Tuesday September 11, 1973

Mother says I have looked terrible since going back to school, but I realise that school is not the reason why I look the way I do. My heart is shattered. I have never felt so sick. Never did I imagine that June would leave my life so soon after becoming a major part of it. She will have received my letter this morning.

Grandfather is to be cremated at Dewsbury on Thursday. I am going. Mother never expected me to go. John does not wish to miss work. Dad spent the day with Grandma and accompanied her to the Register Office to record the demise of that great Matriarch, who, for nearly 63 years, reigned over an Empire consisting of one third of the world's population. (Surely, you're thinking of Queen Victoria ?)

When I think about it I am glad I did not get into college. I will not apply next year. I love home far too much to go chasing round County Durham for three long, moneyless years. I have made my mind up to find a job - what sort of job I do not know. But one thing is certain, education ends for me in November.

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Tuesday January 23, 1973

Uneventful day. The snow has gone completely. Our winter for the year is over. Went to school on the 8.30 bus. I revised in the morning. People go wild with hysterics over my "Fog Theory" which I wrote just before Christmas. I could make millions writing satires. Sometimes I wonder whether teaching will be worthwhile after spending 50 years at college. The dreaded letter came today from Darlington College. I have been passed on again. My next choice is Middleton St George near Newcastle. I must be bloody awful at interviews. When I told Mr Groves this morning that my letter had arrived he didn't break down crying like he usually does. All he could say was "place your hopes in Middleton". Silly bugger. At 2pm Denise and I had a mock O Level Biology exam. Louise finished at about 3.30 - everyone else finished at 4. I could only answer half the questions and was sure glad to get out.

President Nixon of the USA announced something about Vietnam on the radio today. It was live on BBC1 at 3am. It will probably be a ceasefire or even an end to the war which has been raging since about 1400BC. Strangely enough, if the end of the war has come Pres. Johnson will have just missed seeing it by a day. They are burying him on Thursday.

Did a bit of revising and watching TV until almost 12. I have History exam tomorrow. If I get more than 40 per cent I am high and dry. In the last "mock" I got 29 per cent.

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Thursday January 11, 1973

Got up at 6.30 - nervous and tired. Arrived at Guiseley train station at 6.50. The Leeds train arrived 9 minutes later. On arrival at Leeds my Darlington ticket cost £1.75 - remarkably cheap for British Rail. Caught the train at 7.48 and arrived at 9.31am. Found my way easily to the college - which seemed very impressive in its Victorian splendour. At college I was immediately pushed into a room where several girls and a boy were writing an essay under exam. conditions. I did the same. It was a comprehension on Tolstoy's teachings. After three paragraphs I finished and joined the others for a good laugh (to hide the nervousness). My interview with the History man went down quite well for both os us - and I left after 20 minutes feeling rather pleased. I was somewhat less confident when I was interviewed by the deputy principal (who incidentally was the double of the Duchess of Windsor). By 12 it was all over and I was invited to lunch by two of the interviewees - both public schoolgirls. One of them had a nice car. We were all friends by the end of the lunch and we parted at 1.30 not knowing if any of us would meet again. But we promised to "meet in September" - a rather optimistic view. I made my way back to the station and departed for York at 2.50. At York I changed trains and went to Leeds. Home at 6.30. Mum tells me of the new holiday arrangements. We are now going to the Adriatic for 15 days. "Stuff the cost" attitude by Mum has worried Dad slightly - but one can always rely on Mum to manage affairs of monetary principle. We start hols on July 13, the very day that Dave I leave Benton Park. Looking forward to school tomorrow. It will be a change to have a laugh, in fact all we ever do in that place is get from one laugh to another without giving ourselves hernias, etc. --

Saturday January 6, 1973

Epiphany. Mum woke me at 9am with the long awaited letter from Darlington College of Education. They want me to attend an interview on Jan 11th at 9.20. Check the train times and I can't be there until 9.31. I write a letter explaining this trouble.

Denise was in the Airedale and Wharfedale Observer this morning with picture - learning the art of boomerang throwing. I enclose the picture here for posterity. After lunch I went to Bradford Library and the history section and arrived home at 5.15.

Went down to work at 7 and was busy for a solid 2 and a half hours. The evening didn't half drag though. Sue and Toffer were in usual cheery mood as was Pauline, the "sexy" waitress. Incidentally, she's bringing a pack of cards next Saturday so that she, Toffer and I will be able to play a few hands of strip pontoon. Sue says she won't bother because of the difficulties involved in cooking in the nude. I well understand her predicament. Saw little Worthington once again - he tried to tackle a T-bone - he certainly has the right idea. Didn't finish work until 1am. Toffer took Pauline and me home.

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