What Was Your Favourite Subject at School?

British History, Just For Fun, Learning, School Days, The History Project

My mum did me a huge favour when she kept the majority of my school reports … and then, years later, passing them onto me. The History Project has given me reason to pull them out of a folder and re-read them.

Sparkling in History, July 1981

Without a doubt, History was my favourite subject. From the Tudors through to British Political History, 1793-1914, I absorbed it all. I loved that everything was fact, there were no hidden anomalies (such as in English Grammar). History was what it was (if we gloss over the fact that history is written by the victors). As early as July 1980, the History teacher wrote that my work was “outstanding in quality and effort“. Blimey! In another life, I’d have read for a History degree and become an archivist.

What was your favourite subject at school and why?

Published by Ruth

Life in West London; married to The Brainy One; mum to The Boy Child. This is where I share most aspects of my everyday life. I hope you'll stay awhile.

Published

12 thoughts on “What Was Your Favourite Subject at School?”

  2. Quality & effort, two words every person needs to hear. I first read your last line as becoming an activist, not archivist (col). Was there a particular story or book that triggered the interest in the Tudors?

    In public school my favourite was Art, drawing, painting & English, which was where we got to write stories. In high school I developed my life long love of History & English literature. I also did really well in Geography. The Grammar part was a necessary evil part of English Literature. I also have an interest in the Tudors – Anne Boleyn being a favourite, which evolved into all things British. In college it was business where I soared & took none of the humanities (why?) although I still read lots of historical novels & historical fact books.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. My love of the Tudors came about when I learned that one man’s narcissism altered the course of a country’s history for hundreds of years. I was astonished that one man could have so much power.

      Like

      Reply

      1. Me too – I always thought that about Henry VIII & that because of his own arrogance & lust, lives were lost, history’s direction thrown onto another path. Seems how history is still being altered, not by the collective but one person … I’ll say no more.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. I don’t think I ever ‘sparkled’ at any subject! I went on to do A levels in English Literature and Needlework because I enjoyed them both and it is fair to say that both have been very useful to me since I left school!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Oh, I definitely didn’t love history … it just didn’t seem relevant back then. As I’ve matured I have come to love history – reading about it, visiting historical sites, etc.

    My favorite subject was probably Reading or English or maybe Computers (they were so new then we learned to write programs in DOS, but I was on the computer team & won a gold medal) or maybe that first business class in high school. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. I don’t have any of my reports but I think quite a few comments must have said something along the lines of, “stop looking out of the window and daydreaming boy, pay attention.” However it never ceases to amaze me how much I retain from my school days, if I had been paying attention I would probably be a rocket scientist today!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. Pingback: For the Love of Books | Novels With a Tudor Theme – This West London Life

Leave a comment