It would be good to see some anecdotes and stories about Peter.

I believed that he was so good a teacher that he could deliver a lesson on anything.

I remember something he said when he explained an aspect of Set Theory (P implies Q, not P implies not Q) as "All Cows have Four Legs, so if it doesn't have Four Legs it's not a cow."  Many were the sketches of 3-legged cows!

Please be sensitive to those who have good memories of him.

Maurice Miller

From: Bari

Sent: 08/05/2003 10:12

A fond but long distant memory of the man who in one or two few lessons, while our usual Maths teacher was off 'on a sickie', made Mathematics make sense for me.

No mean feat, as I believe I scored only 15 out of 100 in our 1st year exams (1961), perhaps due to the fact that I had missed almost a year of lessons at primary school (including, rather critically 'fractions' and decimals') with a long recovery from a car accident.

From the moment Mr Shepherd 'turned the lights on' my results, stemming from a new-found understanding, and - dare I say it - enjoyment even of Maths soared until I was in the top three or so in class tests during my last couple of years at Downer.

Sadly, teenage angst (plus sheer laziness!) limited me to a 'C' pass at "O Level GCEs", but in the end, that didn't matter too much as the seed was sown which led to a life-long and very lucratively successful (!) career in the Information Technology industry around the globe.

If one word springs to mind regarding Mr Shepherd, it's that he was kindly.

A gentleman.

Sadly missed.

From: rjp

Sent: 08/05/2003 14:45

Peter Shepherd taught me A level Pure Maths and an Introduction to Statistics from 1967-69. I can still well remember him as a fine teacher, very patient and with a thoroughgoing knowledge of his subject. He certainly helped me to get through to A level standard, though I was not focused enough to get more than a C grade. I have since become an accountant, so he must have got something right ! I am sorry to learn of his death which, I hope, came after a long and well deserved retirement.

Richard Peters (1962-69)

From: Robin Kiel

I remember Peter Shepherd.  He gave me the impression somewhat of a Teddy Bear but was, I am told, quite inspirational.  I picked up some good maths from him which seem to have stood me in good stead.  His teaching must have made some impression as I was always good at Maths (although I preferred Music) and have used the subject extensively in managing many £ millions of taxpayers' money in my job in the Government!  I thought Peter never liked Music (although I might have been mistaken).

Robin Kiel, 1960-67

From: Paul Beadle

Sent: 10/05/2003 12:56

The best maths teacher I ever had and a real gentleman.

(I'm not sure how safe he was at working round the house though, I seem to recall him having a phase of turning up in school with a bandage round his wrist or a plaster on a finger and once growing a beard because (I suspected) he had managed to cut his face-----but I might be mistaken!)

I hope he had a really good retirement.

From: janet king (62-69)

Sent: 13/05/2003 01:56

I too have very fond memories of Mr Shephard. He was my Maths teacher from 4^th form onwards and took me and my classmates through 0 levels in 1967 and then taught us to A level in Pure Maths in 1969( I was in your class Peter, as I’m sure you remember). He was always very calm, very clear and had a very nice sense of humour. I always loved Maths and both he and Mr. Knight, our teacher in the lower school, helped and encouraged me to pursue the interest. This was back in the days when girls weren’t supposed to like Maths but he never wavered in his support. When my A level scores were less than stellar to say the least and I didn’t get into the University of choice Mr. Shephard helped me to choose a course and a University and it turned out to be an excellent decision and led to an interesting few years in research. Now I teach Maths (it’s much more fun) and model my teaching on their method, namely …be calm, be clear and make it simple so that anyone can do it… oh, and mix in some humour too. I have a lot of respect for Mr. Shephard.

On a lighter note, Maurice, I too remember the cow story but in a different form. Set theory didn’t come into it’s own until a couple of years after I left school but he must have adapted it. For us he used it to explain the ‘ sufficient and necessary’conditions needed to prove something to be true. It went like this:

To prove that something is a cow:

A cow has 4 legs (necessary – well, yes, doh!)

But, not everything that has 4 legs is a cow ( so, not a sufficient argument)

I can’t believe this. I use this story now! I had totally forgotten where it came from. Thanks for reminding me

Bari, you are right – he was a real gentleman and a great teacher

Janet

From: Smithy

Sent: 13/05/2003 06:37

Peter Shepherd must have been one of the best teachers I ever had. As a Head of Maths now. . . no more really needs to be said.

I have such fond memories of Peter and his sense of humour. I remember the day when Sheila Caldwell stood on the stage and announced to assembly that from that day on girls were not to wear the then fashionable pointed shirt collars because they pointed and emphasised a particular part of our anatomy. Peter was on duty on the stage. He stood there playing with his tie. Where was that pointing?

I returned to teach at Downer/Canons High as a new PE teacher in 1974. Peter welcomed me and helped me through my first few years. I have so much respect for him. When retiring, a certain Alan Silver came for interview. Peter was showing Alan around and asked him to take a seat in the foyer. He pointed towards one of the 'low' seats. . . Alan sat down and proceeded to fall through the chair (someone had removed the straps) - Peter ever the joker!

Peter has had so much influence on my life. I wish his family all best wishes at this time.

Gill Smith (1964-71)

From: Andrew Forrester

Sent: 26/05/2003 11:57

I remember Mr. Shepherd although he never taught me. However, I recently found the attached photograph of him enjoying a smoke on sports day, 1961.