Photo of Harold at Greenford School 1953

Above is a photo of Greenford Grammar School, taken, says Terence Maddern in 1953. Harold is third row up, left hand side.

Terence wrote to me with the following letter:




"Dear Michael Rosen,



I have just read your article in the Guardian in which you write about your boyhood and that of your father, Harold, and I wanted to write to you to say what an outstanding teacher he was.  He taught English to me and my fellow pupils at Greenford Grammar School in the late 1940s and early 50s.  I started there after passing the 11 plus examination in 1949 and your father taught us for four years before, sadly as far as we were concerned, he left the school.



He gave us a comprehensive understanding of English grammar which he taught us to see as simply logical and therefore more easily memorable.  He introduced us to the pleasures that English literature holds in store and encouraged us in our exploration and understanding of it.  His own love of his subject was inspirational and he gave me, along with others I am sure, an appreciation of the richness of our language that has stayed with me ever since.  He was always warm in his relationship with his classes and quick to praise where it was due. He was, in short, a teacher that I remember with respect and, indeed, with affection and appreciation, for the very significant contribution to my education and development that he made.  It is therefore most interesting to read your account of your father’s boyhood and development.  I feel now that what he was doing was to encourage us all to work to raise ourselves onto a higher plane so that we could better appreciate what life had to offer and to take advantage of it.



It was a privilege and a pleasure to have been taught by Harold Rosen.

Yours sincerely,

Terence Maddern;