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My first day at school

A ‘One day’ story

1 min readSep 2, 2025

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Photo credit: Portadown News now Portadown Times / Sept 1974

The schools are ‘going back’ here in England, which always reminds me of my first day at school.

What I remember is that all the other kids were crying for their ‘mummies’, but two of us, for whatever reason, weren’t.

I can still picture the scene: all these kids behind the locked door of the classroom, crying for their mothers. Meanwhile, I was playing in the sandpit with Brooke (not her real name). Fifty-one years on, and Brooke remains as a sister to me.

The teacher, Mrs McCreery, had the knack of making everyone think they were her favourite.

When I look at myself in this photo, I see quite a lost, timid, small, wee boy. I am thankful to friends such as Brooke, who gave me what I needed, and the lost became found, the timid became bold, and the small and the wee….. grew a bit!

Also in the photo is Art (not his real name), who was my first friend in life. We lived in the same cul-de-sac and joined together the Robins (the young Boys’ Brigade (BB)) at Epworth Church.

The BB and Epworth Church also became part of my nurturing story.

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Gordie Jackson
Gordie Jackson

Written by Gordie Jackson

Speaks with a Northern Irish accent, writes from the heart.