Miss Bloxham’s high desk

I was born in 1936 in the June.. in Peckham Road. I don`t recall my age when I started school, but my very first memory of school is my first day. Miss Bloxham as we called her, was in fact married to, I believe the headmaster of the senior boys, or maybe the Junior school. I didn`t find that out for some time. So assuming I started school at age 5, Miss Bloxham took the first year class. I can remember crying for my mom, and Miss Bloxham was so kind to me, she sat me up, on what was to me, a very high teachers desk. I adored her. when I went to the Grammar School in 1947, I used to go back to Miss Bloxham to “help” her out with the little ones. I always wanted to be a teacher. I can still see, in my mind’s eye, my first day at school, with Miss Bloxham. I can still see, in my mind’s eye, getting my 11+ results and dancing outside the door to the dining room and waving to my mum.. I can still see, in my mind’s eye, the wooden class rooms over to the right hand side of the playground, I lost time at school due to measles or some such child hood illness and missing out learning my 7, 8 and 9 times tables, learning by heart. I can recall my older brother making me play truant, and running, bent double along the railings, so no one would see us.. I can recall the School Board Man coming and telling my mum we had played truant.. (My dad was away in the army)