CHILDREN who were fortunate enough to have any schooling in the early 20th century wouldn’t believe their eyes if they were able to go into a classroom of a 21st century school – they would no doubt think they had landed on another planet.

With much of the town blighted by smoke and filth Rochdale certainly wasn’t an ideal place to grow up.

But even then, enlightened educationalists were working hard to improve things.

They discovered that sunlight and fresh air did wonders for ailing children.

And so the idea of open air schools first saw the light of day.

Rochdale’s first open air school was established at Greenbank House in 1920 – and in 1925 Brownhill Open Air School opened.

It was in an old house dating back to at least 1620 and over the years had many owners, each adding his or her own piece of individualism to what in time became a fine piece or property, with commanding views of Rochdale from its lofty position adjoining Cronkeyshaw Common and Falinge Park.

Rochdale Corporation, as it was then, acquired the estate in 1922 and built a three-room school house in a paddock, with the house itself being used for sleeping and dining.

The premises opened three years later and in 1927 two more school buildings were added.

Brownhill house has long since gone, but the small school is still there – and flourishing, one of four specialist schools in the borough of Rochdale catering for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

But when Observer reader Edith Hancock attended in the 1930s – she even took this wonderful historical photograph – it mainly catered for ‘sick’ children.

In a letter to Bygones, Mrs Masheder, as she later became, writes: "Both I and my sister Olive attended.

"We went to the school every morning and stayed all day and had our meals there (they were very good meals, including shepherd’s pie, boiled and mashed potatoes and plenty of cabbage) and also a third of a pint of milk. In the afternoons, before we all went home at 4pm, we had a cup of tea and a brown bread and butter sandwich covered with raspberry jam.

"The headteacher at the time was Miss M E Orrell and another teacher was called Miss Hammond.

"After lunch we were all given a grey woollen blanket to put on the floor and lie on to sleep for an hour.

"We did all the usual three Rs and quite a lot of needlework, embroidery, basketwork and knitting as well as gardening."

Now Mrs Masheder, who lives in Lancaster, is wondering if Observer readers can remember or identify anyone in the photograph, taken just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.

Mrs Masheder, who is now 80, says her sister once lived in Princess Street, Castleton – now called Milne Street.

She can be contacted by ringing the Observer office on 354321 ext 314.