The demise of heritage and my youth

Its been a funny old week of ups and downs and sadly ending on a down. Photos are coming in on social media of a fire at Parkview School-or as I know it the Grammar School! Its actually not a fire its a total conflagration. I feel so sad to see it end in this way-bad enough that it was to be demolished but to end this way in an arbitrary fire seems disrespectful somehow. I know there are people out there who saw it as a symbol of outmoded elitism-and maybe it was-but despite that and the strict regime we worked under-it holds fond memories for me.

I have a lot to thank my old school for-I loved much of it-and spent the rest of the time I scuttled about like a frightened rabbit. However, it gave me the chance to meet some life long friends and in the last few years we built relationships that cant be diluted or destroyed by absence, distance or time. The building itself was a grand affair that smacked of academia (or at least in my 11 year old mind it did), it echoed with the footsteps of girls who had gone on to do great things and it provided aspiration to girls from all backgrounds. Yes, it was selective, but that was the idea-it might seem flawed to us but it served its purpose at the time. To judge it with post-comprehensive eyes is to do it a disservice.  

Before-Janet my school pal and me outside the Grammar School

Personally I would have liked to have seen it preserved or conserved as it was a splendid building-and the Grammar Schools whether the detractors like it or not were important buildings in the history of the town-indeed two more lovely buildings wiped away-only preserved in photos. 

The fire tonight (courtesy Facebook)

Its a great loss and it pains me to see it go up in flames-one wonders who started it-it will certainly facilitate a speedier demolition and clearance, but whether vandals or others it has removed that final spark of hope that some element of it might be kept and remembered. I just hope that other important  building sites don't suddenly find themselves "accidentally" damaged to allow a speedier conclusion. I would hate to hear of an accidental excavation by a rogue digger up at Manor Rd ... but who knows? But that is another story for another day. So tonight it is goodbye to the old school and good bye to my youth... it kind of signals the final coming of age-bridges (or schools) burnt forever.