17 June 2026 – From My Diary 1996

There was a lot of school work this week. I attended the School Board. There were two controversies. The first was the criterion for determining who went into a composite class. Parents favoured ability but the staff favoured age. Children’s ability can vary over several subjects.

The second was the use of an additional allocation of a 0.9 teacher. People were divided. Some wanted it allocated to an additional classroom teacher. Others wanted it used for music, art and craft. I favoured the latter. It stimulates creativity and nourishes the soul.

As a parent, I volunteered to go on Colin’s school trip. It began with a climb up Dumyat. I observed, ‘The children loved to stop and eat.’ We didn’t reach the top despite having a very strict ranger in charge. ‘She was dismissed from the Gestapo for cruelty.’ whispered another father.

The children had a picnic in the Cochrane Park in Alva and continued to the Forthbank Stadium where they had the opportunity to play assorted sports – football, hockey and basketball. There will be no more school trips up Dumyat. Cutbacks in the ranger service!

We had a Sunday  evening meeting with the teenagers who were going to Iona along with  the other two leaders. Mary-Catherine made assorted filled rolls  and lots of sweetmeats – carrot cake, truffles, millionaire shortbread, oat biscuits. There were cans of fizzy drinks – all very popular.

There was a competition in four parts outside in the garden. Each part took place on a different travelling rug. It was all about Iona – history, map work, words and pictures. Our two younger children assisted. The older two were in the group. There was excitement in the air as we all anticipated what was to come this  summer.