MOTHER: Pass him, and he won't do it again.
I: I'm afraid that's no solution. He simply isn't using his potential.
MOTHER: You mean he's dumb?
I: Oh, no!
MOTHER: He's afraid to open his mouth. Smack him, just smack him one.
I: He should volunteer more.
MOTHER: I tried my best. (Helplessness, shame in her voiceand were there tears in her eyes?) Do me a favorpass him.
I: Why do you think he is doing so poorly?
MOTHER: You're the teacher!
I: He seems to be just coasting along.
MOTHER: He can't help it, he was born premature. He won't do it again.
I: Well, it's a good thing that we are both concerned; perhaps, with more encouragement at home? Can his father
MOTHER: That son of a bitch bastard I hope he rots in hell I haven't seen him in six years (said in the same apologetic, soft pleading tone).
I: Well (five minutes are up, by my watch), it's been a pleasure to meet you. (But she doesn't go.) Is there something else?
MOTHER: (Those weren't tears; anger is filming her eyes.) What does it cost you to pass him? No skin off your hide!
I: I'm afraid his work doesn't warrant
MOTHER: Do me a favor, at least keep him in after school. I can't take it no more.
I: I'm afraid that's impossible; you see
MOTHER: But you're the teacher! Hell listen to a teacher!
I: We can both try to make him work harder, but he has so many absences
MOTHER: Maybe if you made Physics more understandable to him he would come more.
I: Physics? I teach English!
MOTHER: How come?
I: What room were you supposed to be in?
MOTHER: 306. Mrs. Manheim.
I: I'm afraid there's been a misunderstanding. Mr. Manheim is the man you want to see. I'm Miss Barrett, Room 304.
MOTHER: Well, why didn't you say so?
Still, I learned a few things. I learned that the reason a student failed to bring his father's signature is that the father is in jail; that the Federal Lunch the kids are always griping about is often the only meal they have; that the boy who falls asleep in class works all night in a garage in order to buy a sports car; that the girl who had neglected to do her homework had no place to do it in.
I have a long way to go.
In the meantime, write, write soon. You too bring me a glimpse of "real life." One can get as ingrown as a toenail here.
Love,
Syl
P. S. Did you know that due to the "high mobility" of families unable to pay rent, some schools have a turnover of 100% between September and June?
S
TO: ALL TEACHERS
NOVEMBER 13
YOU ARE TO BE CONGRATULATED AND COMMENDED ON THE COMPLETE AND UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS OF OPEN SCHOOL YESTERDAY. IT IS THROUGH PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES SUCH AS THESE THAT CLOSER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE SCHOOL, AND THE HOME CAN BE EFFECTUATED AND ACHIEVED.
MAXWELL E. CLARKE,
PRINCIPAL
35. Please Do Not Erase
Miss Lewis Class
Whom did you see yesterday?
object
John / did see / whom
yesterday
adverb
John - subject
he - who
him whom
Assignment for Monday:
Write a three paragraph composition
on one of the following topics. Under-
line each subject once and each
object twice.
What It Means To Be the American
Sewage Disposal
Autumn Sunsets
DO NOT This Atomic Age
ERASE!!! The Family Farden
Miss Barretts classes:
Do not ERASE!
Miss B- I am here so dont count me absent,
the reason Im not here is
because I am in the office
Carole
Do not erase
Suggested Supplementary Reading lists
are on my desk. Please take one
before leaving.
Doodlebug
Write a brief statement on
how you personally feel about
the problem of integration
in the schools
DO NOT ERASE
36. Integration
Although I personally am white and therefore out of this, I believe in integration. I think we should go along with the times and be more tolerant of other races. They have just as much right to be human. After all, they are voters too. The G.O. of which I am President of, is proud to live in a democracy.
Harry A. Kagan
(The Students Choice)
1. How stuppid can you get?
A. Bussing kids to school miles away.
1. Just to juggle it around.
2. Then go back to the filthy slums.
(After school)
2. Can't be juggle like diferent color marbles.
3. It takes time.
A. Lincoln. (Slaves)
B. Rome.
(Wasn't build in a day)
Teenager
I'm proud to be of African decent but I can't stand the Portoricans.
Anonimus
Good morning, all of a sudden they woke up! It's about time! But they're doing it from the wrong end! Well, well, it's all in fun anyways and gives kids a chance not to do any work. They should give Boycotes every day to stay away from school! (Ha-ha, joke!)
Lou Martin
I think what they're afraid of is if we sit close to one another in school well intermarry and what about the color of the children. But that's dumb because it's all personal magnetism.
Linda Rosen
What's the good of it, there still prejudice on the outside, it's in the cards. At lease in my old school it was close to where I live so I could catch up on some extra sleep but got nothing out of it.
Edward Williams, Esq.
A lot of feeling is flying around loose and they've got to pin it down. It just let's off steam.
Doodlebug
This school is about 65-35 in favor whites but if the score was 50-50 and with more colored teachers then maybe it would tip the scale the other way, but if it gets to 35-65 in favor us then we got to start all over again to get it back on a even kiel.
We had a knifing on this subject on our block. It only makes us lose respect for school more and brings out more fuly words like nigger kike and spick which are not a good vocabullary.
The world is too complicated and my whole future is a mess. You should see our kitchen. Going to a different school is no use. Pairing us off like buddies in the water for swiming. Suppose you don't care for that type of a person, why should you sit with them? They just want their name in the papers.