26 DECEMBER 1970, Page 18

Child whores

Sir: Having been a Governor since Holland Park Comprehen- sive School was only a plan on a drawing board, and Chairman of the Governors from 1968-1969 I feel I must comment on the Editor's paragraph in the SPEC- TATOR (December 19) headed 'Child whores, call girls'.

Firstly I frankly don't believe that any Governor two years ago (at this time I was Chairman) ever told -the story that 'there was an organised call-girl system operated by some of the sixth form girls ...' I knew all the Governors well at that time, in fact one of them was my sister, and I am absolutely certain that none of them would have allowed this to happen when it was their clear duty to report the matter to the Headmaster or myself.

About the parents concerned I am just as certain that what they allege to have heard from their daughter (still there?) would have been immediately told to Head- master, the Chairman of Governors, or the Parent Teacher Association which is a very strong body at Holland Park School.

Stories that are anonymously told, and I understand that both Governor and parents refused to give their names, are quite value- less (though not apparently to your Editor) but if these people would give their names to me I can promise that an inquiry would im- mediately be carried out at the highest possible level both in the ILEA and the Department of Edu- cation and Science.

Henrietta Brabazon of Tara 28 Lansdowne Road, London wl I

The 'stories' were not anony- mously told, and the names of the Governor and of the parent con- cerned are known to us. Both are people of probity. We obviously refused to Rive their names to third parties.—Editor. The SPECTATOR.