Anne MacPherson

I was at Airdrie Academy from 1954 to 1960 so as you can tell, I am no longer 21 years old.

I then studied Pharmacy at Glasgow University, “emigrated” to England to work in the pharmaceutical industry and ended up in Switzerland with the same company.I am still in Switzerland.

I honestly cannot pick out any singular event to tell you about because everything was just great. The facilities, the teachers, the level of education, the introduction to new faculties eg classical music, art and poetry were all excellent. I still sometimes say something, and people ask me “How do you know that?” I can answer honestly and say that I learned it at school.

I remember Marie Henderson and her Domestic Science classes very well. With her we learned how to wash a hairbrush and comb and how to polish a pair of shoes…essentials for the good Scottish housewife !

Perhaps I can also tell you about my introduction to hiking by going on organized trips in Scotland with a teacher called Mr. Joshua Inglis. Since then, I have hiked in many countries, combining staying fit with experiencing new places.

As you can see, I did in fact find some photos!

The one of the teachers is from 1958, according to what is written in the bottom RH corner. I recognize all the faces but I cannot remember all the names.

They nearly all had nicknames. We called the Rector, WC Henderson, “Flush”. Lavatorial or what ?

There was also ‘Lolly’ in Domestic science, ‘Claude’ in music, ‘Tearer’ the Latin teacher and ‘Annabel’ the French teacher.

I think the class photo might also be from the same year.I am 4th from the right on the second top row (looking miserable!) and Ann McFadzean is second from the left on the 3rd top row. Elizabeth Tosh (I can’t remember her married name) taught many years at the Academy…English I think, and she is 4th from the left in the 3rd top row.

The next one is of the prefects in the year 1959/1960.

I was girls vice-captain.

At the end of the school year you got a certificate if your average percentage marks in all subjects were above a certain figure. I am proud to say I still have mine from every year at Airdrie Academy

I also liked writing compositions at school. I had work published in the school magazines over three years. Here are the photos of the school magazine covers and my efforts.They all seem to be a bit deep and philosophical.I don’t remember myself being like that! There seem to be several versions of my initials viz AM, AWM, AMcP and AMcPH

The next two were taken at school dances.

In the trio, I am on the left, then Elizabeth Jarvie (now Fleming), then Elisabeth Shaw (now Donald). Lis Shaw was girls’ captain.

In the duo, I am on the left then Elisabeth Shaw on the right. We are wearing our “Californian Cotton” frocks, very “in” at the time!I am still in touch with both of them.

When I was still working in England, in West Sussex, we got a new managing Director who was a Scot called Jim Stewart.One day he came into the canteen for lunch, instead of going into the directors’ dining room, he came and sat with me and my colleague.He and I chatted on familiar terms and my colleague was sitting with his mouth hanging open, no doubt thinking “How can she talk to him like that ?”Jim then turned to him and said “What you don’t realise is that Anne and I went to the same school “! (but not at the same time).Yes, he was a former pupil of Airdrie Academy.He lived in Harthill and used to come into school every day, together with pupils from Salsburgh, Shotts etc in Irvine’s double decker buses.I believe Jim is now dead.

A contemporary of mine at the Academy, Ann Mc Fadzean (now Boden), also from Harthill, did “commercial”, left school at 17 and went to work in Glasgow.She then moved to London (wow !) and then to Canada. (an even bigger wow !). She ended up being vice president and media director of the biggest advertising company in Canada. She now spends summer in Toronto and winter in Florida.

We are still in touch.

There is probably nothing which I have written which is actually a reply to your question but it has given me the opportunity to express my gratitude to Airdrie Academy for giving me the foundation for the rest of my life and for providing some of the happiest years of my life.

I wish you much success with the project.

Happy 175th Anniversary, Airdrie Academy!

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