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A local history and genealogy site for Wimpole, a village and parish in South Cambridgeshire.
Curated by Steve Odell.

Home     Wimpole Park Training College     1950 Yearbook     WPTC Students
"Teaching Practice"
Dates to Session III (1949-1950)
Wimpole Park Training College, Cambridgeshire 1947-1950.
A local history and genealogy page for the Parish of Wimpole.
Song Lyrics - Teacher Training
"Teaching Practice"
Comic Song dating to WPTC Session III (1949-1950)
To be sung in Country & Western style to the tune of "Cigarettes, and Whisky and Wild Wild Women" [YouTube example]
The Nashville songwriter Tim Spencer penned the original song in 1947 and recorded it with his group Sons of the Pioneers. In 1950 it was a hit for Red Ingle. Cyril Tawney wrote Five Foot Flirt as its British counterpart.
Once I was happy and had lots of cash,
I rushed to my work with the greatest of dash,
Until I decided a teacher I'd be,
And Wimpole College was where they sent me.
[Chorus]
P.T. and Topics and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane,
P.T. and Topics and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane.
Now I'm distracted and worried to death,
I've hardly the strength to draw my breath,
My grant is all spent and there's six weeks to go,
I'm snowed up with work and I'm bowed down with woes.
[Chorus]
Mathematics and English and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane,
Mathematics and English and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane.
I try all I can to be clever and bright,
I'm finding it rather an uphill fight,
If the children can learn any knowledge from me,
I shall feel like an Infant Prodigy.
[Chorus]
Education, Speech Training and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane,
Education, Speech Training and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane.
I eat all my rations and do all my work,
I never go out and I never shirk,
I don't speak to girls and I talk like a toff,
If I get much better, I'll darned well take off!
[Chorus]
Visual Aids and History and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane,
Visual Aids and History and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane.
I don't feel like work and I think I've got a cold,
The stoves gone out, and I feel five hundred years old,
I'm sure that on me every one has imposed,
The supper's all gone and the Hardwicke's just closed.
[Chorus]
Music and Woodwork and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane,
Music and Woodwork and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane.
The end of this story, is not hard to see,
Just listen dear stranger, Oh, listen to me,
A course like this demands plenty of guts,
If I'm not sent down I'll surely go nuts!
[Chorus]
Science and R.E. and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane,
Science and R.E. and Teaching Practice,
They'll drive you crazy, they'll drive you insane.
Arrington Gates - Teaching Practice Arrington Gates - Teaching Practice
Sign on the Arrington Gates railings: "The college is CLOSED until April 1st for the dispersal of the bodies of students who gave their all during the 2nd Teaching Practice" Sign on the Arrington Gate railings: "The Principal asks for a team of volunteers to drag the local ponds and rivers for students who disappeared last night after Teaching Practice, having incurred the wrath and scorn of their tutors."



This page was last updated on: 24 May 2020.


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