Stopfordian 2010–2011 - Stockport Grammar School

The Stopfordian 2010–2011
PIPER MARTIN
I have asked so many people how long Piper had worked at
Stockport Grammar. Responses have varied, but I never got
to a figure as we were always distracted with anecdotes and
tales of Piper’s antics. What is certain is that Piper had been
teaching here on and off, since she was a mere slip of a girl,
teaching Religious Studies in the Senior School. She met
David there, whom she married, and then taught in the Junior
School. Her own growing family took her away for a while,
but she returned to the Infant Department where many Year
One children passed through her caring hands. Piper was an
extremely dedicated teacher and she nurtured five-year-olds
to be able to cope with their 3 Rs. As our colleague, Piper was
often found blushing at many a joke but she was as supportive
to us as to the children under her wing. She was passionate
about high standards of achievement both in her classroom
and generally around the school. Piper may have retired from
Stockport Grammar life now but stories will live on. As for
how many years, as Piper never gave away her age, we are still
no clearer to her years of service!
We do know that Piper was an outstanding teacher, colleague
and friend. We, and the children, will miss her contribution
to our day and she takes with her our heartfelt best wishes.
J. Swales
LOUISE HARDY
Louise first arrived at Stockport Grammar Junior School in the
April of 1979 when it was still an all boys’ school and Richard
Reeman was Head. Eighteen months later, I joined her in Year
4 (or J2G as it was known then) to begin a partnership that was
to last nearly twenty years.
Louise was always the explorer and traveller. When she first
joined the school she had just returned from four months of
trekking across Europe and North Africa. She took part in
expeditions organised by Stuart Helm to the Dolomites in
1982 and 1983 and took an annual pilgrimage to Wasdale
which became her second home.
We both left the Junior School in 1983; I left to have my
daughter Olivia and Louise joined her husband in Edinburgh
at Merchiston Castle School. This was a perfect appointment
for them both and it was here that their two daughters were
born. Reluctantly they left Scotland to return to Stockport
after nine years as John (her husband) was to join William
Hulme School as Head of Geography.
Louise came back to SGS initially as a swimming teacher but
eventually, when the school had completed its expansion, was
appointed as a Year 6 Form Teacher. Louise continued to
bring the full force of her commitment and enthusiasm to the
Junior School. Each year she organised a series of Year 6 walks
which took place on Sundays in the Autumn Term; she ran
taster canoe/sailing sessions at Debdale for the Year 5 pupils,
again in her own time at weekends. She accompanied many
residential trips, especially to Robinwood and Wasdale and
took over the running of the latter in the last few years. She
braved and scaled the heights to operate the lights during the
yearly Year 6 Production, even though she said that this was
her excuse to get out of ‘shushing’ duty in the wings. All these
responsibilities ran alongside her role as a Year 6 Form Teacher
as well as her commitment to Junior School swimming.
It was clear from my first meeting with her in 1980 that her
qualities would make her an ideal colleague: totally fair, hard
working, straightforward, supportive and honest. We made
an unlikely partnership; superficially we had nothing in
common and we certainly did not share interests or hobbies.
However, we did share the same values and I can honestly say
that we never had a cross word. Our strengths supported
each other’s weaknesses and there was never a hint of
competition in our working life. In truth, I could not have had
a better colleague. In all my years at the school I have never
heard her utter a bad word about anyone nor heard anyone
criticise Louise. She always saw the good in people (even me)
and shied away from criticism and negativity.
I miss her company, her sound advice and sense of justice as
well as the constant sarcastic banter that existed between us.
However, knowing her, she will seize every opportunity to
enjoy the freedom that retirement brings and I wish her well.
J. Mercer
Junior School 115