THE AULD SCHOOL By Andrew Christie The auld school up at Cairnhill Has stood for mony a year An' mony a loon has it tae thank For startin' his career It wasna' aye that easy Tae get tae school by nine When wadin' through the sna'drifts In the dreary wintertime The aulder anes they wad gang first Their schoolbags on their backs The younger aines, their noses blue Wad follow in their tracks. Their coats an' scarves were soon teen aff An' hung upon the pegs An' inside wa a muckle stove Tae warn their feet an' legs. Maister Geddes was the Dominie A reg'lar fount o' knowledge He used to boast o' the lads he'd sent To Mackie, or the College. He didna' aften use the strap But when he got a loon That needed it, ye may be sure He made his hale airm stoon First he'd explain what he'd deen wrang An' that it hurt him sair Ye'd feel sae guilty that ye thocht Ye should get twa three mair Ilka year at Christmas As the holidays grew near Oor Christmas tree an' concert Was the highlight o' the year We'd practice for a month or mair Oor sangs an' recitations An' proodly gaed up on the stage Tae gie oor presentation. We'd archers, sweeps an' boy scouts too, An' Dutchman an' Chinese The audience they were a' oor freens They werna' hard to please When summer cam' we soon forgot The snaw an' wintry weather An' gathered in the playgrun In the games we played thegither Fitba' was the popular game We made a' oor ain rules While some stayed in the sheltershed An' had a game o' bools Some wad watch the blacksmith Shoein' horses in the smiddy An' some o' the quines wad tak' a walk Up as far's Black's Widdie The school is noo deserted An' the pupils a' awa' A' ower the world they're scattered. While some hae worn awa' But when they think o' Geddes The poet's words ring true "The wonder is that one small head could carry all he knew" I dinna' think the young folk noo Wi' a' their modern science Can match the anes fae by gone days For guid auld self reliance It was a challenge to be met That wadin' through the snaw Be he was ca'd a fearty Who dared to bide awa' There was nae bus tae pick them up Nor rooms wi' central heat They traucheled through the sleet an' snaw Gie often wi' weet feet Bit a' the hardships they cam' thru' Their heirts wi' pride instill Each lad an' lass can proodly say I went to Cairnhill.