Mom: “How’s school Collin?”
Me: “It’s good Mom, good.”
Mom: “How’s the bus trip in?”
Me: “It’s good Mom, good.”
Mom: “Have you made any friends?”
Me: “A couple.”
Mom” “That’s good, Collin, that’s good.”
It took just a few days to get used to the drill; waking up very early, walking to Western Avenue, getting on the bus and going through a day of school and then getting back on the bus and making it home. Willie and the Brown and White were there every morning to welcome us and every afternoon to see us home.
The brown and white played a big part in our lives those days. It was our transport ship. We were sailors and the Brown and White offered security. We would catch up on homework, swap weekend "warrior" stories and sometimes get some sleep on our way to and from the school. The mornings were generally quiet. Some mornings it seemed like only Willie did any talking at all.
“Did you fellas see dat game on television last night. Now dat was a hell of a game and the beer was good ‘n cold. Jeez, I could use a good coffee dis mornin.”
The afternoons were noisy and buoyant.
“OK fellas, can you keep it down jus a little? My head is hurtin, like hell dis afternoon.”
In the first week, we quickly learned about the real characters of the school: the teachers. I cannot imagine there ever being a school with such a cast of unique and animated teachers. Special care was taken to recruit only teachers who would stand out in a crowd and inspire young boys from many different backgrounds. Our cast would make the witches and other creatures who instruct at Harry Potter’s Hogwarts look dull.
Each teacher seemed quirky in a different way, but on the whole they were fascinating communicators and extraordinary people. We learned immediately that they were focused on learning and that we would either get on the stick or get the stick - it was our choice. While there were several teachers who were beginning to practice some of the more modern approaches to discipline, most of the teachers controlled the classes through sheer force of their personalities or intimidation. And no apologies were made for it.
The school had many jocks, many scholars, some scholar-athletes and a large number of somewhat slightly above average to average students. Enrollment was kept relatively low at about 700. When the teachers used intimidating tactics they probably figured they were dealing well with the diversity issue. It did not matter what color you were or what ethnic background you had, if you stepped out of line, “bam,” you paid for it. Ironically, in the sixties, the bookshelves were full of best sellers on innovative educational approaches like open classrooms and self-directed learning. But, if someone asked our teachers "Why Johnny Can't Read," they would have answered “because mommy and daddy and their teachers are too soft on them.” Our teachers were not going to make that mistake!
Copyright Sporting Chance Press
This story is taken from The Brown and White.
