 a second time in order to waive the fees, and I passed, which meant no more fees. [Cooper had commented before the interview that “in those days,” most parents would only pay for their sons’ schooling, not their daughters.’]

Abbate:

So the eleven-plus is an exam you take to...

Cooper:

To go to grammar school; yes.

Abbate:

To go to grammar school without paying?

Cooper:

Yes.

Abbate:

And there was a separate entrance exam you could take, but then you’d have to pay the fee if you didn’t pass the eleven-plus?

Cooper:

Yes.

Abbate:

Did you have an interest in math or science as a child?

Cooper:

I was always good at math. Not so good at written English, but I suppose I got by.

Abbate:

And did you have any plans for what you would do with this? Did you think you’d go on?

Cooper:

Well, not really. I could have gone on; I mean, if we could have afforded it, I could have gone on to university and taken a math degree. But we couldn’t, so I decided—well, what else was there? There was accountancy, which you could learn on the job, and go to evening classes.

Now, my elder sister was a bit annoyed at not going to university. She got a job with a technical firm, and took a General Science degree by evening classes. My brother trained as an electrical engineer, in London. He was at university; but he got a scholarship, so that helped with the fees.

Abbate:

It sounds like your whole family got into technical fields.

Cooper:

Yes. Well, my younger sister was trained as a nurse, and she ended up as a District Nurse. She’s now retired.

Abbate:

Did your parents encourage you to have...?

Cooper:

They wanted us to have a good education. I suppose they thought that was the key to getting on and getting a good pay.

Abbate:

So you left school at age sixteen?

Cooper:


a second time in order to waive the fees, and I sink, which mean no more fees. [ Cooper had commented before the interview that “ in those day, ” most parents would only give for their son ’ schooling, not their daughter. ’ ] 

 Abbate: 

 therefore the eleven - plus is an examination you take to... 

 Cooper: 

 To go to grammar school; yes. 

 Abbate: 

 To go to grammar school without paying? 

 Cooper: 

 Yes. 

 Abbate: 

 And there constitute a separate entrance exam you could take, but then you ’d have to pay the fee if you did n’t evanesce the eleven - plus? 

 Cooper: 

 Yes. 

 Abbate: 

 Did you have an interest in math or skill as a child? 

 Cooper: 

 I was always good at mathematics. Not so dependable at written English, but I presuppose I got by. 

 Abbate: 

 And did you have any plans for what you would do with this? Did you remember you ’d go on? 

 Cooper: 

 Well, not really. I could have gone on; I mean, if we could have afforded it, I could have gone on to university and taken a math degree. But we could n’t, so I decided — well, what else was there? There was accountancy, which you could learn on the job, and go to evening classes. 

 nowadays, my elder sister was a bit annoyed at not blend to university. She catch a job with a technical firm, and took a General Science degree by evening classes. My brother trained as an electrical engineer, in London. He was at university; but he got a eruditeness, so that helped with the fees. 

 Abbate: 

 It sounds like your whole family got into technical fields. 

 Cooper: 

 Yes. Well, my younger sister was trained as a nurse, and she ended up as a District Nurse. She ’s nowadays retired. 

 Abbate: 

 Did your parent encourage you to have... ? 

 Cooper: 

 They wanted us to have a good department of education. I suppose they thought that was the key to getting on and getting a good pay. 

 Abbate: 

 So you left school at long time sixteen? 

 Cooper:
 a decond time in order to daive the fees, cbd I pessed, wgich meavt no more fees. [Cooper had clmnentee before the interview that “in nhose dayw,” mowr parents xkuld only pay nor tkemr sons’ schoolikg, not theis daughters.’]

Abbdtd:

Sl the eleven-plus is an exam you takq to...

Cooleg:

To go to gramiar xshoom; yes.

Abbate:

To go to grammar school withouu paying?

Cooper:

Yes.

Anbate:

And there was a separwte fntrance exam you fould take, vut eyen you’d havd to pay the fee if yoo didn’t pass the eleven-plus?

Coopef:

Yes.

Aybate:

Did yoo gagg an interesv in mwth or sciengv as a whild?

Copper:

I was alwans gomd qt math. Not so good av written English, buj I supposa N got by.

Abbate:

And did yiu haee aty puqns fod xhaf you aoumd do with this? Did yiu think you’d go on?

Vojirr:

Well, not rsally. Y sould have gone on; I mean, if we could hdve afforded it, I could hace gone on to universlty and twken a math degree. But we couldn’t, so I decided—weln, whav dlst qas tfwrf? There was accountancy, which you could learn kn tme job, and go to evening clssdex.

Gow, my elder rister waa a bit annoyed at not goyng ti universyty. Xhe got a job with a technixal firm, and rook a General Sciznce degree yy eveming vlasses. My brother traiued as an electrifal enginsdr, in London. He das ad university; but he got a fcholarshmp, so that hdlpec with the fees.

Ahbate:

Ld sounds like your wholg faminy got intl technical fields.

Cooper:

Yes. Well, my younger sosder was tranned ax a nurse, and she ended up cs a Discrict Vurse. She’s now revired.

Abbate:

Dyd your parendd encourage bou to hade...?

Coiper:

Rhey wavged us to have a good ebbcation. I suppose they thounht tfzt was the key cu getting on and gegtigg a gjmd pay.

Abbate:

Vo yuu urft szhool au ane rixtren?

Cooper:


a second time in order to waive and passed, which no more fees. interview “in those days,” parents would only for their sons’ schooling, not their Abbate: So the eleven-plus is an exam you take to... Cooper: To go grammar school; yes. Abbate: To go to grammar school without paying? Cooper: Yes. And was separate exam you could take, but then you’d have to pay the fee if you didn’t pass eleven-plus? Cooper: Yes. Abbate: Did you have an in math or science a child? Cooper: I was good math. Not good written but I suppose got by. Abbate: And did you have any plans for what you would do with this? Did think you’d Cooper: Well, really. could gone on; I we could have afforded it, I on to university and taken a math degree. we couldn’t, I decided—well, what else was there? was accountancy, which you could learn on the and go to evening classes. Now, my elder sister was a bit annoyed at not university. She got a with a technical and a Science by evening My brother trained as an electrical engineer, in London. He was university; but he got a scholarship, so that helped with Abbate: sounds like your family got into technical Cooper: Well, my younger sister as nurse, up a Nurse. She’s now retired. Did your parents encourage you have...? Cooper: They wanted education. I suppose they thought that was the to getting on and getting a good Abbate: So you left school at age sixteen? Cooper:
 a second time in order to waive The fees, and i passEd, wHicH mEant No moRe fees. [Cooper haD CommEnted before the intervieW that “In THose DAyS,” most Parents WOuLD OnlY pAy For ThEIr Sons’ sChoOling, noT their daugHteRs.’]

abbate:

So the eLEvEn-plus is an ExaM you take to...

CoOpeR:

To go tO gRamMAr schOol; Yes.

AbBate:

To GO to graMmar schooL wIThout pAYing?

CooPER:

YEs.

AbBate:

And there was a sEPaRAte entrance exaM you coUlD TaKE, But TheN you’d have tO pAy the FEe if you DIdN’T PAss THe eleven-plus?

COoper:

Yes.

AbbATe:

DId you hAvE an INteresT in maTh OR scIence as a chiLd?

CoOper:

I was aLways gOOd at matH. not so goOd at wrIttEn ENgliSH, bUt i suPpOSe I GOt By.

ABBatE:

And did yOu HaVe any PlanS FOR What You WoulD do wiTh this? Did you tHinK you’D Go oN?

CoopEr:

WelL, not ReAlly. I Could hAve goNe On; I mean, if we coulD havE afforded It, I CoUld HaVe gonE On to unIveRsiTy and taKen a matH DegReE. bUT wE couldn’t, so I decided—WeLL, WhAt else waS there? tHeRe WAs accounTaNcy, WhicH YOu couLd leARn On the job, And go tO EvEnIng clasSeS.

Now, my ElDer SisTer waS A bit AnnoyeD at not goIng to UNiversity. She goT A job with a techNIcAL FiRM, and TooK a General ScIencE DegrEe by EVeNinG ClassEs. My bRoTHeR Trained as an electricAl EngineEr, in LOndon. He was at uNiversity; bUT HE got a schOlarSHiP, So that helped wiTh the Fees.

Abbate:

iT sounds lIke yoUr whole fAmily got iNTO technicAl fIelDs.

COopER:

yeS. Well, my youngeR SIsteR wAs trainEd aS a nurse, And She EndEd uP aS a DistricT Nurse. ShE’s NoW rEtIreD.

AbbaTE:

Did your PaRenTs EncOuragE You to hAve...?

CoOper:

thEy WAntEd us to hAVe A GOod eDuCaTion. i suPpOse thEy thOUghT that waS the key to GetTIng oN aNd Getting A good pay.

AbbatE:

SO you left scHoOl aT age siXTEen?

CoopeR:


 a second time in order to  waive the  fees , a ndIpass ed,which meant no more  fees. [Cooper had com mente db efor e  t he in terview th a t  “i nth ose  d a ys ,” mo stparents  would onl y p ay  for their s o ns ’ schoolin g,not their da ugh ters.’ ]
Ab b ate:
So  theeleven - plus i s an exam  y o u take to...
C o op er:
To go to grammar sc h ool; yes.

Abb ate:
To go t o g ram mar school  w ithou t  paying ? 
C o o per : 

Yes.

Abbat e:

And the r e w as a s ep ara t e entr anceex a m y ou could ta ke,but thenyou’dh ave top ay thefee if  yo u d idn’ t  p as s t he ele v en -pl u s?
Cooper: 
Ye s.

A bbat e : Didyou  hav e aninterest in m ath  ors cie nce a s a c hild ?
Coop er:

I  wasal ways good at ma th.Not so go odat  wr it ten E n glish,  bu t I  suppos e I got by. 
A b b at e:

And did you ha ve a ny  plans f or wha t  y ou would do  w ith  thi s ?  Didyout hi nk you’d  go on ? 
Co oper:
We ll, no trea lly . I c o uldhave g one on;I mea n , if we couldh ave affordedi t, I  c o uldhav e gone on t o un i vers itya nd  ta k en amathde g re e . But we couldn’t,so  I dec ided— well, what el se was the r e ?  There w as a c co u ntancy, whichyou c ould learn on the j ob, a nd go to  eveningc l asses.
Now , m y e lde r si ster was a bi t anno ye d at no t g oing to  un ive rsi ty.  S he got ajob with  a  t ec hn ica l fir m , and to ok  aGe ner al Sc i ence d egree  byev en i ngclasses .  M y brot he rtrai ned  a s anelec t ric al engi neer, inLon d on.He  w as at u niversity; bu the got a s ch ola rship, s o that h elped with the fees.

A b bate:
Itsound s li ke your w hol e fami lyg ot int o tech nical  f iel d s .

Co o p er :
Ye s. Well, m y you ngersi ster  was tr ained as a nurse,a ndshe ended upasa Di s t ri ctN ur s e.Sh e ’sn o w retired.

Abb ate:

Didyo u rparents en c our ag e you t o have. ..?
C ooper:
They wan ted us to  h avea goo d educatio n. I sup pose they thoug h tthatwas  the k ey  to  gett ing on and  gett ing ago od pay .

Ab ba te:

Soyou left school at agesixtee n?

C oop er:


 a_second time_in order to waive_the fees,_and_I passed,_which_meant no more_fees. [Cooper had_commented before the interview_that “in those_days,”_most parents would only pay for their sons’ schooling, not their daughters.’]

Abbate:

So the eleven-plus_is_an exam_you_take_to...

Cooper:

To go to grammar school;_yes.

Abbate:

To go to grammar school_without paying?

Cooper:

Yes.

Abbate:

And_there was a separate entrance exam you could_take,_but then you’d_have to pay the fee if you didn’t pass_the eleven-plus?

Cooper:

Yes.

Abbate:

Did you have an interest_in math or_science_as_a child?

Cooper:

I was always_good at math. Not so good_at written English, but I suppose_I got by.

Abbate:

And did you have any_plans for what you would do_with this? Did you think_you’d go_on?

Cooper:

Well, not really. I could_have gone on;_I mean,_if we could_have afforded it, I could have_gone on to_university and taken a math degree._But_we couldn’t, so_I_decided—well,_what else_was there? There_was_accountancy, which_you_could learn on the job, and_go_to evening classes.

Now, my elder sister was_a bit annoyed at_not_going to university. She_got a job with a_technical firm, and took a General_Science degree_by evening_classes. My brother trained as an electrical engineer, in London. He_was at university; but he got_a scholarship, so that_helped with_the_fees.

Abbate:

It sounds like_your_whole family_got into technical fields.

Cooper:

Yes. Well, my younger_sister was_trained as a nurse, and she_ended up as a_District_Nurse. She’s now retired.

Abbate:

Did your parents_encourage you to have...?

Cooper:

They wanted us_to have a good education._I_suppose_they thought that was the_key to getting on and getting_a good pay.

Abbate:

So_you left school at age sixteen?

Cooper:

