Part 2 (Obituaries) - King's College - University of Cambridge
Part 2 (Obituaries) - King's College - University of Cambridge
Part 2 (Obituaries) - King's College - University of Cambridge
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186<br />
OBITUARIES<br />
teach Russian. He soon became as enthusiastic about Russian literature as he<br />
was about Classical.<br />
As with his teaching, Bennie took his responsibilities as a father very seriously.<br />
A neighbour once commented that she had never known a parent who<br />
listened so attentively to a child’s questions and tried to answer them all. In<br />
1964, after two sons, a much-wanted daughter Ruth was born. Her Down’s<br />
Syndrome gave Bennie and Margaret new challenges in helping her to develop<br />
her full potential, grow to adulthood and learn to live independently.<br />
At school Bennie was equally concerned for all pupils, not just the highflyers.<br />
He genuinely enjoyed teaching all ages and abilities and was<br />
concerned for their welfare, giving up his time to visit their families to<br />
discuss concerns or to help them make decisions about their futures. He<br />
approached non-academic activities with the same diligence, running the<br />
school chess team and taking it to victory in a national competition, as well<br />
as enthusing the boys with his own love <strong>of</strong> cricket. He was an active Scout<br />
Leader, although he had trouble lighting fires and never really mastered<br />
knots. Bennie always believed that it was important for pupils to think<br />
beyond the curriculum, and encouraged discussion about Graham Greene,<br />
politics and world events.<br />
Bennie talked a lot, and evolved a method <strong>of</strong> protracting his sentences so that it<br />
was difficult to break in. He would begin talking to someone on the bus while<br />
he was still outside in the queue, using hand signals, so that by the time he was<br />
on board and ready to sit down, the conversation was already in full flow.<br />
In retirement, Bennie extended his modern language skills. He learned<br />
modern Greek so that the family could make the most <strong>of</strong> their holidays, and<br />
learned Czech in order to help Czech asylum-seekers when they arrived in<br />
Wolverhampton. Bennie also participated in the Parosi scheme, teaching<br />
English in the local Asian community and forging links with the Imam at the<br />
local mosque. Bennie had a real gift for friendship, and kept up<br />
correspondence for many years. A special pleasure for him in retirement was<br />
his grandchildren.