same lesson . Ten years ago , coming into teaching for the first time , it was easy to get caught up in the weariness , the fever and the fret of the academic day , with its reports , PowerPoints and ‘ lesson objectives ’. However , it was Adrian , with his gentle grace , thoughtfulness and deep well of poetic knowledge , who reminded me that ultimately it was the books that mattered .
Long a stalwart of the English department , Adrian joined Sevenoaks in 2000 after ten years teaching at The King ’ s School in Chester . Before that he had spent some time on , in Adrian ’ s own words , ‘ the bohemian fringe ’, helping run a pre-university art history course in Venice . This , of course , is one of Adrian ’ s other great passions and whenever I pass through his office I am curious to see what book on an Old Master he is reading . Of course , Sevenoaks did not leave that reservoir of knowledge untapped and when he asked to run a History of Art extension course , the school gratefully accepted . The course , with a small but devoted band of followers , still runs to this day .
ADRIAN WILSON
‘ Pass it on , boys . That ’ s the game I wanted you to learn . Pass it on .’ So speaks Hector , the maverick English teacher played by the late Richard Griffiths in Alan Bennett ’ s The History Boys . Of course , what Hector is referring to is not a rugby ball , but that appreciation of art and culture for its own sake beyond the results and process-driven imperatives increasingly favoured by modern education .
Although Adrian may lack the star-studded glamour of Richard Griffiths ( and thankfully his girth !), I owe him a debt of gratitude for teaching me that
His passion for some of the poetic greats , namely Keats , Hardy and Heaney , runs deep . Although opening the eyes and the ears of the students to the pleasures of art and poetry , most notably in his poetry reading group , has been Adrian ’ s primary motivation , it is no surprise that his affection for poetry ’ s musicality has led him to an interest in folk music as well as an amateur enthusiasm for the mandolin . Although I must confess that for many years I had thought it was the ukulele , only for Adrian to disabuse me of this on the eve of writing this farewell . Apologies Adrian !
Adrian ’ s learning and wisdom will be much missed in the English department . Now that he has decided to retire , we wish him all the best and encourage him to continue to strive , to seek , to find , and not to yield .
Chris Harbinson
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