I WAS saddened to read Chris Titley's comments (Thursday, September 12) and the statements made by George Baker (TV's Inspector Wexford) regarding Mr Ping, headmaster of St Olave's, and feel they were unfair.
Mr Ping was a man of his time, when the philosophy was 'spare the rod and spoil the child' - very different from today.
I feel fortunate to have become, in 1942, one of his boarder pupils and certainly got to know his canes Hengist and Horsa very well (George Baker forgot to mention the Night Watchman) because in those days one lived by the rules and if those were broken the consequences were painfully delivered. Never once did I feel it was undeserved and bear no resentment whatsoever.
The influence, enthusiasm and character-building which he passed on to many students of St Olave's made him a unique and well respected gentleman, not deserving of the harsh put-down by George Baker.
David Knowles,
Crayke,
York.
Updated: 10:33 Wednesday, September 18, 2002
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