A WEEKEND to Remember takes place this bank holiday as Chapel le Dale recalls the days when its village school flourished between 1862 and 1973.

Those were the days when children would walk miles across the moorland to get to school and many were often reported lost in the mist on their way to lessons or would turn up sodden and reliant on the teacher for dry socks and clothes. It was also a time when schools were dominated by male teachers and efforts to introduce female staff were strongly resisted.

Local historian Gerald Tyler writes in his book A School Bell Rings in the Dale, to be launched at the exhibition, of the efforts by governors to retain the male sanctity of Chapel le Dale school.

In the early 1900s the West Riding Education Authority was keen to appoint female teachers and there was a battle between the education authority and the governors of Chapel le Dale School.

A local vote was taken which opted for all male staff, but the governors had to cave in and a Miss Heaps was appointed. However the governors decide not to make life easy for her. She was refused access to the school house and was sent to stay with a family suffering from chicken pox. Miss Heaps spent just three months at the school.

The organisers hope more reminiscences of schooldays will come out at the exhibition, which is expected to be attended by past pupils and residents. Held at St Leonard's Church the exhibition opens at 10.30am tomorrow (Saturday) and features original school record books, photographs collected by former pupils and stalls. Also on Saturday a nature walk will be led by Dr Peter Welch of English Nature at 2.30pm.

On Sunday the Rt Rev Ian Harland, the former bishop of Carlisle, will take an open air service in the churchyard at 3pm. Settle Brass Band will be attending and a plaque in memory of those who died during the building of the Settle to Carlisle line will be unveiled.

The weekend ends at 7pm on Monday with a nostalgic supper at the Old School House for past scholars, family and friends of the school by ticket only.

Please ring 015242 41938/4158 for more information.