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UNIT3MyFirstJobTryingtomakesomemoneybeforeenteringuniversity,theauthorappliesforateachingjob.Buttheinterviewgoesfrombadtoworse...WhileIwaswaitingtoenteruniversity,IsawadvertisedinalocalnewspaperateachingpostataschoolinasuburbofLondonabouttenmilesfromwhereIlived.Beingveryshortmoneyandwantingtodosomethinguseful,Iapplied,fearingasIdidso,thatwithoutadegreeandwithnoexperienceinteachingmychancesofgettingthejobwereslim.However,threedayslateraletterarrived,askingmetogotoCroydonforaninterview.Itprovedanawkwardjourney:atraintoCroydonstation;aten-minutebusrideandthenawalkofatleastaquartertofeelnervous.Theschoolwasaredbrickhousewithbigwindows,Thefrontgardenwasagravelsquare;fourevergreenshrubsstoodateachcorner,wheretheystruggledtosurvivethedustandfumesfromabusymainfromabusymainroad.Itwasclearlytheheadmasterhimselfthatopenedthedoor.Hewasshortandfat.Hehadasandy-colouredmoustache,awrinkledforeheadandhardlyanyhair.Helookedatmewithanairofsurpriseddisapproval,asacolonelmightlookataprivatewhosebootlaceswereundone.'Ahyes,'hegrunted.'You'dbettercomeinside.'Thenarrow,sunlesshallsmelledunpleasantlyofstalecabbage;thewallsweredirtywithinkmarks;itwasallsilent.Hisstudy,judgingbythecrumbsonthecarpet,wasalsohisdining-room.'You'dbettersitdown,'hesaid,andproceededtoaskmeanumberofquestions:whatsubjectsIhadtakeninmyGeneralSchoolCertificate;howoldIwas;whatgamesIplayed;thenfixingmesuddenlywithhisbloodshoteyes,heaskedmewhetherIthoughtgameswereavitalpartofaboy'seducation.Imumbledsomethingaboutnotattachingtoomuchimportancetothem.Hegrunted.Ihadsaidthewrongthing.TheheadmasterandIobviouslyhadverylittleincommon.Theschool,hesaid,consistedofoneclassoftwenty-fourboys,ranginginagefromseventothirteen.Ishouldhavetoteachallsubjectsexceptart,whichhetaughthimself.FootballandcricketwereplayedinthePark,amileawayonWednesdayandSaturdayafternoons.Theteachingset-upfilledmewithfear.Ishouldhavetodividetheclassintothreegroupsandteachtheminturnatthreedifferentlevels;andIwasdismayedatthethoughtofteachingalgebraandgeometry-twosubjectsatwhichIhadbeencompletelyincompetentatschool.WorseperhapswastheideaofSaturdayafternooncricket;mostofmyfriendswouldbeenjoyingleisureatthattime.Isaidshyly,'Whatwouldmysalarybe?''Twelvepoundsaweekpluslunch.'BeforeIcouldprotest,hegottohisfeet.'Now',hesaid,'you'dbettermeetmywife.She'stheonewhoreallyrunsthisschool.'Thiswasthelaststraw.Iwasveryyoung:theprospectofworkingunderawomanconstitutedtheultimateindignity.进入大学之前，尽力去攒一些钱。作者申请了一个教书职业。但是面试变得越来越糟。我的第一份工作在我等着进大学期间，我在一份地方报纸上看到一张广告，说是在伦敦某郊区有所学样要招聘一名教师.离我住处大约十英里,我因为手头很拮据，同时也想干点有用的事，于是便提出了申请，在提出申请的同时我也担心，自己一无学位，二无教学经验，得到这份工作的可能性是微乎其微的。然而，三天之后，却来了一封信，叫我到克罗伊顿去面试。这上路去那儿原来还真麻烦：先乘火车到克罗伊顿车站，再乘十分钟公共汽车，然后还要步行至少四分之一英里。结果，我在六月一个炎热的上午到了那儿，因为心情非常沮丧，竟不感到紧张了。学校是一座装着大窗户了红砖房子。前庭园是个铺着砾的正方形：四个角上各有一丛冬青灌木，它们经受着从繁忙的大街一吹来的尘烟，挣扎着活下去。开门的显然是校长本人。他又矮又胖，留着沙色的小胡子，前额上布满皱纹，头发差不多已经秃光。他带着一种吃惊的、不以为然的神态看着我，就像一位上校看着一名没系好靴带的二等兵一样。“哦，”他咕哝着说。“你最好到里面来。”那狭窄的，不见阳光的走廊里散发出一股腐烂的卷心菜味，闻上去很不舒服；墙上墨迹斑斑，显行很脏，周围一片静寂。他的书房，从地毯上的面包屑来判断，也是他的餐室。“你最好坐下，”他说，接着便问了我许多问题：为了得到普通学校证书我学过哪些课程；我多大岁数了；我会玩些什么游戏；问到这里他突然用他那双充满血丝的眼睛盯住我，问我是否认为游戏是儿童教育的一个极为重要的组成部分。我含含糊糊地说了些不必太重视游戏之类的话。他咕哝了几句。我说了错话。我和校长显然没有多少共同语言。他说，学校只有一个班，二十四名男生，年龄从七岁到十三风不等，除了美术课他亲自教以外，其余所有的课程都得由我来教。星期三和星期六的下午要到一英里以外的公园去踢足球、打板球。整个教学计划把我吓坏了。我得把全班学生分成三个组，按三种不同的程度轮流给他们上课；想到要教代数和几何这两门我在读书时学得极差的科目，我感到很害怕。更糟糕的也许是星期六下午打板球的安排，因为这时候我的朋友大都会在悠闲地自得其乐。我羞羞答答地问，“我的薪水是多少？”“每周十二镑外加中饭。”还没等我来得及提出异议，他已经站了起来。“好了，”他说，“你最好见见我的妻子。她才是这所学校真正的主管人。”我再也无法忍受了。我当时很年轻，想到将在一个女人手下干活，就觉得是最大的侮辱。