Refusing to divulge his precise age ( "Let's say I'm old enough to know better!'') just to mention a few minutes later that he will be 100 "in a couple of years' time'', Mr. Ivan Cunningham's wit and intellect remain as sharp and bright as ever.

As one of Bermuda's leading educators who, until very recently, organised local representation in the Royal Commonwealth Society's annual essay competition for children, his influence has touched many lives over the past 60 years or so.

Confinement to a wheelchair since undergoing a prosthesis two years ago has certainly not dimmed his humour or a consuming interest in local affairs -- and those who oversee them. Outspoken, and refreshingly direct in his assessment of the issues currently confronting Bermuda, Mr. Cunningham announces that one problem which definitely absorbs him is "trying to survive on an inadequate pension! I used to be very active in the UBP but since they refused to do anything about it, my interest has waned!'' He explains, "The 1935 Act for the superannuation of teachers was fine then, but not now. They say they can't change it, but that's nonsense!'' Speaking in the living room of his military-era, part wooden and steel-pillared home where he has lived since 1945, Mr. Cunningham points out the difficulty faced by anyone trying to live on an income that was fixed, without any thought of inflation, many years ago.

The founding headmaster of Prospect Boys Secondary School, a former president of the Bermuda Union of Teachers and, for five years, editor of the now defunct Bermuda Recorder, boasts (and it certainly is no idle one) that he has had a hand in educating "most'' of the Island's present-day black leaders.

His insistence on discipline and high standards, and his firm belief in the education of "the whole person'' has made him something of a legend in the country he has called home since his arrival here from Jamaica in 1932.

As the founder of the Bermuda branch of the Unity Foundation of Truth in 1975, he is also actively involved in the International New Thought Alliance, serving as District President of what he describes as an umbrella group under which all the metaphysical groups of the world operate.

Mr. Cunningham, who was awarded the OBE in 1981, says he now spends most of his time studying. "I'm doing a special course at the moment, but I also spend a lot of time studying psychology, and reading history and biographies and, of course, fiction.'' He refuses to accept that he will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, saying that he is a believer in the power of thought: "People get sick because they believe they are sick.'' Owning that his father (also a teacher) had always told him he was vain, Mr.

Cunningham laughingly agrees. "I don't go anywhere now, except to hospital. I don't want people feeling sorry for me. I don't complain and I try not to explain -- but I don't like it when people have to adjust their faces to a suitable expression of sympathy when they see me stuck in a wheelchair.'' For this reason, he says he will not sing in St. John's Church choir "until I can walk into the church on my own two feet'', or with the Bermuda Philharmonic Society (of which he is honorary patron).

Asked if he still liked to sing, he replies, "Of course!'' and to demonstrate, bursts into the first verse of "Love, I Give you my Heart'', his rich bass voice reverberating over his hill-side, North Shore garden.

Reverting to the subject of his age, he impishly concedes he was born "long ago. I don't remember whether I was wearing shoes or sneakers and my mother couldn't give me much help on that one. She said she was so busy she didn't notice. When my mother and aunt took the families for a walk one Sunday, the police stopped them to see if they had a permit for a parade! Aunt Christiana had 16 children and my mother had 11. Too foolish!'' He has one word to sum up the idea of Independence for Bermuda: "Nonsense! We need interdependence, not Independence. We never heard anything about I Independence before the election. They said they were going to tackle crime, but since they won the election, all they talk about is Independence and we haven't heard a word about crime.'' Mr. Cunningham's long memory casts itself back to 1964 when, he recalls, Mrs.

Lois Browne-Evans suggested that the House should appoint a commission to investigate drugs coming into Bermuda."But she hadn't cut her parliamentary teeth then, so when she was ridiculed, she sat down again and no more was said about it. I wrote an editorial in the Recorder, supporting her, but that particular article never saw the light of day -- somehow, it was `lost' between my desk and the printer!'' He goes on to recall the late Dr. Simon Frazer's reaction when Mr. Cunningham voiced his fears about a potential drug problem: "He said I was being silly and that Bermudians might turn to selling drugs but they would never use them. If Bermuda had acted on Lois's suggestion then, drugs might never have poured in here the way they are now.'' Citing as an example of the inflexibility of party politics, the proposed mega senior school at Prospect, he comments, "is rubbish, nonsense, and totally unnecessary. The Department of Education thinks you need a large pile of stones and mortar to create a good school. Mr. Terceira goes on and on about `restructuring' and this building's going to be this and that, and how wonderful the physical plant is going to be -- and there's not one word about the children! Smaller schools are far better. I have been in many schools in the US and talked to many, many teachers and they all feel that the smaller school is far more effective. From my own experience, I know that a headmaster has to know the children so that he can talk to them on an individual basis.'' Warming to his theme, he continues, "The whole thing is a ghastly mistake.

The House of Assembly went along with it because -- and only because -- it's a Top educator Cunningham taught Bermuda's brightest From Page 24 "In ancient Rome there was a saying: `None was for the Party, all was for the State'. Well, now, it's just the opposite here -- they're all for the Party and none of them for the State!'' He goes on to reflect, "This constant discounting of ideas which are not theirs is one of the worst aspects of Bermudian politics. For example, Jennifer Smith knows a great deal about education and she is warning against this mega school, but nobody is listening to what she is saying.'' On education generally, Mr. Cunningham says, "The education authorities don't appreciate good teachers. If they find one, they yank them out and put them in an office. The backbone of the education system is the teacher, who is often despised and ignored. The only man in a supervisory position who merited undoubted respect was Stanley Gascoigne. He was a real helper, and if the education system had been guided by him on the function of the school and the teacher, we would be in an enviable position today. Unfortunately, we have lost many good teachers because the pay was so bad they couldn't afford to stay. What people don't realise is that behind every accomplishment is the class teacher -- not the headmaster, and not the Ministry of Education. My aim as a teacher was to give boys lessons they could apply to everyday life. I don't think I've altogether failed in that.'' Mr. Cunningham reveals that initially, when political parties were first formed here, his sympathies lay with the PLP.

"But I became disillusioned with the behaviour of some of those people in the PLP. Some of them had a very abusive attitude if you didn't agree with them, so I went to Jack (Sir Henry) Tucker and told him I refused to accept abuse instead of reasoned argument.'' Paying tribute to that politician's contribution to Bermuda, Mr. Cunningham says, "I'll never forget when Jack Tucker told me the time was coming when the coloured people of Bermuda, through sheer weight of numbers, would not only make their presence felt, but would take a leading part in government. He said he didn't want that to happen just because of numbers, but would like it to be `through ability, not virility'. Anyway, he asked me to name a few coloured men whom I thought could be groomed to take part in active government. That was in 1964 and I named Leo Mills, Irving Pearman, Clarence Woolridge and John Swan. All fellows I had taught, so I am very proud of that because they have made their mark. This is the first time I've ever said this, but it's true!'' Asked if The Royal Gazette could take a photograph of him, Mr. Cunningham posed a Shakespearean question. "Can the camera stand these slings and arrows of outrageous fortune? Well, I'd better take my glasses off -- otherwise, I'll look like an old man!'' `NINETY-SOMETHING' AND STILL SPEAKING OUT -- Mr. Ivan C. Cunningham OBE has outspoken views on the Island's problems.