By Derek Schlennstedt
In 1976, a year after she had finished teaching at a small country school, Upwey writer Greta began to write a memoir recounting her last year of teaching English to students that she describes in her book as ‘a bright lot’.
Over 40 years later and the Upwey writer is launching her book, aptly called A Bright Lot.
“I began writing this story 40 years ago,” Greta said.
“At the time I was being driven by my sense of loss at having left the group of students just when we had reached the stage of rapid progress.
“Also, their work was becoming impressive for thirteen and fourteen-year-olds and I wanted to show what they had achieved.
The book features ten portraits of students who were prominent in her class.
Greta told the Mail that she was so impressed by her students that she was inspired to document their work.
Unfortunately life got in the way and the book was left gathering dust until a serendipitous reunion between Greta and her former students.
“I stopped writing the next year because the demands of family, full-time work and building a new house, swept away the time and energy needed to complete the story,” she said.
“A few months ago I visited Bright, after a long absence.
“Searching for something else, I chanced upon the script, photographs, lesson plans and students’ work. Fate also conspired to place some of my former students in my path.
“It was clearly time to finish the story.”
That story has now been written in an uncensored 180 pages.
Greta said it was fascinating revisiting her work after so long and drew particular attention to the change within the education department.
“It was interesting to read what my thirty-year-old self had written but some of the content was startling to present-day sensibility,”
“There are things I could not, and would not attempt in this day and age.”
“1975 was a simpler and more innocent time in spite of the social upheavals that were stirring … it is a record from a different time.”
The book will be released on 30 June and can be purchased by emailing abrightlot@gmail.com
