A Trip Down Memory Lane

A group of 6 ex-pupils who left in 1959 returned on 26th April 2024. Most of the group had not met each other in those 65 years, so it was quite some reunion! The school gave us a fabulous welcome and we were thrilled to walk again into our former classrooms, to see where the Headteacher had his office back in our day, to look at the corridor where the compulsory school milk was delivered and to stare at the ceiling that leads to the tower where the bell tolled to summon us to school. We visited several classrooms and answered questions about the differences between now and then.

At a special assembly, we were the platform guests of honour and many of the children present came armed with some perceptive questions about uniform, writing implements, food, dress code, punishment and asked for advice on how to cope with secondary education. It was a testing school exam for us 76 year olds, but we seemed to get a decent enough pass mark.

What has changed? Clearly, the Victorian structure of the building remains the same, but the partitioning and the decor has transformed the school into a much brighter, lighter place of learning than it was back in 1959. Corridors and classrooms are full of inspired artwork and colourful information. Outside, the asphalt where we fell and grazed our knees at break time has long gone. We all yearned to return after so long because Bowes was a stimulating environment. We were all happy there. We had only fond memories of a school that prepared us well for later life.

We were enthralled to find that Bowes remains the happy place as it was for us. We encountered so many smiles and a thirst for knowledge and, in return, we hope that we were able to satisfy curiosity about life in Bowes back in 1959. The children were delightful and engaging company and the staff members so friendly and warm. Returning to the school was a truly uplifting experience for us. Learning is a journey that lasts a lifetime and it is only when you reach a certain age that you look back with a fondness about where it all began.

“Growing Hearts, Growing Minds” is the school motto. Our hearts remain in Bowes, even after all this time and we were so delighted that the school let us return to the very place where our minds started to grow as well.