- Contributed byÌý
- Harold Pollins
- People in story:Ìý
- Harold Pollins
- Location of story:Ìý
- Leytonstone, London E 11
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian
- Article ID:Ìý
- A3336059
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 27 November 2004
In 1942 I had just finished in the sixth form at school, had taken and passed the Higher Schools Certificate (the equivalent of A-levels) and was waiting to go to university. We were allowed one year at university before being called up to the forces. The Essex County Council had awarded me for my university studies, annually, a grant of £25 and a loan of £50. That was called an Intending Teachers’ Award (or something like that) and in the weeks before I was due to start my new studies I thought it worthwhile to earn some money. I applied to the local authority to do some teaching (of which I had no experience) and to my surprise I was quickly advised that I was to be employed as a supply teacher - there was after all a shortage of teachers since so many had been called up. My initial appointment was at the first school I had attended at the age of five, Davies Lane, round the corner from where I lived. I was to teach in the senior school, boys aged over 11, and on the first day I went in early and sat in the staff room. I was quite excited and was not entirely disabused when a male teacher, aged about 40 I would say, came into the room, stood at the window, sighed and said, ’F***, this bleeding, bloody job‘. But the job itself proved to be very pleasant. The class I took was small, the boys were quiet, well behaved, and seemed to work hard. I was quite impressed. I’ve no idea if I was any good but it seemed to work.
I was actually paid £9 a week, an enormous sum, especially for me who had never earned any money before this. And it was good pay in any case compared with the average pay packet which I believe (poor memory though) was about £5 or £6 a week.
The job at Davies Lane did not last long and I was then sent to a junior school (aged 7-11) in another part of the borough, where I’d never been before. The contrast could not have been stronger. The classes were larger, well over 30, and they were very undisciplined. I had great trouble in keeping order - I had no experience in that line. My worst experience was when, for some reason, I was instructed to take a Scripture class, but the class was to consist of all the children in one year. There must have been 100 children there. I’ve no idea why I was to take the class; perhaps the subject was unpopular and was given to the newest recruit, in this case me. How did you teach Scripture? All I can remember now is that I took a bible with me and read out some sections. The result could have been bedlam but I am sure that the teaching staff, expecting trouble, arranged for two teachers to be in the class-room to keep order.
I was glad to escape from that and go to university where the college, evacuated from London, had sufficient funds to subsidise students. I was interviewed by a friendly tutor who awarded me £1 a week for each teaching week. Since my lodgings (bed, breakfast and evening meal, plus Sunday lunch) cost 30 shillings a week (£1.50) I had sufficient funds to exist. After all, for lunch we went to a subsidised Municipal Restaurant (I think that was what they were called then. After the war the name was British Restaurant) where a meal cost about eight old pennies and a pudding cost a mere one penny.
As to the loan from the Essex County Council, that lasted only one year. When I was demobilised and resumed my studies I obtained an ex-serviceman’s grant which took the place of the Council’s munificence. In 1950 or thereabouts I received a demand from the Council to repay the loan. My annual salary then was £450 pre-tax. I offered to pay them back at £1 a month, and that was agreed.
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