I’m early but the staffroom is already blue with smoke and full of strangers who know each other. A row of hard back chairs beneath the window and a long table cluttered with books and papers and ashtrays. This is the old staffroom next door to the head’s office before renovations moved the room up a floor and tripled the space. To be as unobtrusive as possible and trying not to draw attention to myself I sit in the first empty chair. It’s one of the few upholstered chairs – wooden arms, plain, sage-green cloth going shiny where most worn. Institutional, not uncomfortable and just inside the door.
The first day, my first real teaching position. Dick Sheppard School, Tulse Hill, London.
“That’s Miss Bass’s chair,” I am told. Not unfriendly, just factual, informative. I shoot myself up and take a seat by the window and busy myself head down with studying my timetable, too nervous to cross the room for a cup of tea.
The legendary Miss Bass, maths teacher, maker of the school timetable (no maths classes last period on Friday.)
Doris Bass – well-cut, tweed suits in shades of brown. A small square-faced gold watch and above it a white cotton hanky tucked in the sleeve. A hand-bag lodged under her arm stuffed with life’s essentials. I don’t think she drove or owned a car but was instead delivered to school by a driver who would pick her up at the end of the day. And always, it seemed, a fag on the go. And always included trips to the toilet and teaching.
As a teacher she was apparently demanding, commanding, fearsome and creative. And memorable. Many thanks to former Dick Sheppard students Delroy Headman and Jenny Gordon who started, and maintain, an active Dick Sheppard School Facebook page where many former students have shared their memories.
One of the few good things about Facebook is that it provides a platform for people to gather, connect and reminisce and tell stories. Miss Bass – who was at the school from its opening in 1955 until her retirement in 1974 – is one of the teachers whose name triggers the memory of those she taught. There are anecdotes describing her idiosyncrasies, the perpetual cloud of smoke, the trips abroad she chaperoned, “Girls, girls! Single file. Keep to the left!”
One of those Facebook comments mentions a brother. Doris Bass actually had two brothers. Her father Walter Edward Bass was a soldier with the Royal West Kent regiment who retired in 1908 after 21 years service that included two in South Africa where he earned several Boer War medals.
He left the army as Colour Sergeant and timekeeper – a job that I am guessing meant calculating the pay roll. He re-enlisted as a private when WW1 began. By 1939 he was a chartered accountant. His first wife died soon after the birth of her only child – Walter Edward Edgar Bass – in 1895. The father married again in 1903. Doris was born in 1905 and her brother Herbert Raymond in 1909.
On the 3rd of August 1914 Walter Edward Edgar Bass enlisted in the army and joined the Royal Garrison Artillery. Bombardier Bass MM died in April 1917 from wounds sustained at Vimy Ridge. He was 22 years old.
The story was that teachers did not wear academic gowns even on speech and prize-giving day out of respect for Miss Bass who had no degree.
Degree or not, she was needle-sharp and could be relied upon to sum up a situation or an argument with wit and insight. And when it came to mathematics – well she had written the books – 35 of them.
Her first maths textbook with W.R Gatehouse in 1953 was Arithmetic for Primary Schools This suggest to me that she was first a primary school teacher who perhaps was hired into secondary school – where an academic degree was the norm – because of the recognition earned by that series and by her teaching and scholarly reputation. Pure speculation on my part as I have been unable to track her career trajectory.
The Doris Bass series “Mathematics” designed for secondary school was well reviewed and went into several editions. Reviewers wrote of “progressive approaches” “lively prose” and “enhanced material” and called them visually appealing. She had a series that focussed on preparation for the “O level” exam.
The later “Action Mathematics” series written with her Dick Sheppard colleague Ann Farnham ran to 16 editions between 1971 and 1988. The books were well named as I think of Miss Bass as a proponent of intellectual activity and doing real stuff with math. And, as I recall, the books called for visualization and investigation rather than skill, drill and kill routines.
I have no idea whether this photo of using dance as a means to teach binary operations is one of her classes but it would be her style. And just look at that London parkland setting!
She suffered no fools. Spoke her mind – usually with a cigarette glued to her lip. She seemed fearless and had no problem speaking her truth to power.
“I told Jessie.” Cigarette – wagging up and down with the words, ash drifting down onto her jacket, pronouncing from her chair, letting us know that she has shared some trenchant staff opinion or piece of information with the headmistress. That’s Miss Edwards to the rest of us not in the hierarchy. Miss Edwards whose office was next door and who would knock before making a rare visit to the staffroom. She was one of those admirable and enviable old-timers who could quell a restless assembly hall of hundreds of girls with a look and whose very presence conveyed dignity and a stern calm. To me she was impossibly proper but she certainly earned my respect. Miss J.E.M. Edwards who was honored by the Queen in the New Years List for 1975 for her services to education.
Miss Jessie Elizabeth Mary EDWARDS, lately Headmistress, Dick Sheppard School, Tulse Hill, London To be Ordinary Commander of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. (CBE)
Saving Face
It was Miss Edwards who taught me a very important lesson about teaching: Saving face is really important.
A short passage followed by a series of questions that tested various levels of understanding all of which had to be answered in writing and in complete sentences. And then to be handed in and marked by me. In other words – a deadly time-consuming exercise in futility.
It didn’t help that we were in one of the classrooms with large windows that faced onto the road where the distractions were many.
The 2B bus trundled up the hill with gear grinding regularity and it was always somehow an urgent matter to know who was standing at the bus stop and who was getting off. There was a local character known to the girls as “Mad Peggy” who would sometimes make a knicker-flashing appearance. And toward the end of the day, boys from the school up the road would start to gather – always a matter requiring careful scrutiny and extended discussion.
Let’s just say that on this afternoon the class had had enough. Girls were out of their seats and it was noisy. Things got pretty wild at times.
The door opens and there is Miss Edwards. She has clearly heard the racket or perhaps was summoned by a colleague to come and help a hapless teacher whose class was out of control.
She stood in the doorway. The girls stopped in mid-yelling, froze in place then scurried back to their desks, instantly chastened.
“Ah! Miss Holford,” she said. “I’m so sorry to interrupt. I see you have a drama class.” And she left.
She knew. I knew. And the class knew. And somehow we were complicit together but nobody was in trouble or publicly made to feel bad. They were a little ashamed by having gone too far and could see that I could be in trouble if they continued their antics. And now, somehow, we were in alliance and had the opportunity for a fresh start. It was a breakthrough moment. Soon afterwards I remember having one of those thrilling all too rare times in teaching when you just know that the connection has been made and that something truly important had happened. Times when you think: “I can do this. This has meaning. This is the best job in the world.”
Back to Miss Bass
Doris Bass was always Miss Bass to me and her habit of calling the rest of her colleagues by the surname only was not taken as dismissive or rude. It was just her way. In fact when she addressed me as “Holford” I was pleased that she knew my name.
Miss Bass was past retirement age when I arrived at Dick Sheppard in 1970. The actual year of her retirement 1973-74 was the year of the fuel crisis and the winter of planned blackouts, three-day week and electricity cuts.
I don’t remember being too bothered by the need to buy candles and somehow the lack of electric light and heat was not too onerous. I was young. It was all another adventure in being grown-up. You knew when the blackouts were happening and planned accordingly.
I remember my friend Najma Iqbal – who also taught maths – commenting that it was just awful and not right that Miss Bass had to sit by her gas oven to keep warm at night. She was right of course. But then the people of that generation had lived through much worse. In 1939, Doris Bass – who grew up in East Dulwich – was with South London evacuee children in Yeovil, Somerset.
Now and Then
What started me down this train of thought was a recent visit to a school in New York City where I had the chance to see a quick glimpse of a number of rather impressive math classes. What made them impressive was the level of focus and active engagement. In each room you could hear student voices as they worked in pairs or explained a topic to the class. Students were doing different thing in different ways and gave every appearance of enjoying what they were doing. My favorite was the room where everyone was so deep at work (in a variety of modes) that it seemed they didn’t even notice they had visitors.
Attention Must be Paid
To use the words of Arthur Miller who in Death of a Salesman had one of his characters say: Attention, attention must be paid to such a person. Teachers like Doris Bass and Jessie Edwards made a difference. Dick Sheppard school had many such admirable people and I am grateful to have worked with them.
As they were ending their careers I was beginning mine. I am so lucky we overlapped for a few years at least.
If you have memories of Miss Bass or if you can add to (or correct) this account please use the comment section below.
And now for a few memory tweaking photographs:
Hallo,
My name was Ruth Waterton, now Harris. I want to add a comment about the music in the school, ( I was also taught Math by Miss Bass, and given the job of finding tunes for the formula!) . But I want to mention Miss Thatcher, the former music teacher when the school opened. Eventually we had 3 orchestras. Many choirs, and madrigal groups, and certainly inspired me to follow a musical career, along with many others. I played the first double bass in the orchestra along with Barbara ? Obviously many of these comments involved Maths, but the music was something else. Mr Fremantle took over from Miss Thatcher, plus other music teachers. We sang in St Martins in the Fields each Christmas. So many memories!
Hi Ruth – It was great to see your comment and to read your memories of the early days of Dick Sheppard. there was a reason why it was dubbed “London’s Wonder School”. It was good too to hear of how Doris Bass used the arts to teach maths. She used dance to teach binary operations as in the photo and now you remind us of how she had students setting formulas to music. All this in the 1950s.
I overlapped with Ken Freemantle and the school still went to St Martin’s in the Fields and sang and presented choral reading. I remember one year going to a nearby pub – The Clarence – afterward with Ann Hendrie and she ordered a Dubonnet.
Would love to hear any other memories you have of the time. And thank-you.
Really interesting. Almost made me wish I’d gone to that school!
Gwen.
When it opened in 1956 it was called “London’s wonder school”.
I was at the school from 1963-1970 in Yonge house. I was house captain in my final year, swam for the school and was always in the choirs.
Miss Gardner (Mrs Mason) was house mistress and we kept in touch after I left. She also visited me and my family in Australia where I now live. I was taught by Doris Bass and always remember she smoked in class!
I have many happy memories of my time at Dick Sheppard and keep in touch with several other former students.
I was at Dick Sheppard from 1960-1966 but did not start right at the beginning of the school year. I had an interview with Mrs. Solon during the Spring term and she was so kind to me. I had some confusion with the school enrolment (a whole other story) and had some problems at home and Mrs Solon provided me with a uniform and blazer and kept in close contact to make sure I settled in ok. I was taught by Miss Bass and was in Miss Topping’s form – Bronte. Even after I left school Mrs Solon kept in touch and she had left by then. The respect we had for her – and Miss Bass and Miss Edwards was amazing.
Miss Edwards did live in Streatham – at the top of the Common and one day years later I met up with her in Pratts. I approached her and introduced myself to her and she was a little sharp saying she only remembered my name as I was in trouble a lot. Actually she was remembering my sister – who was in trouble a lot.
I remember going on a School Cruise in (I think) 1963 or 1964 – we went to Russia. Such a forward thinking school with lots of opportunities. I remember Mrs. Dearden, Mrs Gill (PE) I used to babysit for her, Mrs Gibson (Commerce), Mr. Freemantle and Mrs Frairy and many others – Miss Goldsworthy was my Domestic Science teacher and Miss Fletcher Science.
I remember the school with so much affection. I recently moved back into the area and often walk past where it once stood. Such a shame that it became so run down and then demolished. I remember fundraising for the swimming pool and having my name written on one of the tiles. I never went into it – too cold.
We were a hardy lot in those days – the great freeze in 1963 – the school never closed and we all went in every day – it did not do s any harm. Now schools close for all kinds of reason.
And one last thing was the dinner area. If we had a lesson in the canteen corridor we finished a few minutes early to turn the tables around. I loved school dinners. And the school also started a breakfast serving too. Very forward thinking.
What a great school – with great teachers. Sorry to ramble but remember so much.
I loved reading all the comments reminiscing of the brilliant Dick Sheppard Comprehensive. I loved my time there (1959/64). I remember Miss Bass but was never taught by her. I was in yellow and my final year was in Miss Gross form. I was Miss Edward’s prefect and remember how encouraging she was. She gave me a Pitman’s typewriting book as I won a typewriting cup during the year I was her prefect. My English teacher was Mrs Keeler. She was the best teacher of English I ever had. Mr Fremantle tried to teach me to play the trumpet but I just couldn’t get the hang of it, Mr Mossman organised an art trip to Florence that I went on and will never forget. The leaver’s assembly lives with me when we all sang Jerusalem for the last time. Mrs Solan was a great head who commanded such respect. I remember we all stood still to let her pass. All girls had to wear their hats or face a detention. Sounds so regimented but I loved it, Such a great school.
Thank you, Janet. Thank you for your memories of a remarkable time and a remarkable school. The LCC created some exceptional inclusive schools and Dick Sheppard was one of them. (“London’s wonder school” as it was dubbed in the press.) My time there was after yours and times were different. But some of those “old-timers” – Miss Bass and Miss Edwards among them – were still there and still commanding the respect they had earned. I wish I knew more about who they were.
Would love to hear any additional memories you have of that time.
Brenda Wormald was my former wife who attended Dick Sheppard from the time it opened until 1959. During her 5th year her mother died and the lovely Miss Bass and Miss Francis between them supported her through the sixth form and beyond which I remember well as I was Brenda’s boyfriend at the time. They re-arranged lessons so that she could continue to with her A levels, working around her domestic duties in looking after her father and two younger siblings. She ended up becoming a specialist Maths teacher working like Miss Bass well beyond retirement age. Alas she died of Altzheimer’s only a couple of weeks ago without being able to contribute to this wonderful lady. I have a class photograph of her first year in the school but am not in touch with any of her class mates but would be happy to share my details with anyone who knew her. Thank you.
I was in Miss Bells form class (Jackie Grant). I’d like to apologise for my rude behaviour to her and to anyone else during my time at Dick Shepard. Home life wasn’t good, I didn’t enjoy my time in school, which I look back on now and find it was such a waste and sad that I didn’t. My experience then was for my life lessons, given to me to learn how to love and how to be kind. ❤️
Hi Jacqueline – Sorry to hear that you things at home were not so good back in the day. I think that was true for too many and made school just that much bit harder. Some found refuge in school and others just found it harder to cope without the full support of home. And school could be rough. I dare to say you were not as “rude’ as you think yourself to have been. And perhaps you deserved better (in terms of understanding, caring, and encouragement) than you were given. In any event – I do hope life after DSS has been better. And yes, learning how to love and be kind are the best lessons!
All the best to you and thanks so much for the comment.
Hello Jacqueline, what a lovely message post. I do remember you. My name was Sonya Ryan. I can relate to your comments. I too had struggled with a home life, and part in care with Foster Mother. My life on the whole has been very successful and happy, I have been very lucky in general and so lucky to be Financially secure. I am blessed! How fantastic that you have come to love and be kind. Me too! A life’s lesson as you say! I wish you all the very best Jacqueline. God Bess you. Sonya Ryan 😂🤗🙏 x
I’ve just been studying some of the nostalgic photos and note that the netball player (1972 photo) is of Denise Hunter. I remember the name well. Such a fine athlete.
Also, today I’ve discovered by Dick Sheppard ‘pure wool’ scarf. Came up a treat after a wash in Bold !
H Diana – Always good to hear from you. Any chance of a photo of that scarf? I am sure some folks on the Facebook group would enjoy seeing it.
Hello Josie, A big thank you to Midge Tomlin for the thoughtful message regarding Diane Bell. Yes, thinking back she did have connections with Bronte House. Well Remembered ! I have all my school reports plus a little autograph book from my final day at D.S. I’m going to check these out to see if any more names appear out the ether that I’ve forgotten
I can recall that Miss Bass had some type of illness around 1971/72 time as she was away from school for around six months.
.
Lucky you to still have that book and those school reports. As I remember writing them in the 1970’s they were remarkable unhelpful in giving any useful feedback to girls and their families. A couple of comments from my colleagues on girls in my tutor group really stand out in my memory. One was “L. could if she would but she won’t.” And the other was that Domestic Science report: “A.’s only interest in this subject is in what she can steal and eat.”
It was that wonderfully clever teacher Miss Bass who taught us how to remember formulas was by singing them.
Admit this is almost impossible with longer formulas.
Although I left 59 years ago, in 1961, “ the area of a circle….” ( sung to an Anne Shelton song) has never left me!
What a great anecdote! Thanks Vivien.
Sounds typical of Miss Bass! A math teacher who focussed on learning.
Hello Josie, Thank you for your swift reply. Just another comment from my keyboard, I can remember the alfresco swimming pool at D.S. And all the girls wore swimming caps for their lessons. Can you please remember a domestic science teacher by the name of Miss Diane Bell ? I have fond memories of her. My father’s work took us to Nottinghamshire. However, I did revisit the school in 74 and 75 and spoke with her.
Yes, me too, I’m full of admiration for Miss Edwards and her counterparts. I can see her face now and those really strong brown eyes. I think one day I’ll return to the area. Although the school is long gone, I’ll take a walk from where we lived in Brixton Hill and see if I can remember the route I took via the back streets to D.S. I
I remember the name Diane Bell. And I think she may have been the teacher who wrote the report of one in my tutor group: “A’s only interest in Domestic Science is in what she can steal and eat.”
It was not an ungenerous comment under the circumstances. It’s one I’ve often quoted over the years.
I don’t think I’ve been on Tulse Hill since the final farewell party in 1995. If you do go back, I expect you will find many changes yet some things still the same.
Perhaps some other readers of the blog will remember Diane Bell and add a memory.
Hi Diana – I received this response from Midge Tomlin:
“Hi Midge Tomlin here – PE department 1974 – 1980. Di Bell was in Blue house I believe & was deputy to Enid Kelly. I also remember her as being a lovely person! Trust you are well? Many memories reawakened.”
Yes, Josie I remember all those classic names from my time at D.S. Let’s add a few more to the mix, Miss. Surridge (needlework), Mrs. Stickland & Mrs Cornish (both music), Miss Tarbutt (P.E.) and Mrs. Gatland.
Let’s rock on with names of the Head Girls: Maria Albertini (68/69) Valerie Simpson (69/71) Hilgay Facey (71-72) Helen Clayphan (72-73) Beverley Dennis (73-74). Also, we must not forget that Miss Gardener married later in life & became Mrs. Mason. I believe she retired in 1974. Not too long after, Miss Edwards closed her brown briefcase for the final time and retired. She was succeeded by Mrs. Broadley.
Thanks for the names of the head girls. Most of those you mention I only knew by reputation. I did teach Beverley Dennis though and think of her often.
I see Miss Edwards’s retirement as the end of an era. She was a member of that group of remarkable women teachers who worked in and led the post-war London comprehensive schools. Dedicated, forward thinking and committed to social progress. And yes – the next generation saw them as old fashioned and out-dated.
I was very friendly with a Vivienne Clayphan, was at DS 1960-66. Unusual name but a big age gap to be sibling? Been looking for Lynn Fielder and Cheryl Jordan both in Rossetti with me.
Hi Ann – Have you done a search of the Facebook group? Or maybe trying to find people from those years who may be in touch with your friends.
Hello Miss Holford my English teacher do you remember the summer of 1976, girls I remember well and fondly are Sharon Cook, Jennifer Morrison, Indra Outram, ? I remember I think was Miss lamb who took us on a field trip, on return she became unwell, I became a Forensic MHC, and specialised in Children’s mental well being and and Eating disorder, I think the school was very forward thinking and like you stated very difficult times, Miss Edwards had a very unfortunate incident at the zebra crossing, am glad she recovered
Keep well
Nina Savva
Hi Nina! Those names are familiar and yes, – who could forget that summer? All those south-facing windows and the temperature up into the 90s (It was still Fahrenheit in those days) by mid-morning and school closed for the afternoon. Glorious!
Apparently, there were 18 consecutive days in July with temperatures at 30C or more in southern England that year. Don’t know how many early closings we had but I do remember afternoons naps instead of slogging through whatever it was I was attempting to teach. (Apologies kids.)
Geography teacher Jackie Morrison was also on that trip and yes, Miss Lamb was unwell. You all arrived back at school on a Saturday and I drove into school to take her home and stay with her overnight.
I don’t remember the incident at the zebra crossing although I remember Miss Edwards fondly as a formidable and admirable old-school head.
Sounds like you chose an important, useful, much-needed career. Good for you.
Thanks for writing. And thanks for the memories.
Hi I started.DS.in 1955 to 1962.I Was in Mrs keelers class.i too remember miss Bbass I remember when we had the monrow machines for maths .which were computer’s back in the day.she was a lovely teacher and those cigarettes. Another teacher I remember was Mrs Bowen we used to go to efra parade school some afternoons and some of us girls would stop at the bakers shop and buy cakes.
Thanks for additional details Paola. I think that as a math teacher Doris Bass was ahead of her time.
Well I’ve spent the last forty eight hours trying to re-call the name of Miss Edwards deputy and I believe it was Mrs. Keeler.
A few more ‘blasts from the past’ by way of names are: Mr. Lucas (Art), Mrs. Hendrie (English) Miss Oderfeld ( head of Gaskell House) Mrs. Dearden (Head of Bronte House) Mrs. Mottershead (head of Rossetti House) and Miss Gardner (head of Yonge House).
Mr. Prakash was my commerce teacher.
Eventually, Mrs. Oderfeld moved to King Alfred’s School, Catford.
You might also remember Miss McNaughton – head of Gaskell after Miss Oderfeld. Mrs Suchitz – history and Mrs Neale and Miss Hardiman – both English teachers. Also Miss Hopwood who became Mrs O’Flaherty, also English. She became head of Yonge after Mrs Moran. Miss Kelly – domestic science became head of Bronte after Mrs Dearden. Then Miss Bonner – needlework and Mr Freemantle, music.
Hi, my name is Millicent McCalla was Millicent Reid. I remember all the names mentioned so we must have been at school at the same time.
Hi Millicent – thanks for adding a comment. Do have any stand-out memories? (Good and bad) . Who were your friends? Do you have any stories about your time there? Any photos?
Great to hear from you – Josie
What a trip down Memory Lane. Mrs. Manuel was my form teacher and Mrs Gardener was the head of Young House. Also, I have fond memories of a cookery teacher by the name of Diane Bell, Mr. North, Maths, Miss Darnell and Mrs. Bond, both P.E. teachers. I departed Dick Sheppard in 1973 to continue my education in Nottinghamshire.
I believe Mrs. Moran was part of the senior management team. I lived in Brixton Hill and sometimes I spotted Miss Edwards walking to school. I believe she hailed from Streatham.
Hi Diana – When I first arrived at DSS Mrs Moran was head of Yonge House. I think she was appointed when Miss Gardner became an assistant head. I think Miss Edwards did live in Streatham although I don’t know that for sure. DSS was such a big school and we all have different slices of memory. Thanks for sharing yours.
Are you josie holford who moved to America many moons ago.
If so I remember you being my English teacher my name back then was Sharon Rice
Yes. That’s me Sharon. And I remember you. So good to hear from you. Didn’t you move to Lincoln at one time?
I remember Miss Bass – I had her for maths! I was in Miss Reece’s form (head of French) and Miss Edwards took over from Mrs Solon as Headmistress didn’t she?
Yes. Miss Edwards followed Mrs Solon as head – look at one of the other comments (from Judy Appleyard) for a memory about that.
Was it Miss Reece or Miss Rees? I remember her as a helpful and supportive colleague. Yellow House I think.
I remember Doris Bass, nobody ever played up in her class but don’t remember her ever raising her voice. I would sit watching the end of her cigarette to see how long the ash would get before it fell. She used to chat to me about football ( I was and still am a Chelsea supporter) I believe she followed Man Utd. I now wonder if that was a way of working out the points for the league table. I really can’t remember but I wouldn’t be surprised.
When Mrs Solan retired due to ill health Miss Edwards became head, we were all taken into the hall to practise a hastily rewritten “congratulations “ a cliff Richard song to sing as she entered the school part of it was “we want the world to know, that you’re headmistress now”. I was at DS from 66-71
Thanks for adding your memories Judy. Love that anecdote of the improvised Cliff Richard song.
And using league tables to teach numbers would be classic Doris Bass. A famous educator once said that “teaching is the canny art of intellectual temptation”. It’s a skill good teachers have always had – all of a sudden you know or can do something and are drawn in and engaged without being “taught’.
Don’t recall sending this picture of the school badge. Where did you download/get it from?
You posted it to the DS Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202208407241578&set=ms.c.eJwzNDAyMDIysDAxMDcyMTQ1twAAHhADZg~-~-.bps.&type=3&theater&ifg=1
And btw – your email address is dead and not a functioning address.
Does anyone remember Maureen Steward, she was there 1955, in house group 2R9
Kind Regards
Maureen Steward was before my time at DSS. You might want to try the Facebook page. There are a number of posters there from the 1950s.
It is always so emotional to visit down the memory lane remembering your school, teachers, and friends. And we all have one or two teachers who are always grumpy and the entire school is afraid of them. Though I come from a different country altogether I could not resist myself from writing this comment as this article gave me goosebumps and I almost visited my school days while reading it.
So true. And thank you for your comment Hapchap. And I’m wondering now how you would describe your school memories.
Thanks for sharing those memories Janet. I arrived at Dick Sheppard the year after you left and I too have fond memories of Doris Bass. A legendary teacher. I hope life has treated you well through the years since.
I was in Miss Bass’s class Form 4BB. I left summer 1969 I sat at the front of the class next to Vivenne Cane. Modern Maths by Doris Bass as I recall, was the title of the book we used. The class bought her a wooden table lamp for christmas/ or when she had been ill.
She was really kind to me when my dad passed away
I enjoyed this post. You make it interesting even for someone like me who has only vaguely heard of the school and doesn’t know the people involved. I started teaching around 1970 and I remember the ‘Encounters’ textbooks. Pardon the self-promotion, but I also run an education blog at https://research1english.wordpress.com/.
John Hodgson´s last blog post ..Flares of memory
John Watts of “Encounters” fame was actually a really interesting person – a colleague of Britton, Martin, Rosen et al at UCL Institute of Education; Language across the Curriculum and all kinds of good stuff. I think he intended his books to be an introduction to good reading. The work didn’t have to be drudgery and dronery! He was also a Bristol grad. This Guardian obit is interesting: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/oct/22/obituaries.mainsection
Thanks for the comments. Dick Sheppard was one of those 1950’s comprehensive brave new world schools. it was once dubbed London’s “wonder school”. Times change. In the early 1990’s it was the subject of a parliamentary debate about teachers and politics in the House of Lords. It had acquired a sort of notoriety for being a hotbed of activism. Lambeth Council – in its infinite wisdom – closed it in 1996 and sold the land to developers who tore it down to build luxury flats. I understand there’s a secondary school shortage in the borough now.
As a minor point of connection – Jimmy Britton attended the boys grammar school – “The Strand” – that was folded into Dick Sheppard when it was closed in the 1970’s.
Doris Bass was a member of an interesting generation of teachers who grew up and were trained before the war and then became the pioneers in London’s comprehensive schools. I was glad to have crossed paths with some of them.
I think of the remarkable work in English teaching that came out of some of those schools and the work of L.A.T.E.
OMG! Had totally forgotten mad Peggy! poor thing.