Welcome to Dummyland!

Last night, I was watching The Outsiders, which reminded me of High School. This was mainly because our English Teacher, Mrs. Jubb brought in the movie and had us watch it in class one year. Therefore, over the course of probably three days, we got to dim the lights, sit back and enjoy a nice movie (sans popcorn of course, since no eating was allowed in class). Still, it was a break from the norm.

I had many memorable teachers throughout the course of my education, however "Coach Durr" stands out for many reasons. Coach Durr was one of the school's coaches, and a history teacher (why do they always have the Coaches teach History?? They really shouldn't). On any given day, you could sit back and enjoy a nice history lecture by Coach Durr, and he did know his stuff... or you might catch him sitting silently at his desk "hidden" behind a book, picking his rather large-nostrils. His teaching methods were quite interesting to say the least.

He came up with a method of seating according to grade. Let me explain. He lined the desks up along the wall in a "U" shape, with his desk in the front center of the class. Then we were organized by our Grade Point Average in his class. If you made A's, B's or even C's I guess you weren't TOO awfully worried, but if you'd worked frivolously hard and earned yourself a "D" or an "F", everyone knew it too!

If your grade was a D, you were dangerously close and if you made an "F", well you were assigned to sit in the very end section, which Coach Durr had affectionately named "Dummyland".

(See my example for detailed illustration-click to enlarge)

Coach Durr Bragged on the Kids that made A's, and smeared the A-earners' success in the faces of those residing in Dummyland... he enjoyed taunting Dummyland with the fact that they were no star student.

"If you folks over in D section don't watch out, you're going to end up in... DUMMMMYYLAANNNNDDDDD!!" he'd say with a snicker.

I've often thought about his class, and remembered it humorously, wondering if this might have permanently scarred any of the Dummyland-residents... I, myself never ended up over there but I may have cruised through C Boulevard a time or two.

No matter what your grade, there was no hiding it from your classmates... and well, as for Coach Durr, his nose picking was never concealed as much as he thought.

Here's to you Coach, as well as all those other Coaches who have been ordained to teach a subject... Remember, the things you do in the line of teaching stays with 'us kids' forever.