Blast of the past to mark St Pat’s school centenary

Apr 15 2009 by Richard Mooney, Wishaw Press

ST Patrick’s Primary School pupils and staff in Shotts have been celebrating the school’s centenary.

They welcomed former pupilsand staff members as well as the wider Shotts community to the centenary open day.

The event attracted over 600 visitors including MSP Karen Whitefield and Jane Liddell, head of service for quality and development for North Lanarkshire Council’s learning and leisure department.

Visitors were able to take a step back in time to three eras studied by the pupils – Shotts Today, The Groovy Sixties and the 1900s.

The school’s gym hall featured a display of photographs and artefacts from the past 100 years including teacher and pupil desks from the 1900s, school registers dating back to 1917 and the dreaded belt.

Pupil guides were dressed in period costumes and provided information for visitors.

The school was open during the afternoon and in the evening to allow as many people as possible to visit.

A new centenary booklet, written by former pupil Father Colin Hughes, was launched in the evening.

Majory McCallum, deputy head teacher at the school said: “The event was a huge success and the atmosphere was charged with nostalgia. Many visitors expressed their delight at being able to join with the community in celebrating such a momentous year.”