Sayings and doings of 25 years ago...

‘SCHOOL slammed by inspectors’ was front page news in the East Lothian Courier on March 14, 1997.

A major shake-up of the running of Knox Academy has been called for after a visit by Schools Inspectors who made swingeing criticisms and said teaching varied from very good to unsatisfactory.

Setting out an action plan for change, they said the morale of some teachers was low and staff generally felt distanced from the senior management team.

“A lack of whole-school direction had led to teachers having inconsistent expectations of pupils on important matters such as attendance, discipline and standards of attainment,” their report revealed.

“Overall a firm lead was required from senior management to develop a common sense of purpose among staff and pupils.”

Some parents questioned by the inspectors said they did not find head-teacher Anthony B. Ellis either approachable or helpful and a minority expressed concerns about aspects of the school’s organisation.

...and 50 years ago

‘They were happy to oblige…’ was a headline in the East Lothian Courier on March 10, 1972.

The County Library Service was recently requested to supply a book to a reader in Göteborg.

The Swedish reader wanted Charles Ritz’s “A fly-fisher’s life” but was dismayed to learn that neither his own library nor any other library in Sweden held a copy of the work.

The local librarian of the Stadsbiblioketet wrote to Scotland to help him out, and his request was passed onto the Scottish Central Library to East Lothian County Library Service Headquarters in Haddington.

The book was located by the staff and was despatched to be received a few days later by the grateful reader in Sweden’s second city.

...and 100 years ago

A MINER was in court charged with an assault in Haddington, The Haddingtonshire Courier reported on March 10, 1922.

William Brannan, miner, no fixed residence, pleased guilty at the Burgh Court, on Monday, to having on Saturday, in a lodging-house in Bridge Street, Nungate, assaulted John Rodger, the keeper of the premises, by striking him two severe blows on the face with his clenched fist.

It was stated by the Fiscal that the accused had committed a disturbance at midday, quarrelling in the kitchen with the other inmates. Rodger cautioned the accused, when the latter committed the assault, which was entirely unprovoked.

Bailie Phail passed sentence of a fine of 20s or 10 days’ imprisonment.