The last lesson – 2

I came across the D. H. Lawrence poem that I posted the other day when searching the InterWebNet in a desultory fashion for something with which to sum up the mood of these last desperately tired days of the term that has just ended. I think that that pretty much nailed it!

The autumn term at schools such as these is the longest – the hardest – the most intense period of the school year. The aim is to attempt to cover in excess of half of the entire year’s curriculum in thirteen or fourteen intensive weeks. This theoretically leaves the decks clear next term to wrap things up, before then going beyond what is strictly called for with the aim of providing an education to the bright young men whom we serve that they could not get elsewhere. After that all is merely revision and examination.

The effect of this frantic spell on the Common Room is – of course – to leave the members hovering precariously on the brink of exhaustion. As one young pup remarked to me the other day – “We are all running on vapour”! This sensation – of a desperate coughing and hunting for fuel interspersed with random bursts of energy when some residual gas is sucked briefly into the parched carburator – is all too familiar.

I have been quite worried this week. It is bad enough feeling that things are getting away from one at work – that important details are being missed or rapidly forgotten – but it is even worse that the day culminates in my epic drive home in the dark. This has been rendered even more arduous of late by the inevitable decision to commence major roadworks at what seems like the worst possible time of the year.

There were several days at the start of the week when I became aware that I was having to apply massive amounts of concentration so as not to fall asleep at the wheel. My reactions were clearly slowing to the point at which it was almost certainly not safe for me to be in charge of a vehicle.

Fortunately the School is closed for Christmas as of today – and I can concentrate a fair chunk of the days ahead on getting some extended sleep.

There is – of course – one other major consideration. This is the last time that I will have to endure this particular trial. This time next year we will be retired – we will be living in Canada – and we will be preparing for our first truly native Christmas with family and friends there.

It may not feel like it right now – but we are incredibly lucky!