Wednesday, April 18, 2007
WHY I'VE GOT A CHIP ON MY SHOULDER, PART TWENTY FIVE
Why I have got a chip on my shoulder: one in an ongoing series.
When my mother was about ten, her parents had a discussion with her headmaster.
"She's a very bright girl is ****. I would recommend that she goes to grammar school because she has the potential to go to university."
My mother's parents had six other children and my grandfather was a coal miner. They couldn't afford to let her carry on living on their income for any length of time or to help support her through any sort of further education.
So she went to a Secondary Modern School (otherwise known as a You Will Amount To Nothing In Life, You Are Of The Scum And Will Belong With The Scum Forever, So We Won't Even Give You The Chance To Have Anything But The Most Rudimentary Education School).
In her mid teens she left school and got a job as a maid in a girls' boarding school.
She couldn't refer to the pupils by their names, but had to call them "madam".
There are probably a few layers of irony in all this, but, being a badly educated fuckwit who also has a poor command of the English language, I can't be bothered to investigate them further.
With thanks to Spinsterella, whose post was ripped off by ... um ... I mean *inspired* this one.
When my mother was about ten, her parents had a discussion with her headmaster.
"She's a very bright girl is ****. I would recommend that she goes to grammar school because she has the potential to go to university."
My mother's parents had six other children and my grandfather was a coal miner. They couldn't afford to let her carry on living on their income for any length of time or to help support her through any sort of further education.
So she went to a Secondary Modern School (otherwise known as a You Will Amount To Nothing In Life, You Are Of The Scum And Will Belong With The Scum Forever, So We Won't Even Give You The Chance To Have Anything But The Most Rudimentary Education School).
In her mid teens she left school and got a job as a maid in a girls' boarding school.
She couldn't refer to the pupils by their names, but had to call them "madam".
There are probably a few layers of irony in all this, but, being a badly educated fuckwit who also has a poor command of the English language, I can't be bothered to investigate them further.
With thanks to Spinsterella, whose post was ripped off by ... um ... I mean *inspired* this one.
Labels: chips on shoulders, egalitarianism, secondary modern schools, social mobility
Comments:
My Dad told me that when he was a kid they used to have to doff their caps and jump into the road when the
And that's not that long ago.
Most people at university are brain-dead cunts who don't even know who the Smiths are. At least your path in life meant you stumbled across young geoff.
And that's not that long ago.
Most people at university are brain-dead cunts who don't even know who the Smiths are. At least your path in life meant you stumbled across young geoff.
God, I accidentally deleteed something there but it was so boring...
"the only person in the parish with a car went past."
is missing.
i'm a twat. Sorry
"the only person in the parish with a car went past."
is missing.
i'm a twat. Sorry
You were lucky! We used to have to lick David Cameron's arse clean every evening while he beat us within an inch of our lives with his heroin pipe. A dog with a tail on our council estate was a tourist. You lot had it easy.
(Trying hard not to think about Dave's arse)
I saw a telly programme years ago that said Secondary Modern schools were forbidden to enter their students for exams.
I didn't know whether to be shocked or jealous.
It all changed in the sixties when they were allowed to ignore 99% and concentrate on the 1% who might get an O level.
I saw a telly programme years ago that said Secondary Modern schools were forbidden to enter their students for exams.
I didn't know whether to be shocked or jealous.
It all changed in the sixties when they were allowed to ignore 99% and concentrate on the 1% who might get an O level.
Spinsterella - I should imagine there are a large number of braindead cunts in university but that applies to the population as a whole! Oooh, I am a miserable old git.
Billy - as demonstrated by anyone in a position of power. Or in charge of a political party.
Murph - was this in the days when David Cameron was a new romantic? Bloody Old Etonians. I think you should audition for the All New Wheeltappers And Shunters Club Murph.
Kaz - I know, yet people from other countries say "I can't understand why there's so much resentment towards people who are from a higher social class in Britain!"
Billy - as demonstrated by anyone in a position of power. Or in charge of a political party.
Murph - was this in the days when David Cameron was a new romantic? Bloody Old Etonians. I think you should audition for the All New Wheeltappers And Shunters Club Murph.
Kaz - I know, yet people from other countries say "I can't understand why there's so much resentment towards people who are from a higher social class in Britain!"
At least we know our place in society.
At our Secondary Modern the teachers used to let us bunk off school so that we could go and attend benefit gigs that were in aid of keeping the GLC open (the Tories went ahead and got rid of it).
A lot of our teachers were left wingers and they did seem to be more concerned with their leftist political agenda rather than giving the kids an education.
Quite sad in a way, but at least I got to see Red Wedge.
At our Secondary Modern the teachers used to let us bunk off school so that we could go and attend benefit gigs that were in aid of keeping the GLC open (the Tories went ahead and got rid of it).
A lot of our teachers were left wingers and they did seem to be more concerned with their leftist political agenda rather than giving the kids an education.
Quite sad in a way, but at least I got to see Red Wedge.
Did anyone see the recent Tory Party Political Broadcast - you know, DC doing his TB impression, speaking to lots of 'ordinary' folk and telling them exactly what they wanted to hear?
If you did, you may have puzzled, like me at the slogan on the chest of the t-shirtt worn by a very burly looking black chap who was positioned strategically close to DC. All I could make out were the letters '..IGGA'...
He's *so* hip, isn't he?
L.U.V. on ya,
Bob
If you did, you may have puzzled, like me at the slogan on the chest of the t-shirtt worn by a very burly looking black chap who was positioned strategically close to DC. All I could make out were the letters '..IGGA'...
He's *so* hip, isn't he?
L.U.V. on ya,
Bob
Istvanski - wish I'd had more loony lefty teachers at our school. There was one ex-hippy who was keen to tell us that teenagers in his day (of course) were much more politically aware, what with the anti-Vietnam protests and, in his case, a sit-in at the university swimming pool (!!). Mind you, he also advised me to get a job in a factory. As a Marxist, it was okay for him to get a job as a teacher, but scummy proles should, erm, enjoy the dignity of labour. Oh yes.
Robert - whenever I see a Tory Party Political Broadcast I usually turn the sound down because I become abusive and start swearing (I'm a creature of habit). Perhaps that t-shirt said "Wigga" in reverence to David's love of hoodies and hanging out on Mancunian housing estates having kids making gun signs behind his back.
Robert - whenever I see a Tory Party Political Broadcast I usually turn the sound down because I become abusive and start swearing (I'm a creature of habit). Perhaps that t-shirt said "Wigga" in reverence to David's love of hoodies and hanging out on Mancunian housing estates having kids making gun signs behind his back.
I went to grammar school but my dearly beloved went to secondary modern. I sit open-mouthed as he tells me about how he was taught. For R.E., for example, all they ever did was copy out chapters of the Bible in their exercise books. That 11+ thing was so arbitrary. There's no way I'm more intelligent than he is but I passed and he didn't. They must have caught me on a good day!
First Nations - yes, she did have to call them "madam" but you had to put up with all sorts of crap in those days. Funny thing is, she was quite a hot tempered woman and a strong socialist but she always used to be meek and deferential in the presence of her so-called social superiors. Depressing really.
Around My Kitchen Table - hello and welcome. I was a few years too young to undergo the 11 plus exam, but I had to do exams to determine which stream I'd be in at comprehensive school. I was in the old style "grammar" stream, but in the next few years kids who were in lower classes moved up into our group and got better exam results than me, and some of the ones in my group went down into other classes. Just proves how innacurate the 11 plus system was, because kids' "intelligence" changes and develops beyond the age of 11.
Around My Kitchen Table - hello and welcome. I was a few years too young to undergo the 11 plus exam, but I had to do exams to determine which stream I'd be in at comprehensive school. I was in the old style "grammar" stream, but in the next few years kids who were in lower classes moved up into our group and got better exam results than me, and some of the ones in my group went down into other classes. Just proves how innacurate the 11 plus system was, because kids' "intelligence" changes and develops beyond the age of 11.
I can name a few people who have more degrees than a f*cking thermometer and yet they are so incredibly removed from common sense and disastrously inept in any social setting, that they are basically useless to Society.
Once upon a time these poor bastards were referred to as 'Overeducated but Socially Retarded'.
Since that moniker isn't very Politically Correct I believe that they are now referred to as Consultants.
There may be a fine line between Genius and Insane but a Grand Canyon divides Information and Knowledge....and an entire Galaxy separates Knowledge from Wisdom.
My Word how I loathe the notion of 'Class'. People are either Charming or Tedious!
Hrrrumph!
Once upon a time these poor bastards were referred to as 'Overeducated but Socially Retarded'.
Since that moniker isn't very Politically Correct I believe that they are now referred to as Consultants.
There may be a fine line between Genius and Insane but a Grand Canyon divides Information and Knowledge....and an entire Galaxy separates Knowledge from Wisdom.
My Word how I loathe the notion of 'Class'. People are either Charming or Tedious!
Hrrrumph!
We had a maths teacher from eastern Europe. Instead of filling our minds up with the joys of numbers, he instructed us on the perils of toothpaste, lead in the water supply and how to build a nuclear bunker.
I got many O levels and a few A levels from aa average comp school but have always felt a proper thickie because I didn't go to university....my parents simply couldn't afford it (my sister was at uni) and I had the offer of a cool design job...after I had my kids I studied at the OU to stop my brain turning to jelly thinking it would make me feel less inferior to my in laws and my hubby
...flash bang whallop and I realised that it made no fucking difference, the in laws are still snotty but I still beat them at quizzes.
...flash bang whallop and I realised that it made no fucking difference, the in laws are still snotty but I still beat them at quizzes.
HE - heck, I'm "incredibly removed from common sense and disastrously inept in any social setting" but I didn't have to bother going to university for a few years to get like that! Mind you, I have encountered people who have great academic success but ... there's just nothing to them as a person. I suppose the ability to assimilate knowledge isn't an automatic guarantee that you'll be "wise" in other ways ... or maybe I'm just bitter.
Istvanski - I'm surprised he manage to escape from behind the iron curtain. Are you sure he wasn't just from, I dunno, Chingford, but put on an East European accent and had read one too many thriller novels?
Lardy - I think there always is a feeling that you've not quite achieved if you get to A level standard and don't go on to university (you're made to feel that way by sixth form teachers actually, who just aren't interested in you any more if you say that you don't intend to study further). There are a few people I know who've gone on to do OU courses or become mature students because of that insecurity. Don't know if they feel any "better" for finally having a degree, either. Anyway, as for your in-laws - genuinely intelligent people tend not to be snobs. That's all I'm saying ;)
Istvanski - I'm surprised he manage to escape from behind the iron curtain. Are you sure he wasn't just from, I dunno, Chingford, but put on an East European accent and had read one too many thriller novels?
Lardy - I think there always is a feeling that you've not quite achieved if you get to A level standard and don't go on to university (you're made to feel that way by sixth form teachers actually, who just aren't interested in you any more if you say that you don't intend to study further). There are a few people I know who've gone on to do OU courses or become mature students because of that insecurity. Don't know if they feel any "better" for finally having a degree, either. Anyway, as for your in-laws - genuinely intelligent people tend not to be snobs. That's all I'm saying ;)
My former father-in-law and his brother were orphans. There was quite a bit of money in trsst for them, but other family members got their hands on it. The brother was epileptic and was committed to an institution at a young age because the guardians didn't want the bother of coping with his condition. He never learnt to read or had an education. What a waste of a young life. Now the money is reverting to the 2 brothers, it helps make old age (both over 80 and both invalids) comfortable, but their relatives' greed denied them the money when they could have been doing things while younger and active.
Llewtrah - ah, well, family love is so unconditional and unselfish, isn't it? When the issue of money comes to the fore you really see how lovely human beings can be, don't you? This is why policitians have always stressed the importance of family values, bless 'em.
My late mum was a very talented artist, and managed to persuade her dad to let her attend art college once she left school at 14. At 16, her dad said: "right, you've had your fun, now go and get a job and contribute to your keep." Mum was still determined to work as a fashion illustrator, and was offered a prestigious job with a large department store. And then WWII started. Clothes rationing came in. Job disappeared ...! Mum joined the Army, got married, had my brother and never again got a chance to fulfil her dreams. Bloody horrible, the vagaries of fate ...
Too true - particularly for people who came of age before the 1970's and particularly for women. Even in the early '80's I can remember that any woman who didn't just want to get married by 25 and get a job as a shorthand/typist was considered eccentric to say the least.
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