Back to school after 58 years

Last month, Chiswick House School had the pleasure of inviting Mrs Margaret Hutchinson and Mrs Daphne Winner back to school after 58 years. During their holiday in Malta, Mrs Hutchinson, accompanied by her husband and sister, spent a whole morning sharing their school experiences with the pupils.

The Staples sisters both attended Chiswick House School between 1939 and 1945. At the time, the school premises were still at Windsor Terrace in Sliema. Since 1991, the school has been relocated to Kappara in order to accommodate the increasing number of pupils.

Leafing through old school books, photos and registers, they spoke fondly of Ms Foss, the Oxford graduate and enthusiastic educator who ran Chiswick House School after 1936, and who was an important influence on both of them.

A look around the school took them to Ms Elaine's Junior V class where they amazed the pupils with stories about their own school days. The students were enthusiastic. They couldn't stop asking questions about what it was like to be a pupil almost half a century ago!

Both Mrs Hutchinson and Mrs Winner have very fond memories of their years in Malta. Life at school was different then. Malta was at war and while many English families had left the island, the Staples remained here. Their mother insisted that they attend school despite the tough times.

Mrs Hutchinson recalls that when she was nine, she was told not to go out to play on the school's roof because it was covered with shrapnel. "You're lucky you can go to school without worrying about air raids. When I was your age, the war was our reality and we fought it by not letting it stop us from living our life."

Listening to their stories, the pupils could understand just how lucky they were when compared to other children who, at their same age, had to live through such hardship.

We are thankful the Staples sisters could share their experiences with the children. Years have passed since they were students but although the premises may have changed, the school spirit that has been cultivated for almost 100 years still lives on.

In two years' time, Chiswick House School will be celebrating its centenary. Various activities are being planned in order to illustrate the school's long-standing tradition and its ongoing dedication in ensuring not just academic achievement but also the development of each child's potential.