WHEN Irene Lynch took over as headmistress of Lowick C of E Primary School in 1958 the world was very different.

Most pupils and teachers walked or biked to school as not many people had access to a car.

There was also a constant influx of new people in the area because of the growth of industries on the west coast.

But Mrs Lynch said other things remain the same today.

She said the school had always been loved for its rural location, attracting pupils from the surrounding villages, and for being considered an integral part of the community.

"It was always and still is classed as the school with the view by everyone in the area," said Mrs Lynch, now 83.

When she took over, it had 28 pupils but the number increased rapidly.

At its peak, during Mrs Lynch's 21 years in charge, the classrooms buzzed with the chatter of 59 pupils.

" From when I started we increased each year by about four or five pupils until we had 59.

There was myself and an infant teacher, Jean Colton, and we felt rather cheated because if we had had 60 pupils we would have been allocated a third teacher."

In those days, the school was part of the Lancashire Education Authority.

She attributes the "population explosion" to two businesses in the area.

She explained: "I think the increase in numbers started with the rise of the nuclear business, and the naval business in Barrow, as people moved to the area for work and brought their children with them."

During its heyday, Lowick School earned itself a reputation for excelling at numerous out-of-school activities, which brought the community together under one banner.

They included five-a-side football competitions, the setting up of a Guides group, musical events, sports days and rounders.

"We used to travel all over the area for the music events and the events included pupils from the whole of the school, from infants to juniors," she said.

"The vicar at the local church even used to offer to play in the music competitions if we were short, but we never needed him, as the pupils were always keen to take part.

"Many of the events were held at weekends but the children were even keen to give up their own time so they could take part.

"We even used to have one dad who took the day off from Vickers every single year to come on the school trips, even though they weren't as grand as they are now."

Mrs Lynch said numbers on the daily register became fewer and fewer due to a change in family lives.

She said: "The increasing availability of motorcars for families saw the gradual decline in pupil numbers and the out-of-school activities.

Instead of living in the same place all their lives, it become easier for people with transport to move away for work, so more people moved out of the area.

"With others having cars it also became easier for them to get away at weekends so the pupils went for day trips with their parents instead of taking part in the activities."

During her 21 years at the school, Mrs Lynch was forced to close the school on just one day.

"Of course we used to leave early on occasions when the snow was getting really bad so the pupils got home safely, but on this one day, I am sure it was in my last year, I couldn't even walk to school because the snow was so bad, so I had to close it."

Current school numbers at Lowick School have dwindled to just 17.

Parents, grandparents and teachers are campaigning against the proposal by Cumbria County Council to close the school and merge it with Penny Bridge School at Greenodd.

Members of the Friends of Lowick School have also vowed to fight to preserve what they regard as an important feature on the local landscape.

Mrs Lynch sympathises with those who remain and would mourn the loss of the school, but equally she recognises that modern-day requirements mean that if there are not enough pupils, then the bell may have to ring for the very last time.

She said: "Small schools don't really work anymore because if one member of staff is off, that is 50 per cent of the staff.

Penny Bridge School is not that far away so it wouldn't affect pupils too much.

But I suppose it would be a shame for the school to close as it has got such a history."

Head teacher at Lowick School for 17 years, Shirley Rainbow, knows from her own experience that various patterns emerge at village schools.

She said: "Numbers in rural schools do fluctuate widely in a short space of time.

In my time here it has been up to 55 and down to the current number of 17, but I believe that in a few years time the numbers will rise again.

"I know myself of three generations of families who have been to the school and when the youngest of them start having children they will want the school to be here for them."