The good old Darnall days

Darnall Primary School turned into a charming white and blue dining dream as families flocked in their generations to the school’s centenary reunion day last Saturday.

The jolly bunch of former Darnall Primary School pupils, parents and staff shared stories and laughter as the various speakers told of their Darnall day memories.

The oldest living former pupil of the school, Noel de St Pern (91) finished at Darnall in 1936 and shared hilarious stories about getting to and from school in those days.
“In a wooden cart, propelled by a horse or mule as dad saw fit, my sisters and I made our way to school. I was the oldest and therefore the driver, while the twins sat on apple boxes by my feet during the bumpy ride.”
Patsy Williams on the other hand, was quite the pioneer and trendsetter in Darnall, as she started Patsy’s Play Centre at the school in 1970, when pre-primary’s came into fashion.
“Women started working during that time, so there was a need for pre-primary schools. I took kids from the age of two, if they were potty trained,” said Williams with a chuckle.
Glen Hagemann and his sister, Karen Tocknell entertained everyone with their fond memories of their days at the school and emphasised what a good grounding the school was for them.
“The simplicity of life in Darnall was a blessing. We never got much homework, because the school believed in instilling a love for the outdoors and the simple things in us from a young age. The teachers gave us a safe place to grow up and discover who we were. Our childhood days were defined by happiness, which gave us a wonderful start to life,” said Tocknell.

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