The Not-So-Great Debate
"Good evening" said Harriet cheerfully, as the cameras began to roll. "We welcome our viewers to our main event tonight. As you may know, Madison High School is celebrating the completion of its renovations with a grand reunion. Invited are all former teachers and students. Now, one of our signal events is the contest for Madison's greatest teacher of all time."
"Our two candidates for this honoured title are here today. On my left is Mr. Frederick Field."
"Call me Fred" interrupted Field, in a benevolent tone.
"Fred is Madison's popular new English teacher who is taking the school by storm" said Harriet, without a hint of irony.
Field nodded his head in acknowledgement.
Harriet continued. "On my right, is Mrs. Constance Boynton. But of course, to students of my generation, she is remembered fondly as Our Miss Brooks."
"Thank you" said Connie, simply.
"As you may well know, my name is Harriet Denton, and I will be the moderator for this debate. This is a great honour for me, as I have been the chair of the PTA for many years. However, most of all, when I think of Madison High School, I think of my late father, Osgood Conklin. My father was the school's longest serving principal . . . serving even longer than Yodar Kritch, Madison High's esteemed founder. I feel I continue my father's legacy by moderating the debate tonight."
"The subject of this debate is not strictly limited to pedagogical methods. What is the best way to teach English? What is the role of the teacher in modern society? To these questions we turn to our two debaters."
"However, first we've arranged for a student introduction for each of our candidates. Introducing Fred will be Bonaparte Snodgrass, nickname Brains. Brains is the top student in the junior class. He also captained the school football and basketball teams this year. It is he who'll be introducing Mr., er, Fred."
Connie and Field had gone to their respective podiums to be introduced by Harriet; now, again, they shuffled behind their respective Snodgrasses.
While this was going on, Harriet added "For those of you uninterested in the debate tonight, may I remind you that right now on our sister station 2-2, WXQX is showing the complete ME-TV lineup. On Gilligan's Island right now, Gilligan dreams the castaways have aged fifty years after a radioactive meteorite crashes on the island. At 8:30, Gilligan is convinced he has turned into a vampire after being bitten by a bat."
"Oh, that Gilligan" said Connie, sardonically.
"Thank you, chair" began Brains, as he finally fell into position.
"It-is-my-honour-to-introduce-Fred-Field-who-has-revolutionized-the-teaching-of-English-at-Madison" said Brains, in a rapid and emotionless monotone. "No-longer-are-Madison's-students-subject-to-the-teaching-of-centuries-old-texts-with-no-relevance-to-the-modern-day-and-little-interest-to-the-student. Of-what-interest-is-Shakespear-Longfellow-and-Dickens-to-the-modern-student-in-the-age-of-modern-communications? What-interest-or-what-good-will-these-antiquities-do-for-students-in-the-modern-world-with-their-antique-world-views-and-little-in-lessons-on-how-adults-of-today-interact-and-behave? Why-teach-their-often-harmful-lessons? No-no-a-thousand-times-no."
"In-ancient-un-progressive-times-such-as-the-nineteen-fifties-English-teachers-wasted-their-time-obsessed-with-spelling-grammar-and-the-absurd-trivia-of-identifying-parts-of-speech-like-gerunds-articles-and-conjunctions. No-more. Today-we-learn-about-the real-world-and-to-fight-the-various-injustices-that-arise-and-bigoted-world-views-that-are-found-alas-especially-here-in-Madison."
"Thanks-to-Fred-I-have-learned-to-fight-prejudice-and-outmoded-methods-of-thinking" said Brains, with a scowl. "I-I, I-have-learned-more-than-I-have-ever-before-having-previously-been-blinkered-by-the-back-country-atmosphere-Madison's-afflicted-with. We-need-more-teachers-like-Fred-and-we-need-principals-like-Fred-to-guide-our-schools. For-these-and-many-other-reasons-my-vote-for-best-teacher-ever-goes-to-Fred."
Brains ended by winking at Connie, stalking out of the crowded studio, and slamming the door behind him.
"Hmm" said Field, cagily. "I thank Bonaparte for the kind speech he prepared. I am afraid that he's very camera shy, and it took a great deal of courage for him to attempt it live on television. If he is listening, I would like to thank him for it, and remind him it's not as if his future had been riding on a proper delivery."
"Of course not" said Connie, from somewhere behind Stretch. "I am sure we will continue to hear about his continued academic and athletic success here at WXQX and in the Express. That's not to mention, the school paper, the Madison Monitor."
"Of course" said Field, through his teeth. "Why wouldn't you?"
"We will certainly hear if something goes wrong!" said Connie.
"Thank you Fred, Mrs. Boynton" said Harriet. "Now, I bring you a familiar face, retired MLB pitcher Fabian "Stretch" Snodgrass."
"Hi" said Stretch laconically. He paused.
"I'm here to talk up Mrs. Boynton, but back then that wasn't her name and that ain't how I remembered her best. To me, she'll ain't never be nothing but Miss Brooks, the teacher who learned me English and got me through high school."
"Oh, no!" said Connie to herself, while Field snickered audibly.
"No need for fenced mondesty" mis-enunciated Stretch, as he began a mini-autobiography. "High school was real gone for me, I ain't never had a good time in grade school when I was a little kid 'cause of my name Fabian and the other kids kidded me on it. But it was never feet-ed to last long as things went good later and weren't bad hardly and I got to do good in ath-a-letics. I also got to make friends despite my name being Fabian."
"But there was one thing that wasn't ain't not right. I never could hardly do good in class because I ain't never wasn't bright enough, hardly. But then after I flunked out in English one semester, I got Miss Brooks in the next. And I ain't never then hardly flunked another course 'cause Miss Brooks tutorial-ed me in English and my courses. If it wasn't for her, I would have flunked out sure and never gotten my high school diplomat."
"Diplomat!" snorted Field.
"A high school diplomat, if you must bring it up" observed Connie laconically, "allows one their choice of the ambassadorship to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Dominion of Canada . . . or in Stretch's case, a career as star pitcher for the Washington Senators and Montreal Expos."
"Yeah" said Stretch. "That's about it. I would've never been eligible for the school team hardly and I ain't never would have played ball professionally. So you see, I owes my success and interest in my all time favourite academic subject English to Miss Brooks. And I say there ain't nobody never nowhere none hardly who can teach English like Our Miss Brooks!"
"Thank you, Stretch" said Connie weakly, as the baseball star and grammar mangler left the room.
"A very heartfelt speech from Stretch Snodgrass" observed Harriet.
"So we've heard" said Field. "Please note the difference proper teaching makes. Mrs. Boynton taught Fabian Stretch Snodgrass who for all his heart mangles the English language. Meanwhile. my student, his grandson Bonaparte, uses proper language and is called Brains."
"This is an excellent opportunity to move into our first topic of debate" said Harriet. "How should English be taught? Mrs. Boynton, would you like to begin by responding to Mr. Field."
"Yes, of course" said Connie. "Thank you, Harriet. Mr. Field, that is, Fred, you've inadvertently touched upon on a debate I've had with our former principal, Mr. Conklin. Do good teachers make good students, or are good students born? Both, I believe. Good teachers improve students, although a certain amount of talent helps matters. Not everybody is academically privileged, and I believe we teachers do what we can to help our students along to the best of our ability."
"Now I am proud of my record . . . and what is more important that of my students. I am happy to say all of my students succeeded in my courses, and in no way did I relax my standards. Now, I admit I tutored Stretch considerably, and as he himself said, he wasn't a very good student. However, I am proud to say I helped him along and taught him some things in the process."
"However, it was he to whom you turned for an introduction, Constance" said Field, who now adopted a tone of oily conciliation. "Hmm. My, my. I believe you have spoken to me before about the importance of grammar lessons and the reading of Victorian and Early American literature and poetry. Not to mention the invaluable Shakespear, hmm? To see that you've picked a student who shows none of the qualities you've taught and so valued, does that not mean they're not very important? Oh by the way, I love your name, Constance. Beautifully old-school, isn't it?"
"Why, thank you Frederick" said Connie, dismissively. "My mother and father were very fond of the name. Like you, however, I usually use the affectionate short form. In my case, Connie. Back to your main point, I think you must be mistaken when you dismiss grammar as unimportant. Didn't you just praise Brains for his grammar; as you denigrated Stretch for the same? Surely you agree with me on its advantages? Fortunately, Stretch found a career where the handicap didn't impair him. However, appropriate grammar is the passport to any career where an academic background is required. Wouldn't you agree . . . Frederick?"
"Frederick" seemed taken aback, but recovered quickly.
"Hmm. Perhaps, but it isn't all important" said Field. "The proper application of who and whom, once an obsession for English teachers, is now irrelevant and all but forgotten. In a world of spellcheckers, who cares about spelling . . . and who wants to stifle creativity? No, alas, Constance, the interests of your generation are now passe. Ask not for who the bell tolls . . . ."
"Whom, Frederick" corrected Connie, "Whom."
"It tolls" continued Field, "Or, really, it has long since tolled, for the old style of English instruction. As Bonaparte so clearly enunciated, my class doesn't learn from musty, fusty, and archaic volumes. We learn, and then we look outwards, to Madison and the world!"
"Today Madison and tomorrow the world!" observed Connie, sarcastically. "I think you misunderstand the importance of "musty, fusty, archaic volumes. For one thing, I dispute your adjectives. For instance, I wouldn't describe Shakespeare as fusty; leastways, Bowdler certainly didn't when he edited it for the use of young children. As for musty, if you keep the books properly aired I doubt you'll have that problem. Unfortunately, since your attitude has been to neglect their study, they're likely musty by now!"
"Hmm" said Field. "Constance, I would think you'd want your students to take on the world by storm? Instead you criticise me with a weak housekeeping joke? My, my. Isn't it wonderful how far we've come? Yet, I'm afraid you still unquestionably accept the gender role assigned to you by the old patriarchy. A housekeeping joke, indeed! I don't think you're much of an inspiration to a modern woman!"
"If pursuing a profession and a college degree isn't worthy of inspiration, then I suppose not," said Connie. "I am also afraid you've confused common sense bookkeeping with a "housekeeping joke." But let's not sink to personal attacks, Frederick. I hope you would agree that reading some of our great works help expand the mind. I would also point out that it does wonders for vocabulary and reading comprehension, important skills that translate well to everyday life. There is also the salient point, Frederick, that, sometimes, the promotion of literature leads to a lifelong interest in reading and learning. That is something we can both promote, isn't it?"
"Hmm. Did wonders for Fabian, didn't it?" Field replied.
"It didn't do him any harm" said Connie. "I would even argue that it helped paper up some of his academic troubles and prepared him for what we now call the dreaded "real world." Of course, for a boy like Brains, the benefits of a proper, or should I say traditional, English class is more apparent. Brains would be offered valuable instruction in reading and writing. These skills will be crucial in college as well as in his future career."
"I should think it was apparent, Constance, that Brains is well prepared, aside from minor difficulties in public speaking" said Field.
"As your top student, I should hope so, Frederick" said Connie in an easy tone. "Still, what about your other students? How has your no grammar-no reading-social justice-English course prepared them? I, after all, didn't use my top student as proof of the efficacy of my pedagogical methods!"
Field looked daggers at Connie.
"My, my" said Connie, slyly. "Hmm. You do have a hair trigger temper, don't you Frederick!"
"Hmm" said Field, almost retching the word this time. "You are obviously trying too hard, such formalism! "Efficacy of my pedagogical methods," indeed! You simplify too much. I have assigned readings, but readings about real life and appropriate for the modern age. Why, this term my students are assigned The Corporation, a run down on the true view of the corporation as malevolent psychopathic entity."
"Does that include your father's financial interests?" questioned Connie.
"Personal attacks are not appreciated!" Field insisted. "Moreover, we are also studying No Logo, a revealing treatise on the depravity of globalization and consumerism."
"Far be it from me to criticise your favoured books for expressing a point of view" said Connie. "Yet I think it is wrong for you to teach these personal, and highly political, texts as truth in an English class. Nor any kind of high school class at all for that matter. I'd even question their very use with impressionable children at any time, as it seems you are foisting a certain world view on your students."
"Hmm." said Field, still angry but attempting his smarmy, condescending tone. "I suppose when you were teaching in the fifties, that is to say the fifties of the last century or two . . . ."
"Well, it certainly wasn't the eighteen fifties" said Connie sardonically. "I explicitly remember Madison High's electric lights!"
"Hmm. Constance, you taught in a dark age when you were required to uphold the establishment and its warped perspective. Although much work needs to be done, Madison is now not so bad as it was so many years ago. This has been mainly due to the hard work of progressives in other parts of the state, the country, and the world. I am attempting, as a teacher should, adapt my students to the real world, as you so quaintly put it, and not certain regressive views and attitudes that should have long since been buried. The unquestioning adherence to right-wing shibboleths that I see in Madison is quite dismaying."
"Shibboleths" Connie observed. "Now who's trying too hard?"
"Thank you, Mrs. Boynton, Fred" said Harriet. "Fred, you appear to be continuing into our second topic for debate, the role of the teacher."
"Hmm" said Field, scornfully. "Don't you think I should be allowed to make my point without your interference?! Some moderator!"
"Very well!" said Harriet. "The format agreed upon was an hour's debate, divided into two half hour segments. However, if Mrs. Boynton has no objections, we may have a free flowing discussion on both topics at the same time."
"I have no objections" said Connie.
"Constance never did have objections" said Field. "Now, what did you do for the cause of reform!"
"Reform?" asked Connie, perplexedly. "I'm proud to say I did advocate some innovative teaching methods. For example, I introduced instructive films at Madison to supplement our lessons. My first attempt, a film of Sir Walter Scott's poem Lady of the Lake, failed spectacularly. However. . . ."
"Films at school?" asked Field, incredulously. "Films at school are what you consider reform! You may have been blindly complacent to the injustices of the medieval age in which you taught. . . ."
"Oh, yes" said Connie, sarcastically. "It was very medieval. I had to ride to school on my trusted steed, sidesaddle of course, and watch out for attacks by marauding Vikings, assorted barbarians, and the occasional dragon or two."
"Hmm," said Field, as resentfully as he could. "You wasted your time teaching without confronting the injustices of your age. What did you do about McCarthy? What did you do for women's liberation? Did you even attempt to free your students from the repressive thought currents of their backward environment, Constance? No, you didn't! What kind of teacher were you!"
"An English teacher, Frederick!" said Connie, passionately. "Not a professor of political protest. A teacher who cared for her students and their welfare. A teacher who loved teaching . . . although the pay wasn't always enough to keep body and soul together. A teacher who never consciously interfered in her student's politics, save that of basic decency. It may surprise you, Frederick, but I never felt it was my role to rally my students against Senator McCarthy!"
"Nor for women's liberation" scoffed Field. "You were such a caring, devoted, teacher you married and promptly retired."
"A teacher and a woman who has the right to make her own choices in life" countered Connie. "I do regret the fact the board expected me to retire when my first child was born . . . however, it was also my hope and my dream! You have no right to dictate what my hopes and dreams should be! Now, for your information, I did continue tutoring well into my eight . . . well, let us say, my golden years! Of course, I am happy the teachers today have a choice I was denied . . . but what right would I have to force my students march for my personal benefit or my ideals?
"Hmm" sneered Field. "Your ignorance is really astonishing!"
"I suggest you pursue your politics outside the classroom" said Connie, ignoring Field's remark. "It is commendable for you to care for others, but you're abusing your position if you think forging children into your mould comprises an English course. Your ignorance is really astonishing, Frederick."
"MY IGNORANCE!" screamed Field. "You accuse me of ignorance!"
"There goes your hair trigger temper, Frederick" Connie ribbed. "Really now, you're making a fool of yourself!"
"I'm making a fool of myself?" Field said incredulously. "A fool of myself, arguing with you! Such a superannuated, antediluvian relic!"
"Well, I'm glad you have recognized the fact you're making a fool of yourself, Frederick" said Connie sarcastically. "Now, if you can stop misusing your position in the English department, and actually teach your students some of your more particular vocabulary, you'll be halfway there!"
"I have no intention of changing my lessons to meet your laughable standards,"said Field furiously. He took a deep breath, "I wouldn't have yelled had I actually a worthy debating partner, rather than Victorian Constance Boynton nee Brooks."
"Constance Boynton nee Brooks, is roughly the contemporary of the second Elizabeth" said Connie acidly. "I suppose we're now to describe ourselves and our views in reference to British monarchs. I'm very much surprised to discover that this is the progressive point of view."
"Hmm" snorted Field. "Even you, Constance, should realize that the word Victorian informs a basic attitude, that of prudishness and an overly moral tone!"
"If teaching English by teaching English is prudish and overly moral" said Connie, "then shake hands with the chief prude, Frederick. No, that's unfair, my friend Mrs. Leblanc is equally entitled to the position, as are countless other English teachers in these United States. By your book, only those who abuse their positions aren't."
Field laughed deliriously.
"Hmm," he snickered. "If you're going to slander me on air. . . ."
"Really, Fred," interrupted Harriet. "Haven't you been guilty of more than your fair share of potshots tonight?"
"Please Harriet" implored Connie. "Let him. . . ."
"See" said Field triumphantly. "Constance has the T.V. station in her hands. Unless she and her associates withdraw and condemn her defamatory remarks I will be forced to, regrettably, inform the proper television licensing authorities and take the necessary legal action to counter the travesty taking place here tonight."
"That is a run-on sentence if I ever heard one" Connie observed. "I am not a lawyer, but I believe a statement isn't slander if it's true. And it is true. By your own words you don't teach English to any recognizable standard."
"Any recognizable Victorian standard," scoffed Field.
"What happened to antediluvian, reactionary, and, oh yes, troglodyte?" asked Connie. "I was getting fond of them."
"Poor, deluded, senile old Constance" Field replied. "I don't think anyone would go too hard on you, despite your foolishness."
"Poor deluded senile Constance speaks the truth" said Connie as acidly as possible. "You don't teach English; as likely as not, you can't teach English. What's more, an unscrupulous young man like yourself has no business anywhere in or near a high school!"
"Prove it" Field practically growled, his eyes bugged out more than Mr. Boynton's dearly departed pet frog, McDougall.
"If I must prove it, I will, Frederick," said Connie. "I can start with the many people who have seen you in action."
"Hmm" said Field, un-bugging his eyes and turning his frown into a smirk. "The typical friends and relatives, I suppose?"
"Well, Frederick" said Connie evenly. "If you insist, I can produce incontrovertible proof. You see, knowing your unscrupulousness, I've taken the liberty of carrying around a small tape, or rather, a digital recorder."
"That's illegal!" said Field, turning white as a sheet, in an instant.
"Not in this nor thirty-seven other states" Connie replied. "I have here an interesting conversation where you positively blackmailed Brains, er Bonaparte, Snodgrass into reading that speech you wrote. Really, Frederick, I really can't think of a greater abuse of your power. Blackmailing a student!"
"This is a debate" said Field, nervously. "There's no room for prerecorded statements."
"I would have agreed" said Connie, quietly. "But since you've brought it up . . . I'm afraid it's time for extreme measures. As bad as you are, Frederick, I would have saved you the disgrace."
"Given the circumstances" said Harriet. "I believe that we can make allowances. Mrs. Boynton, please hold the tape . . . the digital recorder next to your microphone."
Connie pulled the recorder out of her pocket, and played the earlier conversation. When she finished, she looked at Field.
"Well, Frederick, as Ricky Ricardo would say, you've got some 'splaining to do! I don't think your uncle, Mr. Stone, will protect your job now. All the money on your father's side of the family won't buy you Madison High School."
'I-I don't have to stand for this fraud," stammered Field.
He stalked out of the studio.
"Well, that ends our debate early" said Harriet. "WXQX wants me to remind you that I Love Lucy, starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz,is shown on our sister channel, weekdays at 7:30 a.m."
"Before we return to Gilligan's Island, already in progress . . . and viewable right now on 2-2 I might add . . . I would like to say a few words, Harriet" Connie said.
"Of course."
"I would like to thank my relatives and friends for their support. Frederick, or as I will call him, Mr. Field, might not have had much respect for them, but I do. Without their interest and support, I would have never debated Mr. Field tonight. I would also like to voice my support to the countless other excellent teachers in our elementary and high schools across the state and the country. I refer to the teachers who place teaching their subjects, and wish to help their students, over any political pamphleteering they may wish to do."
"I would also like to end by presenting my husband Phillip Boynton, and my good friend Daisy Leblanc nee Enright. We were teachers at Madison High together, and I believe we've all upheld the standards set by our school's illustrious founder, Yodar Kritch. And yes, Harriet, those of your late father Mr. Osgood Conklin."
No sooner had Connie finished speaking than had Phillip and Daisy rushed into the room to be on television; their speed was surprising for two nonagenarians.
"I thank my good friend Mrs. Boynton, my contemporary, who was always like an elder. . . ." started Daisy, cattily.
Daisy uncharacteristically withered under a sharp look from Connie.
"Well, although we were about even in ages, she was like an elder sister for her support, advice and friendship" Daisy concluded.
"Thank you, Mrs. Leblanc" Connie said kindly. "Although we're contemporaneous in age, I'd say that Mrs. Leblanc looked at least twenty years younger tonight."
"Why, thank you Connie!" said Daisy.
"Don't mention it" said Connie. "At least I've finally managed to have you admit you're every bit as old as Phil and me!"
"Now I would like to mention my husband Phillip" continued Connie. "Undoubtedly, the best biology teacher Madison High School has ever had."
"Thank you Connie" said Phillip.
Connie kissed Phillip in front of the cameras. Phillip reacted by blushing a deep red and suffering an attack of the hiccups.
"I would like to thank Phillip for fifty-eight happy years of marriage, and another happy, though sometimes frustratingly slow, eight years of dating."
"Thank, hic, you, Connie, hic" hiccoughed Phillip.
"Thank you Mrs. Boynton" concluded Harriet. "We will now return to Gilligan's Island."
Author's Notes
Stretch Snodgrass' speech is based in large part on a poem he wrote in Miss Brooks' honour in Valentine's Day Date. Snodgrass's conversation with Miss Brooks in Stretch Has a Problem is similarly relied upon for his autobiographical details.
"Good teachers make good students" is a line of Mr. Conklin's in Stretch is in Love (radio) and Suzy Prentisss (t.v. equivalent with Bones Snodgrass).
Miss Brooks uses "Today Madison, tomorrow the world" to admonish Mr. Conklin for his choice of proverbs hanging in his office (on radio, Letter from the Board of Education, on T.V., Spare that Rod).
In the movie Our Miss Brooks, Gary Nolan fails an English test mainly due to his hatred of the subject (the hatred arises from a strained relationship with his father Lawrence Nolans). Miss Brooks informs Gary's father that every other student passed (meaning Gary Nolan did worse than Stretch Snodgrass).
In The Big Game (T.V.), Miss Brooks actually does relax her standards (via a generous interpretation of Mr. Conklin's instructions) in favour of an aged former football hero "Snake hips." Mr. Conklin, aided and abetted by Miss Brooks and Mr. Boynton, gave Stretch Snodgrass a dubious pass on an intelligence and logic test (in the radio episode Stretch Is Accused of Professionalism). Finally, in The English Test (radio), Miss Brooks awards Stretch the Yodar Kritch Award for Unique Achievement in English. The unique achievement? Failing to answer a single question right. Bones was substituted for Stretch in the T.V. equivalent, simply entitled The Yodar Kritch Award.
There is little evidence to suggest Miss Brooks' English instruction improved Stretch Snodgrass in any way (with the significant exception of helping him pass his classes and remain eligible for basketball/football/baseball). However, in his debut episode, Stretch the Basketball Star (radio), he has little personality of his own and usually repeats whatever he is told. Considering that is the episode Mr. Conklin transfers Stretch to Miss Brooks' class, maybe her instruction was responsible for a positive change. By his second appearance, Stretch Has a Problem (radio), he is complimenting Miss Brooks on her teaching skills and actually has something of an individual personality.
My own experience with biased teaching occurred in university. I decided to attend the spring and summer semester one year (I decided it would allow me an easy semester of a mere one class my last term before graduation). The university compressed these courses, incidently, into two month periods with twice as many lectures a week as the normal Fall and Winter periods. There was also considerably less variety, and I ended up taking courses I would not have necessarily chosen.
My spring courses were Madness in the Age of Reason (mental illness and treatment post-French Revolution - a great course and great professor)and Consumer Culture. As a history major, Consumer Culture was the only English (Ha! English!) course I was destined to take in university. It was supposed to be something akin to the study of the history and influence advertising has on society, and how advertizing works. The professor's approach was consumer culture is bad, and he was doing a favour to students by describing how terrible it was. He explicitly stated that he hoped the students would learn its evils from his course.
Two of the assigned texts for the course were the real-life books The Corporation and No Logo. The Corporation is essentially a long essay asserting that the legal entity, "the corporation" is a profit-obsessed psychopath. It turned out there were never any assigned readings from No Logo; thebook was merely extra reference. I still don't know whether to be grateful for the fact I didn't need to read it, or angry that I bought it unnecessarily.
I decided to deal with this biassed professor in the most practical way; sit quietly in my seat, take my notes, listen to the lectures, do not make waves. It was, in short, my modus operandi in all my courses. The major change here, however, was that I ended up writing my assignments and my exam following the professor's beliefs, although they diverged considerably from my own. In all fairness, the professor was friendly enough. Evidently, he was deeply interested in his subject. Other than his zeal for propagating his one true point of view, he was nothing like Field.
In Movies at School (radio), Miss Brooks rents a projector and film of Sir Walter Scott's poem Lady of the Lake. Unfortunately, a disgruntled employee had purposely mixed up the film. The result was an unintentionally popular showing of Sirens of the Screen, Past and Present; Miss Brooks faces trouble with Mr. Conklin and Mr. Stone.
In Professorship at State U (radio) and The Wrong Mrs. Boynton (T.V.), Harriet Conklin states that it was Miss Brooks' dream to marry and raise a family, quitting her job to do so.
McDougall was Mr. Boynton's pet frog. His first appearance was in the radio episode Game at Clay City. His last was in the movie Our Miss Brooks.
What Field attempted is usually described as extortion, not blackmail per se. However, checking the dictionary definition, one may use blackmail to describe Field's threats in the previous chapter. I believe it sounds more ominous for Field to have "blackmailed" a student instead of "extorting" him.
On at least one occasion, Miss Brooks herself was not above blackmail. In Threat to Abolish Football, she falsely implies Stretch Snodgrass injured his ankle when, as part of the shop class, ordered to fix Mr. Conklin's roof. However, Miss Brooks was merely using it to reverse Mr. Conklin's order banning football at Madison. Mr. Conklin himself did not have clean hands in the matter.
Madison High School failed to live up to Yodar Kritch's standards in the radio episode Deacon Jones and the T.V. equivalent Red River Valley. Madison High School scored dead last in the local school board's standardized test. Of special interest to the visiting inspector of the state board was Walter Denton's low mark . . . around twenty percent.
In Mr. Conklin's Love Nest (TV), Phillip Boynton suffers the hiccups as a consequence of severe bashfulness.