Discipline was not excessively severe in the punctuation school as the greater part of the understudies were smart and keen on examining, yet the standards were there and adherence was normal. As in all schools, the routinely terrible young men appeared to have an enchanted existence, more than once sidestepping discipline, while a periodic pass by a generally well behaved understudy was perpetually rebuffed. That is what has been going on with me for singing the then well known tune about parents guides net stacking 16 tons of number nine coal.
Cotham Punctuation School was the gem in the crown of the Bristol Training Advisory group in the last part of the 1940s and 1950s. It was the school that appeared to get the cream of the yearly harvest of young men who prevailed with regards to passing the exceptionally specific eleven or more assessment. In those days in Britain, around 5% of youngsters entered college and these included about portion of the people who went through language schools.
Following seven years of study I ended up in the third year 6th science structure. Our structure ace was the head administrator, Mr Wood, referred to unavoidably to the young men as ‘Splinter.’ Our structure room was the school library despite the fact that we went to classes in different rooms and labs. It was during our leisure time that we were left in the library. Once in a while we burst into tune and the famous melody of the day had the accompanying ensemble:
‘You load 16 tons and what do you get?
One more day more seasoned and more profound under water,
Holy person Peter don’t you call me because I can’t go,
I owe my spirit to the organization store.’
The head administrator, having numerous different worries, used to leave us for generally significant stretches, however this day he returned suddenly to track down us in full voice. Regularly a calm understudy, I didn’t ordinarily assume a main part, yet as an individual from both the school ensemble and symphony I was supposed to know something about music. On this event the full fury of power fell on me since I was remaining on a table directing the exhibition.
‘Come here Powell – singing in the library!’ was the call and I was restricted from the library for a long time. In the long run I called up boldness to argue to be permitted to return and my desire was conceded.
My library boycott is the main disciplinary discipline that I review from my schooldays yet the expressions of the tune have remained to me. It anticipated the destiny that anticipated a large number of us, despite the fact that for the ‘organization store’ we would likely substitute the banks and charge cards.