12/05/05

It was a brilliant performance with a tremendous effort by the headteacher, Mrs Burn, and her staff, the children, parents and villagers.

Lunch was prepared and served by the school kitchen staff. An excellent lunch, too, after which the children took part in old time competitive games.

The wartime dress of the staff and the children combined to make it a first class celebration to be enjoyed and remembered.

Everyone took part in a sing-song of the tunes of the war days; even the children sang them well.

I think the staff and all organisers did a first class job for which we all are grateful. - C Nugent, Northallerton.

THE RUSSIANS

HAD not Hitler attacked Russia from D-Day onwards, German resistance would have been far fiercer than it was. You see, those German troops busy fighting Russians on the Eastern front would, instead, have been busy fighting our side - on the Western front. Which doesn't really bear thinking about.

Meanwhile, President George Bush as good as insulted Russia by focusing on the Communist occupation of part of Germany, along with the so-called Berlin Wall.

Seemingly, the President knew nothing about the two fiercest battles of the war, namely Leningrad and Stalingrad. Either this or he simply chose to ignore them, focusing instead on communism itself, ie the Russian occupation which was indeed repressive of Eastern Berlin.

I can tell you that war talk was taboo in Russia for several years after the aforementioned war. Why? Twenty plus million Russians lost their lives during the war. Which must have escaped President Bush's attention. - Alfred H Lister, Guisborough.

THE GERMANS

I CAN remember VE Day in Darlington. Our allies in the Second World War were Americans and Russians and our enemies were Japanese and Germans.

Why do newspapers and TV news programmes describe those who sank our ships, bombed our towns, waged war across Europe and murdered millions in concentration camps as Nazis?

Most of the people who did these things were not card-carrying members of the political party that came to office in a constitutional manner in Germany. They were Germans. It is not xenophobic to report accurately. We have forgiven the Germans as we sometimes have to forgive ourselves.

But let us not spin-doctor history as though all the misery was perpetrated by a mysterious tribe with a leader up a mountain in Bavaria. - Eric Shuttleworth, Darlington.

HUMBLE PIE

YOUR letter (HAS, May 9) reflects the concern for the fate of High Row that continues to dog Darlington Borough Council, as should be the case. There is a lack of fair play in its actions over the last few months which is disquieting.

Might one expect that some of the spirit of contrition shown by the Prime Minister in confirming the need to listen and to learn from people, now filters down to an obdurate council?

High Row does not require demolishing, and in fact the various conditions recently imposed upon the council by the local government office when it gave permission to demolish suggests it would be common sense to leave it where it has been for 100 years and restore it.

The council has just been admonished by the Ombudsman over planning procedures with regard to the new football stadium, and part of the reply by the council was their understandable wish that a professional league football club remains in the town.

It has been amply demonstrated that townspeople also wish the same concern for tradition, heritage and identity be applied to the future of High Row.

Once upon a time a contentious planning issue like this would have become subject to a public inquiry. This no longer seems to happen. If the Government sees fit to eat a little humble pie, is it too much to ask that Darlington council does the same?

A forum where ideas and opinions are debated would be sufficient to confirm whether there is a mandate to make these changes, many of which appear to originate outside the town. - Ian Dougill, Darlington.

WHAT A DELIGHT

I'VE been for a walk down Memory Lane today. Well, actually, North Lodge Park, my childhood playground.

It was a delight.

All well cared for, grass cut, blossom out, bluebells, posh bandstand and happy children playing on swings. Enchanting.

All praise to Darlington Borough Council and gardening staff on this one.

Thanks to all concerned. - GJ Coates, Darlington.

EYESORE BUILDING?

RE: your article (Echo, May 5). Why is Cummins Engine Company a listed building?

I can't understand why anyone would want to make Cummins a Grade II listed building, I think it is an eyesore.

I would certainly welcome the redevelopment of this site as a leisure centre with a nine-screen multiplex cinema, four restaurants, a health centre, bingo hall and indoor bowling centre, as such a big complex could bring a lot of revenue to the town.

Not only would the population of Darlington benefit from all this entertainment, but it might also be of great interest to the people living all over the North-East.

Folk might travel from as far as 100 miles afield to enjoy the new leisure and entertainment facilities in Darlington - which would really put Darlington on the map and make the town prosperous.

So come on Darlington council, get your heads together and do what ever is necessary to give yourself planning permission for this magnificent new leisure complex.

You, the council, will benefit from this as well as the people of Darlington. - Margaret A Greenhalgh, Darlington.

HAPPY DAYS

I LIKED the letter about schooldays in the 1930s from J Armstrong (HAS, Apr 29).

I think the worst thing that happened was the closing of small schools. I walked to one and walked home for lunch - no buses or school dinners needed.

The headmaster knew all the pupils and a lot of the parents. When we were seven we could join the church choir as we could read by then.

When we went to senior school we cycled and all schools had bike sheds.

Redcar baths was another daft closure as we all learnt to swim there. - RJ Walters, Whitby.

FISHING BAN

AE Carr (HAS, May 4) would like to see game angling banned because, like fox hunting, he regards it as cruel.

But why just pick on game angling, there are other types of fishing. What about the tuna runs where tuna are cornered and hacked to death and the sea is red with their blood.

In fact, many are gutted alive.

Do you not think these other ways of fishing are cruel Mr Carr?

As I have said before, you cannot ban one form of fishing - you have to ban the lot. - TE Crook, Bishop Auckland.