With 2014 marking the 100th Anniversary of World War 1, the Barrhead High School community wanted to mark this year’s Remembrance Day in a special way.
Pupils had already been learning about the war in different ways in various classes – making rations in Home Ec, drill-type PT in Physical Education, ethical issues in Religious Studies and much more. Two serving soldiers visited the school and spoke to pupils about life in the army and the realities of war.
The names of the 49 former pupils of Barrhead High School, who lost their lives in WW1, had been obtained from a plaque the school still has and had been displayed around the Quadrangle. A number of our pupils and staff had realised some were their relatives and pupils in their English classes had written messages on poppies to some of the individuals.
On the morning of the 11th November, the Quadrangle area was decorated with artwork and poppies made in Art and English classes. All pupils and staff watched a powerful video presentation in their classes relating to the war and remembrance and then joined together in the Quadrangle for our own Service.
Head Teacher, Andy Sinclair, opened the service with an explanation of what we were doing and why. One of the school chaplains, Rev Jim Cowan, led everyone in an appropriate meditation and the service was punctuated by different musical contributions by staff and pupils – Fraser Lundie and Miss McArdle playing a guitar and flute duet, Ronan Park-Pattison playing a piano solo and Robbie Ferguson playing a violin solo while Craig Trench read the poem “They Shall Not Grow Old”.
Central to the service was the reading of the names of the 49 pupils who lost their lives. As each name was read by Corporal Forsyth or Lance-Corporal Gillespie, a pupil planted a cross with a poppy. Our Head Boy and Girl laid a wreath and two pupils played the Last Post to lead us all into the minute’s silence. As staff and pupils headed back to class afterwards, Miss Walker played us out with ‘Amazing Grace’ on the bagpipes.
The whole experience was extremely moving and made a huge impact on everyone present. A member of staff commented afterwards, “I was so proud of our pupils – seeing Barrhead High at its finest when we come together as a community”. The service was memorable and appropriate and gave our young people an opportunity to feel part of something bigger – the overall effect was very powerful.
You can get a flavour of the service in the video clip – click on the link below.
