Disco Fever (Part One )

School half term disco February 1978, Similar.

Back in February 1978, just before half term. Years one to three were granted a school disco to be held on the Friday before the half term holiday.

The announcement of this was made in the assembly the week before by the Head Mr. Jones, with a further Disco to be held for years four and five before the Easter break. Tickets for the event were 50 pence with light refreshments, disco with Jason Dee and a live band from our school called The Blank Students. start time 7.30pm finish 9.30pm in the dining room. There was not much anticipation from some of us in the third year was an understatement. Most people wanted just to get away on holiday for the week.

My best mate at the time as well as being my next-door neighbour was Dennis Winder who was very keen to go because he liked a girl in our year I also had a bit of a thing for a girl in the first year. I didn't think felt the same way but there you go. Dennis and I at the time would catch the bus home from school which just so happened to be the same bus that girls would catch I can assure the reader that this was done with no intent to stalk the girls in question just pure adolescent innocence. We both hoped they both would turn up to the forthcoming disco which would be something.

The talk of the week was the forthcoming disco who was going, who could not make it. On the Friday itself I found a did not have a great deal to wear to a disco apart from jeans, burgundy brogues, a selection of well-worn t-shirts, and a Preston North End top. So, I ended up wearing one of my dad’s white tank tops which was not very flattering for a 14-year-old. Anyway, after a shower a splash of Brut and a few twirls in the mirror in my decidedly dodgy clobber, I think I just about pass to go out.   

Dennis’s mum gave us a lift to the school, and I have got to say Dennis looked good in some smart gear which comprised of smart pair of denim jeans with a rock t-shirt with a smart suede jacket. I always thought Dennis had a passing resemblance to TV detective Hazel, who was popular at the time and brilliantly played by actor, Nicholas Ball.

When we arrived at the school at nearly 7.30pm there was not many people about. Dennis’s mum drove right up into the car park almost outside the steps to the main entrance this was usually frowned upon by the Head Mr. Jones, as Paul Walsh’s dad Lionel found out, when he parked in Mr. Jones’s car parking space when going into a meeting with Mr. Jones over an accident Paul had in the changing rooms the year previous.

Anyway, there no need to worry because apart from Mr. Murray (Geography), Mr. Little (Head of Bowland House), Miss Langer (History), and Mr. Birkett (Music) cars they were the only teachers at the disco to overlook proceedings.

When we entered the dining room after handing over our ticket there was not as many people turned up as we had thought. The years one and two there was a sprinkling of pupils nothing like what we thought. And there was no sign of the two girls we were interested in, they probably had better things to do.. The pupils from our year were mainly from the top two forms and pretty much stuck together. I remember the music played by the DJ Jason Dee was good. A couple of memorable tunes especially that stood out from the night was Odyssey, Native New Yorker  and Chic , Dance, Dance Dance. 

As for the refreshments well, you could buy cans of Coca Cola, Lilt, Tizer and different flavoured Bensons crisps which at 10p and 15p respectively was not too bad. Mr. Little, Mr. Murray walked the dining room floor keeping an eye on us while Mr. Birkett and Miss Langer manned the refreshments stand situated at the entrance to the Music room which doubled up as an extra dining room at lunchtimes with a lot of hungry mouths to feed.

The night itself was a bit of a flop hardly anybody got up and danced. I think even the DJ began to look dispirited with his colourful repartee falling on deaf ears.  I thought there were too many groups of people who were in their own little cliques. It certainly was no Studio 57 , the famous night club of the time in New York.

Apart from my dance with Rosalind Bosom who was in my form to Chic’s Dance, Dance, Dance with Dennis doing his best John Travolta impression by dancing with Julie Wilcock’s to the Bee Gees, More Than A Woman the whole night was forgettable.  It was disappointing the non- appearance of Punk Rock wannabe’s Blank Students who had split up before the gig. A shame really because I think it could have been quite a lively performance. I remember The Blank comprised of 3 members of the Fourth year, Andrew Lawrence and Miles Salisbury were two of the three piece I can remember.

Before the last dance numbers at the end of the night Dennis and I slipped out quietly and waited at the bottom of the drive for his mum to turn up. As for next disco that would not be until the following year and was better attended and that is another story.