IN the lead up to this weekend’s 300-year celebrations of Wallace Hall Academy, former pupil Gordon Martin had his picture taken at his alma mater to help mark its tercentenary.
The 95-year-old still has close connections with the school and is a member of the respected Martin family of Closeburn.
Gordon and headteacher Barry Graham are pictured at the original school buildings in Closeburn with the Farrier Shield which is presented to a senior pupil every year for excellence in biological science. It dates from 1961 and is so named because it contains two gold medals won by Edward Martin MBE, master farrier (and Gordon’s brother) who internationally renowned for his exceptional blacksmithing skills. Edward presented his precious gold medals to Wallace Hall Academy to be used for a prize representing biology and agriculture and they were crafted into a wooden shield by Bill Clement, MBE, who was the technical teacher at that time.
The tercentenary celebrations are today and tomorrow with a variety of tours and functions organised to give former pupils a chance to re-live their school memories
