HOW sweet of G Tibbets to put me right in such unequivocal fashion regarding school closures in the face of bad weather last week.

I too remember the days when Mr Tibbets and his merry band of sooty-faced urchins would battle out in all weathers to school, doubtless doffing their flat caps to similarly adventurous passers by and dreaming of the days when the cobbled streets beneath their feet would once again become visible.

Ah, cold classrooms. Milk thawed on radiators. Frozen window frames and water taps. The Blitz. Bacon rations, Hancock's Half Hour and knowing you could leave your door unlocked all day without fear of intruders. Happy days...

Allow me to ease you from your time warp Mr Tibbets and bring you slap bang up to date with Britain circa 2007. Hang on to your hat mind, it might prove a bumpy ride...

Doubtless in those halcyon days of your youth, mother would have been waiting at home with a nourishing meal on the table for when you and father returned home from your day's toils. Rocketing costs of living these days dictate in many, many cases both parents are in full-time employment just to keep a roof over their heads, so getting children to school on time to then dash to work can prove problematic even on a good day. Ditto collection afterwards, as schoolteachers seem to me to be the only professionals who knock off at a quarter past three for the day.

Society has expanded and spread, Mr Tibbets. Sure many teachers probably DID walk to school in your day; nowadays they probably live ten, 20 or more miles away, the increasing population forcing the spread of suburbia further and further out of town'. You know how it was all fields in your day? They probably live somewhere out there now.

This in turn has made people more and more reliant upon cars - you may have noticed there's a few more of em on the road now, which, incidentally, is why it's probably not a good idea for little ones to be traversing to and from home unattended at lunchtimes.

Society has spread, my friend, and with it come changes.

Doubtless you believe things WERE better in your day. But then again, I bet the sun always shone right through the summer holidays too.

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