Daniel Hill received recognition he did not want, and which he believes he did not deserve after 20 years of service as a teacher, when he was convicted of growing marijuana in his backyard.

The Education Department last month forced Mr. Hill to resign from his post at Warwick Secondary and from the public school system after he admitted in Magistrates' Court to charges of possessing 2.368 grams of cannabis on October 6, 1994 and cultivating seven cannabis plants between August 1 and October 6, 1994 at his Lighthouse Lane, Southampton residence.

Mr. Hill -- who had been on suspension with pay since he was charged -- was fined $1,350 for the offences.

But the 44-year-old father of five this week told The Royal Gazette that he was not bitter and that he planned to concentrate on teaching music privately and being a positive person publicly.

"I am a very, very honest man so I know I must embrace the consequences, just like I tell students,'' Mr. Hill said. "I believe what I did was wrong because the law of the land said it was illegal.

"But after taking the onus for my own actions I realise even more that I must shine like the stars and I will because that's what they saw before this (incident) and they will continue to see a man who is positive and generates positive energy.'' However, he had strong parting words for the education system which he said failed to promote outspoken black male teachers.

Saying he returned home from college in 1975 bright-eyed and full of enthusiasm, Mr. Hill said: "I found the (teaching) experience exuberant, enlightening and overwhelmingly intensive. I realised I had a remarkable talent that other teachers did not have, the ability to speak and command the students' attention.'' Mr. Hill -- who has worked at Sandys Secondary, Warwick Secondary, Northlands, Robert Crawford, St. George's Secondary, the Education Department, and Warwick Secondary -- stressed quite proudly that he was a disciplinarian.

"But students loved and respected me so much that it was difficult to distinguish between their love and respect and fear,'' he recalled with a smile. "However, the discipline was tempered with my desire to see students do the best that they could.

"And I'd say for my entire teaching profession I fulfilled that goal.'' But his relationship with some administrators was not as smooth.

"As an administrator I never got along because my effort and concentration was on the children,'' he admitted.

He said he turned to marijuana to alleviate pressures caused by a deteriorating school climate and a lack of administrative support.

"It's reaching the point where it is impossible to teach,'' Mr. Hill said.

"Basically kids in school are being allowed to do what they want with lenient punishment.'' Mr. Hill predicted that the system will get worse before it improves. He also predicted that fewer male teachers will enter the public school system.

"When you don't see black males in the system, you will not have a desire to do that,'' he explained.

Saying there was a dire need for more male role models, Mr. Hill said: "For too many children the teacher is the only father they know and the only image they have that is the same gender and with whom they can identify.'' But: "After 20 odd years they (education administrators) have nothing for me.

There is no promotion for black males in the system. Those who are forceful like Mr. Hill and (former Northlands acting principal) Warren Jones -- who I worked with for five years at Warwick Academy -- are treated like this.'' However, Mr. Hill said he received support from a few educators, including Education Permanent Secretary Marion Robinson.

"She has been the one that has always stood by my side,'' he stressed.

"There have been many, many squabbles (with school administrators) throughout the way and she has always stepped in.'' But Mr. Hill said he was never offered help in dealing with school pressures and he questioned the Island's commitment to educating youth.

"Why should they tell people how I was caught with marijuana?'' he asked.

"They could have gotten rid of me quietly. Why tell the children? "They could have said, `Mr. Hill, go and get some help and come back'. But they just let another black brain go out of the door.'' Turning his attention to Police, he added: "They came privately to my home to tell me about what was in my closet and backyard and to tell the Country.

"It was just another negative action toward a black, young Bermudian male.'' Mr. Hill said while he had no plans to job hunt, he was not about to join those "sitting on the walls''.

"I will continue to teach music part-time and I have many plans for the future,'' he said. "I have resigned, but look back with memories of wonderful experiences because I gave and contributed an awful lot.'' Several of Mr. Hill's former colleagues and students confirmed this.

Chief Education Officer Joseph Christopher, who was the principal at Sandys Secondary where Mr. Hill began his teaching career, described Mr. Hill as "enthusiastic and highly competent''.

"He was a creative teacher who worked hard. He taught Social Studies and history,'' Dr. Christopher recalled. "He also initiated a gospel choir at the school.'' Former pupil Mark Pettingill, who is a lawyer, said he remembered Mr. Hill as a "charismatic'' teacher.

"He certainly made learning fun,'' Mr. Pettingill recalled. "He was interesting and always made time for people. He was always down to earth. He was realistic about what life was about and also quite strict.

"He prepared us for life in general.

"Toward the end of my tenure (at Warwick Academy) he was embattled with the administration. But he never brought that into the classroom.'' Lawyer Victoria Pearman -- another former student of Mr. Hill at Sandys Secondary -- said: "He was one of the best teachers I had and one of the few occasions that I had a male teacher. He brought a new dynamic to learning. He had a certain way of doing things.

"I'm a woman and if he made a difference for me then he must have made a difference in the lives of the young men he taught.'' Describing Mr. Hill as an "excellent teacher'', she explained: "You never felt that he was teaching or lecturing, but showing you things you already knew.

"He was a motivator and have very great expectations for students. He set very high standards and expected everybody to fulfil them.

"He comes from a long line of teachers who were dedicated. Teaching was a vocation, their mission, not just a job.'' One of Mr. Hill's top music students, Leslee Stevens -- who will be performing with him in concert at Willowbank in Somerset on Sunday -- called him "extremely professional'' and a "perfectionist''.

"He is very caring,'' said Mrs. Stevens who has been studying with Mr. Hill for the past ten years. "He will go the extra mile for students even when others give up.'' The local soprano, who in 1980 was offered a scholarship to study at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York, added that Mr. Hill was "extremely brilliant''.

"I am now training in Atlanta,'' she said, "and I've not come across any vocal instructor who is as great. "He's extremely gifted and not noted enough for the talent he has.'' Describing the drugs incident with Mr. Hill as "unfortunate'', Mrs. Stevens said it highlighted the need for counselling resources and services for teachers.

And two former teachers who worked with Mr. Hill agreed.

"There are many of us, including myself, who have come to an end not very pleasantly,'' former St. George's Secondary teacher and producer Patricia Pogson said. "I think it is very sad.'' Noting the Bible scripture "he that is without sin, let him cast the first stone'', Mr. Hill's former colleague and music student Eunice Maddern said: "None of us is perfect. And at the times we are living in we should try to encourage each other. If God can forgive us, why can't we as mortals forgive.'' Mrs. Maddern stressed that none of Mr. Hill's students had been "affected adversely'' by his offences.

"What he did was wrong,'' she said. "He made a mistake. But we all make mistakes. I'm disgusted with `perfect' people. Instead of waiting to pounce on people's failures and mistakes, let's try to bring out the positive.

"He's also one of the most naturally gifted people I know. He instructs in voice, piano, guitar and violin. And if some students are not able to pay sometimes, he will give the lessons for free. That's just the kind of person Danny is.''