Hi all,
I am going to enjoy the West Linton stories this week, we never got cause my mum had 7 o us so I could only dream. but we had a great story teller in oor class Mary Clark, She went on to be a Missionary in foreign lands she also married a minister.  Mary went to West Linton & came home & told us some fascinating stories & I had never heard o bunk beds till she told me that she fell of the top one. She also went to the pics every week-end & in oor sewing class on Mondays she would tell us what she saw. You could actually believe you were there yourself she was that good.
     Liz Scott.

I remember it well for the wrong reasons. I went I think in October 1952 and the dormitories were freezing. Billy Rugg had about 14 blankets to try and keep  warm. I went to bed one night with my socks on and Pat Trainer came in to check on us. Don't know how he knew I was wearing my socks but he marched me down to the showers and made me shower in the middle of the night. Which if I remember correctly were outside.
I also remember the shop where you could buy those chocolate covered wafers for a penny. At that time we also had our coupon book and I lost mine. But through it all I still enjoyed every minute. One of my best memories was the priest (Fr Murphy) taking us to Easter road to see the fitba . At that time Hibs had the famous five
SMITH, TURNBULL, REILLY, JOHNSTONE AND ORMOND. From that day on Laurie Reilly was my hero. MEMORIES !!!!

Tommy Hanlon
St John's Primary 1946-53

Yes as Tommy said those were the days.

The thing I remember most about West Linton was one of the teachers who really made us all scared! He used to tell us the 'story' of the ghost of a boy who for some reason or other was trapped in the 'attic' and died of starvation.
My favourite teacher was the 'Nature Man'. I believe he also had a radio programme and what we didn't learn about vertebres and non vertebres, also the birds and the bees (on a serious level) and all the different trees etc. wasn't worth knowing.
I also remember the Tuck shop near the dining room. But I still looked forward to that one day when the postman came and there was also a 'tuck' box for me from home. I also remember the tours to the Abbey districts to see the old abbey ruins. We were a mixture of kids from St Peters and St Marys as well as from other parts of Ayrshire.

Tony McGuire

Hi all

Yes I went to West Linton as well, and it was wooden huts and bunk beds. We went orienteering in the woods and most of us got lost. The best part was when the parents came up for the day as we were all skint and needed more money. We were there for 2 weeks. One night I went sleep walking down to dinner room, boy did I get a ribbing the next day. But it was fun

linda farrell