Friday, September 10, 2004

100 years ago: The Evening Press printed a letter in support of teachers, especially female teachers, saying they were not responsible for the behaviour of pupils after they left school. An earlier letter had called on people, in respect of female teachers, to "go into Coney Street, Micklegate, The Esplanade, or the Theatres, and see the result of their work". The latest correspondent asked if the original letter meant to assert that children who had left school and were now at work, and spent their time in the places mentioned, showed the work of the teacher. "Rubbish," he declared, "what influence can any teacher have over a child once it has left school? The only influence that is displayed by the boy or girl is the influence caused by the surroundings in which they are earning their living, or their home surroundings."

50 years ago: Mr Nobody wrote that in an age when dress was rapidly becoming more slovenly, teddy boys or no teddy boys, one of the pleasing features of York Races had been the number of men wearing bowler hats. They were popular headgear with men at most race meetings or "county" occasions and they were a welcome addition to the sartorial elegance of all men. Top hats were a dying fashion, continued the columnist, and were generally only seen at society weddings or Ascot. One other place where they may be seen is on the heads of stationmasters of important stations who wore them when Royalty or VIPs paid a visit, and in this region they were issued to stationmasters at York, Harrogate, Hull and Newcastle.

25 years ago: The head of York CID spoke out to assure citizens of York that there was no foundation to rumours that the Yorkshire Ripper had written to York Police saying he would strike next in the city. He personally had also heard repeated a rumour that a tape had been included with the letter, which the police officer said was "completely untrue". At the time, the serial killer had claimed 12 lives in four years, as well as attacking four women who survived.

Updated: 14:34 Thursday, September 09, 2004