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John Reader
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“BOSS”

Mr. Reader will be fondly- remembered as "Boss". I always thought it was a most affectionate nickname, and he shall be remembered with affection.

Sixth Form girl.90

I remember when I was in First Form, and we had Bonfire Night, and Mr. Reader came out wrapped in five times too many clothes and massive gumboots. He held a massive flashlight over a 2p firework confiscated from Clive Atkinson. Keeping everybody at a distance of about 50 feet, he bravely walked forward and lit the firework, and - being a hero - he retreated quickly until he was 100 feet away. It burst into flame, went about 40 feet in the air, and died down. Well done, sir!

Francis Hurst 2a

Mr. Reader strolled out to the square, wearing the umpire's white coat. The masters were batting, and faced a huge total. He stood behind the stumps, not as most umpires, facing the batsman, but facing the bowler (Bill Jones). As the bowler ran up, he turned, until, when the bowler bowled he was facing the batsman Later an appeal went up. Mr. Reader's calm raising of his finger was enough to send Mr. Oughton scampering back to the pavilion. Meanwhile the atmosphere became tense. Would Mr. Cunliffe and Mr. Morgan last out? Would it rain? Most important, would Mr. Reader's nerve of steel last out? Well, they did, it didn't, and they did.

Harry Pearson 4a

I am always worried when people who are commended get read out, because Mr. Reader always makes a terrible hash of my surname and it gets me embarrassed. I am always trying to see if Mr. Reader has any secret sign to the teachers to say, “You can make your announcement now." I like the way he signals for the door to be opened, with a nod of the head. Why doesn't Mr. Reader sit next to his wife in Meeting?

Neville Oehnugara 2a

I doubt Mr. Reader knows who I am, or at least if he recognises me by sight he won't know my name. However, I greatly admire and respect him for what he's done for me and for the school, protecting us, and teaching us the difference between right and wrong. Sometimes he seems stern and maybe over-strict, but when you think about what you've done, you see that the action he has taken is the right one, for the benefit of the community. I notice, especially, in Meetings, that wherever you are he seems to be looking at you rather accusingly. Perhaps, having been a Day Scholar, I haven't had so much to do with Mr. Reader as my boarder friends maybe. I don't think I've ever had the chance to talk to him properly, though I'd very much like to before he retires. One day I remember I was charging past Acorn Cottage for my bus, with my socks around my ankles as usual, when he came out. I smiled, and he smiled back. That smile made my day, and as long as I live I'll never forget it. Mrs. Reader, like Mr. Reader, has been a great friend to the school, but I've not had the chance to get to know her personally. However, what I know of her I like very much. She seems gentle and kind. I'm sure she's the sort of person you could trust, and she'd understand. Mr. and Mrs. Reader have done an awful lot for the school. They are two very fine people, and will be remembered for many years to come.

Margaret Jackson 2a

One Morning Meeting when Mr. Reader stood up to make his announcements, he gave one of his fierce glances at the flowers on the table in front of him, and all the petals of one flower fell off!

Alan Harvey 2a

I think Mr. Reader is a really nice man, but I do agree that he has a fierce glare. When Mr. Reader was supervising the trolley clearing one tea-time, I was so glued to his glare that I poured the tea from the tea-pot all down Clara Slater's leg into her shoe.

Deborah Chao 3a

In the time I have been here I haven't talked to him much. I thought I didn't really know him very well, until one day when he cheered me up because I was feeling miserable.

Tamsin Spain 5a

It's going to seem strange without Mr. Reader as Head, because for as long as I can remember he's been here. This is a long time because I've lived here all my life, and we've always been connected with the school. But Mr. Reader departs at last, his hair turned prematurely grey(ish) by the activities of the first three forms who refuse to conform to normal human (or even half-human) sanitation standards, or even to work. We should give him three cheers for managing to stick it so long. An amazing man. (Or perhaps it's partly due to the pleasure of seeing that nude woman in the painting on his study walls!)

Claire Morgan 3a

Mr. Reader is our Head,
He's very nice so it's said.
He's been the head for over twenty years
Much longer than the other sirs.

He has a wife and three sons,
Hilary, Nigel, and Jonathan.
His wife is called Mary Reader,
A very fine wife for our leader.

His hobbies are carpentry,
And also mountaineering.
He is the President of the R.S.P.C.A.
He likes walking and that sort of thing

Tiffany Pemberton 1a

Mrs. Reader is very nice. I have never seen her in a bad mood. One thing that I kind of regret is when she sponsored me and she owed me 50p. I didn't really dare go to her and get it, but one night I went down to her house and rang the bell. She came and said, "Hello. Yes?" Then I said, "Er..Could you g-give me that sponsor money, please?" and she said?," Of course. Come in. By the way, how much?" I went in and saw Mr. Reader having his tea. "Oh, er, 50 pence." Mrs Reader went round the corner and gave me 50 pence. She wasn't even shocked by it.

Michael North 2a

I asked Mr. Reader for 30p. for sponsoring me. He tried not to hear me. I shouted again, and he said, "I am bankrupt. I haven't a penny on me." He hears things he wants to hear.

Guy Roberts 4a

One day this term a few of us had to go into Mr. Reader's study. It was about something involving a house-sparrow which had been killed by a conker flying through the air. Somebody in his study said," But it was only a sparrow, sir.' It struck me then that he even cares about the life of a sparrow being taken.

Nicholas Armstrong 4a

One particular memory I have of Mr. Reader is when my mum, my baby brother and myself came to the school in order to sign some papers and forms. This was when Bill (my older brother) was just starting school. Anyway, we were all in Mr. Reader's study, my Mum trying to talk to him, me hopping restlessly from one foot to the other, and Eric - well, there wasn't anything he WASN'T doing! He was turning chairs over, rolling about on the floor, crying, laughing, screaming, pulling at Mr. Reader's feet : he was doing everything Well, my poor Mum was very embarrassed, and kept saying to Mr. Reader, "Oh, I am sorry. He's not usually like this - is he, Jenny?" And Mr. Reader replied, "Oh, that's perfectly alright. I know : I have children of own.

Jenny Jones 3a

I think he is glad sometimes when he sees us go. I watch him in Meeting and his face says, "How did I get this lot? Where did they all come from? Twenty- odd years of bliss - no, agony - but my wife has pulled me through'

Julia Deans 2a

When Mr. Reader stands up in Meeting he pulls his trouser legs up before he sits down again. His shoes squeak when he walks in. If you are late for breakfast he makes you clear away the breakfast things. The things I like about him are his voice and personality. On Bonfire Night he looked as though he were carrying the Olympic torch. Mrs. Reader is very good at entertaining people. She takes my Dad's jokes quite well.

John Pybus 2a

Mr. Reader often looks so strict and unfriendly, yet he is extremely pleasant- except, of course, when someone gets into trouble. Then he is strict, and says," I take a very dim view of this."

John Coatsworth 4a

Mr. Reader is super. He joins in with everything and, except when he cannot, he acts as one of ourselves. My old headmaster was very different. He was one on his own, and made the fact that he was "top" only too clear to me. Mr. Reader does not do this. He just acts in a very good manner if you obey his very few rules. When he sat with us at tea it was a surprise at first. I think this is very good. Nothing like that happened at my old school, where teachers were at a much higher level than we were.

Lomelia Alloway 1a

It is wonderful how much this quiet man gets done without anyone realising it. His only outstanding feature is his flashy tie.

Penny Scholfield 4a

Mr. Reader has always got this Head- masterly look on his face. When I first came I knew straight away he was a headmaster. Just as I thought a British headmaster would look when I was back home in Africa.

Mwangala Msisiya 2a

At my old school, my headmaster gave the strap, but Mr. Reader is kind enough not to give it.

Jacqueline Chao 1a

I remember when Mr. Reader stood up in Meeting on the first day of term, and said," For those of you who think the term is beginning to drag, the date of the end of term is....

Caroline Coatsworth 2a

I always used to be scared of Mr. Reader. He was an ogre in my eyes. He walked by me, and I felt very nervous. Then he started to talk in Evening Meeting like a normal person. He made people laugh, and made people serious. I suddenly realised he wasn't such an ogre after all.

Phyllis Jones 4a

The first thing I can remember of Mr. Reader was the first day I was here, when I was on one of the benches. I saw lots of teachers, and he was in the middle. I didn't really know who he was, but he seemed very nice and kind, and I thought he could be Mr. Reader from the way his shoes squeaked as they do on the floor, and the way he carried more books than the other teachers.

Michelle Hodson 3a

I can remember my first day at the school, when I was an innocent little "firsty." In the morning, not being sure of the time Meeting began, we arrived after the doors had been shut. There was an argument as to who was to go in first. I said I would. We filed in, and as we neared the front, I said, "Sorry we are late." Everyone muttered the same, and we all - six of us - squashed into any place we could find. Mr. Reader said something to Mr. Morgan, then stood up and said that there were a few people in the school who could take an example from the youngest in the school.

Lois Johnson 3a

After a week, I began to know him as the man who spoke first in Meeting, or the man who nodded to open the announcements in Meeting. To me, he seemed a family man, and when I saw Mrs Reader I knew they were a perfect pair. Just the other day I was sitting near him, and looking at him with his purple socks and grey suit, wondering what it will be like without him. Somehow, I can imagine him as a schoolboy, with knee-length shorts, grey socks, jumper, tie, etc. Now, to think he has been a headmaster for all this time. It makes you think!

Karen Jowett 2a

I came here for the Entrance Exam, and was taken to his study to be interviewed. It wasn't the type of interview where an enormous desk separates you from the headmaster. I had to sit at the side of the desk, where I was asked questions. These were fairly easy questions to answer, and they were asked in a friendly way.

Robin Grey 2a

I remember being bored in Meeting, and then seeing a butterfly fly around the Meeting House. It landed on Mr. Reader's knee. He didn't even notice.

Lucy Marsh-Smith 3a

You can always tell when something special is happening. Mr. Reader wears his green jacket.

James Slater 4a

I have listened to John Reader speaking in various meetings, and the one thing that strikes me about him is his talent for staying cool in any situation.

Tony Burns 5a

"The Boss is coming' How many times has that phrase rung around tension- filled classrooms, and - after that momentary awe-struck suspense - packs of cards and dice are hurriedly hidden away and, with the same stroke of the arm, ties are pushed up and hair hastily brushed into place....

Tim Weschenfelder 6L

I remember when he was talking about his DIRTY picture in Meeting.

David Handcock 3a

He always has a lot of work to do, and never stops except on special occasions.

Catherine Sockett 1a

John Reader is probably one of the shyest men I know, but during my seven years at Ayton he has been a man with respect, discipline, yet fairness. We have all been on the wrong side of him once in our school lives, yet we forget these things. He is shrewd and forth-coming, and I think we will all miss him, and wish him every happiness in the future.

Sixth Form boy.

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