A shellhole as a classroom

Carrying on the subliminal learning theme, probably humour and distraction come under the same sublimumbrella. When I think back to the best lessons I had at school, they were delivered by the most 'colourful' characters. I don't like to say eccentric for fear of offending anyone.

My father, Ninian Smart, began writing his memoirs about 10 years ago. Sadly the grim reaper robbed us of what would been a fascinating book.

Ninian Smart was the son of William Marshall Smart, Regius Professor of Astronomy at Glasgow Univeristy from 1937 to 1959. My father had two brothers, Alistair and Jack. All three sons became professors: Ninian of Religious Studies, Alistair of Fine Art and Jack of Philosphy. Jack is still going strong in his adopted country of Australia. Four professors in one family must demonstrate successful learning.

In Ninian's part written memoirs, he recalls his early lessons at King's College Choir School (probably around 1936/7) in Cambridge. It strikes me as an account of a brilliant example of subliminal teaching. Apologies to any descendants of Mr Cedric Fiddian:

Now that school in those days was ruled by a headmaster, one Mr Cedric Fiddian, who was batty and in his own way a genius. He had white hair and had been what they called 'shellshocked' in World War I, in the trenches. His visage was genial but a bit chimpanzee-like. Fascinated by shellholes, he had constructed two or three open air classrooms round the school. One was his favourite: a round affair scooped out of the earth, where he had desks and chairs arrayed. There he loved to address the classes on Latin or other topics.

He had a good way of teaching that language. First he would get you to underline each adjective, verb, noun, etc, in some usual text (normally Tennyson). After that he would set you on to Latin verbs such as 'stick-in-the-mud-o, stick-in-the-mud-are, stick-in-the-mud-avi, stick-in-the-mud-atum'. It was easy to remember, a bit humorous and built up to the next stage.

No doubt those pupils when they hear some Tenyson, or alight upon a Latin phrase, get transported back into that school shellhole and can recall those lessons.

Any tips, recollections, etc, would be most welcome.