If you are a former pupil of the school, we
would be interested to hear from you.......
Please sign our Guestbook and we will display your comments here....
Email your comments to the following:
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Our Visitors to date said.. |
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Mr N Roberts (Formerly Donaghadee now Ontario, Canada)
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Former pupil of Model Primary School (1941). The three years or so spent at the Model (former school Mr Munce's School, Donaghadee) were really a pleasant and rewarding period in my life. A time which produced many memorable experiences, good times and good friendships. A particularly close chum, Albert McCaughey, whose nickname was 'Sparrow'. In spite of the hard slugging, it is my firm belief that the strict form of discipline did us no harm. It strengthened our respect of values and authority, good judgement and character, and developed our educational skills to the best of our own individual abilities. |
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Mr R Paden (Formerly Newtownards now Holland, Netherlands)
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Hi I'm Robert Paden and I went to the Model school when I was a wee boy in the 1960's (a long time ago). I was brought up in Newtownards and still have a lot of family there but I now live in Holland with my wife and kids. When I went to school Mr Stevenson was the Headmaster and Miss Patton was still "teaching". I did the "qualy" in +/- 1969 and went to Regent House for a few years. I eventually became an electrical tech/telecom tech which I am still doing only in another language.
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| Mrs E Thompson (Formerly Newtownards now Adelaide, Australia)
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Hi I'm Elizabeth Thompson. I went to the Model School in the 1940's. I lived in John Street, when I went to school, Mr Dalzell was the Principal then. I am now married and live in Adelaide, Australia. |
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Joanne Frost
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Hi! Its Joanne Frost. I left the Model in 2001 and now in 2003 I wish I was back at the Model Primary. I am at secondary school now and doing very well but I miss all the friendly faces of the teachers (especially Mr T Beggs) haha! I would also like to say congrats to Miss P Lewis aka Mrs Turtle. Well gonna go now but I hope I will visit the Model Primary School soon! All my Love Joanne Frost.
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| Paul Reilly |
Hello there, my name is Paul Reilly (remember me?) and I was a pupil at the Model from 1989 to 1995, quite a while ago! I had a great time at the School, appearing in a number of school productions, choir concerts and I was also very proud to be given a little red badge which made me Captain of McCartney House! Well I'm almost 19 now and since leaving the Model I have attended Glastry College where attained nine GCSE passes at C grade or above. After my GCSE's I opted to study the new AVCE qualification in Business Studies which was also at Glastry. I really enjoyed Glastry and during my time there I was selected as Deputy Head Boy. I am now at Bangor College studying an HND in Business, I hope to graduate next year and am considering careers in Journalism and Primary School Teaching! I would like to think that I am a good example of someone who failed the transfer procedure but still excelled to the best of my capabilities! So who knows maybe some day you'll see me reading the news or even teaching in your classroom!
Best wishes to all staff and
pupils at the model.
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| Eva Swanston |
Dear Mr Stewart,
How
are you? i am fine and doing ok in school. I was searching the web and I
found loads of Carrowdore primary sites ( google- any sites with the words
Carrowdore primary in it and came across this one! Well your schools
one).
I didn't know that
you had moved schools but im sure the old primary school will miss you a
lot as u were a great Head Master. You helped the drowning school a lot!
And I'm sure they all (even the pupils) thank-you for that.
hope you have a
good time as headmaster in your new school and i know that u will help
many pupils, if or if you are not teaching as-well.
You helped me a
lot in Primary school even though I was stubborn and cheeky at times. I
also know now that all that shouting and staying in at break was what i
deserved, and i thank-you for that.
I miss Carrowdore
Primary a lot and miss our singing with the guitar days and our Roldal
days!!!
yours
sincerely
past pupil in
Carrowdore Primary School :
Eva
Swanston
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| Elizabeth Gray (Formerly Newtownards now Ontario, Canada) |
Your site is great!!!! Brings back a lot of memories. My maiden name was Elizabeth Dysart, I attended the Model in the 50's with my brother Ronnie who is now deceased. I married David Gray from Ards in 1967 and moved to Canada in 1969. We live in Dutton, Ontario, just outside of London, Ontario. I work as a Patient Lab Tech and I love my work. We return to Ards every couple of years as David still has three brothers in the area. We always marvel at the beauty of the Model building. Hope to be back in '04. Easy to tell which school my husband went to from our email address, he says no one would ever know what that was unless they were from Ards. Keep up the good work and excellent web site, was good to know a little of the history of the school..
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| Rebecca Graham
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Hi! I'm Rebecca Graham I started at the Model in 1993 and spent 7 years there. It was the greatest school ever. I learnt a lot and loved the happy environment. The teachers were great too. Miss Christie she was great and taught me a lot. Also good luck in the future, Mr. Beggs. Thanks for everything!! xx
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| Syd Hiller |
My name is Syd Hiller and believe I attended your school until I was eleven, that would be in 1960. As I have lived in Australia since 1965 and have not returned as yet for a visit, I am now trying to trace my early years and plan my impending trip. I was hoping that perhaps the school would have some archives of the names of some of the children in my class. The only name i can recall is Angus McKnight, this may confirm if I am on the right track. If it is not too much trouble, and you have any success , please contact me. I look forward to visiting your school in the not too distant future Regards SYDNEY(SYD) HILLER
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Brenda Irvine (Formerly Newtownards, now Alberta, Canada)
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Hi ,my maiden name was Brenda Irvine my brother Roy also attended school in the early 1950's In those days we started when we were 4. I remember the desks being so big ,but have fond memories of my early days there. I live in Alberta, Canada since 1974. I would love to get in touch with anybody that went to school with me. Please email your details to the email address at the top of the page. Best regards, Brenda Holyland.
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Andrew Stothers (Formerly Newtownards, now Greenisland)
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I was at the Model from 1989
to 1995, which I believe were seven great years for me, despite being
the baby of the class... I appeared in several nativity plays (usually
as shepherd number 2) and occasional other school productions. After
leaving, I went to Cabin Hill and then to Campbell College in Belfast.
I lived in Newtownards until 1999 when I moved to Greenisland on the
windswept East Antrim coast. After finishing my A levels in 2002, I
decided to go and study Maths at Edinburgh Uni which I'm still doing,
although I've no idea what to do when I've finished. Best wishes to all,
especially to Mr. Beggs on his retirement.
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Evelyn Stevenson
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Hi my name at school was Evelyn Stevenson it was about 1976. When we moved to Northern Ireland Mr Moore was my teacher . I only done the one year but I have fond memories of my time there. I went on to Scrabo School and then returned to London about 1980. I am now living in Tipperary with my husband and daughters.
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Jonathan Weir
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Hello, it is me Jonathan Weir
I am at Bangor Grammar now
I really enjoy it. To Mr
McCullough have you seen the film Holes? Remember the book you read to us?
The film is really good
Good luck to all of you!
Bye for now!!!
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Roy Legge
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Thank you so much for the wonderful memories it was also very nice to meet
some of my past teachers. I also met some friends and some I wished
would of been there. Thanks again.
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Lynne Tweed
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Hi, my maiden name is Lynne Robinson, I
went to Model PS 1962-1969. P1 teacher Miss Patton and P7 Mr Lindsay he
was super. Looking back now, I had a ball at the Model, though funny
enough most of my memories are off me standing in front of Mr Stevenson
(at the end of a line of boys) waiting to be caned. This was for either,
climbing the monkey puzzle tree in front or climbing one of the chestnut
trees in the middle of the playground. I remember fainting in needlework
with Mrs Forsyth, when everyone talked about having ears pierced. Does
anyone remember the old canteen and then sheer luxury when the new one
opened, even though the drinking water was still warm!! ?
We had a lot of characters in our class
and I remember nearly all with fond and happy memories. I just hope my
children remember their primary school days as fondly. I moved to Bangor
in 1969 after 11+ but kept in touch for a while with some friends. Hope
to see some on open day 27/3/04.
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Netta Dalzell
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My name is , Netta Dalzell nee
Bailie. I attended the school in the 1920's when Mr McCartney was the
Head Teacher.
I was taught by Miss
Caldwell, Miss Byers and Miss Gilfillen. In those days there was a
separate Junior School for boys and girls.
Each teacher taught two
classes. Together with my brothers and sisters I walked to school from Rockfield
Farm, Tullynagardy where we lived.
I have many happy memories of
my days at The Model School and remember well my contemporaries, e.g.,
Teennie McConnell, Jenny Gordon, Gladys Hanna from The Cotton, Victor
Glasgow, Wilson Stewart, Ronald Ross, Betty Ferguson, Isobel Wilson, Erin
Brett, Georgie Lavery, Norah Beckett, Marjorie Murphy, Annie Bailie (my
cousin), Sidney Edgar, sisters Annie and Sarah Bennett, Winnie Milligan,
Last but not least my brother James Bailie.
Unfortunately there are not
many of us left.
I am looking forward to
visiting the school on Saturday 27/03/04 to bring back more happy
memories.
Anyone wishing to contact me
may do so at my daughter's e-mail address which is listed below.
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Alan McCormick |
Hi!
I am sad to say that I can't come to the Model open day which I am really
sad about. I went to the Model in 1995-2001during that time the
Principal was Mr Lowry who was a really good Principal and someone who
praised you when you did well. I enjoyed the Model because I had
very nice teachers like Mrs Coville who has sadly left and Mrs Gould and
Mrs Miles and Mrs Christie and Mrs Dobson/Mrs Donaldson and Mrs Lynch and
Mr Beggs. Also I enjoyed it because it was fun and I achieved a lot
of things but I did not do as well as I hoped in the 11 plus but now I am
at Movilla and doing very well and still hope to in a few years thanks for
the help and encouragement I got. I had a very good time and I hope
to see the school when it is completed and I had a good time doing
productions and being in the school choir and also in my last year I
looked after the Primary 1 pupils for Mrs Colville they were all well
behaved and friendly and I felt welcome in the classroom. I still
keep in contact with a few and they helped make my last year really fun
but I missed them and still do and the teachers.
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Robina and Cavan Hillen
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I am Robina Thompson-Hillen, I attended Model Primary school in 1952. I am the youngest child of Robina and David Thompson. My Husband Cavan Hillen went to M.P.S. in 1949, he is the second child of Phylis and Samuel Hillen.
Cavan and I married in May
1965 and left for Canada in October 1965, we settled in Brampton,
Ontario. We both worked at Northern Telecom and after 30 years we have
both retired, which we spend riding our Harley Davidson and cruising the
Caribbean. We have two children, James Campbell and Sharon Irene Hillen.
We both have extremely fond
memories of the Model school and have taken my daughter and grand daughter
to visit the school, my grand daughter was fascinated by the uniforms the
kids were wearing as she is not required to wear uniforms until high
school.
All my brothers and sisters
have attended the Model School, James Thompson ( deceased ), Agnes
Thompson ( deceased ), John Thompson, Elizabeth Thompson, Freda Thompson
now living in Australia, Sadie Thompson, Kathleen Thompson, David
Thompson, Joe Thompson, Roy Thompson.
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Janice Gilmore
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My father (very unfortunately now deceased) was a former pupil of your school and passing by recently I noticed a sign announcing your open day and I decided to check your website for any details. I have often asked for any photos of my dad at school but have had no luck in finding any. I couldn't view any of the photos on your website as I did not have the correct software in my workplace, so I decided to check your Guestbook to see if I recognised anyone there. I was so shocked to read the note from Mr NRoberts (formerly Donaghadee, now Ontairo, Canada). His close chum Albert McCaughey was my dad. His piece about discipline, respect, values and good judgement could have been written by my father, in fact I laughed out loud when I read it as it sounded just the mirror image! For many, many years I passed by the school with my dad only to hear the words "There's my old seat of learning" without fail, every single time!! My own son now pipes up from the back seat, "Look there's Granda Albert's old seat of learning" I would love to get in touch with Mr Roberts or for that matter anyone who might have a photo with Dad in it. If you could possibly pass on my email address to Mr Roberts I would be eternally grateful.
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