“We don't want students marching out of their classes. We respect their rights to free speech, but we do not support that. They need to stay in school and finish their education and go to college.” - Hector Flores

“There is a national problem with suppressing free speech at high schools and colleges in the name of political correctness, and it disproportionately affects conservative and Christian students and student organizations.” - David French

“August gave a little talk before the show about how he dropped out of school, regretted it and spent hours in the library educating himself, ... He talked about developing your intellect, being open to the world and life through books. It was one of the most brilliant speeches I've ever heard on that subject, and it really moved those kids.” - Ron Sims

“A high school teacher has no speech rights, yet must use words to deliver curriculum.” - Linda Manning





If you have been even semi-reading my blog for awhle, you'll know that I have embarked on what has turned out to be a rather emotional journey through my past. I have been unpacking and sorting through boxes of "stuff" (including a lot of papers) that at one time I obviously deemed worthy of keeping. The majority of it is finding its way to the recycle bin, but there are still some gems (both good and bad) that I just can't let go...they're tied too powerfully to one of those significant moments that KSHIPPYCHIC talked about in her comment to my last post.

It is with some trepidation, a whole heaping helping of embarrassment, and a pinch of relief that I have decided to share some of these particular documents, letters, etc. with you. This may sound strange, but after all these years, I think I still carry around a little bit of the pain, and perhaps this will shake off that last tenacious piece. Hope so, anyway!

So, that said, my first piece will be a letter I wrote to myself on the evening of my high school graduation, early summer 1966. Just to set it up a bit, my folks were over in Europe at the time, so my sister took me and my brother (who was also graduating). He had a summer job working at Algoma Steel as grunt labour, and he was usually tired by the time he got home. We only had one car (a 1963 Chrysler, if I remember correctly...the only car made with push button gear-shifting...it was weird!)




Dear Richard:
Let this be an inspiration.
Remember your Grade 13 Graduation? All the fun and laughter, seeing everybody for the last time, the excitement of going away to college soon. Remember the jokes in the Home Ec. Room before the ceremony, the anticipation in the hall, being on television as you entered? Remember going up on the stage four times, once for your diploma and three times for worthless medals, pins and cups?

Remember sitting and clapping when four of your classmates, your closest friends, got Sir James Dunn Scholarships?
Remember sitting and clapping when three of the same classmates got Ontario Scholarships?
Remember sitting and clapping when two of the same received $100 prizes for highest standing in individual subjects?
Remember sitting and clapping when thirteen, yes thirteen, of your classmates received $50 and $100 prizes for general proficiency?
Remember the embarrassment you caused yourself when you told people you deserve one of the prizes that someone else got?
Remember afterwards in the cafeteria when everyone was going to go somewhere to celebrate and you had to come home because your brother had to go to work early the next morning?
Remember taking the car after you got home and going in town looking for the others from restaurant to restaurat?
Remember not being able to find them?
Remember returning home, disappointed, dejected, and seemingly rejected?
Remember?
Remember?
Remenber?
Remember your high school days?Your few, if any, real friends, your empty social life, your childishess, your laziness, your poor physical condition, your exclusion from parties...
Remember?
Remember?
Remember?

Well if you do remember it FORGET IT!
That part of your life is gone! You're in Phase #2 now. Don't make it as rotten, empty and worthless as #1!
Work! Work towards a goal! NEVER LOSE SIGHT! You've often heard of the college grad who is going to set the world on fire. You know very few succeed, but you'll make up your mind that you're going to be one of the successes,or, if you're not, you'll know that you gave it a damned good run for your money. Above all, though, Richard, don't tell anyone your plans. Instead, shock the hell out of them when you succeed. May the Good Lord be forever with you and don't forget, when you don't feel like working, look at this, think back, think ahead, then go to it and DON'T LOSE SIGHT!

Sincerely yours,
The old you handing you over to
The New You.

POST SCRIPT:
1) By way of explanation, we only had one car, and lived about 8 miles out of town.
2) I found out later that everyone had gone over the river to Sault Michigan and spent some time watching the submarine races, if ya know what I mean!
3) I flunked out of first year University, and several attempts thereafter through night school, etc. I finally got my Education Degree ("with distinction" I'll have you know! LOL) in 1987, which was 9 years AFTER I had started my teaching carrer.
4) The above letter was written by a very lonely 18-year-old kid on what should have been one of the happiest days of his life. Things just didn't turn out that way.
5) I DID SO deserve the prize I was belly-aching about, so they let the guy who got it keep it, and sent me a cheque for HALF the amount...WTF??
6) I won a University of Waterloo Scholarship, which paid for tuition an fees. It's just that they weren't awarded during this ceremony.
7) I grew up in a religious home setting. My individual views have changed on that matter over time.

PEACE.

Posted by Evydense on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 10:14 a.m. | Permalink