It was with tremendous excitement that Daryl Crosskill and I approached the entrance to the bleachers at the national stadium for the beginning of "Champs." The year was 1967. We were sixth formers and we were KC boys. Suddenly, we both stopped in our tracks. "Why aren't we going to the grandstand?" It was a rhetorical question. We didn't have enough money for grandstand tickets.
We quickly changed direction and walked towards the grandstand entrance. There had to be a way to get into the grandstand and we wouldn't find it by going to the bleachers. "Let's put our brainpower to work," said Crosskill, "we didn't pass all those GCE subjects to live life as usual."
And so it was that we went looking for an opportunity. It soon came in the form of one of our teachers who was also working with the track team. He was approaching us with, would you believe, several grandstand tickets in his shirt pocket. We explained our situation. He looked at the tickets in his pocket. Then he looked at us and shook his head, "Sorry, guys; it's a matter of principle. I cannot give you these tickets; we are not allowed to give them to students."
You have heard of hopes being dashed. We could have touched the tickets! But instead of reaching for the tickets, he reached for his wallet and gave us some money. It was a moment like no other. Crosskill and I headed excitedly for the ticket counter and a wonderful session at "Champs."
I have thought of this episode often over the years and I always smile when I think of how we got to sit in the grandstand which was a big deal back in 1967. I also think of it because of the teacher's response. He could have easily given us the tickets. We wouldn't tell. But he acted on principle even though it cost him. It was a real lesson.
Teachers are imparting lessons inside and outside the classroom everyday. Let's hope today's students are paying attention.
