RETIRED teacher Ena Lord has her own opinion as to why standards in education and society are slipping: Discipline - or the lack of it.

And Miss Lord should know as she taught thousands of children during nearly 40 years as a teacher, including 14 years at Bolton School Girls' Division.

She has seen many changes in school and everyday life over the last century.

Born on September 9, 1905, Miss Lord celebrated her 100th birthday with staff and fellow residents at Alexander Nursing Home in Rochdale Road, Bury. As well as a visit from the Mayor of Bury, Cllr Steve Treadgold, she also received a congratulatory telegram from the Queen.

"I have seen vast changes in education, some for the better and some for the worse," said the former Bury Grammar School teacher.

"Some changes I terribly regret. There is no discipline now.

"The parents don't discipline their children any more, or very few do. When I was teaching I was strict. When I spoke, the children would listen, and they knew who was in charge."

Miss Lord was born at Park View in Elton and attended St Stephen's Primary School.

Between 1916 and 1924, she was educated at Bury Grammar School for Girls.

Miss Lord then went to the Froebel Training College in Bedford and studied history for three years.

In 1927, she taught at Claremont School in Darlington and moved to Keighley Grammar School in 1930 to 1942. She moved to Bolton School for girls in 1942 where she worked for 14 years.

In 1956, Miss Lord returned to Bury Grammar School for Girls where she worked until her retirement in August 1967.

She lived in Ainsworth Road, Bury, until moving to the nursing home several years ago.

Her father, John Lord, who founded a flooring business in 1901 which is still in operation, was the Mayor of Bury in 1931. He died in 1956.