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CHAPTER 37
weeks in prone position, he started drawing and painting in oils. He continued this
activity after discharge from the Centre and became a commercial artist in an advertising
business, which kept him fully occupied for many years. However, through his drawings
he became interested in architecture and in 1963 he took this up as a profession, passing
all examinations, and now has his own business in Norwich, where he lives with his wife
and adopted daughter. In his leisure hours he still continues painting.
G.S., an R.A.F. officer, at the age of 32, when instructing night fighter pilots to
intercept enemy aircraft sustained in 1964 a complete paraplegia below Ti2. He became
interested in teaching and, after passing a three-year course to enter teacher training
college, he attempted to enter a training college but was refused by three colleges, which
naturally dampened his spirits. Eventually, Culham College at Oxford accepted him.
This college, built in 1853, was not designed to take paraplegics in wheelchairs, there
being many steps and narrow staircases in the old building and even the new building
had large steps to the entrance. However, the college carpenter made ramps to overcome
these problems and all other setbacks were more than compensated for by the under
standing attitude in which the college authorities viewed prospective candidates in
wheelchairs. G.S. is now a fully established teacher of 9 year old pupils in a junior
school in Berkshire, where the County Council has provided easy access. 'Children are
FIG. 273.
