Just a reminisce

[Shaun Hately]

I've been reading a couple of books that got me thinking recently.

*Part* of the reason why Harry Potter appealed to me when I first read it, was because I 
saw parallels with my own childhood. When I was 12, I was sent to the local Catholic 
high school - and I went through *absolute* hell. It was a terrible place. I got beaten up 
daily - I did have my head flushed down toilets more than once, I also got beaten 
unconscious on one occasion. I was a freak there - I couldn't fit in, and I didn't know 
why.

Anyway - end result was eventually that school insisted my parents take me to see a 
psychologist on the grounds that anyone who was having all this happen to them, 
obviously had some sort of mental problem - he gave me a bunch of tests, and they 
gave me a name as to why I was different - I was 'profoundly gifted' - hearing that was 
such a relief when I'd spent nine months thinking there was something seriously wrong. 
He also told my parents what he felt they needed to do for me educationally. And they 
set about doing it.

Three months later - and it all seemed so incredibly rushed - I was in a new school. This 
was the prep school for one of Australia's most prestigious private schools (I went on to 
the senior school the following year) and I was in absolute *heaven*. I was finally 
somewhere where I felt I fitted in, somewhere where I was much more free to be who I 
wanted to be.

It's not a perfect match to Harry's Hogwarts experiences - but it was close enough that 
what he experienced at the start of Philosopher's Stone really did appeal to me.

I had a year of near bliss at the prep school. When I moved onto the senior school, 
things were still good - but not as good - but still brilliant in comparison to my year of 
hell.

But again, reading Harry Potter, I was always seeing little parallels. And one I saw was 
Snape.

I had two teachers - one at the prep school, one at the senior school, who when I 
encountered Snape - well, basically, I thought of them. I spent my time at school *hating* 
them, and convinced that they *hated* me. One in particular, was a very nasty man, who 
did have the Snapish habit of singling out some students - including me - for special 
criticism. I liked most of my teachers - but these two, I really hated.

Anyway - over the past few days, I managed to pick up copies of two books - a history of 
the prep school written about five years ago, and of the senior school, written about a 
decade ago. And leafing through them, I found comments about many of my old 
teachers. Including both of these ones.

And reading those comments, I suddenly found myself understanding where they were 
coming from. Both were dedicated, and extremely skilled teachers, who seem to have 
genuinely cared for the boys they taught. I'm not saying I agree with their methods - 
because for the most part, I don't - but what I've read has really changed my opinion of 
them. I can see that the reason they acted the way they did was because (rightly or 
wrongly - IMHO, wrongly - I got some benefit from their methods, but I don't think it 
balanced out the detriments) they believed it was in the best interests of their students.

They knew they'd be hated. They knew that when old boys came back to the school in 
years to come, they wouldn't be seeking these teachers out to thank them, as many of 
us have done with so many others.

I'm looking at men who cared deeply about kids and who willingly accepted that many of 
their pupils would come to hate them, and that very, very few would ever like them. They 
willingly accepted that, as the price they had to pay to be what they felt were good 
teachers.

Whether I agree with their methods or not, I find myself having to admire them for being 
willing to accept that type of price because they believed it was best for their students. 
And reading about them now - it looks like it was a heavy price.

And, naturally, as one who sees parallels with Harry Potter, I find myself looking at 
Snape, and wondering...

 Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately |webpage: http://www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       |email: drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200

                       "Almighty Ruler of the all;
                 Whose power extends to great and small;
                 Who guides the stars with steadfast law;
                   Whose least creation fills with awe;
                     Oh grant thy mercy and thy grace;
                     To those who venture into space."