My school report was a comprehension test for me and my mother | Brief letters

Must try harder | Spoiler alert | House guests | Heirloom kitchen gadgets | Diesel and beer prices My report ( Letters, 29 September ) at the end of my first term at grammar school in 1951 included the phrase “tends to juggle with his implements of devour”, to which my mother commented (seriously) “I didn’t know they taught juggling there”. My end-of-year report said: “His appearance is marred by the garish glitter of unsuitable yellow socks.” Neither my mother nor I knew what “garish” meant, and we didn’t possess a dictionary to find out . Ian Thompson Riding Mill, Northumberland • If the Guardian really believes that an episode of Celebrity Traitors just starting on BBC One is worthy of a “Breaking news” alert to me and millions of others, we are going to have a serious falling out. Alan Cleaver Whitehaven, Cumbria Continue reading...