YOUNG and old are joining forces to celebrate 140 years of education and friendship at a village school near Droitwich Spa, writes Sarah Chambers.

Cutnall Green First School opened in 1863 and is marking the historic anniversary with the publication of a calendar.

The parents' association produced the calendar, which features past and present pictures of the school, plus current pupils' birthdays.

Claire Westwood, a former student at the first school, has helped with the project and believes the anniversary is important for many villagers in the close knit community.

The Kidderminster Road resident attended the school during the 1970s and now has three children studying in the same classrooms.

Her four-year-old son Alistair is presently the youngest student and to promote the calendar he met up with 89-year-old Fred Jones, who started at the school in 1917.

The memories of Fred, Claire and Alistair all differ and teaching methods have changed dramatically. However, they all share a common enthusiasm for the village school and have many happy memories.

Claire, aged 36, attended lessons when Mr Sutton was the headteacher.

"There were only three teachers and everybody couldn't wait to join top class because they had a new classroom," she told the Advertiser.

"We had hot school dinners every day, which I thought were great - although some kids didn't always appreciate what was served up. Sadly the old kitchens have gone and a classroom is now in their place.

"My children have always been really happy at Cutnall Green and I'm very pleased they have been able to follow in my footsteps."

World War I was underway when Fred Jones, then aged four and a half, took his first steps to school.

His father missed the big day because he was fighting in the trenches.

Mr James was the head at the school, which was originally founded in 1702.

Anyone who misbehaved faced the wrath of his wooden ruler and according to Fred, a slap on the hand or wrist was usually enough to keep the youngsters in line.

"Mr James lived at the school house and was a very keen gardener," the Rushock pensioner explained. "Everybody in the school used to help with his vegetable patch and we were allowed to take produce home."

He said school life was strict but village children, whose parents had been born into the Victoria era, didn't know any different.

Youngsters aged four to 15 studied basic subjects and Fred particularly enjoyed history and geography.

Children in the infant classes used slate to write on but as they progressed through the school years, paper workbooks became prized possessions.

"We didn't have computers or calculators - every thing had to be done in your head or on paper," Fred said.

There was no uniform but children were expected to arrive in tidy clothes and with a neat haircut, even though the walk to school was many miles for some pupils - across fields and tracks - come rain or shine.

Fred, now a great grandfather, said: "I was lucky really - I only lived over the road so it was a quick walk to classes and I could go home at lunchtime for a sandwich with my mum.

"Some of my pals walked from villages surrounding Cutnall Green, such as Hampton Lovett, and many of them were only tiny really. There were no cars for when it snowed or lifts home after a busy day."

Despite food shortages caused by the Great War, many village children continued to eat well because their families had gardens and allotments to grow vegetables and keep animals.

Love blossomed for Fred during his teenage years when he began courting fellow pupil Alice, who he later married.

Sadly she died in 1997, shortly before they celebrated 60 years of marriage but Fred is keen to remember the important role the village school paid in their happy coupling.

His years under the reign of Mr James ended when he was 15.

After a couple of jobs in the village, he joined the Royal Marines and gave 21 years service. His career led him across Europe during World War II and into Berlin at the end of the war.

He then became a signal master at Cutnall Green Holt and later a foreman at Bromsgrove Station.

Fred maintained close links with the parish school and was the village Santa Claus for more than 30 years. However he was shocked when he returned just before Christmas and discovered the buildings, now headed by Michele Humphreys, had changed greatly.

Computer stations are common place in classrooms and ardent fundraising by parents has helped staff upgrade facilities. "It's very modern and the children have brilliant resources," added Fred. "I can't believe the difference."

The anniversary calendar is now on sale at the school, priced £3.50. All cash collected will be pumped back into school funds.