Our Chestnut tree over the years.
In 1975 during the year prior to the opening of the new school children at the old Academy school had planted chestnuts from the old school grounds in pots.
Mr McIlhinney had said that he would plant any seedlings that survived in the grounds of the new school.
Christine Elliot, then 6 years old, and her sister Claire, 4 years old, grew a chestnut from the old school which they planted in 1976.
Note the original yellow colour of the school and the newly seeded grounds.
The tree survived and stands proudly at the top corner of the school grounds to the present day.
Christine and Claire returned in June 2001, after 25 years, to see how their seedling got on.
They were very pleased to see that it had grown so well and is now used by pupils today to study wildlife.
We also use it as shade to sit under in the summer!
