[originaltext]Headmaster: Good morning, Mr Harris. Do sit down. I under- stand

Headmaster: Good morning, Mr Harris. Do sit down. I under- stand you’ d like to have a word with me about your son William.
Mr Harris: Yes, that’s right, Headmaster. I hope I should see you as soon as possible before William does anything he’ll regret.
Headmaster: Regret? Mr Harris?
Mr Harris: Well, you see, he’s set his heart on becoming an artist. My wife and I think he ought to take up something more secure. I mean even if he went to art school, there would be no guarantee he could get a good job afterwards.
Headmaster: He could probably teach, Mr Harris.
Mr Harris: He wouldn’t like that. He says he wouldn’t be a teacher if it were the last job on earth. Oh, ha, beg your pardon. Headmaster! didn’t mean……
Headmaster: Not at all, Mr Harris. I wouldn’t have been a teacher myself if I’d had my way. I’d have been an actor if my parents had let me. So I have some sympathy with William’s problems. Now, let’s see, if he wants to be an artist, he’ll have to decide what sort of artist he wants to be.
Mr Harris: I don’t quite follow you, Headmaster.
Headmaster: Well, what I mean is if he wanted to be a commercial artist - graphics, cartoons, that sort of thing he might do very well if he took an art course at a technical college. And besides, the entry qualifications wouldn’t be so stiff. On the other hand, if he wants to go to one of the major art schools, you’d better not raise his hopes too high. There’s a good deal of competition to get accepted. And he’d have to have at least three O levels and two A’s at good grades before he’d even be considered. Oh, and there is another thing, he’d have to do a year’s foundation course first, probably at another college. He’d get a grant of course, provided he’d got the right O’s and A’s.
Mr Harris: But Art. Headmaster, it’s so chancy, though he went so set on it.
Headmaster: I don’t think you should stand in his way. Mr Harris. If I were you, I’d let him decide for himself. You’d better accept the fact that nowa- days young people don’t worry about security the way we did when we were young.
Mr Harris: Well, I must admit my wife and I would have felt much happier if he’d chosen to do something else. Perhaps it’s still not too late for him to change his mind. You know, I could get him a good job with my own firm if he had a science degree. Headmaster: From what I know of him. Mr Harris, I don’t think he’s the sort of boy to change his mind, not in a hurry, at any rate. In any case, I think you ought to let him decide.
Mr Harris: But an artist, Headmaster, what’s he going to live on?
Headmaster: Making a career as an artist isn’t easy, of course. It would be a good idea if you had a talk with our Art Master Mr Simms. He can tell you more about the possibilities. I know he thinks very highly of William’s work, though you’d better not tell William that I’ve said so.
Mr Harris: I suppose I shouldn’t worry so much, Headmaster. But I can’t say I like the idea - painting pictures and that, it... it doesn’t seem like real work to me.
Headmaster: On second thought, I think the best thing would be for me to have a word with Mr Simms first and find out what he thinks of Willims chances of being accepted at art school.
Mr Harris: Thank you very much for your advice, Headmaster. I’d be grateful if you let me know what Mr Simms says.