are also members of St Lawrence Church and have been and still are involved
with its activities.
I have been a member of the Old Girls' Association since its revival,
serving on the Committee for a number of years. I was also on earlier
committees connected with isolated events eg the Re-union at the Prince
of Wales Hotel in 1974 and a later one in 1994 held at the Sandybed School.
We had a buffet lunch then, and Miss Hilda Briggs led the group who
organised this. Both were well attended.
It is an honour to be asked to be Deputy President of the SGHS Old Girls'
Association. I will be happy to help should the need arise. |
