After leaving Tain Royal Academy, I spent three years in Glasgow College of Domestic Science and then one year in Jordanhill College. They were long hard years. I did not like the Domestic Science College building it was a bit medieval and spooky, the lecturers were OK and the work was interesting but very demanding. At the end of that time I had a Diploma in Food, Fabric and Related Sciences plus my teaching qualification.
At last I started teaching in Bellshill Academy and remained there for a year and a half. During that time I married Tommy. We moved to Cumbernauld in December 1965 and I transferred to Cumbernauld High School. It was the first secondary school to be built in the New Town. I enjoyed working there and was able to see the school and the town growing. I also ran a Brownie Pack and taught Dressmaking at Night School.
I left in 1969 when Fiona was born and became a stay at home Mum. When Fiona went to school, I was asked if I wanted to come back to the High School as there was a vacancy. Back I went and in 1976 was appointed APT Guidance. There was an intake of 400+ pupils that year (201 were girls, in my care). It was the biggest intake ever in the school. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and saw the pupils in a very different light.
In 1979, the PT Home Economics left to take up a music post and I was appointed as Principal Teacher. I remained in that post with all the changes in education and the ups and downs of school life until a week past Friday when I became a 'lady of leisure'!
That is my
work story. What else happened?
We made regular visits to Tain until 1983. By that time both my
parents had passed away and three months after my mother's death
Tommy had a heart attack. This meant that he could no longer do
the work he had been doing with BT and was given an office job.
In 1992 he had to retire early due to health problems.
Fiona left school in 1987 and went to Queen's College the renamed Domestic Science College!! to study Physiotherapy. She is now a lecturer/practitioner dividing her time between Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Glasgow Caledonian University.
We still visit the North to see friends and family but not nearly as often as we did in the past. Many of our holidays are spent in America. We love New England and have travelled in all of the States there as well as New York State and Southern Florida. Fiona has a little godson in Connecticut so there is a great excuse for us to 'cross the pond'
We look forward to meeting you all on the
10th August. Haven't the last 42 years flown by?