A letter from alumna, Susan Cornish, who attended Truro High in 1947

I was very privileged to have been a pupil at THS in 1947. My first day at the commencement of the autumn term was exciting - travelling by steam train to Truro accompanied by an older girl called Jennifer Hocking. We had to change trains at Chacewater where we joined the main line to Truro. This was followed by a bus ride to school . This was reversed in the afternoon for the homeward Journey. A rather strict music teacher called Miss Buddle accompanied us together with the other pupils during the second part of the journey.

Uniform rules were strictly adhered to and we had to ask permission to take our hats off on the train and wear gloves even in September when the weather was still rather too warm. Posture badges were awarded for good deportment and taken away if one fell short of what was expected. Food rationing was still in force and school lunches were not always very palatable by todays standard. Milk in a small bottle with a straw was provided at morning break each day.

The gym was located in the main hall with ceiling ropes and wall bars. We loved swinging off the window cill using the ropes and climbing up to the ceiling. The hockey field was located in the field next to Dalvenie which necessitated a fairly long walk before playing and changing in the open field with pegs on the wall for our clothes and satchels . A special occasion was when Leon Goossens gave a recital on the oboe in the school hall. On a very dreary and wet day on 6th February 1952 we were summoned to the school hall to be told of the death of King George Vl . The headmistress Miss Engledow conducted morning assembly sitting in the large chair shown in the photograph. Half term was a Friday afternoon to allow boarding girls to have a weekend at home. Just a few memories of a very happy time - a very long time ago!

Mrs. Susan Cornish (nee Westcott ), Truro High, 1947