Random reminder

Press, 11 July 1983, Page 32

Random reminder

STORM BREWING

Sitting in the corner of the staff room, its oldest inhabitant viewed the renovations which a benevolent education board had bestowed upon its deserving employees during the vacation. The fulllength windows, the gay wallpaper, the formica bar which would rarely carry anything stronger than instant coffee, all were thoroughly modem, bright and hygienic. He found himself randomly reminded of his first staffroom in a school on the other side of the world, built during the reign of an earlier queen, where the windows began at eye level lest pupil or teacher should waste time gazing out on the rich vista of brick walls and slate roofs. The comforts of life were catered for by a gas ring, a heavy, rather cracked and warped oak table and two easy chairs. These latter were the domain of certain senior members of staff, and lesser men even in the absence of their elders would rarely use more than an arm on which to Zest a somewhat tentative bottom The room was Quite large and one

comer was screened off to form a cubicle with a miniscule sink alongside the more fundamental necessity. Into this area would crowd the two diminutive volunteers responsible for preparing and washing up from the the morning teas. It is a constant source of amazement to even the most time tested teachers how this menial position has been filled since time immemorial by eager volunteers who will devise every conceivable ruse to avoid exactly the same task at home. He thought again of his first “playtime” in that room with the staff all standing around the great table with its inelegant array of assorted steaming cups. But something was missing. What could it be? The question mark was on everyone’s face. A small hand reached up an tugged at the headmaster’s sleeve. A small but crystal clear voice reached every ear round the table. “Please Sir . . . Wg dropped the spoon down the ... er ... lav . . . and we couldn’t get it up ... this time.”