Hey gang,
No doubt, all of the Dark Shadows fans, who are educators, enjoyed watching today's episode in which governess/teacher Daphne Harridge vainly attempted to conduct Latin class with Tad and Carrie in the playroom (of all places!).
I particularly enjoyed the part in which the precocious Carrie was trying to conjugate the verb, "to love," with her stating, "I love, you love and she/he loves." Of course, smart-alecky Tad couldn't resist the urge to add the name "Gerard" to "she loves" as in "Carrie loves Gerard," much to Carrie's annoyance.
Nevertheless, it could have been much worse. I recall the movie "Up The Down Stair Case," in which Sandy Dennis played Sylvia Barrett, a young teacher (sort of like our own Daphne Harridge), who encounters many trials and tribulations as she struggles through her first year of teaching at a New York City high school.
Anyway , Ms. Barrett quickly learns that a teacher NEVER has her or his class conjugate the verb "lay." You can imagine the uproarious outbreak that occurs when one student recites "I lay, you lay, she/he lays," in front of all of those highly "imaginative" students! And, I shudder to think what Tad's reaction would have been, in hearing the winsome Carrie recite that particular conjugation in class.
Incidentally, I understand, from my family members and friends who are teachers, that Bel Kaufman's book "Up The Down Stair Case" was required reading for new teachers back in the 1960s. I wonder if our Dark Shadows educators out there have had similar experiences to either those of Ms Harridge or Ms. Barrett during their years in teaching?
Bob the Bartender, who thinks that Daphne can't wait for summer vacation time to come to Collinwood.
