This article was written by Glennys McGlashan (nee Brough).
My first day at school was special for me. I turned five in October 1945 and my mother took me on the tram from our home in Allendale Road, Mount Albert to Room One. I had not attended kindergarten and I had no idea what school would be like. My teacher was Miss Solomon and she made me very welcome. She was quite a large lady with long hair styled back in a bun. She wore long flowing clothes and smelt like franjipani flowers. She had an upright piano and played music every day for us to sing. All of the class sat on a fibre mat in front of Miss Solomon and she read us stories and asked each pupil to come and sit on her lap to see the pictures on the pages as she pointed out and sounded the words.
At playtime we drank milk from half pint glass bottles with cardboard lids. A straw was inserted in a small hole in the lid and everyone enjoyed the milk. The empty bottles were put back in crates to be returned by the standard 4 monitors to the gate for collection.
The class ran outside and we all rushed out to the sandpit, where everyone took turns making small sandcastles. When the bell rang for return to Room One I ran inside but I could not remember where the toilets were and was upset. Miss Solomon soon pointed me in the right direction and asked another girl to take me.
At lunchtime I ate the sandwiches my mother had made for me and drank water from the drinking fountain. Soon it was 2pm and as I was a new entrant Mum was waiting at the wall for me. Miss Solomon was a lovely teacher of new entrants and I remember her sitting in the classroom with a child on each of her ample knees.