Flashback: 'He kept us on our toes like no other'
Michiel Veenstra (43) was a DJ at Radio 538 and Veronica. He had a daily program on 3FM and is now program director at radio station Kink. At the havo of the Christelijk Lyceum Almelo (now Het Noordik) he learned from Dutch teacher Willem Visser how to keep listeners on the edge of their seats.
Picture: Fred van Diem
“I will tell a joke that Mr Visser once recited in front of the class. The village of Vroomshoop is located near us in Twente. A number of classmates came from, so it was not surprising that one day Visser said: "This lesson I will discuss the origin of this well-known place name." We brace ourselves for a solid lesson in place-name etymology.
Mr Visser started with a detailed treatise on peat and clay and the local soil conditions and so on. "Now it comes," we thought at the umpteenth geological exposition, but no. After a long history, Visser said: 'Well, in the end Vroomshoop could not escape the progress either and the first car raced through the village. Skidding out of the bend like this: Vróóóóms-hope! ”
The class was silent for a moment and then no one came to laughter. How Mr. Visser built up such a story, actually made you think he was giving a statement of facts and then suddenly laconically conjured up such a punchline, that was pure cabaret.
When Visser dealt with something as dusty as 'Van den vos Reynaerde' in class, it became a cool story. He felt better than anyone how to keep us on our toes. Humor was important, and so was his ability to talk about a book so passionately that you thought, "I must have read that."
I nevertheless dreaded the mandatory book list. Mr Visser then gave me the brilliant tip to put the illustrated stories with Olivier B. Bommel on my list. I read literature, while I could enjoy the beautiful illustrations in the books.
In 2012 I sat for 3FM in the Glass House in Enschede. A delegation from my old school came to offer a check for a good cause. I heard the direction in my ear: 'Hey Michiel, your old school is outside. With some of your former teachers. ' The Glass House is closed and I couldn't have a chat, but of course I checked who was there. And there he was: Mr. Visser. A soft face and straight hair above his old bow tie. Not a stitch changed. I felt like I was in havo 5 again for a short while. ”
Willem Visser (77): “Looking for a photo from the early 90s, I came across a couple of myself as Sinterklaas, who gracefully inaugurated the new roundabout at the school by ladies bike. A few laps were more than enough. It reminded me of Michael. People should not keep cycling on a roundabout, but should take a turn in time. Like Michiel recently took a new path in his work. That suits him. Always cheerful and energetic. ”
