Dragon Land (12 page)

Three weeks into the holiday, Margaret replied to my letter. She was delighted that I was considering becoming a teacher. ‘I know you want adventure, Lizzie, but you can always get a teaching post abroad after you qualify. The point is there is no future in setting off around the world without some qualifications to fall back on.’

After reading her letter I felt annoyed because she had been a head teacher in Edinburgh before her marriage to Gerald, so she was bound to say this was my best option. I said as much to Laura, but she said I was talking a load of rubbish.

‘Your aunt knows what she is talking about, Lizzie, but if you don’t want to take her advice, why did you write to her in the first place?’

I could have told her it was my mother’s idea, but I didn’t because she would have thought I was making excuses like some five-year-old who couldn’t think for herself.

‘All right then, I’ll put my name down for the training college, but maybe I’m too late.’

To be honest, I wasn’t sure if this lateness was a good or a bad thing, but I was now committed and there was no way of going back.

Laura received her letter of admission to the training college during the summer holiday. She was going to start her studies towards her teaching career in October. I remember the day well when she appeared at Victoria Road with her good news.

‘I’ve got my letter,’ she said, her voice full of excitement. ‘Did you get yours as well, Lizzie?’

Granny and Mum looked at me, disappointment showing on their faces when I said I hadn’t.

‘Never mind, you’ll probably get it later because my application was in before yours. I can’t see any problem, because we both did well with our exams and we both got our leaving certificates.’

Laura was quite certain this was the case, but I had my doubts, and judging by Mum’s face, so did she.

‘The best thing about it is we won’t have to go into the accommodation hostel because we live in Dundee,’ she said.

Later that night, Mum asked me if I really wanted to go to the college and I said I did.

But as the days went past I realised I wasn’t going to be admitted along with Laura and I began to seriously think about my future. Jobs were very difficult to find. Granny said there might be an opening in my late grandfather’s solicitors’ office, but when she enquired it seemed they were fully staffed. However, they said perhaps if things changed I would be considered.

Granny was annoyed. ‘If your grandfather was alive, he would have got you a position in the office, fully staffed or not.’

Unfortunately times had changed, and according to the newspapers most employers were now getting by with the minimum of workers. I tried to hide my worry, because Mum looked tired all the time and she had enough to cope with without my added burden. So much for my childhood fancies: I had to ruefully admit to myself that no one seemed to need pirates and explorers.

Laura and I still spent all our time together, but she seemed to be embarrassed by her good fortune. I told her not to be silly. It had been my own fault for dithering about my future.

One bit of pleasure during this difficult time was Laura’s mum’s piano. She had gone to lessons as a child and she had always wanted to own a piano but because of money being tight she hadn’t been able to realise her dream.

I was at the Hawkhill one day and had been persuaded to stay for my tea because it was Irene’s birthday. Wullie arrived home with a huge smile on his face. Irene gave him a suspicious look as she bustled between the cooker and the table, but before she could speak, Wullie announced he had bought a second-hand piano from a workmate.

‘It’s being delivered tomorrow, Irene. Happy birthday!’

Irene was speechless, but she went towards her husband and planted a kiss on his smiling face.

‘Oh, thank you, Wullie. That’s the best birthday present I’ve ever had.’

Wullie tried to look modest, but he was obviously pleased that his unexpected present had been greeted with such joy.

After our tea, Irene planned where to put the piano. She shifted a small table and chair and announced that this was the perfect spot for her new acquisition.

I made sure I was at the house the next day to see the piano. Laura and I stood on the stair while three hefty men manoeuvred the piano into the house, and after a cup of tea and a sugar bun to compensate for all their hard work, we stood and admired it.

Irene lifted the lid gingerly but was pleased to see it was in perfect order.

‘It looks brand new,’ she said, running her fingers over the keys.

Some of the neighbours came in to look at the new piece of furniture and Irene began to play some Scots songs. I had to admit she was very good, and even Laura looked bemused. Once again I stayed for my tea, and afterwards we gathered around and sang ‘Comin’ Thro’ the Rye’ and ‘Flow Gently, Sweet Afton’.

Irene said she would have to buy some sheet music for some of the popular songs and we said we looked forward to singing them.

I had enjoyed myself and I went home with the sounds of the singing in my head. For a short time I had stopped worrying over my future, but no doubt it would be back with me by the time I got home.

I told Granny all about the piano and how Laura and I had joined in the singing. She was smiling as she held out a letter. ‘This came for you, Lizzie.’

I half expected it to have come from Aunt Margaret, but it was in a plain white envelope with a British stamp. I opened it and couldn’t believe my eyes.

Granny said, ‘Is it good news?’

‘Oh yes, it is. I’ve been accepted at the training college and I start in October along with Laura.’

‘Did they say why your letter was late?’

‘Yes, they have. This year’s intake was full, but someone dropped out and I’ve been given her place. Isn’t that good news?’ I stopped. It was good news for me, but perhaps it wasn’t good for the person who had cancelled her place. I hoped she had changed her mind about the course and that it wasn’t anything bad that had stopped her from taking up the place.

I said as much to Granny, who agreed with me but added, ‘One person’s misfortune is another’s good fortune.’

I could hardly wait to pass on my good news. When Mum arrived home from work, she was delighted to hear that I had been successful. She asked me, ‘How long will the course last?’

‘Two years unless I’m a university student. If that was the case, then I could take another year to gain a degree, but I’m happy just to have a chance of a job at the end of it.’

‘Your aunt Margaret was a university student at the college, where she did three years training, but she came out with a degree and a Teacher’s Special Certificate, which enabled her to teach English, Science and Languages. At the time I was just a small child, but I remember it well, especially as my father and Margaret’s mother were so pleased at her success.’ As usual when Mum spoke about Margaret, her face came alive, and I wished that she could look like that all the time instead of her tired, worn-out expression.

The next day I met up with Laura and she was delighted that we would both be together.

‘Just think what fun we’ll have, and at the end of it we’ll both be teachers.’

I laughed. ‘We have to study hard, Laura, and then pass our exams at the end.’ I crossed my fingers when I said this as I didn’t want to tempt fate by assuming all would be well.

Laura laughed out loud. ‘Of course we’ll pass our exams, Lizzie. We did well at school and it’ll be no different from that.’

I smiled at her. That was what I liked about her, the infectious confidence – I hoped it would rub off on me. I envied Laura because she knew what she wanted to do with her life, and not once did she ever falter with her ambition of becoming a teacher, while I always had this restless feeling of not knowing what I wanted to do.

However, I wrote to my aunt that night and I knew she would be delighted at my news. I was grateful to her because she had told Mum that she would help financially with my education till I got a job, and I knew I was a lucky girl.

Laura and I were due to attend our first session at the college at noon on 3 October. The weeks leading up to this momentous occasion had been busy. We both had to have medical examinations, which we passed with no problems. Mum had made an appointment for me to see Dr Bennett at his surgery in Constitution Terrace. After his examination he said I was as fit as a fiddle, his exact words, and I came home clutching a certificate to prove it.

Laura went to see her family doctor, who lived in a large house on Blackness Avenue. She was also fit as a fiddle, but then neither of us expected anything else. After all, we were young women with the whole world at our feet.

We put in for and received a grant from the Scottish Education Department that would help out with our finances and help us not be a burden on our families. We also had to sign a declaration that we intended to follow the profession of a teacher in schools inspected by the education department, which made me a bit uneasy as I wanted to teach abroad after training. I said as much to Laura, but she advised me not to rock the boat.

‘Just sign it, Lizzie. After all, we don’t know what lies ahead of us in the future,’ she said.

That left the problem of smart working clothes, but the problem was soon solved when Granny paid for an outfit suitable to attend the college. On the Saturday before I was due to go, we both paid a visit to DM Brown’s ladies’ dress department, where I was fitted out with a navy skirt, two white blouses and a navy-blue coat. We went up to the millinery department, where Mum was busy with an autocratic-looking elderly woman who didn’t seem to know what she wanted. I thought Mum looked tired but was trying hard not to show it. Because Mum was busy, we got another young assistant who was very helpful. I wasn’t very happy about wearing a hat, but Granny was most insistent that a lady had to have one. In the end I settled for a plain-looking cream-coloured cloche hat that didn’t look too fancy or pretentious.

Afterwards we went up to the restaurant, where we had a cup of tea and a cake. I was meeting Laura later, and when I saw her we were both amazed at how similar our clothes were, even down to the same-shaped hats. This gave us a laugh, and we said we looked more like sisters than friends.

I was feeling nervous when the day finally arrived to present myself at the college. I had no idea what to expect, and Laura had said the same thing. We were two innocents about to enter the grown-up world of training, where eventually we would be in charge of young children and be responsible for their schooling. I felt as if my own childhood was being left behind, but I was also pleased that I was now on the first step to my new future.

Mum had wished me luck before leaving for her work that morning, and both Granny and Maisie Mulholland said everything would be all right and that I would be an ideal student for the next two years.

It was a typical autumn day as I made my way to Park Place. Although it was dry, the sky was overcast with dark grey clouds that threatened heavy rain before the day was out. There was a cold wind that whipped up the hem of my coat against my legs, and I hurried along the street, eager to be inside, where I hoped it would be warmer.

I had left Granny sitting by a warm fire whose flames lit up the cosy room, and the small lamp had been lit, which glowed softly on the polished wooden furniture. Suddenly I felt like I was going to cry and a sob caught in my throat at the thought of what lay ahead. I stopped for a moment to give myself a mental shake-up.

‘Honestly, is this how pirates and explorers would behave before setting out for their adventurous journeys?’ I asked myself before quickening my stride to meet up with Laura.

She was standing waiting for me at the entrance to the college. She gave me a quick smile before linking her arm through mine. ‘Are we all set then, Lizzie?’

I nodded with a confidence I didn’t feel and we went in through the door. The reception room was already busy with women, young girls and a small handful of men. At three o’clock, Professor William McClelland, who was the principal of the college and director of studies, made his appearance along with his staff, which included: Edith Luke, the warden and ‘mistress’ of the methods and practice of teaching classes; Margaret S. Malloch, the principal hostel warden; the Rev. James Smith, who taught religious instruction; and Robert Ash, the medical officer.

My head was reeling after all these descriptions, but I knew it would be fine once I was settled in. I glanced at Laura and I knew by her face that she felt the same.

After the speech by the principal, the students who required accommodation were told to gather at the door and they would be escorted to the Mayfield hostel in Small’s Wynd. The girl who had been standing beside us picked up her bag and suitcase. She noticed that we weren’t going to move.

She looked worried. ‘Are you not going to the hostel?’ she asked.

Laura said we lived in Dundee.

‘Oh, you’re lucky. I’m not looking forward to living in the hostel, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it.’ She held out her hand. ‘I’m Pat Hogan.’

We introduced ourselves and she went on. ‘My parents work on a farm near Kirriemuir, so it’s not possible to travel here every day.’

She was quite plump, with short blonde curly hair and rosy cheeks that showed two dimples when she smiled. I thought she resembled the country dairymaid in the adverts for the Maypole Dairy. She wore a blue hand-knitted jumper and a dark-blue woollen skirt, and I got the impression she would be an energetic person and well able to control a classroom full of children.

Once again I had misgivings about being in college, but I was stopped from thinking too hard about this as Pat said goodbye. ‘I hope to see you soon,’ she said as she joined the queue of people who were being organised for their trip to the hostel.

Laura said she felt quite drained by all the activity, and to be honest I felt the same way. ‘Hopefully things will be fine tomorrow when we start our course,’ she said.