School reunion at Mackintosh’s last major Glasgow work

A school reunion with a difference is taking place in Glasgow this weekend.

A ‘playground medley’ of school songs performed by the Govan Allsorts Choir will be just one of the draws at this year’s Scotland Street School former pupil reunion which will take place at Scotland Street School Museum between noon–4pm this Saturday (1 September).

This year the organisers hope to attract former pupils who may not have previously attended and to reach a record number in the 150th anniversary year of Mackintosh’s birth making it the largest reunion since they began almost 20 years ago.

The first annual reunion for former pupils who attended the Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed school on Glasgow’s southside took place in 2001. It regularly attracts pupils who went to the school from the late 1920s to the School’s closure in 1979.

The oldest and youngest former pupils so far confirmed to attend this year’s Reunion, which will take place in the Cookery Room at Scotland Street School, are Nan Tindle and Jan Sproul. Nan started at Scotland Street School in 1929 and Jan in 1976.

Artist and filmmaker Margaret Moore and former pupil Ruth Sills are organising this year’s Scotland Street School Reunion which takes place on the first Saturday of September each year.

Margaret’s documentary film ‘Scotland Street School Remembers’ is currently screening at the museum. During the day there will be a noon and 2pm special screening of the documentary which brings to life a hundred years of memories of the former pupils from the late 1920s up to the School’s closure in 1979.

Margaret explained: ‘Scotland Street School is known for being designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, indeed it was his last major commission in Glasgow making it architecturally important.

Scotland Street School, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

‘It is also a building which has held an extra special place in the heart of thousands of people who have spent time working and learning within its striking walls.’

Ruth added: ‘The annual reunion is all about giving those people an opportunity to come together, meet old friends and make new friends and enjoy remembering a rather special school.

‘We would be delighted to welcome former pupils who haven’t been along to one of the reunions before in this, Mackintosh’s anniversary year.’

As well as organising the performance by the Govan Allsorts Choir, museum ‘headmistress’ Leslie Robertson will re-enact lessons as taught during the World War II era.

A photo album of photographs from schooldays and previous school reunions will also be on show as well as toys and games from the museum’s collection.
The traditional reunion group photograph will take place in the Cookery Room at 1.30pm.