TEACHING

HALF a century ago when I was studying to be a teacher we were told "inspire your children to achieve their maximum potential; make the learning process fun; if something is too hard, either make it easier for them, or drop it all together; above all, never bore them".

That sounds like good advice, doesn't it? But in my own schooldays boredom was an integral part of the curriculum and that wasn't really such a bad thing after all.

Education is supposed, among other things, to prepare children for life in the real world and when they descend from the ivory tower, they find that a certain amount of boredom is inevitable.

If we do not teach children how to cope with boredom, we are sowing the seeds of unemployment, narcotic addiction and family break-up.

So teachers, if you find yourself teaching a boring lesson, you need not feel too bad about it. After all, you are supplying a necessary ingredient to the process of education. - H Addison, Catterick.

Darlington FC

MRS J Bowes (HAS, Oct 9) compares Darlington Football Club chairman George Reynolds, who claims he is scared to go to Hartlepool's ground, to how the Neasham Road, Darlington, residents will feel, as she puts its, facing similar fans every Saturday.

She should check her facts and Darlington Football Club's League fixture list. In October there are three home games: on October 14, 17 and 28. In November one home game, on November 11 and in December two home games, on December 2 and 23, which is not every Saturday as claimed.

So come on you moaners, get your facts right and stop exaggerating. - DT Evans, Darlington.

NATIONALITY

THE attack on British institutions and the British people by the far left and their lackeys in government continues unabated. Their latest stick to beat us with is the report issued by the Commission on the Future for a Multi-ethnic Britain, commissioned three years ago by Home Secretary, Jack Straw.

This report, released this week, calls for British history to be re-written. Even the word Britain on its own is unacceptable, because of "racial connotations". The term nation should also be replaced it says, by "community of communities".

Jack Straw however is quoted as saying that he is proud to be British. He also said: "I am proud of what I believe to be the best of British values." And he added: "There is a great future for Britain and Britishness."

No one should breathe a sigh of relief just yet, or be fooled by Straw's bare-faced hypocracy. Despite Straw's rhetoric, Home Office minister Mike O'Brien has already promised to look at new suggestions raised in the report. - AE Pearce, Peterlee.

MR HEBBLETHWAITE

A FIRST class consultant gynaecologist is sacked at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, for having an affair. Please don't class him with Richard Neale as Mr Neale was the most incompetent man I have ever heard about.

Mr Hebblethwaite should have been disciplined, but sacked, never. If every high flying person was sacked for affairs a lot of desks would be empty. - Anne French, Colburn.

EUROPE

HUGH Pender (HAS, Oct 9) is talking absolute rubbish. The Danish people voted to keep their freedom and their way of life and not be pushed into Europe.

We have record investment in our country by all nations and are in no economic danger by being out of Europe in any shape or form.

Why are these firms coming to Britain if things look so bleak?

If Tony Blair was fair he would give us a referendum now and stop his obsession with the euro and Europe. - FG Wealands, Darlington.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

I REFER to your campaign to ensure that all buses and coaches used for transporting children to and from school are fitted with seat belts. I am a frequent driver of such services in Darlington, South Durham and North Yorkshire. In my experience the greatest majority of school coaches are in fact fitted with seat belts, the vehicles not fitted with them are mostly double decked service buses which are used mainly in the inner town areas.

Whilst it is true that the regulations state that they cannot exceed 60mph, by definition they will not exceed 30mph. Of the coaches and buses fitted with belts, just who takes responsibility of ensuring that the precious cargo actually wears them? The driver? Surely he has his job cut out actually driving a very large vehicle with all the problems that entails. The school?

I have driven the school bus from a village not far from Darlington. Everything is done correctly. The teacher brings out the very small children from the school, helps them onto the coach, ensures that they sit down and that the seat belt is secure. By the time the coach reaches the first bend in the road, the kids are unfastened, out of the seats and running up and down the vehicle and nothing that the driver can say will get them back. Your campaign is to be supported even though in my experience and opinion it is impractical. - RB Green, Chilton.

RAY MALLON

I AM writing to protest about the Ray Mallon investigations. Why is money being continually wasted in a fruitless effort trying to rake up dirt on a man who is obviously innocent?

The last investigation found nothing and neither will this one. - K Lewis. Middlesbrough.