MR GOATER - 102 NOT OUT

"Why do you want an article about me?" asked Mr. Goater.

At the end of this term, Mr. Goater retires after 102 terms at Haberdashers'. He seems relatively unaffected by thirty-four first year sets, probably because of his extraordinary attitude to little brats and the nicer pupils alike. This also hinges on his sense of humour, which will have been noticed by any who have had the good fortune to know, or have been taught by him. When asked recently to recall childhood memories, he typically jested that he could remember "making 103 at billiards about a year ago!". However, a large amount of truth underlies the joke - its is his ever youthful attitude which always made it a pleasure to be taught by him, whatever stage in school-life one happens to be at.

Mr. Goater has not merely restrained himself to the classroom. Much time and enthusiasm have been devoted to the CCF: 12 years ago he ended a 21 year period in the RAF section. He also set up the Ornithological Society 14 years ago, which, sadly, faces great difficulty without him. As a fan of Athletics, Mr. Goater has made a huge impact on the school. The Goater Cup, a major inter-school Cross Country race, has now been run 25 times and will be a lasting tribute and reminder of a devotee.

Mr. Goater's youth was spent in wartime Britain and the two hobbies he obviously enjoyed most were collecting war souvenirs, and moths/ butterflies. The former was a day time occupation, involving anti-aircraft shells, "Molotov Breadbas-kets" (apparently, incendiary bombs were slung from them) and, most valuable in terms of peer prestige, an anti-aircraft shell nosecap.

The study of moths and butterflies has been a part of Mr. Goater's life since early days. It was a family hobby, his Grand-father used to take him with when he went out collecting lepidoptera(!), and his mother used to set them.

However, staying up at night and putting sugar on a tree, under lights, was the best part. In his own words, "I got hooked!"

On the issue of whether it is cruel (or not) to trap moths and butterflies, Mr. Goater is adamant. He maintains that he no longer catches butterflies - he sticks to moths, "a lot is known about butterflies and they have vulnerable populations, because they are day fliers. Moths tend to be nocturnal and thus less vulnerable and much less is known about them." He always debates with his conscience whether the moth he is about to trap is required for research or not and he added, "I kill as few as I possibly can".

Mr. Goater has been a fine teacher who will be sorely missed. That is why we wanted an article about him. Furthermore, his greatest, but least acknowledged, contribution to science is the discovery of everlasting youth, if only he could tell us how he does it ...

Marcel Berenblut and Laurence Sitch