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Night School


southside

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Sixty years ago this week at the age of 15 I started my plumbing apprenticeship course at the recently opened College of Technology on Pond Street. my apprenticeship was to last for 6 years.

Up to the age of 18 plumbing apprentice's attended one paid day release class and two unpaid evening classes per week, then from the age of 18 up to 21 it was three unpaid evening classes, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, catching the bus home, getting changed and back down town to attend these classes became a bit of a chore, especially if I'd been working on the other side of town.

The Friday evening class was in the old College of Technology on Tudor Way, just behind the Lyceum Theatre, classes finished at 9-30, and as there were no facilities for making a drink, the plumbing lecturer would allow us to go, a couple at a time to the Adelphi Hotel on Tudor Way (now the location of the Crucible Theatre) for a half of Stones bitter, the back entrance from the College workshops came out on Tudor Place, (the road between the Lyceum Theatre and the Central Library) a short walk along, then across what was at the time a car park, and into the tap room of the Adelphi Hotel.

First day at college was a bit of an eye-opener for a lad who didn't do too well at school! especially when the plumbing lecturer handed out log tables and informed us that the math's lesson was to be followed by geometry, So much for leaving school !!

 

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I went to Pond Street  College of Technology 1960 to 1966 doing ONC & HNC in Metallurgy. All was in Pond St  one day & one night a week except when I had to do 3 nights a week in  1962/63  when one night was spent doing maths at an old building on Bank Street. Enjoyed most of my time doing the courses!

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Nigh school ?  Torture!   I had to enrol at Leader House on the corner of Eyre St and Surrey St, for a course in Economics, History of Local Government,  and Public Administration as elements for a Diploma in Hospital Administration. I was working at Sheffield Regional Hospital Board at Old Fulwood Road, Straight from a day's filing and filling envelopes I would head for Marsden's Milk Bar in Pinstone St for a sausage roll and milky coffee ( no Latte in those days) and then try to stay awake for two interminable hours. I never got round to exams as I changed career before the end of the course but actually a hell of a lot of stuff stayed in my head and became quite useful much later in life. 

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In my time I attended a few night schools. My first ,aged 16, was to re sit O level chemistry. I then over a few years attempted conversational German, Dutch and, finally (with my wife) car mechanics.

Latterly , I tutored a number of local history sessions run by the WEA

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