The Old School

The Old School

Up grey stone steps and through the intimidating wooden doors beneath the School Motto
We entered the Great Hall of the Old school in quiet rows, nervously shuffling down narrow lanes, to our uncomfortable black plastic seats
Standing hands behind our backs while a line of Masters in black academic robes filed through the centre of the hall

The organ played a classical piece which echoed to the high ceiling way above our heads from the wooden balcony were it stood
The smart black shoes of the teachers tap, slapped along the smooth polished central aisle as silence reigned among the boys

We were welcomed to a term that would concentrate on Rugby,Religion and Romantic Languages (I cant even remember what these were)
Hymn followed by prayer followed by reading followed by lecture I felt like I had fallen into another church service as if there weren't enough of them in my life already
One whisper from a boy and Mac's eyes would burn into your soul from bi focals designed by a German spy

Professor Greenhow waffled on about the spirits of pupils past and we didn't understand a word
Then with a fresh chime and a blast from the organs pipes we were dismissed
We quickly fled the building and began our five year journey into the institution that was the Grammar school

By the time these years were done the school was mixed sex and a six form college with no uniform and no assemble.
We witnessed the dying of an era, of a system
For me personally these would leave me with no father and a broken heart from losing my first love 
With very long hair and a bad attitude
I have lost the hair now but kept the attitude