From the Suggestion Box

I have known teachers to go crazy from too much teaching but not you. How come? They should put you on a pedestle.

A Bashful Nobody

My suggestion is overthrow Mr. McHabe and you run the school togeather with Mr. Grayson. Then this would be a great place to be.

(In the Mid Terms the reason I flunked is because I didn't understand the questions.)

It serves them right (dishes in ruins) how we messed up the whole Cafeteria, and we’ll do it again if they still treat us like jailbirds. This is the last warning I'm writting.

At first I thought to myself I'd never live through another English with a female teacher but, instead, well here I am and I owe it all to you.

Rusty

Too strick with the marks. I could use a 80.

A 55

I suggest 1. More teachers with spunk.

A. To stick up for us.

1. The way you stuck up for Joe F.

2. And fight with Mac Habe

3. Character—Excellent & not afraid.

4. And beautiful blue eyes.

Teenager

I complaint all ready about my Midterm mark. What's the use of intergration if marks are still low?

Edward Williams Esq.

I never knew a teacher to really care but you do. Don't ever leave us. I wish I could have you till the end of school.

Carole Blanca

Still stink.

I like to get away from war books like "Shakespeer" to the "dance" in the gym but didn't get a chance to "dance" with you. Maybe we will "next time".

Chas. H. Robbing

You took off to much for sp. and gr. and punct. and vocab. on my Exam, when you were about my age you didn't want the same thing to happen to you.

Zero

I love the frank way you speak to us and I love your methods of teaching and dressing yourself. I love your kindness and whole personality. I also love you for yourself. Tell us more about your own life like you did that time about your college. It makes you feel very human to us so we can be more like you. (I went down to size 15). I'm only misrable at home and never in English. That's why I have this new ambition to be an English Teacher. Can you tell me how you prepared your self for this career?

Your friend,

Vivian Paine

You have one of the best sense of humors I ever met. You made the lessons laughable.

Third Row

I don't like the way you dress, too loud for a teacher, you should tone it down, and a low marker.

Yr Emeny Enemy

The reason I like your English is you teach English which can be used in my life to make me somebody. You have arranged your English so that it seems more interesting and it doesn't seem like English though it is. You make likable things I don't like like reading. You teach perfectly and steadily, not too fast or too slow. And you always have time to listen to our side of the book. Can I have you again?

Jose Rodriguez

I know who cheated on the midterms and got away with it, also somebody else.

Guess Who

No matter what I do my mother keeps harping.

Doodlebug

I'm not in your class, but how about a date anyhow? I am a very congenial acquaintance. I am medium tall with dark hazel eyes, sort of chubby face and a little stout around the middle. I suppose you know me already!

Passer By

Although the English Midterms were extremely interesting, they were rather hard to do in my usual well manner. I therefore wish to thank you for giving me the opportunity of raising my mark with a Extra Credit Book Report which I hope you will enjoy reading.

Harry A. Kagan

(The Students Choice)

I'm not saying there's too much homework, but I won't say there's too little. But for you I'm glad to do it even double.

Frank Allen

I was going to drop out but no more. No teacher ever gave me the break you did when you told me I could make up my briliant (Ha-ha!) marks with a book report for extra credit which I will!

Lou Martin

This is the first class I enjoyed failing because of looking at you.

Not enuogh extra credit for washing the Board!

Disgusted

Will you marry me?

PART X

(291)

My Reading Life

Dear Miss Barrett,

I am hereby submitting a Book Report I wrote for extra credit. I hope you will raise my mark since I need to have it raised. In the past I have always usually had excellent marks in English.

Harry A. Kagan

(The Students Choice)

My Reading Life

My reading life has quite a variation and is more wider than the average student. I enjoy indulging in many types of great literature, both fiction and nonfiction books as well as others. Mr. Hemingway's works gave me a very favorable impression of Mr. Hemingway as a writer. I would recommend it to any one. One author I did not care for was Mr. Faulkner. I didn't get any enjoyment out of him. Another book I did not particularly enjoy was "War and Peace" by Mr. Tolstoy. It was much too long to read it and has too many characters with similiar names. I've also read quite a few other fiction novels that I won't mention here. I consider reading one of my most useful hobbies.

* * *

Miss Barett, You said we could put in your letter box Extra Credit reports on books we read outside of school and due to Midterms and horsing around I need that E. Credit! I demand you

give it to me! Ha-ha joke! But every little bit counts!

Lou Martin

Three Important Myth

by Lou Martin

1. There was once a boy and girl but their familys were always arguing so naturally these two children or people would meet each other on the sly. One day a bleeding lion came along. Horrorfied she ran away leaving her scarf! The lion played with it for a while and then went away. The boy came back and seeing the bleeding scarf taught that she was killed. Remosely he took his knife and his life! The girl saw her boy-friend was dead and she decided to kill her self! The 2 familys seeing their dear children dead realised how silly they were & became friends after learning a horrorful lesson. The same conflict appears in Shakespeer.

2. Pygmalian was a myth who was a sculpture. He was the type of man who didn't like women particulally but this story changes this. One day he made a statue of his wife-to-be and put in everything he wanted just so and when it was finished he wanted to marry her but since she wasn't alive he couldn't very well do so. What to do? Pray, of course, which he did to the G—ss of love who made her alive! From this we get My Fair Lady and others.

3. Adonis was a handsome youth from Asia Miner and Venus was the G—ss of love. She use to spend all her time going hunting with him and fishing and other sports. All the manly outlets of life! One day while Adonis went hunting a wild bore killed him and all the Gods pitied Venus so much they then allowed him to rise from the dead to dwell as her husband part time. During the months in which he visits we call Springtime.

What Did I Miss?

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 508

TO: 304

Dear Syl,

Welcome back! You were much missed yesterday! By Paul, who kept revising verses he was writing you. By your Joe Ferone, who wandered, listless and passless, through the corridors and out of the building before the PM check-out. By McHabe, who was summoned by the unnerved substitute to sit on your classes. By your kids. And, of course, by me.

Are you all right? Wild rumor has it that you had 1. eloped 2. collapsed beneath a pile of records 3. gone to the movies in the daytime! Which is it?

Bea

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 304

TO: 508

Dear Bea—

If I have to check one, I’ll take #3.

Actually, I spent the day at Willowdale Academy, being interviewed for a possible February job. From where I sit, it's very tempting.

Came back to find my door fixed at last; it opens and closes now. But—two chairs are broken. Fair exchange!

Do the CC's go on the right or the left of the blue line on the PRC?

Syl

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 508

TO: 304

Dear Syl,

Fie on Willowdale! Don't you know how much you're needed right here? My underground informs me there was prolonged applause when your kids saw you back in classroom.

As for capsule characterizations, they go on right of blue line; you should have been paying attention at October Faculty Conference. I've discovered a boy on my register for whom I can't make out a CC or a final mark: I never laid eyes on him! He's been spending his English period every day, since the beginning of term, sitting in the office, being disciplined for something or other—no one can recall what!

Bea

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 304

TO: 508

Dear Bea—

My problem is CC's of kids who are present. Wish I could say something honest, like:

"Sycophant, stuffed-shirt, stinker. Has finger in every school pie; will go far."

or "What is she doing studying French verbs? Marry her off—and fast!"

or "Let's not lie to him about equality of opportunity!"

But, like the rest of us, I have to settle for:

"Leadership potential."

"Works to capacity."

"Should try harder."

One thing about Willowdale—there's no J.J. McH. there. Did you get his latest, alerting teachers to "epidemic of glue-sniffling"? And no Sadie Finch, clamping down, harder than ever, on inter-punching.

I would teach English there!

Syl

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 508

TO: 304

Dear Syl—

The McHabes and the Finches exist in college too. There is no greener grass. Even in private high schools and so-called "better" public high schools, there are many pressures: parental pressures for Ivy League colleges, School Board pressures, social pressures. The range of dull to bright kids is about the same, and if they drive their own cars to school, they—and their parents —tend to look down on the teacher's lack of money or status.

Besides, if you leave, with whom would I exchange these intraschool communiqués to brighten my Lobby Duty period?

Besides, you're our catalyst, mascot, spokesman and in-fighter.

Besides, you laugh good, like a teacher should.

I'm not saying this to get a higher mark.

Stay!

Bea

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 304

TO: 508

Thank you for the kind words; I need all I can get.

It may not even be my decision to make. After so many demerits, I expect a "U" rating from Clarke.

What did I miss yesterday?

Syl

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 508

TO: 304

Dear Syl—

Don't worry about your end-of-term rating. "Principal's Estimate of Teacher's General Fitness"—for all its verbiage—is concerned with one thing only: "Is she loony?" And—whatever else you are—you're not loony.

You missed the Dec. Faculty Conference, as you well know, at which all vital questions were postponed for lack of time. And at which:

2 new committees were formed.

It was decided to substitute folk songs for hymns in assembly.

McHabe took a stand vs. vandalism, obscenity, lateness, smoking, and the Faculty Show.

I know, because I had to write up the Minutes.

Paul spent the hour writing you verses.

I know, because he sat next to me.

Have you forgiven him?

Bea

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 304

TO: 508

Dear Bea—

There’s nothing to forgive. He himself feels blameless.

He is—as the PRC puts it—"laying hard"; and he keeps dropping bait into my letter-box:

"A question to pursue and ponder:

Does abstinence make the heart grow fonder?"

Health Ed teacher just sent me cutting slip for Alice Blake. Apparently only today has someone bothered to take attendance in Gym. Apparently no one has as yet removed her name from Delaney Book.

I've kept in touch with her mother. Alice has been transferred to another hospital, she is in pain, she still refuses to have anyone from school visit her.

What's all the excitement about "Teacher for a day"?

Syl

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 508

TO: 304

Dear Syl—

That's the day kids turn the tables on us. It always takes place just before Xmas; it's the occasion for certain responsible seniors to run the school for one day. President of G.O. becomes principal, chosen seniors prepare a lesson to teach lower classes, and it's all very sound.

But by a series of mutations and deteriorations, it is becoming more fraught and frantic each year. The humor of teachers dressed as kids

cavorting on the stage escapes me, but there is a strong faction in its favor. They call it "the lighter side of education."

Surely, Willowdale has nothing like it to show you!

What's wrong? You sound a bit fed up.

Bea

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 304

TO: 508

Dear Bea—

I am—more than a bit fed up.

I once taught a lesson on "A man's reach should exceed his grasp/Or what's a heaven for?" I'm no longer sure that this is so; the higher I reach, the flatter I fall on my face.

How do you manage to stand up?

Syl

* * *

INTRASCHOOL COMMUNICATION

FROM: 508

TO: 304

Dear Syl,

Look at the cherub who is delivering this note. Look closely. Did you ever see a lovelier smile? A prouder bearing? She has just made the Honor Society. Last year she was ready to quit school.

Walk through the halls. Listen at the classroom doors. In one—a lesson on the nature of Greek tragedy. In another—a drill on who and whom. In another—a hum of voices intoning French declensions. In another—committee reports on slum clearance. In another—silence: a math quiz.

Whatever the waste, stupidity, ineptitude,

whatever the problems and frustrations of teachers and pupils, something very exciting is going on. In each of the classrooms, on each of the floors, all at the same time, education is going on. In some form or other, for all its abuses, young people are exposed to education.

That's how I manage to stand up.

And that's why you're standing, too.

Let's meet at 3. If you're swamped with work, let's at least walk to the subway together.

Bea

Willowdale

Fri., Dec. 11

Dear Ellen,

I chuckled at your description of your in-laws and the shrunken turkey. I needed to chuckle.

The invitation to spend the Xmas holidays with you is very tempting, but I won't be able to make it. Neither am I going to visit Mother. Her letters have switched into lower gear: She now sends me clippings on marriages. No, it isn't the "extravagance of the flight," as you so delicately put it. Since I'm unable to whip up an appetite at 10:17, I've saved a fortune on lunches. It's the term papers, reports, CC's and final marks, which are due right after the holidays, "to facilitate records," although there will still be a month of school left.

Other teachers, more efficient or more experienced, seem to manage to take this time off; some (on maximum salaries?) even go on cruises!

But I'm at a loss on how to give each of my 201 students a numerical mark in a subject like English. Based on what?—Average of tests? "Class attitude"? Effort? Attendance? Native intelligence? Memory-span? Emotional problems? The kind of reading their parents had exposed them to?

About Henrietta and the Book Room Incident: She's back, galumphing more energetically than ever through the classics, devising means of bringing them to the students' level, as the phrase goes. Her latest is: Great Poems Turned into Tabloid Headlines.

I wouldn't have believed it, had I not seen two kids in my homeroom at it:

Date: 2016-01-03; view: 748