Category Archives: education

Corporal Punishment at Sir Philip Magnus School, 1950s

Posted on May 1, 2019 by odeboyz

Unfortunately, all schools throughout my childhood indulged in barbaric acts of sadistic punishment attempting to intimidate.  I’ve been subjected to some of these acts and I’ve witnessed all of them. At various times as a young boy, I was accused … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, education, School | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Books! Do you remember them?

Posted on April 8, 2019 by odeboyz
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I don’t want to go to school

Posted on April 1, 2019 by odeboyz

“I don’t want to go to school today mum.” “Well you’ve got to. And that’s that.” “The boys hate me and the teachers hate me. And I don’t want to go.” “Well you have to. And that’s that.” “But why?” … Continue reading →

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American teachers learn how to shoot in a school situation

Posted on March 7, 2019 by odeboyz

We continue training for three more days, eight to twelve hours a day. We will be taking the Ohio Peace Officer Training Assessment at the end of the course. It is the same test required for Ohio police officers, but … Continue reading →

Posted in education, Politics, School | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Laptops, exercise books and textbooks

Posted on February 28, 2019 by odeboyz

Exercise books and textbooks are obsolete. Both are quaint relics in an era of search engines such as Google. Teachers and schools may well feel that ditching exercise books and textbook is too revolutionary. There’s also the possibility that entrenched … Continue reading →

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A Chinese epigram about religion

Posted on February 14, 2019 by odeboyz

‘Man is born, ages and dies, the gods in heaven don’t care.’ Küng, Dinah Lee. A Visit From Voltaire (Kindle Locations 5601-5602). Eyes and Ears. Kindle Edition. Chris

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Book Review: Chris Gayle with Tom Fordyce ~ Six Machine: I don’t like cricket…I love it

Posted on February 11, 2019 by odeboyz

Gayle’s book is the antidote to the constipated, self-aware, PR fuelled, seriously ghosted British autobiographic sports books I’m used to. It’s vibrant, insightful and magnificent. Chris is a superstar and loves it. As the best batsman in the world he … Continue reading →

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Country Dancing: Thornhill Road School

Posted on February 6, 2019 by odeboyz

In 1949 I started my school life at Thornhill Road Infant School. The Second World War had ended four years earlier and rationing was still firmly in place. Although my family, (two older brothers,  Mum and Dad), were poor, we … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, education, School | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Why posh boys and girls run the Arts

Posted on December 13, 2018 by odeboyz

Not long ago, my wife, a composer, asked me if I would ever advise a student from a low-income family to pursue a career in the arts. “What do you mean? Of course.” “Really?” “If that’s what they wanted to … Continue reading →

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A plumbing lesson at Sir Philip Magnus School in 1960

Posted on October 10, 2018 by odeboyz

I attended this school from the age of eleven until sixteen (1955–1960). It was a very good school with its students split into two streams: a) for academics and b) for building trades). I was in the ‘b’ stream. My … Continue reading →

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