Invergordon Image Library | Invergordon Academy Senior Staff Retirement Dinner

	475
	Denis Slattery
	1975

Invergordon Academy Senior Staff Retirement Dinner

The retirement dinner held in 1975 for Mr. Milton and Mr. Cooney.
Picture Added on 25 September 2004.

Comments

Mr Cooney taught French and German in, I think, room 17 in the building that's now the library. That's him 3rd from right isn't it? G Milton extreme right.
Added by Brian McKenzie on 27 September 2004.

Second on left is Russell Preston, who taught Geography.
Added by Joan Murray on 03 October 2004.

Mr Cooney belted me on my first day in his class (I deserved it!). Oh how I regret not taking French more seriously - I am still struggling to learn the language of, what has become for me, a beloved country.
Added by Bill Geddes on 24 December 2004.

Surprised that old Cooney made it to retirement as we used to drive him to despair. We were in class in room 15 - he was one classroom down - we used to make a helluva noise - he would show up demanding to know who made the noise, no-one came forward, off he would go back to his class and no sooner in the door when we would start-up again; continued this until our teacher arrived - Miss Nichol the music teacher, a real nice lady whom we also drove up the wall.....ah the good old days....
Added by Harry O'neill on 28 December 2004.

Harry, I think Mr Cooney was very serious about his job but perhaps did not have the ideal skills to do it. He was a very serious man and perhaps should have lightened up from time to time. I will never forget one Hogmanay when he turned up at our house in the company of Fatty Matheson (maths). They had one of those folding top hats which they kept putting on their heads while the other one would smash it down. Oh how we laughed...It is amazing to think that school teachers lived in Council Houses in those days and were just part of the normal community. Ross (Leekey) the Latin/Greek teacher also lived in Gordon Terrace at that time.....very healthy I think but no longer the case - certainly here in London anyway...
Added by Bill Geddes on 30 December 2004.

Anybody remember King Kong, Mr McIver if my memory serves me right? He was in the same room that Mr Preston taught in, and I think he lived at the same address in Gordon Terrace as well.
Added by Gordie Peterson on 15 June 2006.

Yes Gordie, I remember King Kong, huge..when I was in school he taught in the building where the carpentry shop was, east of the canteen..Gordie if you are Brenda's brother, say hello to her and Willie for me will you?
Added by Harry O'Neill on 16 June 2006.

King Kong rings a bell, Gordie, but I have no clear memory of him but as I lived in Gordon Terrace I must have known him, what did he teach? Returning to Mr Coonie and having another look at him, it is astonishing as to how FRENCH he looks! Surely he must have origins in France but I cannot remember him talking about the country in a way which would stimulate a child's interest......a shame really, as I am sure he was very dedicated to his job.
Added by Bill Geddes on 16 June 2006.

King Kong definitely lived in Gordon Terrace (No. 27) and was replaced there by Mr Preston. Apart from Mr Cooney and Johnny Ross (Leeky), Gordon Terrace also housed Bill Smith (Technical) and Mr & Mrs Donald MacFarlane (Lofty and Tich).
Added by Rod Bell on 16 June 2006.

Hi Bill, King Kong taught History, in the same building as Bill Smith. He was a big man, I think you must remember him racing down Gordon Terrace on his bicycle. He lived next door to Tubby. He was an accomplished speaker and was in great demand for Burns suppers.
Added by Gordie Peterson on 16 June 2006.

Billy, if I remember correctly King Kong taught the C level. Remember there used to be 1A 1B etc., then they added C....
Gordie, thanks for your e-mail, greatly appreciated and I have sent to Willie...
Added by Harry O'Neill on 16 June 2006.

Hi Roddy, Mr & Mrs MacFarlane never stayed in Gordon Terrace. They stayed up the back in Scotsburn. The Cooneys stayed next to the Smiths, and at the other end Tubby Mathieson stayed next to King Kong. Johnnie Leekie stayed across the road in one of the wooden houses - I remember this as I delivered the sunday papers for about 4 years.
Added by Gordie Peterson on 17 June 2006.

With all those teachers in the street we should all have turned out as geniuses! Still can't remember King Kong. I did not realise they had teachers for different academic "streams". I guess this is why I have no recall as I can certainly remember Tubby. I once passed him on the street and I said "aye aye" which was a bit cheeky and familiar. He gave me a telling off in class the next day but I could tell he was having trouble not laughing! My first clue that teachers were human!
Added by Bill Geddes on 17 June 2006.

The Macfarlanes lived in Gordon Terrace before they moved to Scotsburn, Gordie. It was I think at about No. 8 or 10, possibly, where the Kemps moved into. My family were one of the originals in GT, moving in in early 1950 before the odd Nos were built, when I was just a toddler.
Added by Rod Bell on 17 June 2006.

I can remember many of the secondary school teachers mentioned here eg 'Ma and Pa Conon', Mr Cooney, Mr Preston, Mr Milton (Rector), Mr and Mrs McFarlane, Mrs Auchterlonie (Mrs McFarlane's twin), Mr Smith. However - who remembers the dashing Mr Stewart, the music teacher? - or the cookery teacher, Miss Macrae?
Added by Heather Anderson (nee Booth) on 12 January 2007.

It was great reading all these comments about our former teachers. Johnny Leekie, Tubby Matheson, Mr. Cooney (did he ever have a nickname) and I very rarely saw him smile. Does anyone remember Miss Campbell, the art teacher ("If you've got a seat, SIT DOWN"). Lofty and Tich Macfarlane and his sarcastic but funny comments!!! Weren't they all "key workers" so they automatically got houses? Gordie, can you also say hello to Brenda and Willie from me?
Added by Rosalie Graham now Samaroo on 13 January 2007.

No, I can't remember Mr. Cooney having a nickname. This is odd as it was a very common thing and of course Mr. Cooney had a feature which was just begging to be used for a nickname. Perhaps kids were too scared of him to risk it - or maybe he was secretly respected beyond the norm because of his clear dedication to his job. I still regret sniggering instead of paying attention!
Added by Bill geddes on 15 January 2007.

I guess "Cooney" was nickname enough for him.....no-one has mentioned Miss Carmichael who taught out of room 15. Very prim and proper and walked like her legs were welded together at the knees.....Lizzie?
Added by Harry on 16 January 2007.

Rosalie, did Miss Campbell teach upstairs in the infants school? If so I remember her, she used to put me to sleep. In fact we were always late arriving at her class and she would be hanging out the window encouraging us to hurry-up, of course we took even longer.....
Added by Harry on 16 January 2007.

Katie Carmichael, I think, Harry. Towards the end of her career I fear she became increasingly reliant on the juniper berry.
Added by Rod Bell on 16 January 2007.

Harry, Miss Carmichael was Katy not Lizzie, she taught us Science, if I remember, and she also taught Maths in room 15. I think she stayed in Tain.
Added by Gordie Peterson on 16 January 2007.

Harry, Miss Carmichael was known as Katy, not Lizzie.
Heather, the "dashing Mr Stewart" is still dashing about making music all around.
Miss Mackintosh the Primary Three teacher whose catch phrase was "I'll murder you boy!" - a wonderful start to the world of education.
Milton the Rector, seldom seen without hands in pockets, dishing out sarcasm by the barrowload.
Turnbull the gym teacher, always reeking of Capstan Full Strength.
Addison the Maths teacher who followed Tubby, gravel rash and keekers a regular feature as he misjudged the path between The Com' and his digs.
Miss Sutherland, who knew it was a school pencil because she had inscribed the letter S on it in Hindi, clever eh?
Remember Sabrina too? Why did they call her that?
Jackie Hall who did his utmost to make science boring.
Invergordon Academy, what a dreadful place it was.
Added by Ronald Stewart on 16 January 2007.

Not forgetting the confidence building Dr Stewart science teacher, who told us, the whole class if not the whole school, that we were a bunch of "no hopers" and had little chance of any success in the world after an education at Invergordon Academy.
He himself was just passing through on his way to become Director of Education for the County.
Added by Ronald Stewart on 16 January 2007.

I do not remember a 'Sabrina' but could it be that she was rather well-endowed as was the 'starlet' in the '50s with the same name?!
Mr Stewart still making music! Good to hear it! I would have thought he was well past retiring age by now?
Added by Heather Anderson (nee Booth) on 16 January 2007.

Right you, are it was Katie....sounds like Miss Mackintosh never changed a bit...I don't know how these techers got away with it but they did, parents just turned a blind eye to it....
Added by Harry O'Neill on 16 January 2007.

Gord, do you remember the Rector Clark "The Jake"? There is a pic of him on the site.
Did he retire? - or burnt at the stake....

Ronald....Well said.....
Added by Harry O'Neill on 16 January 2007.

Well I remember "The Jake", he had an office like a broom cupboard at the top of the stairs, which he shared with Ena Gordon. If my memory serves me right it had no window, and always seemed dim and miserable. Sabrina, or Miss MacKenzie's room was out next to King Kong, and if things got a bit boisterous, he used to come through and sort us all out. Happy days.
Added by Gordie Peterson on 17 January 2007.

I remember Ena Gordon - school secretary? Ena was also my Guide Captain. I had a lot of respect for her. When did she retire?
Added by Heather Anderson (nee Booth) on 17 January 2007.

Harry and others - Yes, Miss Campbell did teach upstairs and Yes, she used to hang out of the window. Why were we so reluctant to go to her class.?? Who could forget Katie Carmichael? As for The Jake, I think that I was the only girl who got the strap from him (not deserved). I had red marks on my wrist for a few days where the strap wound around. Harry, he would never got away with that now. I wouldn't have mentioned it at home for fear of getting a telling off!!
Added by Rosalie Graham now Samaroo on 17 January 2007.

Ena Gordon left her job as School Secretary in middle age and studied successfully for a degree and became a Secondary School Teacher at Alness Academy teaching English and History I think. Sadly Ena passed away a year or two ago - she was a wonderfull character who touched many lives in all her various activities and interests.
Added by Graham Mackenzie on 17 January 2007.

Graham - thank you for the information about Ena Gordon. I was sad to hear she had passed away. Yes - she certainly touched my life all thse years ago as my Guide Captain, which I have never forgotten.
Added by Heather Anderson (nee Booth) on 17 January 2007.

Can someone fill me in on Katie Carmichael? Was she the Science teacher?
So far on this pic no-one has mentioned Miss Horne!! So I claim bragging rights for being the first person to mention how horrible she was. Dare anyone say they liked her? How could a Physical Education teacher get away with never demonstrating a single technique. I nominate her as the Number One worst teacher of the '40s and '50s.
Added by Bill Geddes on 18 January 2007.

Bill - I remember Miss Horne well! Wasn't 'navy blue' her colour?!!!
Added by Heather Anderson (nee Booth) on 19 January 2007.

Billy, Katie "taught" history in the room next to Tich along from the canteen. I remember her hurling the wooden blackboard rubber across the room and catching some poor innocent on the forehead. She was certainly a rival for Miss Horne for uselessness ....I can never remember any history, but I can remember the steps of the Cumberland Reel, pranced out to that windy-up gramophone of hers!
Most of the comments here about our teachers are very negative. I have some very fond memories of some of them, even Battleaxe threatening murder. Who could forget Miss Chrystall elastoplasting an old penny onto a bump on your forehead if you fell, even if it is well over 50 years ago.
Added by Rod Bell on 19 January 2007.

I remember the incident that Rod mentions, when Katie threw the wooden blackboard duster at Alistair McKay, Tarbert, Kildary, striking him on the forehead and resulting in a cut. Sadly Alistair, who ran his own contracting business was killed at the roadside at Kildary, when he was struck by a truck, as he went about his business.
Added by John Fraser on 19 January 2007.

Saddened to hear about Alastair Mackay - when did this happen? I remember many visits to 'Jock Mackay's' emporium at Tarbat - like Steptoe's yard, but what a range of goods! Also remember the results of Mr Addison's (Daddy Addy?)collision with a glass door at Inverness station.
Added by Fraser Dryden on 20 January 2007.

It has been a strange and thought provoking journey back to the past reading all these remarks over the last few weeks. I remember the headmaster, Mr Milton very well. Someone mentioned his sarcasm, which I would definitely agree he had no worries about running out of. Personally what I remember most about him was his Chewbacca type eyebrows, which were a definite fire hazard. I also remember a Mr Taylor who looked like Terry Thomas and taught Physics I think, he was a gentleman. I am not sure if the Mr Donald Stewart who taught Modern Studies is the same Dr Stewart mentioned in one of the remarks or not, but it sounds like him. The other teachers I remember with a mixture of fondness and total terror are Mr Shearer the Arts teacher, Ma Baird, English, lived up Ardross I think. Ma and Pa Preston and Connon, Jock Watt, who I always thought should have been a SAS trainer rather than making us poor bairns run all over the golf course in the bucketing rain. I never had the privilege of being taught by Mr Cooney, but since he always reminded me of a Gestapo interrogator I think I am quite glad. It was a different world in school then, not sure for the better or worse, but definitely different. Maybe would have picked other teachers but couldn’t have had better school mates. Often thought if I didn’t leave school when I did, would have had hands like two massive red flippers with that damned belt. Oh what happy memories.
Added by DFGripton on 20 January 2007.

Spot on DF! Mr Cooney as a Gestapo officer is very accurate type-casting. He was very very serious about his job and had a total absence of a light side. Seared into my brain is my first day in his class. So impressed was I by his magnificent hooter I felt driven to adding an artistic impression of it onto the surface of my desk. He spotted me of course. He came over, made a quick artistic judgement then silently summoned me to the front of the class with just his forefinger. He could have been welcoming me into his interrogation room for a spot of water torture. He went to the bottom of his storecupboard, where sure enough, as legend held, his famed belt was produced. I had very fine weals to display at the lunch break. I viewed his nose in a different light after the experience....
Added by Bill Geddes on 21 January 2007.

Mr Cooney was actually involved in the interrogation of Germans during the war. I wonder if he had the belt in his drawer then!
Added by Rod Bell on 21 January 2007.

Oh! The memories! Miss Horne.....Bill, I don't think she ever demonstrated anything except for the "Cumberland Reel". How I hated it and when it came to the school dance she picked our partners for us, and definitely not the ones we would have chosen for ourselves. Although a lot of the comments are negative, Rod, and you are right, we did have some wonderful teachers, but it's so good to reminisce. Strange, isn't it that the horrible teachers are the ones that most readily spring to mind. Happy memories though and we're still here to tell the tale!!!
Added by Rosalie Graham now Samaroo on 22 January 2007.

Rosalie, correct you are...I watch the kids today running happily to school and not wanting to leave. I don't know about you but it was the opposite for me, used to not want to go but ran like hell at 4pm....The only thing the strap was good for was to warm up your hands in winter....but there was also the ruler across the knuckles, and in woodwork a block of wood at the back of your napper...and like you said you never said a word about it at home lest you got another there..
Added by Harry on 22 January 2007.

Hi Heather, re Miss Horne and her favourite colour being navy blue....think that was her complexion wasnt it?...they say we are descended from the monkeys, ample proof shown in that regard by Miss Horne.....
Added by Harry O'Neill on 27 February 2007.

I think Miss Horne was Mrs Sangster when I had her, black thin frizzy hair, all in black, crepe bandage under black hose and a walking stick. And when we got a new young PE teacher it was amazing, Mrs Laing I think it was, married to the history teacher - and then Mrs Macrae when we moved up to the new Academy. We didn’t like the new school at first as we used to take our time between the various buildings and had shorter classes, but always hurried for Pa Connons in the huts.
Added by Liz Adam (Askew) on 07 April 2007.

Enjoyed reading all the comments on here (only just discovered it!). Does anyone remember Miss Holmes - she taught French(?) in a room behind Russell Preston, sadly now no longer with us. I must admit I enjoyed his geography lessons. He was a stalwart in the TA for many years. How well I remember Miss Horne - did she not stay at the Temperance Hotel where the vet's place is now? Any prizes I won for athletics were in spite of her input and not because of it! Seeing so many familiar names of former classmates bring the memories flooding back.
Added by Anne Campbell (Matheson) on 23 July 2007.

Yes Anne, I remember Miss Holmes very well - I had her for French in 1963/1964. It's funny, I didn't apply myself all that well in French classes and now I find myself with a young grandaughter being brought up in France with the native tongue being her first language. Thank goodness she is very adept at English as well, otherwise I would be in a bit of a bind on the communication front. However, I do try and am actually considering taking French lessons. Poor old Mrs Holmes, I wish I had co-operated much more with her.
Added by on 24 July 2007.

I remember Johnny Ross (Leekie) as our Latin teacher and I was thrown out of class for slinging the blackboard rubber back at him after he tossed it at me.
I never returned to Latin but must have learnt something as I managed to pick up the Spanish lingo fairly easily when posted there in the RAF.
Added by Ross Mitchell on 14 April 2008.

Well done there Rossie, but we should have started with Miss Macintosh and threw the strap back at her...
Added by Harry O'Neill on 15 April 2008.