THE unexpected power of poetry has proved itself in an international way.

A tribute in verse to the old St Helens Higher Grade School, of fond memory to countless followers of this column, attracted response from a former pupil now living in Canada.

The poem, supplied by the local Good Companions writers group, appeared on this page recently and was picked up by the old boy while he was surfing the Internet at his Ontario home, looking for any news from his St Helens hometown.

Now, Eric Guest, secretary of the Good Companions, writes with enthusiasm of their unexpected communication from the ex-pupil who provides just his Christian name of Steve.

"He has made us aware that he is in contact, by computer, with several Higher Graders who now live in Canada," says Eric. "We have sent him a copy of our anthology for him to circulate in Canada to former St Helens residents and ex-Higher Graders in particular."

He adds: "Many thanks for your great assistance in bringing together former pupils of a once very proud school."

That seat of learning, of course, was demolished to make way for accommodation extensions to the St Helens YMCA buildings.

The poem in question (which I'm flattered to hear has been re-titled 'School of a Million Memories', which was my earlier headline on the subject) will be published in the group's Millennium issue, 'Your St Helens Travelling Companion.'

This is to be launched in November with proceeds going to the Willowbrook Hospice.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.