Corey and his mum Ilona, an MES FP, then dropped the clock off at the MES Archive at Ravelston House over the summer. The clock is in a bit of a state, but as the clock was placed on the desk it started to tick! Glad to be back maybe, but most likely the workings had been knocked into life during the portage. The room erupted with cheers!
We managed to find Jeannie’s teacher record card and confirmed the dates she was at ELC and that she was a dance teacher until her retirement in 1937.
The farewell message in the school magazine reads:
Miss Jessie[1] Graham has long been a source of joy to generations of Merchant Maidens. About twenty years ago, a small Merchant Maiden lay forlorn in the City Hospital, homesickness sweeping over her, when a kindly Sister came up and, on learning of her school, said cheerily, “Then you’ll know Miss Graham?” At once a brighter look lit up the patient’s face, and a few minutes of reminiscent conversation left her comforted and cheered.
That Merchant Maiden is not the only one who has been uplifted by Miss Graham, either in thought or in person. Her vital personality has inspired us in the dancing hall, where her keen, energetic spirit urged us to greater effort. Her insistence on accuracy and thoroughness helped us far beyond dancing. Even when our clumsiness must have exasperated her sorely, she always had words of encouragement and exhortation.
With untiring patience, she guided countless Merchant Maidens through the intricacies of quick‑step, tango and foxtrot. Who can forget the delightful way she helped us with our exercises, reel‑steps and strathspeys, sparing neither her time nor her energies in her desire to make dancers of us all? Her perseverance has not been in vain – we may have forgotten our chemical formulae, French idioms, Latin verbs and trigonometrical ratios, but we have not forgotten our reel‑steps.
It is in Highland Dancing, however, that Miss Graham’s teaching ability reaches its peak. Even Sassenachs, despite their ignorance, have marvelled at the neat footwork and poise of the “Special dancers.” Those who witnessed the dancing display in July realised afresh how wonderful her results can be.
School has been enriched for so long by her presence, her capacity for friendship, and her interest in pupils past and present, that it is difficult to think of Queen Street without Miss Graham. As she leaves us on her retiral, we feel an overwhelming sense of loss. We wish her happiness in her time of freedom and assure her of a warm welcome back at all times.
The plan is to get the clock up and running again before displaying in the new Founders Room at Ravelston. If there is a horologist out there who is happy to help, please get in touch with Dr Cooper at archives@erskinestewartmelville.com
If you have any items connected with the history of the School or its former pupils, please feel free to let the Archive know, to see what we can find out about it.
[1] Apparently Jessie and Jeannie
