LONG-SERVING primary school teacher Irene Harrison has retired after 39 years of service at the same school.
Irene gave her last lesson to pupils at Sanderson's Wynd Primary – formerly Tranent Infant School – earlier this month, heading for a retirement in which she looks forward to spending more time with her husband and family.
Born in Prestonpans on S
eptember 15, 1948, Irene – now 60 – moved to Tranent as a toddler where she attended the town's primary, then Tranent School, before heading to Ross High which she left in 1965.
Although she had original ambitions to be a vet, a last-minute decision saw her instead head to Moray House, in Edinburgh, to begin training to be a teacher – a decision she has never once looked back on.
She said: "I must admit that teaching never was my first choice.
"I had wanted to be a vet but feared the studying was going to take too long.
"So a few of my friends wanted to be teachers and I thought perhaps I could do that too and gave it a try.
"I have absolutely no regrets – I have had a wonderful career."
Irene enjoyed her training, particularly her school placements where she got a taste for what it would be like to teach young children.
She said: "I was sent to an infant classroom and decided there and then that it was definitely for me."
Irene joined Tranent Infants in 1969 and remained there until the school closed down last year to become what is now the combined nursery and primary school, Sanderson's Wynd.
Looking back on her career, she has many fond memories, including her first year as a teacher aged just 21.
She said: "I remember one incident, not long after I had started, when a mum came to the school and said, 'Excuse me hen, do you know where the teacher is?'
"I must have looked very young and not like a teacher."
Having always taught P1 to P3 classes, Irene insists every day with such young children brings its "own different things," with particular enjoyment having come from ensuring youngsters settled well into the way of school life.
She said: "When I left the school, the children lined the corridor and did a Guard of Honour for me. I found it hard to keep the tears back.
"I intend to keep in touch with the school and help out at as many social events as possible.
"I have had such wonderful support from everyone there over the years."
Irene intends to spend her retirement with her husband John of 38 years as well as trying out horse riding – something she has always wanted to do.
The full article contains 458 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
