F- CLINICAL ASPECTS OF SPINAL CORD INJURIES
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wonderful,' he writes, 'completely natural and devoid of sophisticated sympathy. They
are helpful and well behaved, for them life has no complications, everyone falls into some
simple category and a teacher in a wheelchair is no exception. This makes teaching that
much easier and consequently more enjoyable. I find myself happily established in the
teaching profession. To anyone contemplating such a subject I would say "Go ahead"
provided of course, he or she is prepared to work all hours in an under-rated, underpaid
and overtaxed profession.'
I may add that several other paraplegics and even a tetraplegic had already taken that
step many years before G.S. had done and are still employed as teachers, doing excellent
work in educating the youth of our community.
Actually, the first person to become a teacher 'on wheels' was G.B., a female para
plegic, who at the age of 31 was admitted on 30 January 1950 with a complete transverse
lesion below Tn following fracture-dislocation sustained in 1941. Following explorative
laminectomy elsewhere, she was nursed on a plaster bed and remained for 3 months in
hospital and was then sent home with her pressure sores unhealed, being provided with
a spinal carriage, and since 1942 she had been nursed by her mother. It took us one year
to control all her complications and return her to an active life in her wheelchair. Prior
to her injury, she had taken up teaching and her most ardent desire was to return to this
profession. In those days it was not easy to impress on the authorities concerned that a
paralysed person in a wheelchair should not be prevented, because of this, from taking
up teaching in an ordinary school. However, eventually in September 1951 she was
accepted 'on probation' for 6 months. She has now been teaching for 23 years in classes
of a complement of up to 40 children.
A further example of a paraplegic, who by sheer courage and endurance, has gained
great achievement in his professional career, is an ex naval lieutenant of the Fleet Air
Arm who, on 24 February 1960 had a crash and sustained a complete paraplegia below L2
in addition to a cerebral concussion and abducens paralysis on the left side. He made an
excellent rehabilitation in spite of the severe injuries and was discharged on 29 September
1960 able to walk on crutches, which at home he continued to use as an exercise in spite
of a great disincentive to continue walking involving putting on calipers, etc. He started
a job as Education and Training Officer 5 weeks after leaving hospital and gradually
regained self-confidence. He stayed in this job for 3 years but became frustrated and
then joined the British Shoe Corporation as Personnel Officer at their headquarters.
There he introduced new methods and, in due course, was appointed as Manpower
Manager responsible for all personnel and training matters including industrial relations
not only for the headquarters but also for the manufacturing division, retail division and
2,000 jobs throughout the British Isles, involving altogether 25,000 people. He travels
some 23,000 miles per year in spite of his physical limitations. While carrying out his
job he also studied for and obtained a professional qualification, and at present he is
studying for a higher degree as an external university student. He has continued his
sporting activities. He is secretary to the local Playing Field Trust Charity and has
become one of the outstanding archers. He described his views on sport as follows:
'There are two major benefits to be gained from sports activities for paraplegics—the
first is the obvious physical exercise and the second is the returning of the competitive
