COMMENTING on your article about Goddard Park School’s head teacher and his advice that pupils should have a good breakfast before coming to school reminds me of an incident that happened in my first year of teaching.
In September 1966 I was appointed assistant science master at St David’s Church of England Boys Secondary School in Hornsey, North London. One morning during a free period when I was marking in the staffroom, I noticed a fried bacon-like smell coming down the corridor. Curiosity got the better of me and I followed the trail of fried bacon. It was coming from the Music Room. I couldn’t help peering in. What I saw was the music teacher (who was a distinguished pianist often playing on BBC music programmes) in front of a primus stove on which he had a frying pan containing fried egg and bacon. Around the stove were about 20 boys not having a music lesson but a lesson on how to cook their own breakfast; the reason being that the music teacher had noticed several boys either chewing gum or sneaking a snack into their mouths during his lesson!
I never found out the results of this rather unusual music lesson, but I certainly witnessed it.
KEN MUMFORD
Coleview
Swindon
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 The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.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