SIR, — I was very interested to read John Sidnell s memories of Garden Fields School in the 1950 (Herts Advertiser, February 28). I attended the school in the 1960s and was in lovely Miss Hall s class in 1966. I remember her vividly — she often wore a lon

SIR, - I was very interested to read John Sidnell's memories of Garden Fields School in the 1950 (Herts Advertiser, February 28). I attended the school in the 1960s and was in lovely Miss Hall's class in 1966. I remember her vividly - she often wore a long blue coat with a matching blue bonnet which even in those days looked a little old-fashioned.

She still taught in the classroom which Mr Sidnell describes and a particular joy for my best friend, Geraldine Martin, and myself, was to bring our plastic farm animals from home into class and leave them in the wooden hand-made farm in the corner of the room.

We were still taught "tables" then - it was rather scary to stand up and recite them, especially if Mr Green came to check on us.

Miss Hall used to read us The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. I can remember being entranced by this. There was really something special about her.

I still have my handwriting practice diaries with her comments and also a teapot she once gave me - she lived several doors from us in Grange Street and we used to help her carry her bags to school.

I remember the day that Mr Green announced that she had died - he lined us all up outside in the playground to tell us - and how shocked we were. She had been feeling unwell for a couple of days and my mum fetched the doctor for her but she died in St Albans Hospital. As far as I know she was still teaching up to a week before her death - despite being 78!

I'll always have fond memories of her.

MAUREEN WIESNER (née ALLEN),

Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire.