On Jun 17, 2007, at 8:48 AM, Brian B. Riley wrote:

> I recently attended my daughter's graduation from Burlington County
> (NJ) Community College. During the class Valedictorian speech I
> stopped trying to count somewhere around 37 "...uuuummmmmm"s. I think
> the chairman of the English department was out trying to higher one
> of Tony Soprano's boy's!

*Hire* one of the Soprano boys, perhaps?

> I retired from teaching high school in 2003. The school I taught at
> was considered one  the best in the state; many of the kids going on
> to prestigious colleges. Though I mostly worked with low end remedial
> kids I occasionally interfaced with higher end students in AP Physics
> and Calculus. I was appalled at the atrocious grammar and composition
> of many of these students. Unless they were fortunate enough to be
> among  the  third of the seniors who had the 'dragon lady' of the
> English department. After the second month of the class would not
> accept any paper with spelling, grammar or major composition
> faults ... they had one chance to resubmit or took a zero. Many
> 'grades conscious'  parents tried to have her canned or reined in
> over the years, but she is still there with 25-27 years on the job.

Good for her.  Shame on the parents.  Where were they when the kid  
wasn't learning to read and write?

> Invariably the students who cursed her out most vociferously when t
> hey were there were the first ones to come back from college to thank
> her!

Absolutely.

--
Nate Duehr
nate@natetech.com



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