Haydock High School in St. Helens, UK, had a skeleton for about 50 years. It was first used in the science lab, and later went to the art department. When the skeleton was replaced by a new plastic model, it was put in storage. Only this year, when the skeleton called Arthur was rediscovered in a school cupboard, did the school find out that Arthur was made of real human bones! Specifically, it had belonged to a small malnourished Asian man with curvature of the spine, believed to have been between 25 and 30 years old at his death decades ago. The school consulted with authorities and found that it could not be disposed of without a proper burial. So the school held a funeral.
Mrs Dixon said: “We learnt a lot from the skeleton, drawing his anatomy, then when I found him looking a state, we needed to do something about him.
“The children are just elated to have the service because he has been part of us for so long.
“It gives him the send off he deserves for all his years of service.”
Haydock Funeral Services donated the coffin, provided the hearse, and directed the service. Arthur was buried at Greenacre Woodland Burials. There’s a video of the funeral service at the Liverpool Echo. -via Arbroath