H
hotrod
There have been a a number of Letters to the editor in the Daily Telegraph recalling past school reports over the last week that have made me chuckle and evoked memories of my own schooldays. Quoted are a selection of the most memorable:-
I don't suppose that teachers today are allowed such 'freedom of expression'.
Letters to the editor said:SIR – My fourth son at Oundle: “Effortless progress, in every sense of the word.”
Michael Hollands
Albrighton, Shropshire
SIR – My vocabulary was increased by the sole word “Slothful” in my music report.
Bruce Everett
Alfriston, East Sussex
SIR – Art: “John gets himself so messy.”
John G. Prescott
Coulsdon, Surrey
SIR – A chemistry master’s report: “I believe he plays the oboe.”
Tim Scott
Cambridge
SIR – One of the earliest school reports that my wife received described her as “a chatterbox and a fidget-bottom”.
Nothing has changed in the intervening 60 years.
John Rieley
Lindfield, West Sussex
SIR – My history teacher wrote in my report (Letters, March 25): “When the workers of the world unite it would be presumptuous of Dewhurst to include himself among their number.”
Simon Dewhurst
Malpas, Cheshire
SIR – My swimming report: “Stroke excellent – buoyancy nil.”
Chris Taylor
Hyde, Cheshire
SIR – My father’s geography report: “Leonard does well to find his way back home each day.”
Christine Davies
Worthing, West Sussex
SIR – My prep school maths report was brief and true: “Still easily baffled.”
Dominic Weston Smith
Faringdon, Oxfordshire
SIR – A Welsh doctor who was at school in Birkenhead told me his headmaster had written: “By educating this boy we are depriving some Welsh village of its idiot.”
Kevin Heneghan
St Helens, Merseyside
SIR – One of my son’s reports (Letters, March 24) ran: “The tropical forests are safe when John enters the woodwork room, for his projects are small and progress is slow.”
A. Roberta Jenner
Holywell, Flintshire
SIR – My brother’s once said: “Continues to amuse himself, but sadly no longer us.”
Rod Morris
Cheddar, Somerset
SIR – My English teacher wrote in my report for 1964: “The stick and carrot must be very much in evidence before this particular donkey decides to exert himself.”
James Wright
Codicote, Hertfordshire
SIR – One of my masters once reported: “French is a foreign language to Fowler.”
Roger Fowler
Shefford, Bedfordshire
SIR – On the verge of puberty, I was most encouraged to learn from my woodwork teacher’s report that “Halsall holds a hammer like a woman”.
Kenneth Halsall
Southport, Merseyside
I don't suppose that teachers today are allowed such 'freedom of expression'.