My first morning in the Home started with Lenton calling my name. His main question was how I felt; it seemed he was disappointed that I did not spend the night crying, as he would have enjoyed teasing me. There was little time for conversation; Sister entered the room and turned on the lights. It appeared I was her main concern; there were questions like had I slept well, and was I happy. Confirmation was given by Lenton, that my night had gone without any problems; it appeared that I would survive. Sister now left to see to the girls. 

  The boys explained the daily events to me. First you pulled back your bedclothes so that the lower sheet remained to allow your bed to air for a short while. There was no need to pull your top sheet or blankets off your bed unless they had come loose during the night. There was a joke made, that this was the point when Sister would see if your bed was wet. This was aimed at one of the others rather than myself, who admitted there had been the odd problem a few years ago. It appeared that Sister would not be pleased with you, as it meant you would be late for breakfast with the need to have a bath.

There was no need to bother with your dressing gown unless it was cold; we headed off to the bathroom. As today was my first day I was given the privilege of using the lavatory first. This was however so the other three could get at my tube of toothpaste without having to ask me. Soon we were all washed and dried and we returned to the bedroom. It was easy to dress first then make your bed; this way you could put your pyjamas away without disturbing the bed.

Sister liked our beds to be made in a certain way; Lenton was pleased that I had come, as it was easier to make a bed if there were two of you. If you made a good attempt and had the counterpane on nice and evenly it would normally pass Sister’s inspection.

Bed making had never been a chore I had ever bothered with when I lived with my mother. At the boarding school, we did not have a counterpane; the grey blankets had to be straight at the first attempt so that a coloured stripe on the top end was in line with the pillow.

I was now led to the kitchen for breakfast; I seemed to be treated now as one of the group rather than something strange that had appeared for tea yesterday. I was introduced to the helper who had returned after I had gone to bed the previous night. It was explained that I should follow any instruction that I was given by her. On Sister’s days off, she would be in charge. I took my place at the table; the meal was started with grace. It seemed my turn would come soon.

Until coming to the Home, on a normal school day I had been used to either Kellogg’s, toast or bread and butter, with possibly Marmite, marmalade, or if there was an unfinished jar of meat or fish paste; to drink either milk or squash – if neither were available I was quite happy with a glass of water. At the boarding school, our breakfasts were more or less ready for us, with little actual choice available. I was offered either porridge or a cereal. If I now made the first mistake of the day, it was asking for Kellogg’s. This resulted in my second telling off since my arrival.  With our family having adults in the majority the only packet of cereal on the table had been Kellogg’s cornflakes. Occasionally there was Shredded Wheat, but that miniature straw-like bale had never appealed to me. On rare occasions a variety pack of cereals might have appeared, but once finished the next would be a long while appearing. I had been used to calling the cornflakes ‘Kellogg’s’ and with no other item on the menu there could be no confusion. I now realised that several other large packets of cereal, were also made by Kellogg’s.

 Soon I was provided with a bowl of cornflakes. Once finished there was now a cooked breakfast; these I was only used to at weekends and then in place of cereal. Bread or toast now followed, with a wide variety of spreads. Most were sweet and even jam came out at this time of day. I was pleased to see Marmite was put out again. I was more or less happy with breakfast. There was the thought that on the following days I would be able to work through the range of other packets, most of which I had never seen as full size packets on the breakfast table.

The only item to ruin breakfast was tea. If there were a hot drink, I preferred coffee. For a small boy coffee might seem an odd drink, but as long as there was a little sugar in it I was happy with it either white or black and real or instant. Why I was the only member of my mother’s family not to like tea was a mystery to all: everyone it seemed even from a very young age liked to drink tea, and wherever I have lived the teapot seemed to be the most important possession. The mug of tea that was now provided at breakfast ruined the meal for me. 

  During breakfast there were continual reminders about the items that it was necessary to take to school; for the older ones it was homework and for everybody there were questions such as was it games or PE today. When breakfast was over, the two eldest girls were on washing and wiping up. It appeared that my turn along with Lenton would be at tea.

I was told to go into the dayroom and read a book whilst the others were packed off to school. Lenton came with me to the dayroom. It was explained that he was one of the lucky ones; several of them were taken to school each day by coach and were driven back at the end of the day. He gloated that he did not have to walk to school in the rain. A light drizzle had started early and looked to be around for the entire day. Both of us could hear Sister demanding that the others put on their raincoats properly with the buttons done up before they left the house. The pair of us were left in peace for a short while. I was shown some of the toys that Lenton had in his locker. Once you put your toys in your locker they were reasonably safe, only Sister or the helper really having the right to go through your things.

Lenton gave me a piece of advice. What went on in the Home was not to be mentioned to friends at school or parents, and what went on at school was not to be mentioned once you were back at the Home. Try to have two different lives – that way you would stand a better chance of keeping out of trouble.

Finally, Lenton was called to get ready; I was left alone in the dayroom. There was a large bookcase next to the emergency door, which led through into the next flat. This door was to remain firmly closed unless there was a fire. The books on the shelves were rather boring; several girls’ storybooks and a few boys’ books of war stories. No real storybooks or comic annuals really took my fancy; I managed to find a ‘Jennings’ and sat down to read it.

Possibly my quiet behaviour was not normal in the flat. Sister soon came to see where I was. My preference if I was not at school was to be left alone. Whenever I was out with friends, trouble or other problems seemed to happen. I was told to visit the lavatory and to make sure my hands and teeth were clean as shortly I was to be taken to my new school. 

A, B, & C.

At the point we left the flat there was only a light drizzle. Sister intended to take me to my new school and to get my admission sorted out. They had already made enquiries about me joining the school. Having some idea on the results from a previous school it had been decided, with the choice of an ‘A’ form and a ‘B’ form. It would be the latter I would join; there did not seem to be a ‘C’ stream.

 Owing to overcrowding, a few classes were situated in the annexe of the school, quite some distance from the main new school. Had I been attending the main school, Sister would have given the job to one of the older boys to take me to school on Monday and to see I returned with them at the end of the afternoon. Sister was not even sure if any others of my age from the Home were at the annexe. If I was the only one, then some arrangement would have to be made for Monday when I officially would start.

A little way into our walk it decided to pour with rain. I was fine, the raincoat I had brought with me, and the wellingtons Sister had found, kept me dry. I resisted splashing in puddles, but Sister seemed to be concentrating on our journey to watch where her feet went and soon ended up soaked without any help from me. I made a mental note of roughly our route; it seemed easy enough. Once we had arrived at the end of the road, we followed the next road down, then crossing over we went up a slight hill and carried on walking, eventually coming to the school. Sister explained that she thought this was the quickest route; if not, others would soon tell me. There was one rule to follow when I did start school. At the end of the day when school finished, I was to come straight back to the Home; there was to be no visiting any friends’ houses, and even when I arrived in the Home I was to come straight indoors. 

We entered the school; from the outside, it looked like an old village school.

Sister had timed our arrival perfectly; the bell for the start of morning break was just being rung. Within a short while, a teacher came out to see us. It appeared that my arrival was expected.

It was explained to me that I would be staying for school lunches. On a Monday morning when the lunch money was collected for the week, I should simply tell my teacher that I was from the Home; there was no need to bring any money with me. I would not be alone as there was one other boy from the Home that was in the class I would be joining.

Sister asked the teacher if the boy was here today, as she would like a word with him about escorting me from the Home on Monday and seeing that I arrived back at the end of the day. The next question Sister asked was on what day PE and games took place. Sister was now told that as this school did not have any grassed area, we did not really have games. There might be a short PE lesson in the playground, but it depended on the weather. If it was fine, that lesson could be on any day so it was best to keep some PE clothes handy. Sister decided that it might be best if I took my PE kit in on a Monday and just returned it on a Friday, which would mean I was not left out of any lessons. I was now told that when the weather was fine there were also swimming lessons; as we went to an open-air pool the weather was the deciding factor. If I did not know how to swim I would soon pick it up. Apart from short doggy paddles in the sea, I had only been taken to the swimming pool on odd occasions.

We were left alone whilst the teacher went away to see if the other boy from the Home was here. Within a short while, a boy of my own age was brought in. I was now introduced to Edward. Sister asked him if he could come to my flat on Monday to bring me to school and see that I arrived back with him. From his expression, I could see that it was not going to be a problem. The teacher suggested that it would be nice for him to have a friend to come to school with.

Sister mentioned that she was not really looking forward to the walk back with me. The teacher now suggested that I might as well stay, if there were no plans for me; at least it would make sure that Edward could show me the way back when lessons finished. I did not seem to have any say in the matter; Sister seemed to think it was a good idea. The teacher told me that lunch for me was not going to be a problem; there was always plenty sent down from the main school. 

 It was now suggested to Edward that he first should show me where the boys’ toilet was, and then where I could hang my coat.  We headed down a small corridor. Edward asked me when I had arrived at the Home. He told me that he had not said much in front of the Sister, as she was known to be one of the strictest Sisters at the Home. He would make sure that he called for me first thing on Monday, as he did not fancy the telling off that he would get if he forgot. We went outside just as the bell was being rung and the few boys that were outside were ushered in.

The boys’ lavatory was quite primitive. It was at one side of the playground. Edward commented that on wet days it was best to make sure that you did not have to leave the room in the middle of the lesson. If you ran across without your coat you would get soaked, and as the urinal part was mostly open to the sky you will also get soaked unless you used one of the cubicles. We stayed outside for a little longer. Edward told me that there was little point in getting back into school straight away as we were still in the morning period and it was all written work; had I arrived in the afternoon then things would be different.

It was great being at this school; most afternoons we did not have difficult lessons. As we did not have any of the equipment or spare rooms like the main school, if we did art lessons, everything had to be brought out of cupboards and put away at the end. In the evening our school was used by adults for their lessons, so we spent the last part of every afternoon clearing up. If we finished quickly, we were often let out a few minutes early. 

  Eventually Edward decided that it was time to return. I was taken into the classroom; coats and belongings were hung up on the back wall. The teacher introduced me to the others. There was only a small number in my class; it was not really cramped but the desks took up most of the room, with just odd tables at one side and a blackboard on an easel at the front next to a main blackboard. Edward had gone back to his own desk; I was now given a desk at the only remaining space on the other side of the room.

There was the instruction that for the moment there was not any point for me to do written work, as they were just finishing off a subject. Looking around the room there did not seem to be any set uniform here. It was mostly grey shirts with a pullover or jumper; these were mainly blues and grey shades, but there was nothing really to suggest a set style. I seemed to fit in with grey shirt and blue jumper.

From what the boy next to me was wearing it seemed to prove that no high standard of clothing was demanded. Other than the last school in London most of the schools I attended seemed to set a level that we should attain in both design and neatness. The boy whom I now shared a desk with had a shirt that was cream but had a faint blue check woven into its fabric. Both the collar and cuffs were well frayed; the jumper was a fairly rough coarse grey wool which showed the signs of darning at the elbows many times. From the way Sister had inspected my clothes, I did not think I was ever going to be allowed to dress like that. 

 Although the teacher was talking, my partner at the desk wasted no time in asking my name and telling me that he was called Bob. Having been to several schools, I had become quite used to working out within a very short while who my close friends would be. Whilst Edward had been quite nice to me and I probably would become his friend, it was almost the moment that I sat down next to Bob, that I worked out that he was going to be one of my close friends. I was like a magnet and seemed to be able to attract trouble, and I might have guessed that with Bob sitting alone, possibly the teacher had a good reason why he should have a desk to himself.

I tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying, in the hope of catching up when the next lesson started. If Bob wanted to gain my attention, there was a light kick on my shins; it was not spiteful or painful as they were well protected – this was done to get my attention without the need to speak. By the time the lesson ended, I thought that I had managed to understand the work. Talking started immediately, and books were soon put away. Within moments we were allowed our freedom. The teacher now told me that she would see me at the start of the afternoon lesson to sort out any books I would need.

Bob asked if I was staying to school dinners and, as soon as I replied yes, it was decided I was going to be his partner during lunch. We went through to one of the other classrooms that were slowly transformed into the dining area. Large benches were placed together and a large waterproof cloth stretched across; the stools we were to sit on were now placed at regular intervals. Bob pulled me to one side; it appeared that there were ideal positions where you could sit without any table legs getting in the way. Another boy came and sat on the other side of me. Soon names and a number of facts had been exchanged between us. I felt quite happy about the move to this school, from what I could see it was not that strict.
/

Continued

Please click on link

http://www.philipastrangechild.com/page_1170414504093.html

.