Up The Down Staircase

To be continued—

Bea just left. She brought news of the latest legislation: future Faculty Shows have been outlawed. All school entrances, with the exception of the main one, will be locked 'except when in use.' Vigilance of patrol will be redoubled. It was suggested—but vetoed—that all visitors to school be frisked. The auditorium was to be used for assemblies only. The pagoda was scrapped.

I asked about the kids. Eddie Williams is definitely dropping out, as are several others. Jose Rodriguez is staying. So is Vivian Paine. She wants to be an English teacher, and a high school diploma is a prerequisite. Bea didn't know about Rusty or Ferone.

I don't know about Ferone either. He may be my most spectacular failure, or my one real success. If he drops out, I may never know.

'What else is happening in school?' I asked.

'Life is happening there. That's where life is,' she said. It was shameless propaganda. She is still trying to dissuade me from leaving.

It's not fair. I admit my ambivalence—when I reread the round robin, when I look at the ugly chrome and glass candy dish, when I think of their faces.

I have learned how vulnerable I am.

But I must look realistically at the future. Perhaps I'm not equal to what awaits me at Calvin Coolidge. Unless I stop caring. Until, one day, I find myself punching in with indifference, punching out with relief. Until I become as bitter as Loomis, as plaintive as Mary, nursing my grievances and varicose veins.

At Willowdale, I have a chance to be 'mine own woman.'

If I choose to remain at Coolidge, then Clarke may justly, on his End of Term Report, call me 'loony'!

In the meantime, Willowdale is waiting for clearance on my resignation from the Board and for a letter from Dr. Clarke—a mere formality. I am waiting for a 'Dear Sir or Madam, Resignation accepted' letter. No regret, no gratitude, just 'Resignation accepted'; that, I understand, is the usual form the Board sends.

And, of course, I am waiting for a letter from you.

I shall be here at the hospital for another week or two; after that I'll take my metatarsal home in a 'walking cast' till the end of the term.

Remember me in your wassail, and—to quote a student for the last time—may you have a Happy New Year always!

Love,

Syl

P.S. Did you know that teachers have been resigning from the New York City school system at the rate of approximately a thousand a year?

S.

56. Ballad

Our class was working happily,
While you were teaching us,
You gave us information which,
We learned without a fuss.

We read books and we words did spell,
The hours sped by so fast.
We always groaned to hear the bell,
At the end of our English class.

But then a tradgedy occured,
An accident befell,
And you were taken from our mist,
Because you weren’t well.

Come back, come back, Miss Barrett, dear,
Come back, come back, come back,
Without you days are very drear,
And this is true for a fact.

Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

From your Poets of Eng.33 SS

57. Dear Sir or Madam

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE

CITY OF NEW YORK

DEAR SIR OR MADAM:

IN REPLY TO YOUR REQUEST FOR RESIGNATION, PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT YOURS WAS FILLED OUT IMPROPERLY.

YOU MUST OBTAIN THE PROPER FORM FROM THE OFFICE OF TENURE AND APPOINTMENTS.

* * *

January 5

Dear Miss Barrett,

We at Willowdale are looking forward to having you with us in the February semester. As you know, your appointment is contingent upon your resignation from the Board of Education and a letter from your principal. We have not as yet received either communication. Would you be kind enough to let us know the reason for the delay?

Most cordially,

Robert S. Corbin

Dept. of English and Comparative Lit.