It is 10:00 p.m., more or less. I’m sitting in the comfiest chair in my teacher apartment in bush Alaska, where I will be for two more weeks. In the bush, not in the chair. Although it is a pretty nice chair. . . But I digress. I hear a sound that at first I […]
Author: Evelyn J. Willburn
Bell-to-bell instruction
The leaders of this rural Alaskan school district want what any self-respecting educational leader wants: uninterrupted learning for students, all day and every day. Who could argue with that? However. Here’s a shining example of what sometimes happens in a rural Alaska school. On this particular day, probably my third of subbing here, the phone […]
Bush mail
“There is no store out there,” said Human Resources. “You will have to bring all your groceries with you. Also, there is nothing in the new teacher apartment, so you will need some pots and pans and flatware. And bedding.” “OK,” I said. I was on my way for a month of long-term subbing in […]
Dream big
When I was somewhere in the 8-12 years age bracket (12-year-old me didn’t look much different from 8-year-old me) I saw a dress in a catalog that cost $12, and I wanted it. I showed the picture to my mother, and she shook her head sadly. She had only recently, reluctantly, given up making pastel […]
The Stone
Chapter Eight in “Decades with the Squad” by my late father, William Palmer Jervey, Jr. This episode involved one who might be referred to as the Fastidious Gentlemen. On a scale of one to ten, he would surely be a nine. Believe it or not, he has on occasion involved himself in getting up hay. […]
Bread and bears
I wonder if bread is funny in the same way that bears are funny. I compare the two because both, while having the potential to provide merriment, also play a serious role. Bread has been a life-giving staple in the lives of humans since the very beginning of agriculture, while bears can provide humans with […]
The food of the gods
Ah, honey, that magical elixir. Put a dollop in your tea, and it will soothe your sore throat or assuage the ache in your heart, or maybe do both at the same time. It’s delicious by the spoonful and is a natural sweetener that adds some food value and calories. Come to think of it, […]
The Horse
Chapter Seven in “Decades with the Squad” by William Palmer Jervey, Jr. This occurred at dusk. That dangerous time when headlights do little good and all colors blend into an ever-deepening shade of gray. There were three horses being ridden and were clustered close together when a large truck plowed through. Two horses were killed […]
Of Shakespeare and King James
Ok, I give. Not that I have a vote anymore, but I concede that if we are going to continue teaching Shakespeare’s plays to high school kids, we need to provide them with modern English translations. Please understand, though, that this capitulation pierces my heart. I used to get a huge buzz whenever a high […]
The Suicide
Chapter Six in “Decades with the Squad,” by William Palmer Jervey, Jr. The young fellow had “broken up” with his girlfriend and decided that life was not worth living. With some effort one can understand that much. The method or procedure by which he attempted to end it all really staggers the imagination. He loaded […]