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Jovial teacher who spoke affectionately of pupils
• AS a reporter on the local newspaper I covered some of Jeffrey Gordon’s sociology class talks at Holloway Boys School.
The activist John Pilger and playwright David Edgar immediately spring to mind, as well as a lively session delivered by Joan Lestor, a former government minister.
I had been warned that the school had a bit of a reputation for being “rough” but I saw little evidence of it.
For a start, there was never any mucking about at the back of the class. Speakers were always politely heard out and the questions from the floor showed that the boys had been paying attention.
The talks took place at a time when Thatcherism was like a runaway train and the utterances of those on left assumed greater significance, hence the attendance of the press at the school.
But, for the sake of balance, I suppose, Tories also found themselves standing before a group of expectant 14-year-old schoolboys.
One of them was a baroness and junior Conservative Party minister (her name escapes me), who spent a long time justifying the sell-off of BT on the grounds that it was a monopoly. However, after being pressed on this point more than once, she was forced to concede that the privatised BT would also be a monopoly.
As for Jeffrey Gordon, he was clearly in his element as master of ceremonies. He seemed to have a good rapport with his class and was invariably relaxed and jovial.
Afterwards, he would always speak affectionately of his pupils. I can see now he was one of those lucky people in life who really loved their job.
A COBBINAH
Address supplied
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