Jim Smillie
Pupil 1963-1969.
Member of staff 1973-1986
When I started as a pupil at Airdrie Academy in 1963 it was a Senior Secondary School. Pupils were allocated places to local secondary schools in those days based on their performance in school grading or qualifying exams. I came from a small primary school in one of the outlying villages and arrived at the Academy with five of my primary classmates
At the time Walter Henderson was headmaster of Airdrie Academy. Most teachers at the time had nicknames and his was ‘Flush’ due to his initials. You wouldn’t dare call him that to his face though!
I started in class 1A year 1963. There weren't any registration classes. Attendance was taken at assembly Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and at first class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm sure this was the case throughout my time.
There was a range of subjects taught to S1 classes including courses in English, Maths, French, Latin, Geography, History, Science, Art and P.E.
Airdrie Academy at the time I attended had around 600 pupils. The school was very much a community. As new first years, we very quickly got to know the other pupils and we got to know the teachers who looked out for us. They were very strict but always encouraged us to do our best and take our studies seriously.
The four house groups were Cleddans, Faskine, Monklands and Rochsoles which were only used for sports competitions. The houses were allocated according to your surname. For all my time as a pupil at Airdrie Academy I was in Rochsoles house.
When the Academy became a comprehensive school in 1968/69 with a much larger intake of First Year pupils, I was a prefect in Sixth Year. This gave an insight to how the school might evolve in the next few years.
Team games were very popular with football, hockey and rugby during the autumn/winter. Saturday morning games were very well-attended, and I recall very busy times because of the large number of teams. This was down to the staff who gave up a lot of time to coach. During the summer term athletics and cricket were strong at the school too. Airdrie Academy was a scene of busy activity.
One winter, possibly 1963/64 when there was a heavy snowfall classes were given ski lessons during P.E... My class missed out as the snow had gone by the time our P. E. class came round.
I was a keen footballer but never good enough to be in the First Team, however it did broaden my school experience. The Academy could have up to 10 football teams across the age groups.
This photo is from First Year 1963-64.
Back L-R John Cookman, John Neilson, Ian Scales, Gordon Weir, Sandy Wilson, Ronnie Murning, Tom Forbes.
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Front L-R Alan Loudon, Jim Smillie, Jim McGhie, Sandy Black, Bobby McLean.Mr Cookman was my Latin teacher in first and second year.
This photo shows the 2nd Intermediates (under 15) 1965-66.As can be seen in team photos sports strips matched the school ties. The colours were always royal blue, sky blue and gold.
Back L-R Tom Forbes, Sandy Black, Jim Forbes, Gordon Weir, Ian Scales, Jim Smillie.
Front L-R Walter Speirs, Colin Frame, Russell Taylor, Willie Coffey, Bobby McLean & Mr McFadyen. Mr McFadyen was a Geography teacher.
Seniors (Under 18) 3rd Team 1967/68
Back L-R Ian Paterson, Colin Frame, Roy Burgess, Ricky Murning, John Henderson, Ian Shanks, Robert Hunter.
Front L-R Bill 'Paw' Brown, Euan MacPherson, Jim Smillie, Jim Gibson, John Galletly, Jim Fleming, John Black, Willie Russell.
I was surprised but delighted to have a poem I wrote in English included in the 1966 school magazine. This was done under the guidance and encouragement of my English teacher that year, Gordon Liddell. I’m sure he must have had a great deal of say in what was to be included.
The year 1967 was a major one in the school’s history. Airdrie Academy’s Senior football team won the prestigious Scottish Senior Shield.My brother David was the goalkeeper, so I attended all the games from the often-muddy pitch at Academy to the red ash of Holyrood Secondary near Hampden. Broomfield, Cliftonhill and back to Hampden on a really wet night supported by several double decker buses full of fans. It was so exciting to witness Airdrie Academy winning the Scottish Schools Senior Shield after a 1-0 victory over Our Lady's H S Motherwell at Hampden.
This is a copy of the programme which was signed by the team members.
This poster was signed by the team and other pupils of the time. I must admit that along with some of my classmates I got carried away and signed it several times. Pity the quality isn't better to make out more signatures.
Official team photo: Mr Walker who was PT History was the manager
Scottish Shield Winners 16th May 1967.
Back L-R Bill 'Paw' Brown, John Whiteford, Jim Glover, Andy McInnes, John Traynor, Colin Griffin, Tom White, Stuart Ross.
Front L-R Walter C. Henderson, Ian Burke, David Smillie, Jimmy Henderson, Les Mottram, Walter Clarke, Ian 'Barney' Walker.
The team was rewarded with a trip to Germany and Italy in August 1967. They played 2 games in Germany and against Primorje in the Trieste area. I believe that Bill Brown’s wife at that time was originally from the Trieste area.
There was a return game in 1969 with Primorje who were accompanied by a choir, the Chorus Vasilij Mirk.I was part of a pupil/staff choir who supported them.
A year or two after I left school there was a further visit to the Trieste area.
In my 4th, 5th & 6th years I was part of the Gilbert & Sullivan operas put on by Alistair McLeod with Mrs McMillan and then Miss Milton. In 1967 ‘The Gondoliers’, 1968 ‘The Mikado’ and 1969 ‘Patience’. An abiding memory from that time is when all the Gondoliers were dressed in fancy costumes in Act 2, Alistair McLeod selected me to be the cook. All I had to wear was a plain white shirt and trousers. I admit to being jealous of the others.
Gondoliers programme
Mikado Boys’ Chorus 1968
Curtain call for the cast of Patience
Patience programme
I would leave school just over a week later.
I returned to Airdrie Academy to start teaching Geography in August 1973 under the guidance of Jack Heron as Principal Teacher. There was another new start in the Geography Department. Since I was a former pupil, it was agreed that I wouldn't have a permanent room as I knew my way about the school. However, the other new start decided teaching wasn't for him and left. The first term to Christmas was hard going as his classes were allocated among the other three members of the department and the fact that there was no October break. However, having Room A22 as my base during my first year certainly helped. This is marked number one on the photo.
When Woodhall House was set up, the new PT Guidance John Dickson was also a Geography teacher. The decision was made to give him Room A22 as the nearby old science storeroom would become the Woodhall House office. So, for session 1974/75 I would be teaching in a hut on the edge of the school grounds. Room X14. No. 2 on photo. However, before the hut was ready, I taught for six weeks in a small science lecture theatre.
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With the building of the House Block which opened at the start of the 1975/76 session I was based in Room H3/10, on the top floor overlooking the playing fields. No. 3 on photo. I was based there for almost eleven years and thoroughly enjoyed my times there.
By then the school roll had increased significantly. At its peak there were over 1700 pupils attending Airdrie Academy. The house block accommodation was required to cope with demand. The order of the houses is alphabetical. It always goes Cleddans , Faskine, Glenmore, Monklands, Rochsoles, Woodhall. It depended largely on your surname to see what house you were in.
When the house block opened in 1975 my registration class was 2W1. In a class of 30+ there were 7 Stewarts and 5 Thomsons.
The house block had 3 floors. The houses looking at front doors of building were as follows:
Top Left Rochsoles. Top Right Woodhall
Middle Left Monklands. Middle Right Glentore.
Bottom Left Cleddans. bottom Right Faskine.
Each house had a house office, common room and dining area.
I coached football as a member of staff and one of my proudest moments came in 1977 when my team won the Maxwell Cup.
Maxwell Cup Lanarkshire Schools U14 winners 1977.
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Back L-R Jim Bettley, Steven Spiers, David Smith, Simon Smith, George Shanks, Jim Smillie.
Front L-R Stewart Cook, Keith Shanks, John McGregor, Gardner Speirs, Archie Dickson, Cameron Graham.
Some of the best memories I have from my time teaching at Airdrie Academy was the involvement in foreign trips with Jack Heron as party leader. Along with Jack’s wife Margaret, his sons and my wife Kay my first trip was taking a party to the Hotel Nimes et Tongres Blankenberge Belgium in 1977. Travelling on a Parks bus via North Sea Ferries Norstar and Norland, Hull to Rotterdam.
We returned in 1979 also accompanied by George Allan and Jimmy Rodger.
We also took various other school trips with Jack Heron as party leader. These included the Loire Valley in 1980, Rhine Gorge 1981 and Leysin 1982.
1980 Loire Valley
"Wish You Were Here" with the presenter Judith Chalmers was filming during our trip to Chateau de Chenonceau Loire Valley in 1980. Our group on the 'road train' from the bus park was filmed for the programme. I can't remember if it was ever shown and if anyone remembers seeing themselves on TV!
1980 Group photo
1981: Oberwesel: Rhine Gorge
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Accommodation on Hotel Ship Rotterdam
The trip was meant to be to Boppard further down the river. The tour company changed it to Oberwesel due to problems they had with the hotel in Boppard. The hotel they had lined up in Oberwesel was too small for our party so a few days before we set off, we were told that our accommodation would be on a ship. Another school arrived after us but as we already had the pick of the cabins they asked to be sent elsewhere. So, our party had the ship to ourselves complete with open air disco on the top deck.
I remember we stopped for a refreshment after unsuccessfully searching for an open-air swimming pool in Oberwesel. It turned out there was one, but it was in a completely separate village!
1982 Leysin, SwitzerlandThe weather was very hot and sunny during this trip.This group was photographed after a cable car journey up Les Diablerets.
This photograph is from the 1982 summer fete when I was a target for wet sponges. It was such a laugh!
I moved on to Carluke High School as PT Geography at Easter 1986 but will always have great memories of my time at Airdrie Academy both as a pupil and a teacher.
I am looking forward to seeing the project when it is completed.
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