[Vella Gonzaga]

Marching into class​

Who remembers marching into class at school? Reciting times tables while lining up, distancing ourselves slightly from the person in front, and standing still until the headmaster’s command. We’d salute the flag and recite the school motto before starting the day. Some schools even had their own band in special uniforms on special occasions. It was the ultimate display of teamwork and a reminder of the importance of respecting special occasions, especially related to the love of our beautiful country. Do you have any fond memories of marching into class at school?

Credits: Facebook/Australia Remember When

 

[Wandiwa]

Crikey, sounds like a tough school, at my school most boys didnt even wear shoes. I did however get yanked out of the line by the ear and got the cane for changing the national anthem words at the Friday assembly.

 

[Nardia]

Loved those days, taught to have respect for our teacher, did what we were told to do with no complaints. Made wonderful life long friends, and as I got older realised how some special & knowledgeable were our favourite teachers , Miss Kingsby who had travelled extensively made our lessons come alive as we learnt about countries that most of us would never ever visit & could imagine in our minds clouds coming down like a table cloth on table mountain in Africa. We did have great imaginations with a great teacher.

 

[featherfour]

Oh man, was that a thing for everyone? I thought it was just our old headmaster who was obsessed with the Souza march music! Every Monday the headmaster would hold assembly. His words came out in staccato rhythm:
"Boys, Salute. The flag." (I was incredibly resentful of this. I wanted to salute the flag, too. Why were only boys allowed to do this? Not fair. At the same time, I was also incredibly obedient, so I never saluted.)
"Pick up. Your books." (This always confused me. What books? I had my schoolbag, which was on the ground, but there weren't any books in it, just my lunch: an egg sandwich and slightly squashy banana, nice and stinky.)

Then we all had to march round the quadrangle. The best grade from each level would be awarded a banner to carry at next week's march. They would also have the honour of doing an extra lap of marching. I craved to be in the winning grade and carry that banner. What on Earth were we being taught here.

Well, Souza's tunes still sometimes get stuck in my head and carry me back to those days. I'm guessing our headmaster was some sort of returned serviceman, but thinking of the way we did all that marching and saluting this one self-important guy standing on a dais at the head of the whole school–honestly, I sometimes wonder which side he might have been fighting for.

 

[Gsr]

Yes, even though I went to a country school with only ever 10/15 kids attending we all had to line up and march up the hall and into the classroom, then quietly go to our desks. We sat in the same place due to being classes from kindergarten to sixth class taught by the same teacher. We had to stand every Monday morning and every Friday afternoon and sing God save the Queen. We had to repeat all our times tables in unison from one to twelve every morning before we were allowed to sit down. School was so much fun, I loved it. When I was at high school we still had to line up in our classes in the quadrangle every morning, recess and lunchtime as soon as the bell went and walk in a line to our classroom. We were always in the same classroom unless we had to go to the science laboratory or the home science (cooking/sewing) room for girls, or woodwork room for boys, so I think it was just a control thing for the teachers making us do this. Even when my children were in infants and primary school in the late eighties they had to line up in lines of boys and girls, then hold hands with the boy/girl next to them and quietly follow their teacher into the classroom. Today at my granddaughters primary school there is no lining up unless the classes are being taken to the multi purpose area for a special occasion, like Easter hat parades. The high schools don’t seem to have any lining up unless they are leaving the school grounds for an excursion or sporting event. These days at high school the students move from room to room for lessons, in my day the teachers moved around from class to class to teach their subjects.

 

[Big G]

Marching in to class. "Captain" of the school marching team, because I was the tallest by far (Grade 6). Competed against other primary schools marching teams on the Essendon Football oval (1962).

 

[Lesleymorris58]

Marching into class​

Who remembers marching into class at school? Reciting times tables while lining up, distancing ourselves slightly from the person in front, and standing still until the headmaster’s command. We’d salute the flag and recite the school motto before starting the day. Some schools even had their own band in special uniforms on special occasions. It was the ultimate display of teamwork and a reminder of the importance of respecting special occasions, especially related to the love of our beautiful country. Do you have any fond memories of marching into class at school?

View attachment 17271

Credits: Facebook/Australia Remember When

I never marched into class ever, cause I was always on the drums giving the beats I loved the drums sometimes I even got to play the bass drum. I did that for 4 years

 

[MJPB on Magnetic]

Marching into class​

Who remembers marching into class at school? Reciting times tables while lining up, distancing ourselves slightly from the person in front, and standing still until the headmaster’s command. We’d salute the flag and recite the school motto before starting the day. Some schools even had their own band in special uniforms on special occasions. It was the ultimate display of teamwork and a reminder of the importance of respecting special occasions, especially related to the love of our beautiful country. Do you have any fond memories of marching into class at school?

View attachment 17271

Credits: Facebook/Australia Remember When

So pleased that tradition has gone the way of the dodo bird.