Friday, May 6, 2011

Henry Cooper - R.I.P.

In 1972, when I was teaching in the London Borough of Brent, our school, a "sink school" (though I was very happy there) in Harlesden, invited Henry Cooper to open its fundraising Spring Fair.

He came, opened it, and stayed for the whole event, spending his own money, talking to the kids, and signing autographs.

Quiet, modest, a Papal Knight, and ever the gentleman.

2 comments:

Dymphna said...

What's a sink school? Is it like what we call a safety school here in America? Safety schools are the decent enough school that rich people send their kids to when they don't have the grades to go to the school they really wanted.

Left-footer said...

In the UK, a sink school is a state school in an area of poverty and high crime. No one wants to live there, or send their children to such a school, or teach in it.

I remember it well. The kids were a great bunch. I left because I needed promotion.