Wednesday 24 August 2011

OLD SCHOOL BUS - 60'S

Remember these?
Well many of you who went to school in the 60's probably do.
They were the buses that used to pick up the handicapped school kids.
The minibuses were grey and had "Corporation of Dundee Education Committee" on the side.
When we went to Balerno primary in the 60's, one of these buses used to pass us daily, down Banchory Road and along Balerno Street, picking up the kids who needed special treatment.
You couldn't help feel sorry for them mind you, while at the same time reminding yourself how lucky you were to have your full health.
Not that us able bodied kids had it all easy.
I remember the pupils who wore metallic callipers on their legs. Then there were some who had the big pink hearing aid. The majority of specs worn were the wire penny roonders, which often had one lens covered up with elastoplast due to their lazy eye. When we did P.E. that's when we discovered some kids had verrucas, ganglions and chilblains. Not forgetting those who had lice or the ones who breathed with snot bubbles popping out and in. There were also guys who would regularly faint, but only when at assembly. I also recall we had our fair share of pee-the-beds and keechy breeks.
Ah yes, it's all coming back now.
And just remember - we were the lucky ones!!

13 comments:

  1. I remember the Brown Nurse visiting regularly at primary school and checking us all for nits/lice. If you had them,it was on with the Suleo - only had it once but still remember the smell.

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  2. I've no idea where the handicapped kids were taken to.
    Was there one school for all, or did the bus drop them off at different schools depending on their disability?

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  3. Don't say handicapped these days as it comes from the time when people went "cap in hand" i.e had to beg to survive.

    *puts tin helmet on expecting tirade from p.c. gone mad brigade*

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  4. Did those grey busses not go to Fairmuir school?

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  5. Should have Googled it first but it was called Fairmuir Special School with an Alternative Name School For Defective Children no mincing words in the past

    http://canmoremapping.rcahms.gov.uk/index.php?action=do_advanced&idnumlink=191988

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  6. I remember these same vans being kitted out to deliver insulated aluminium containers containing school dinners. Macalpine Infant School used to take deliveries from one of these.

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  7. I've just had a look in my 1970 Dundee Directory and spotted that there are a few places listed under the banner "Schools For Handicapped Children".
    Here they are...
    Coldside Occupational Centre (Caird Ave).
    School For The Deaf (Dudhope Tce).
    Duncarse Sight-Saving (Perth Road).
    Fairmuir (Kingsway).
    Fairmuir Annexe (Strathmartine Rd).

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  8. can anyone remember a trip to lourdes in the 1970s and went to fairmuir school dundee

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    1. i went to fairmuir in 71 i loved it ms thompson was my teacher she was great

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    2. I wasn't at lourdes 70s with fairmuir

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  9. Just found this blog when I was researching my past. I went to Fairmuire 'special' school in the 60's because I'd contracted polio in the 1962 outbreak in Dundee. I was taken on this bus. I remember the man who got us on and off used to wipe his snot on the pole. Uurghh - still makes me heave. There was no such thing as integration then, but I don't ever remember being unhappy. Fortunately I was quite bright and went on to become a teacher.

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    Replies
    1. I went to the school in the fifties it was a good school

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  10. The head teacher was Mr barber ,,second in command was Mr Nicholson,,art teacher, was Mr Robertson,,w/work teacher was Mr gaffney,,1964 ish

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