i.                    The Oak Grove Valley

The three Oak Grove Schools shared a valley which must be one of the most beautiful school playgrounds in the world. It was usually very green, though at certain seasons the dead grass made patterns in yellow lines. The valley was approximately 300 - 400 yards in length and 50 -60 yards wide. It was used on sports days, prize days, the annual 'fair" day, gym displays, concerts by occasional visiting military bands, cricket matches, and, in good weather, Sunday evensong services. Hills rose fairly steep on two sides of the valley and these slopes were thickly treed and alive with birdsong. Oak Grovians were justifiably proud of their valley.

As a student of the Junior School I recall Mustafa, a tall man with a pronounced cyst, larger that a table-tennis ball, near one ear, who would set up a portable stall and sell fruit. The brilliant red of pomegranate and pomelo were a great attraction to me then and have remained so ever since.

"Fair Day" was very special. Booths were erected and were manned by teachers and senior students. One such day, for which my father had sent me extra pocket money, I was in the company of three older cousins, the eldest of whom, Babsy, took charge of me and my money. She bought a calendar for me, which I dangled on a string from a finger. She took me to a tea booth which sold cakes. I received a plate with two cakes and two sandwiches. One of the cakes had tempting icing on it and I decided to save it for last. Alas, Babsy had ideas of etiquette which deprived me of that cake. As the older and supposedly wiser cousin, she told me I had to leave something uneaten on the plate - "you can't leave an empty plate" - so I left the cake I had saved. In later years I attended the fair with my two sisters, both younger than me, and we spent what money we had as we wished.