Assemblies

[Trickyvee]

Re: Assemblies

In primary school we had assemblies every morning plus an afternoon assembly on Fridays before home time. I can't remember much about them, except we had teachers who played piano and each day we'd sing a couple of hymns out of 'Come and Praise'. Once a week anyone with a birthday that week would go up on stage and the school would drone a birthday greeting chant. On Thursdays we sometimes listened to the live BBC radio for schools broadcast on a big square block radio.

In the Friday assembly one class would do a play maybe once a term. Each week someone had to go on stage and read out 'The Blessing' I remember it to this day..."May the Lord lead us where we go, keep us when we sleep, and talk to us when we awake, and may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen." Somehow my turn got missed for which I was eternally grateful! One class would also win the attendance cup for the week. There was an actual little battered old trophy cup that would be presented and placed in the classroom along with the 'prize' of an extra five minutes of play time at break.

[Richard1978]

Re: Assemblies

I remember one boy at my primary school was allowed to miss assemblies because he was a Jehovah's Witness. He used to be nicknamed the Oxfam Prince because supposedly he parents used to buy all their clothes from charity shops.

[George 1978]

Re: Assemblies

What? None of the teachers could play the piano!

There was a time when the ability to play the piano was a great advantage when applying to become a primary school teacher.

Some primary schools even had kids playing the piano in assembly because none of the teachers could or they weren't in that day.

I know that the Headteacher could play the piano, and she did it on days when the professional pianist wasn't there. I doubt that the other teachers could - I don't think that it was a rule within their qualifications to be able to play the piano.

At Comprehensive School, the Music teacher (for obvious reasons), and the Drama teacher (as he had an upright piano in his room) were two teachers who could play the piano - the music teacher played the piano for the assembly.

[George 1978]

Re: Assemblies

Also at Comprehensive School, we all sat in rows of chairs facing the Headteacher, Deputy Head or Year Head either on a lectern or on the stage. Better than sitting on the cold, dirty floor at the Infants and Juniors.

Some of us (not me however) used to bring packed lunches to school in a container. We were listing to the Boss or whoever waffling on at the front, and we heard this noise. There was laughter in our row as they thought that someone had broke wind, but it was someone's crisps that went "pop" due to the airtight packet that it was in. A female teacher, obviously embarrassed said "boys!" to those who were laughing about it.

[marc]

Re: Assemblies

Although I was never keen on assemblies, they didn't really bother me. I haven't got much recollection of assemblies in infant and primary (junior) school, I've got memories of them in comprehensive school.

We would stand in lines in the first year, girls in front of boys for each class you were in. The first line was class 1/1, the second was 1/2 and so on until 1/8. This continued into the fourth year. In the fifth year, girls would stand on one side of the hall, boys on the other side.

In the first year, I remember several children fainting, mostly girls. I remember one girl fainting directly behind me. She fell backwards hitting the floor with an almighty thud. She immediately came around and tried to get up. She must have been dazed badly. Trying to get back on her feet she again fell backwards, her skirt had rode up almost around her thighs. One memorable day.

The fifth year assemblies were the most memorable. Herr Phipps, sorry Mr Phipps, the year head would come around inspecting us with his clipboard and pen. There would be several pages with names on going back two or more weeks. He would also listen to make sure everybody was singing. All he needed was a pair of jackboots, a black uniform with a skull and crossbones badge on a peaked cap, he would have been a fine example of a Waffen-SS senior officer.

Another memorable assembly, again in the fifth year. The list of kids in for detention that evening was being read out. Approximately one third of the entire fifth year. My name was eventually read out. In the corner of my eye I noticed Herr Phipps coming towards me. He came right next to me, then growled, "That's you, nobody else!" It made little difference.....I still didn't turn up. The following day, my name and several other names were called out to remain after assembly. Another detention soon followed.

There is one assembly in the forth year I wish I could have a time machine to go back to. Paying attention to the front, my friend standing next to me suddenly whispered in my ear, " I think Michelle Williams fancies you. She's been staring at you all through assembly." I looked in her direction, sure enough she was looking at me. There was nothing more at that time I could do. We were even in different classes. The sad part was, I was now going through a very bad time in school and had lost a lot of my confidence. I think that was the only assembly I really liked.

[Mulletino]

Re: Assemblies

odd, I'd replied to this yesterday but the post is missing! Oh well.

Our assemblies were in the hall between all the classrooms. The Infants sat in the front rows on the floor with their legs crossed in "class lines", the Juniors sat in the rows behind on small chairs, they were the metal framed ones with grey plastic seats/backs with coloured plastic dots in the holes holding the back on, the colour denoted the size of the chair, i think white was the smallest then yellow then red.

We mostly sang hymns and were updated about events etc, sometimes they'd show us movies (near end of term) like the Children's Film Foundation ones (Robbie's robot is the only one i remember), they all had the black and white intro of trafalgar square with all the pigeons taking off. One week the headmaster played us a record over the week, it was the War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne. It was so haunting to listen to as a child, but magical as I was really into science fiction and it was around the time Star Wars came out.

I also remember one assembly where one kid (I remember his name but won't shame him here) wet himself, the kids sitting around him all shuffled out of the way till he looked like a lonely island in a sea of wee.

This was the same assembly hall where we ate lunch, it had large black and white squares and was a cold tiled floor, not fun to sit on in assembly, the black squares were used for naughty kids to stand on, myself included.

[Donald the Great]

Re: Assemblies

Were boys and girls segregated during those assembly times Nugs?

[Danniella]

Re: Assemblies

Were boys and girls segregated during those assembly times Nugs?

No Donny, i did attend an all girls school though, we travelled around a bit when my dad was in the army so i went to a few schools.

[George 1978]

Re: Assemblies

I always thought of assemblies a bit like going to church - you sat down and listened to the man at the front waffling on, and then you sung a hymn or two, and perhaps even prayed. No wonder that not many kids were fond of it, but I thought that it was better than sitting at a desk and doing work.

[80sChav]

Brilliant times = a total mash up to just act up en-route and chill with mates on way there and back, keep your Shirt un-tucked at the back etc

One of the best parts of the school Day - more so as you met mates from other Forms in same Year en-route you my not often see so often