In 1968 during a Science class, I took up the option of exploring what was underneath Watson High – literally!

I sat at the back of one of those adjoining classes, where the preparation room was situated between the two rooms and afforded (if you sat in the right spot) a great view of the girl I was madly in love with at the time. She sat at the back of the class close by a trap door. Her name, fortunately, is still Marg.

Anyhow, I borrowed some wax tapers (the ones we lit Bunsen burners with), lifted the trap door strategically located at my feet and made my way to the other classroom underneath the school.

Along the way however, I decided that a fag hanging out of my mouth would be a more impressive look. There were a couple of accomplices with me (G.. J.. and R.. J.. names have been deleted to protect their reputations) who decided we should skip the whole period by staying down there and “exploring”.

The novelty of sitting around in the dark smoking and listening to the muffled sounds of the teachers through the floorboards soon wore thin. I decided to visit Marg.

I found the trap door and tried to open it, but there was considerable pressure on it from the other side. I kept pushing, then with a mighty shove the door flew open.

Standing next to it was Mr Scott peering down at me with a look difficult to describe. I was covered in cobwebs with a fag still in the corner of my mouth. Marg sat there in horror and I stood there mesmerized. After a few moments of pause, Mr Scott asked what I was doing down there. Without a second of hesitation I replied “just having a smoke”. To his credit he didn’t crack up in peels of laughter – but was dangerously close.

If you’re wondering what the end result of all this was – well for the usual suspects, the usual treatment!

Attila

( Has anyone else a memory of exploring the underside of the science labs? We remember at least one other incident, also in Mr Scott’s class, involving an intrepid young lady who shall for the moment remain nameless.)