Mr. Smith (Physical Education, Maths)

 

Mr. Smith, otherwise known as PE. Smith due to there being two Mr. Smiths, at Tulketh. The other one taught Geography and the form 2M. His motto was, "We are here to educate your body as well as your minds."

Mr. Smith came to Tulketh at the beginning of 1976. His appointment was slightly overdue according to the Head Mr. Jones at the time. He was Head of the Physical Education department which comprised of another male teacher and two female teachers. I would have said he was early middle aged with a distinctive short hairstyle and quite stocky. He soon required the nickname of, (Bulldog Smith) or (Jockstrap Smith) from the kids. I don’t know where or why these nicknames were given to him, but he didn’t get off to a good start as I recall, he had a brusque, bull in a china shop manner about him and with an accent which appeared to be from the London area which didn’t endear him to the kids or staff a-like. I remember one Friday afternoon in the hallway entrance he had an altercation with 5th year students, Paul Fowler and Jimmy Moon which I and other rooky 2nd year witnessed. It got quite heated with Jimmy Moon who incidentally is a good amateur boxer going literally face to face with Mr. Smith it appeared to be about the right uniform to wear for Games but for the intervention of Deputy Head Mr. Gibbons who knows what might have happened.

He used to take an interest in the 2nd year school cricket team which for a while I was involved. The practise was always either at lunchtimes or after school as a rule. One lunchtime around 20 of us convened to the school gym for a run through practise ahead of a match against St. Edmund Campion. One of Mr. Smith traits was to go to bat and smash the tennis ball all over the gym which he took great delight in doing especially against my leg spin bowling technique. Of course, he did not bargain against one of Mark Phillips attempting to replicate Dennis Lillie the famous Australian cricket fast bowler. Someone distracted his attention from the viscous piledriver, and it caught Mr. Smith in a delicate position and momentously floored him. A few expletives were used under the short breath of our injured P.E teacher. I remember Mark Jenkinson, running to the staffroom to get help. Mr. Murray the Geography teacher came in helped Mr. Smith up and took him through to the staffroom.

The afternoon bell rang and we all quickly got changed for registration. Later, we had P.E last two lessons before the end of school. I noticed that Mr. Smith with his distinctive red and white tracksuit was limping around rather forlornly in the corridor near the hall were the noticeboard is situated. The  R.E teacher Mr. Finch  took the lesson instead. He said that Mr. Smith is on light duties and will be not taking the lesson.

A few days later my cricketing dreams were dashed when I was not in the 15 to go to play St. Edmund Campion. Quicksilver Mark Phillips, made the final 11, and I believe took 5 wickets in a narrow defeat.

One of the positive memories I had of Mr Smith was the Sports day of 1979 when I was part of the 400 meters relay competition between the Houses and I was on the final lap and in the lead when suddenly I pulled my hamstring near the finish line. This meant we finished last.  I remember Mr. Smith helping me back to the changing room and was quite sympathetic which surprised me..  

In my final year I remember Mr. Smith taking some of us 5th years to Saul Street Baths for swimming in the school bus now that was some experience. Apart from his kamikaze driving on the way there. Especially going down a busy Fylde road.  He would initially supervise the swimming at first and then disappear into town for the rest of the lesson and reappear just in the time for when the lesson ended.  Quite a few of us had already got changed and gone home by then. He never bothered to do a head count or query why some of us were missing. I do not think that would be tolerated today’s world.

I believe Mr. Smith left Tulketh in the mid 1990’s to work at nearby Our lady’s R.C High School.

A typical Sports day at Tulketh.


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