IN 1964 students at Com-monweal School had a pretty low opinion of Swindon.
And if people they talked to for a survey on the town's redevelopment were typical, so did the majority of those who lived here.
A report on the survey's findings were published in a Commonweal School Magazine which came to light as the former grammar school cele-brated its 75th anniversary at the weekend.
The magazine was hoarded by Janet Boyce of Priors Hill, Wroughton, who was a pupil there at the time. She is now married to prominent Swindon artist Ken White and lives near the school in The Mall.
"It would be interesting to know what the students might think of Swindon now," said Ken.
The report claimed that 99 per cent of the people questioned during the survey regarded the town as dull, ugly, badly planned and without attractive design.
Its compiler described the Town Hall as a redbrick monstrosity which gave the area a decadent atmo-sphere.
Regent Circus, which then had traffic flowing around it, was referred to as a nightmare for pedes-trians at any time and unbearable on Saturdays. And the roads leading off it were "dark and dreary".
Having obviously talked to local government officers, the students topped their complaints with a list of amenities the town needed and predictions about the shape of future redevelopment.
Some were spot on. The town centre shopping area, they said, would be closed to traffic and paved over.
Narrow Princes Street would be widened and turned into a dual carriageway with pedestrian sub-ways.
But others were wide of the mark. For instance they thought that by 1984 the Victorian Town Hall would be torn down and replaced by a new one just below the Post Office in Princes Street.
"It will be an attractively designed modern building and something the town can be proud of.
"Underneath local government offices contained in the building there will be a theatre, something Swindon has needed for a long time. Here travelling professional com-panies can present plays and concerts in adequate surround-ings."
In fact it was the Post Office which was demolished. They also predicted that by 1984 the Central Library "erected as a temporary building in 1947!" would have been replaced by a new multi-storey building big enough to house ancillary societies such as the Film Club and the Poetry Reading Circle as well as books.
"And here we are in 2002, and still waiting," said Ken White.
The survey found that a theatre and a good restaurant were high on citizens' dream list of desirable amenities.
Apparently nobody told the team about plans to build the Wyvern Theatre. It opened in 1971.
The report, which recognised that Swindon already had traffic problems, also forecast that 20 years later the town would be circled by four dual carriageways with the Railway Museum which was then in Faringdon Road isolated on an island.
But for the brains of Common-weal which was then a grammar school and is now an 11 to 16 senior school a university of Swindon was the biggest pipe dream.
The report said they had reasonable hopes of getting one.
"The civic officials whom we interviewed were not saying much on the subject, but application has been made to the University Grants Committee and the council is now awaiting the decision.
"The site has not been finally decided . . . although Coate Water area and Lydiard Tregoze have been suggested as possible locations."
The University of Bath now has a Swindon campus at the former Oakfield School.
The unsigned report, which was illustrated by caricatures, was a perceptive look at Swindon through the eyes of teenage pupils who were living in the swinging sixties.
"I was in the fifth year when the survey was done, but I hadn't formulated any opinions about Swindon or what it might be like in the future," said Janet White who is now a teacher.
"But reading the comments about the library made me think of what is still wrong with the town. Architecturally it's a mess."
If anyone remembers who the compiler was, call the Evening Advertiser newsdesk on 01793 528144.
The survey team are now in their fifties.
If any of them still live in Swindon what do they think of the way the town has developed 38 years on?
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article