(Extract of an interview with Ms Lurine Meertins and Ms Pamela Mason, both respected educators. This interview was done in Georgetown, Guyana, June 2012 before Braithwaite visited Guyana in August, and was honoured by the National Library, decorated with a National Award by the Government of Guyana, and declared patron of the Inter-Guianas Cultural Festival.) PP: Never before in the annals of Guyanese Literature was there such a moment as this: The opportunity to celebrate the birth centenary of a prominent Guyanese writer while he is still alive and well. That alone is reason for celebration, but with E. R. Braithwaite, there are many, many more reasons why we should celebrate. This is a signal moment, because, for various reasons, somehow, Braithwaite has not been accorded the accolades he deserves.
LM: I agree with you; Braithwaite is deserving of more respect than is presently accorded him.When I first learnt about him was from his book, ‘To Sir with Love’. Then I saw the film [of the same name], which sort of concretised everything in the book. On reflection, what I find that is so amazing and positive about him was the fact that there he was in England, a man with a Ph. D. in Physics,  had served in the Royal Air Force but he was without a job. He couldn’t find a job, and when he eventually took a job, it was at a school in the East End of London; it was at a school where the children all had problems, and most people were just there, going through the motions. But he did not do that; he went there and he really served. He did a good job, and as a result, the children showed improvement; they saw life in a different perspective. And I think for that, we should admire him; a man who found something to do, and did it with all his might. Despite the circumstances, he could have been cynical; he could have said that this world owes me a living, and, well… I will just go there and go through the motions. No, he actually went there and he served. And did what a teacher should do …
PP: It is useful to remember that he was not a trained teacher; he went to the job accidentally.
LM: And he served with distinction. As the saying goes: Anything your hands find to do, do it with all your might. And that’s what he did.
PP: Ms Mason, what was your encountered like with the man and his work?
PM: Well, my encounter was similar to Ms Meertins’, but it was on a different level, because I used his book, ‘To Sir with Love’,  to look at the dynamics in the classroom; the important role that teachers have to play in the lives of the learners. Knowing that learners are all limit testers, you have to prepare for them. You have to prepare for them through your lesson plan; you have to prepare for all the discipline methods and problems you will encounter. He showed, in his book, that you must prepare for them; prepare for their different learning styles etc.
PP: So then, we could take a page out of that book and apply it to the teaching profession in Guyana?
LM: Literally and figuratively, that’s why I feel so strongly about him as a person who ought to have more recognition.
PP: I also feel strongly about this situation, moreso because this is about a Guyanese writer who has reached those heights. But let’s locate Braithwaite before we move on. He was born in Georgetown, Guyana, on June 27, 1912; he attended St. Ambrose Primary School in Alberttown, before moving on to Queen’s College. And in the book, ‘To Sir with Love’, he spoke highly of Queen’s College; how school was interesting, and it was an accomplishment to learn. How the teachers had a love for teaching, and it showed. He also mentioned that at the time, teachers were advised to be innovative, and he loved their approach, as against the situation he found himself in at the time he got his first job as a teacher. From Queen’s College, he moved to City College of New York, then to Cambridge University, and then to the University of London. So far for his academic achievements; let’s now trace his upward mobility, and his movement in the world of work.
LM: Well, after his first teaching job, he went into another job, from which the novel, ‘Paid Servant’ came out. In this job, he had to again work with the underprivileged in England, and this time, with both White and Black. Again he served with distinction. He was interested in the lot of the people, doing all he could to draw attention to their plight and to alleviate their situation.
PP: That was another challenging job. And you could see the development of the man, and you could also see the development of the writer, because he was able to transform those experiences into fiction, and valuable reading material for people the world over.
LM: We must not overlook the fact that the man was basically a scientist. He has a Ph. D. in Physics, and, normally, we don’t associate the scientist as being the humanitarian type.
PP: Great point, his humanity!
LM: Yes, he was able to look at the emotion; the feelings of people. He was able to do that and do it well. And I’m impressed with that.
PM: I would like to talk about another of his books, ‘Honorary White’.  This book records his visit to South Africa. He made that visit just after his books were banned and put back on the shelves. He was sort of surprised that when he went for his visa, it was stamped, ‘Honorary White’. This sort of meant that he was more privileged than the Blacks in South Africa, yet less privileged than the Whites.     And in one scene in the book, he wrote about the book attendant who was upset that very often, people who claimed to be Christian would come in and check the books, looking for evidence of blasphemy, and they would take the books off the shelves. That lady admitted that she was surprised that that beautiful book, ‘Black Beauty’ was banned.
PP: An underlining factor in all his writings was that he endeavoured to show how we could approach the issue of discrimination differently.
LM: In essence, what Braithwaite was showing us was what we have heard time and again, that the pen is mightier than the sword. He was not confrontational. But by writing about it, he informed and alerted the mind and consciousness of his readers that they would now want to do something about it. That was what he was doing: Showing us that literature, writing is what counts…
PP: That sounds like a good line on which to end: The pen is mightier than the sword.
(To respond to this author, either call him on (592) 226-0065 or send him an email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com)

What’s Happening:
•    The current issue of The Guyana Annual magazine will be dedicated to Braithwaite. Tributes, reviews of his publications, and related articles are invited for possible inclusion in the magazine.