Of course thats where that strange species - the teachers hung out! It was a place behind a closed door that you never got a look behind. Knowing lots of teachers now, I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe they were human after all.
Rather than just list them and their characteristics, below are their comments about me form my report book. If you have any particular stories about favourites or most hated teachers please email them to me and I'll try and include them.
"Works steadily....composition work needs more thought and careful planning" .....a very careful comment from that master of English and French grammar, Miss Wyles. She was very proper and must have hated the strange behaviour of classes in the fifth form who handed out song sheets for our final lesson with her, containing songs such as "89 today", I'm happy when I'm hiking" and "Good bye Wally". And the persistent arson of Steve Godfrey who used to sit next to me in french and set fire to my rucksack every time Miss Wyles head was turned! I seemed to have her forever for either English or French... "Christopher works with enthusiasm but must be much more careful with his arithmetic and with the setting out of his work"A quote from the extremely scary Miss Wood who taught me for maths in the first year. I think she was more scary to the blokes and maybe got less frightening as we got older but I always remember her making Bert stand on a chair in front of the class in his bare feet, for daring to come to school with odd socks on! |
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"Extremely good progress - exam result a very pleasing one"........Praise indeed from Alan Langton, RE teacher and jolly good chap all round. One of the nicest teachers at the school and one who I was lucky enough to have as my form teacher in the sixth form. He obviously recognised that my lack of hard work was not my fault at all....in the sixth form he said "He is a pleasant character but I sometimes feel he is too easily led by others - not always to his advantage". So it was your fault everyone else - you know who you are! John Greenwood just reminded me about Miss Fraser Smith who was his form teacher in the first year. I remember her being very nice and I think Mr Jackman the English teacher thought so as well as she later became Mrs Jackman? |
"He has an excellent exam technique which compensates to some extent for his lack of detailed knowledge of the texts"......at last a teacher that had me sussed - no work but good at exams. This was from TAF O'Toole my A level english teacher, and he was spot on - I still haven't completely read Jane Austen's Emma but managed to pass A level english despite that! I have modelled myself on him down to the over the collar length hair and the extremely sarcastic wit and sense of humour. When I saw him at the school reunion a few years ago he not only remembered my name from 25 years previously but remembered my A level grade and told me I should have done better! He did laugh when I told him English had been my favourite subject and that I still wanted to be a writer so I must have kept the fact well hidden when I was at school. I promised him that I'd contact him when I had my first novel published but sadly now that's not to be as he unexpectedly passed away in 2000. He was obviously well respected when he moved on from Carlton le Willows to North Kesteven School as he now has a theatre named after him. Have a look at their tribute to him here Fond memories (or painful memories) of TAF O'Toole from Tats - "I remember he went for me once and yanked my head back by my fringe for the following: There he is handing back "A" level course work and he says helpfully (or hopefully!) to Alison Clutterbuck (fine name!) "Right Alison, let me have a look at yours" to which I commented, eyebrows raised, "Oh,yeah!!" Suddenly "Whammm!" and TAF's giving me the old, "Don't push it baby."
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