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Part 204: 15th January 1967 3pm

Started at H.G.S. Difficult to make a fair appraisal of the school, too much influenced by externals perhaps: the cramped staffroom compared with the spacious staffroom of F.B., the rather drab hall compared with F.B.’s impressive hall. In any case, the main thing is – I think – that I shall be able to teach here without dreading any lesson, and that I shall never need to pronounce – let alone…

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Part 203: 31st December 1966 10.15pm

The sore thumb persists..I don’t know whether I’m kidding myself if I stay my general malaise is due to this. The fact is, I don’t play with, keep the kids as I feel I ought to. Maxie always wants me to have a fight with him, but I usually put him off.Philip, bless him, is always asking questions, and usually he himself says: “Questions, Daddy”, and it’s a job to think of new questions for…

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Part 202: 22nd December 1966 8.55pm

Second day of holidays. Went to Hasmonean to look round, at Stanton’s suggestion (I had also seen him at his home previously, one evening, at his request). However,before returning to the Hasmonean, may as well record my last moments at Friern Barnet School (as I believe it now officially is named – not Friern Barnet County School – in somedope sent out by “The office”). I survived,and was…

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Part 201: 19th November 1966 6.55pm

Have been seconded to Hasmonean Grammar School. Zemla (or Birch) [local education authority officers responsible for Friern Barnet County School] apparently heard of the vacancy, told Stanton, Hasmonean head, my story [presumably disciplinary problems at Friern Barnet], who nevertheless was not put off. The vacancy, Grieves [Headmaster at Friern Barnet] said, was to have been advertised in the…

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Part 200: 10th October 1966 9.30pm

Naught for my comfort. In spite of the fact that it seemed as if the worst at school was over – this year I had five free periods (of which one, I devote to giving Linda Parker a private lesson), two periods as good as free (supervising the sixth – 2 or 3 girls), another “good as free” (sitting in on TV drama with 50-60 kids), very easy first year classes – I have landed myself well and truly in…

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Part 199: Saturday 28th August 1966 approx 9.15pm

I have to give the time approx. asI am writing this in our bedroom, the alarm clock of which is kaput. I kaputted it the other daywhen I got upout of bed to stop the alarm ringing,and knocked it off the chest of drawers on the landing. The trivia that consume so much time – a new alarm clock to be bought and/or the old one repaired; the tape recorder is not recording, though it is playing back;…

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Part 198: Thursday 18th August 1966 10.40pm

And so,once more,the best -or worst -of another Long Vac is over. E & I are at daggers drawn. My fault? The casus belli occurred last Friday. We had all done a tripto Brighton the previous day. Admittedly I had led E. a cracking pace. We had ended up in the Regency Pavilion – magnificent…. On the Friday there was a load of washing,and, arising from my not having stayed in…thereby possibly not…

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Part 197: Monday 3rd August 66 2105

E. has gone off to a woman’s meeting, I have just succeeded in getting the kids up to their rooms. Susannah is in bed, babbling on her way to sleep; the boys are up and about in their bedroom,but I think we are nearly there – at ay rate, they accept that this is the final “bed”. The normal procedure is for them to go up, and then come down again to watch TV. They make a delightful picture, the…

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Part 196: Monday 1st August 1966 9.15pm

Have been to Versailles and back. Successful in so far as we were met at St Lazare, accommodation had been reserved for us (good multiple rooms; I, eventually, in room to myself – No. 13. I hesitated momentarily before accepting it. The alternative would have been to share with Ron Allen. Mum had seemed very seedy before I left -she still is – but manages to dish up a supper for Sam and Lily and…

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Part 195: Sunday 23rd July, 1966 9.35pm

(Monday 1/8/66 – On Saturday 23/7/66 I was in Versailles. I think the date should read 17/6/66. This kind of error is all too typical, I find, these days). Susannah quiet, after asking for her “Hebrew lesson”. The boys falling off. E. at laundrette – impossible otherwise to record entry. E. has TV on till bitter end and then reads till 1am or later. She is up before me the next day and never…

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Part 194: Thursday 12th June, 1966 9.45pm

Caned, cupped nobody to-day – kicked viciously, though not altogether successfully, kid with outstretched legs. Nebbich, why shouldn’t they stretch their legs. In the ideal class for the lazy teacher (me) kids would stretch out legs and I would sit at desk also with legs outstretched. In point of fact, I went around the thirty-plus kids of 3B trying to mark, but it’s obviously impossible. Also,…

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Part 193: Sunday 12th June, 1966 9.30pm

Not too good. Cupped a kid on the head in a French lesson last Monday – he had got up from his desk and was talking to a neighbour while I was talking to the class. Nothing particularly heinous, this kind of behaviour is routine, but my response sparked off a visit from the kid’s mum the next morning. Came to my French lesson and gave me the full treatment – she would hit me across the head if I…

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Part 192: Sunday 5th June, 1966 1.50pm

Stye now clear and feeling my usual state of more-or-less-fit. Lack the discipline to be tinglingly fit. Almost certain will dispense with holiday again this year. E. wants divan for Susannah, I want bike for Philip, piano; Marley doors to be got, picture frames. E did a first-rate job cutting up old carpet and laying it in nursery and on landing. Feel guilty at not giving assistance, but,…

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Part 191: Tuesday 31st May, 6.5pm

T.E.S. published my letter, a short one in which I came out with the give me the liberty to know, to think and to utter crack [John Milton] - which began, I said, in the primary school, though I suppose Conway could say it’s nonsense to expect primary school to be able to “know”. Stye on left eye, and feeling generally slack. Didn’t get up till after nine. P. & M. have been out at a neighbour’s…

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Part 190: Monday 23rd May 66, 6.45pm

Weather fine, everybody well, but feeling low - perhaps because of too strenuous day yesterday? Went to the Kents in Pinner. Left here 2pm, reached there by public transport by 3.45pm. The understanding had been he would give us a lift home, but in the event he had a shiva to go to, and took us to Hendon central, from where we made our own way home. The kids enjoyed themselves, P &M playing with…

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Part 189: Saturday night, 10pm 14th May 66

Can hardly realise have been back to school in the old train-train – and living only to finish the next 9½ working days, when there will be a week’s mid-term break. Have concocted a mish-mash for the “Jewish Humour” thing. Mum did have Royte Pomerantzen  [YIDDISH HUMOUR Royte Pomerantsen, or How to Laugh in Yiddish ed. I Olsvanger, review published in J.C. 11/03/1966], although she had insisted…

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Part 188: Friday, 22nd April 1966, 6.30pm

Somewhat despondent. Day after birthday. Least said, better. Went last night to see “Beyond the Fringe” at Mayfair Theatre. Small, comfortable theatre, good sophisticated entertainment. Four young men holding stage in series of brilliant sketches. Have been asked by William Frankel, editor of Jewish Chronicle, to write article on Jewish humour as reflecting social and religious attitudes for…