Sunday People, London, 8 January 1978

Now then you 'orrible kids!

(extract)

By Frank Thorne

On parade -- teacher Roger Shord tells his kids' army what's what.

NOW then, now then -- get fell in, you 'orrible shower!

This is schoolteacher Roger Shord doing his sergeant-major drill.

And he ain't arf strict, mum -- even with these luvverly boys.

His prefects are jokingly known as "The Gestapo". And some of the writings on toilet walls about him bring his parentage into doubt.

Since sergeant-major type Roger took charge, the 800 boys at Walderslade Secondary Boys School, near Chatham, Kent, have had a tough taste of Army style discipline.

For Roger, who has become the school's first proctor, responsible for keeping the lads in line, is an ex-lieutenant in the Territorial Army and comes from a long line of regimental disciplinarians.

"I served in the T.A. for five years and my grandfather was a regimental sergeant major with the Ghurkas," said Roger, 33.

"My motto is to be hard but fair. And the lads respect me for it.

"I know when my back is turned, they call me Hitler for a bit of a laugh. And they say as a teacher you've not arrived until they write about you on the toilet walls.

"I believe in treating the pupils as strictly as I would soldiers on the parade ground."

[...]

"When I took on the job of school disciplinarian, under the headmaster, discipline was very poor," he said.

"But now if the lads do wrong they know what to expect." That includes suspension and occasionally, the cane.