DUNGEON SCHOOLROOM

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11355, 15 June 1931, Page 7

DUNGEON SCHOOLROOM

CHILDREN’S HISTORY . LESSONS

LECTURES IN TOWER OF

LONDON

Scorns -of London school children spent the last few day R of tho East* or holidays learning history iit"the Tower of . London. Tho ‘‘school” is a. dark dungeon-like , stone room in tho 14 tli century Alar tin: Tower —a room steeped in fho historv of days when few who found l themselves within those walL escaped execution on Tower Hill. The scholars were children from different parts of London, who. went to hear lectures ••.- by Mr. •Allen' S. Walker, .extension lecturer to tlio University of London. Mr- Walker has given -many lecture* there for historians and archaeologists- Recently ho decided to ’ adapt them on even tho young. liecausC as he said, “Where could they hear history better than here on the spot?” The attendance of children certainly justified the innovation. The subject was “The Tower in Tudor Times.” The children—some of them were no more than eight or nine—silt remarkably silent, their eyes, rather wide, watching lantern slides, their heads, Well forward, drinking in every word. ' : ;■' ■■ ' "

They sat a little closer together when Mr. Walker mentioned the ghost of Anno Boleyn, said to walk in that tower, for it was dark .In the crevices and far-off roof. But ho'assured them that the 1 apparition had not been 'seen for many ,yearsThey laughed when he told them why/the . young Princess Elizabeth, before she. became : Queqn, , was so hungry shut up in .the tower. In those ,rday s wicked ; 1 Wardens' -stole largo portions of ; hpr dinner as they carried it to her room. “And when at ‘last, slip left the Tower,” . said Mr. Walker, “she wenit' straight.; to a tavern for. a good";square meal of pork ’and pease-pudding:” ; / i > Mr. Wnllcer’s method: is, to tejl.-tho children’ stories, leavliig out tho most giffesome details,r and: then let them seej; ail. lie has talked about in a tquy aroiing. the Tower. A ghostly pageant of' famou*. people pass .acrosg tlio screed in’,the djinf recess of the novel “schpol-rbom”; whbn Mr. Walker lectures. »

But beyond mentioning that all these historical figures were pxecuttod', after imprisonment in the Tower be does not dwell, on' that side of the’ Tower’s history., f Mr. Wallcor said ho • wanted . to . make history-; learning at thq' Tower / 'somptbing .children would” regard' as d; treat instead of as.a boiNe.-;,.', ’ ’ ' ; . : :'l;