There were lads in our street who had passed the scholarship to t'grammar (even t'Trade) schoil (one of them was Asa Briggs). Although it was a target to be attained and promoted by parents - it wasn't clear to a 10 year old "why". I think my juvenile motivation was that the "grammar" had longer holidays than the "secondary".I had heard all the tales about the initiation ceremonies and that put some doubts in my mind. All that has faded and my first real recollections are of sitting in the school hall being addressed by Dick Cadman (deputy head)about the school and what was going to happen to us that day. I remember Gilbert hovering in the background ( probably doing some talent-scouting)and eventually names were read out and we were posted in our first form groups. I had a dream that night of walking on endless corridors and getting lost en route to a classroom.The following days (and years) were a life-changing experience of surviving the schoolyard, the games field and the school's measurement matrix (ces).

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Current location (optional) Lincoln

Well it hadnt changed much by 1958 Terry, it was Joe Wattheys first year and the form lists were read out by Deputy Harry Milton. As with you, there were neighbours (eg Alan Brooke) attending, but I dont have any remembrances as to whether they wound us up by tales of initiation ceremonies . After first Assembly we were marched down to that grotty little form room B6 by Mr Peart, whose first year it also was, soon to be known as Percy. Possibly it was our form (1A) who gave him his nickname. I remember the first two lessons, Geography with Vince (possibly his first year also),when he scared the daylights out of us by yelling at the top of his voice to Keith Sunderland for not addressing him as 'Sir'. We were always wary of crossing him after that. For 'Pwep' we had to learn the 1" OS map key.
Second lesson was French with Watthey (Not yet christened Joe), so we may have had the first KBGS lesson he taught (using Harry Miltons text book written with Fox). He was the only master we stood up to if he entered the room, and could only sit down at the command 'asseyez vous'. At one first year lesson many of us were leaving accents off. He asked Brian Shuttleworth to go and ask Miss Reilly for 'My short cane'. He gave several people one stroke, Brian being the first, but on his backlift he caught the chair behind and it came down on the back of his bare thigh (short trousers of course) 'Oh dear' he said 'You lucky boy,I missed'! Brian did not consider himself lucky!
Other early memories included filing military style into Handicraft for Bill Midgley and a music lesson with Paul Greenwood when he sorted out those who could sing from the 'grunters'. Also the first General Science lesson with Ben Trenouth, when we discovered what Elements Mixture and Compounds were,and English with Percy Peart who liked giving us spelling tests, with words like 'synchro-mesh' and 'diarrhoea'

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1964

Current location (optional) Wirral

In 1a in our first week we had Ben Tren for GenSci in a dodgy lab on the "D" corridor - on the left proceeding towards Cavendish Street. Our first homework was to copy up the notes we had scribbled down in our rough books in the lesson - chiefly about how to behave in science lessons etc. The books were handed in before the next session and when we foregathered for our second meeting, Ben did his nut about the standard of the work. "And one boy cannot even spell his name!!! Stand up Brown.!" No-one responded. "Come on, Brown, stand up". There were a few snickers around the class and eventually Bown put up his hand to offer an explanation. Suitably deflated and without an apology, Ben passed on to some other unforgiveable sin of omission or commission.It was only after I left school that I learnt that it is essential for a case to be just and equitable before a penalty could be exacted fairly and in consideration of all the circumstances.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Brian Moate's recollections of our first day have awakened a few memories, although being on the road for about an hour and a half, followed by the ritual dungeon crush, made it seem like I'd done a full day before we were assembled! I think I recall us being seated on the gym floor whilst Harry Blinks called out the form lists (inevitably starting with 1A and (deliberately?) leaving us lesser mortals to ponder on whether or not we would be summoned before F was reached).
Thereafter, finding myself in 1C based in room 58 (1st door along the cardboard corridor) with "Gus" as form teacher, our recollections differ of course. Our first geography lesson with Vince was a never-to-be forgotten experience of course, but I think we were spared that on the first day. Brian's recall of his first music lesson with Greenwood tallies almost exactly with mine - in fact it's about the only thing I remember him ever doing with us!
For the record, we had "Creep" Moore for science, Fred Catley for French and D.Bowen for English. (I won't bore you all any more by giving the complete list!)

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58 -65

Brian, I'll bother you with some more names, Beaky Birch for Maths, Frankie for PE and Scripture, Artie Westall for Art, I was the fool, when we were given our timetables, who asked what did ART stand for given that we had PE, GENSCI. MATHS, etc. I also remember Terry Marsden at the top of our school dinner table. I also never thought that I would get the hang of the place.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-61

Current location (optional) Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia