I remember my first day in school but I do not remember my last. When I look back now those were the best days of my life even though I did not think so at the time. I had many friends in my class even though I could not name all of them now. The one person I liked best was Delia Donegan, although I never told her so. I believe today people would say I had a crush on her. To the present day I always ask about her and one time when in Dublin I paid a visit to her. Lena Barrins was also in my class and a good friend.

I was terribly afraid of my teachers throughout all my years in Stokane school. When I reflect today and think of some of the beatings some children received, including myself, I would have to classify them as cruel. I remember Mrs. Rouse sending me in to the next room for her husband Denis to come out from his classroom to beat me. He used a blackthorn stick and the blood came out of my ears. As we used to run home for lunch each day, on this day Mrs. Rouse took me to her home and put a bandage on my ear and tried to stop the bleeding. Miss Maye was also very good with her thorny stick. Today they would be locked up.

After Stokane I went to Corballa Vocational School and learned a trade (carpentry) which has helped me all of my life. That was a pleasure and the teacher was most helpful. Thank God for all I learned there.