What I Remember from Certain Mistresses from School
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Members of the committee were reminiscing on how certain aspects of our time at CCHS still reflected on our everyday lives. These are their memories of English and spelling.
Mary Rickard - I remember Mrs Learmont (who terrified me) telling us shiny new Lower Fourths in our first lesson that her surname was pronounced “Lurmont, not Leermont, as in ‘learn’ your lessons, girls”. I told my father that when I got home and he said ‘let’s hope you don’t have to study King Lurr’! It’s always stuck in my mind since!
Tina Powell - I also remember the terrifying Learmont lecture. Also, courtesy of Miss Berks (Mrs Davidson) that one collar and two socks were always necessary. Don't forget the difference between due to and owing to (with most of the world getting it wrong!); similar to, but always different from and, of course, the fact that Latin ‘circa’ meant around, so we can never do anything under certain circumstances!
Liz White - My memory is from Miss Overy "all right is not all right unless all right is two words"!
Jo Edwards - I can remember being told, both at Hamilton Road and CCHS, not to use the word ‘nice’ unless referring to the place.
Jean Johnson - We were bombarded with the correct spelling of the word ‘government’ - it always has an ‘n’. My son, Nick, only spent one year at Hamilton and if ever I use the word ‘nice’, he still corrects me! Brainwashing in the early years seems to work.
Can you add to these? Please let me have your lifelong aides-de-memoires for our next issue.
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