Guestbook

A selection of comments received:

I was a very young pupil around 1959-61, when I left to return to Edinburgh when my father returned to civvy street. He was the RSM at the 4^th battalion KOSB’s and based in Galashiels. My two brothers attended the school too.

I remember playing rounders in the park next door, the monkey bars in the shed, and I remember the debate about installing a grass playground.

I have to be honest and say that I remember pinching a few carrots from the secondary pupils plot where were growing them too!

I also remember when the secondary pupils used to all line up against the brick wall that bordered the park, and all pushed together. The teachers had to come out and tell them to stop as it looked like it was about to fall over!

The ‘houses’ were Tweed (blue . Abbey (yellow) and Eildon (red) I seem to recall, and I was in Tweed, though if I remember we ended up last in the school sports day. The kids used to say back then (and probably do today)..”Tweed runs, Eildon stands, and Abbey falls down!) Abbey seemed to have the best athletes back then though.

I now live in Sydney Australia, which is about as far away from St Dunstan’s Lane Melrose as one can get, with a brother also resident in Sydney and the other one living in Edinburgh.

Visited Scotland in 2005 and took a walk past the old school. Doesn’t seemed to have changed much, although there would have been no gym teacher called petty now, who used to try and scare us fitba (Hibees) daft Leggets into playing rugby!

Fred Legget 26th July 2008

Just had a look at the kids zone, I am pleased to see it has been updated with this years P6’s work, well done to Jamie, Tommy and Mrs Douglas for their events pages.

Marion Fairbairn 31st January 2008

I've just read Kenneth Brown's entry about his days at the school, and it reminded me of my promise to Mrs Douglas to write about my own memories. Sorry for the delay Janice!

I was at the school from 1971 to 1978 (and my dad went from 1947 to about 1956 - in his day it went beyond P7 as it was a Grammar school).

I remember the hut at the bottom of the playground (we did pottery there) and the monkey bars (I was one of the monkeys who fell off, and I broke my nose in P5!).

I also remember things which are sadly no longer there. For instance, did you know that in the corridor of what is now the Annexe, there was a mural (a big painting done directly on the wall) of the some of the children who were at the school in the 1950s (in fact, of the year above my dad's). The badge on the wall in what is now the "Big Space" (previously the assembly hall) used to be on the school blazers too, and there was a flagpole on the roof of the building.

There was also a separate canteen building at the top of what is now the back stairs to the playground from Huntly Road, and it had a mural too, this time of Thomas the Rhymer meeting the Fairy Queen (ask your teachers about him, it's a well-known story). The Fairy queen is represented every year in the Melrose festival when a queen is chosen from the P7 girls, and she is mentioned in the Melrose song in the line "and here's to the queen who will tryst at the tree". Tryst was an old word for a meeting. Thomas was a real historical character, Sir Thomas Learmonth of Ercildoune (Earlston), an eccentric laird who lived at the same time as William Wallace, late 13th century, about 700 years ago. He was famous for his poetry and for prophesying the outcome of battles etc (a local Nostradamus!). The story goes that he met the fairy queen at the Eildon Tree and went to fairyland for 7 years. Hence all the festival stuff and trysting at the tree etc. All part of Melrose's colourful folklore!

The school badge: the shell represents the church connection (Bishop Fletcher) as it was a symbol of pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostella in Spain (a very popular pilgrimage: there are shells carved on Melrose Abbey too). Santiago de Compostella is supposed to house the relics of St James, if memory serves me correctly. Dad is not sure about the unicorn but there is one on the top of the Mercat cross in the town square and it possibly represents royal connections. The castle-type building is probably the abbey. I can't remember what else is on the badge: dad is looking into it!

If any other old pupils read this, I hope I've got it right!

Suzanne Edie (former pupil) January 2008

I agree with Michael's idea with the cool hut thing!

Lindie TG (ex Pupil) 2nd December 2007

Hi there, found this website while doing a Google search for tuna fishcakes!!!!
Just thought I'd let you know what a fantastic website this is, full of info, well presented and interesting to read. Great to know the school is doing proper dinners for the children. Down here the schools are all packed lunches and I wish that more would go back to providing decent hot meals at lunchtime. Cheers!
Judith Skipper, West London 23rd January 2007

Your website is fantastic and I hope you use it as a tool for fun but also for learning about each other, Melrose and the wider world. People can use my own website to ask for help or advice and the internet is a really useful tool. I am glad that Kids Zone is working so well so please keep in touch. Through the web of course!

Jeremy Purvis, MSP 18th January 2007

I think web club is a good. Clever web site because all kids have access to it. It tells you all sorts of information like when the Easter break is [that's good] and all that sort of things. That's what is EXCELLENT.

Marcus B (ex Pupil) 21st December 2006

To Mrs Douglas - Web Club is fun but why are you not allowed 15 and over because that is boring?

Greg B (ex Pupil) 21st December 2006

Greg - The school made the decision that any of the pages on the school website, including Kids Zone, should be suitable for primary school aged children. Therefore we don't allow 15 or 18 certificate reviews, and we also check 12As before they are uploaded. Ed

I think we should get a hut where we could just chill and talk.

Michael G (ex Pupil) 21st December 2006

I am a very old pupil of Melrose School. I was there from 1934 until Dec 1942. Many thanks to all the teachers from that era for a top quality education which stood me in good stead many years later. Keep up the good work. All the very best from a old pupil and good luck to you all in the future.

John Wanless, Shrewsbury 16th November 2006

This is a very good website!

Cliff Sharp (Parent and School Board Member), 26th May 2006

I remember my days in Melrose Grammar, and the only computer was a Nimbus located in Miss Lowdon's room. (Nimbus being a computer in those days and not a quidditch stick). Before the new school, there was also a green shed (around the area of the current barrier at bottom of playground) and a second bike shed (maybe in line with the end of the resource building). The alleyway between the resource building was open in those days and led to a rear playground. It was rumoured to be haunted, just an old story, but only the brave would enter that passage at night!! There were monkey bars in the bike sheds for climbing, but too many 'monkeys' fell and hurt themselves so they were taken away! Memories of the old school were the annual Melrosian Visits (I too revisited the school being Melrosian in 2004), which were always a highlight, Mrs Smith and her antiseptic cream (she was the secretary), Miss Sutherland and her punni eccies (punishment exercises), Hazel and the school canteen (Hazel used to deliver the school meals), music by Mrs Samphier, Mrs Lafferty and in the early days, Mr Barr, the tuck shop, and of course, school discos.

Kenneth P. Brown (Melrose Grammar School pupil, 1986-1992, or there abouts), 24th March 2006

What an excellent project the Kids Zone part of Melrose Primary School website is! I was very interested to take a look around the Book Review pages.

Shirley Davis 22nd March 2006