A conversation between a father and daughter in a school classroom led to an interesting discovery for John Irvine and Marion Saunderson.

While enjoying a farewell event for the present Devenish College site, John remarked to his daughter that he was present for the very first day of the Intermediate School, as it was known, on the very first day of classes on September 2, 1957, as his daughter finishes her teaching career and retires on the last day of Devenish College at its present location of Algeo Drive on June 30.

Speaking to the Impartial Reporter, John (87), a former teacher of Commerce, recalled how the profession has changed.

“At that time, students in secondary schools didn’t do any external examinations, and I was the first in Northern Ireland to introduce them to the Pitman’s Examination Board.

“The students were so successful in the subjects that they sat further examinations in their respective subjects.

“I lived at Tamlaght, and I had to travel to my work on a bicycle, which I bought from a retired worker in the Henderson and Eadie Mills.”

Continuing, he added: “I loved teaching in the County Secondary Intermediate School – the students were well behaved and very interested in learning and I found my work rewarding.

“Many of the students I met afterwards always told me what they learnt had got them through their careers.”

John left the Intermediate School in 1965 and was appointed a lecturer in the Fermanagh Technical College, and was responsible for the Stage Three entries to examinations in Shorthand and Typewriting.

He was later promoted to Head of Business Studies in Fermanagh Technical College in 1978.

The teaching tradition was handed down through the family as John’s daughter, Marion, took up her position at the front of the classroom.

Marion spent 34 years of her career in Devenish College and took great pleasure in serving as Head of Modern Languages and Head of Year Eight.

Reflecting on her time in teaching, Marion said: “Children don’t change, but teaching methods have changed, and of course, technology.

“When I started teaching, I had a blackboard and chalk, as well as a Banda Machine [for making copies of worksheets].

“But, at the end of the day, it is not difficult to teach children who want to learn – if you can get some wee thing that interests them, you will get them on board. I have been known to have a farming conversation!”

Recalling some fond memories, she said: “Over the years, there have been many highs. I took the Young Farmers Club as an after school activity and learnt to drive the mini-bus, and I brought them to the Balmoral Show at the King’s Hall, and brought them to Seán Quinn’s factory, and around the whole of the Fermanagh countryside, stock judging.”

Speaking of her pride in her students and her role as their teacher, Marion said: “Devenish College is a non-selective school and I have been really delighted with the success of the children in GCSE French over the years, and a number had got A* grades.

“The most enjoyable part of my teaching career has been in the last number of years as Head of Year Eight, so I go out to the primary schools and meet the children in Year Seven, and see how excited they are to go to Devenish College.

“It’s really lovely to see them developing as the years go by.”

After a teaching career of 37 years, Marion now believes it is her time to go, but she will miss life at Devenish College.

She said: “I will miss the staff, and I miss the children – last night I tried to count up how many Fermanagh children I might have taught, and I think it’s definitely over 2,500, and that has been a real privilege to teach so many children in Fermanagh.”

Both John and Marion are looking forward to seeing the new Devenish College site in its full glory when it opens in September.