Inspirational

There are few people more inspirational than Sir Harry Burns, soon to be ex, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland when you work in the early years. Most of the 800 people in the SECC have had a crush on him since he taught us about the molecular biology of a cuddle a year ago and his parting speech definitely brought a tear to my eye today. He told the story of a boy born in a poor mining village in Fife in 1920, he was a good singer and it was a big deal for the family when he won sixpence at a local talent contest. He left school at 15 to contribute to family life and got a job in a factory washing lemonade bottles. On his third day in the factory his science teacher appeared beside him, put an arm round him and said "you're coming back to school". He had a real aptitude for science so when the war came he joined the navy but wasn't sent to see, he was put to work designing the mini submarines that crossed the North Sea to blow up German battle ships. After the war he got degrees in maths, science and engineering. His work in pressurised vessels found him a place working on the atomic bomb, his knowledge and expertise brought him offers of work from all around the world but he refused to leave Scotland as he wanted his sons to have the same educational chances that he had.

Have you guessed it yet?

Who that poor boy was?

Yep, it was Sir Harry's father.

The single biggest influence on his father's life, and in some ways, his own, was that science teacher. He reminded us all that on the days when it's tough we should remember that we may already have made that one small gesture that changes someone's future forever. I don't know if I've done that yet but it's a daily aspiration that I hope I can live up to.

Fortunately Sir Harry is not retiring so he will still be around and we will hopefully hear from him again. He has taught me, and so many others, so much. And all thanks to that one science teacher putting his arm round that one boy and steering him gently in the right direction.

Magnificent stuff.