A COMMUNITY came together in the classroom to celebrate a school’s centenary.

Friends old and new attended Reid Street School, in Darlington, to mark the 100th anniversary of an institution which remains at the heart of the community.

Celebrations are planned throughout the year, the latest involving a centenary evening where former pupils were invited to share their experiences of school life. Others include a commemorative garden and a summer fair.

Muriel Kerridge (nee Burton) joined the school in 1939 and has many happy memories of her days there.

The 78-year-old, from Darlington, said: “I can remember we used to get bottles of milk to drink each day and in the winter we would put the bottles around the big heater in the classroom so they wouldn’t freeze.

“We also had camp beds in our classroom and in the afternoon we had to lie on them for about 20 minutes to relax; which was difficult because we didn’t want to miss anything.”

Muriel was at Reid Street during the Second World War. “I can remember there were air raid shelters outside and we were told never to go in them on our own,” said Muriel.

“But I did one day to explore and I was wearing my new summer dress. When I got back to the classroom the back of my dress was covered in black tar; the teacher was so annoyed with me I was sent home to my mother.”

Students past and present got the chance to look at photographs of the school and its pupils over the years and were given guided tours of the present day facilities.

Continuing with the centenary celebrations, the school will be holding a summer fair on Friday, at 3.45pm. Stalls will have a traditional theme and some of the provisions will be at 1912 prices.