Back in the seventies, our local paper developed a program that encouraged the use of newspapers in the schools. Like many of my colleagues, I was anxious to give it a try when I heard about it and began incorporating it into my instruction. I really liked all of the different reading strategies it gave me and I could really tell that my students benefited from the program. One day our Principal proudly announced in a faculty meeting that the Editor in Chief of the paper would be coming to observe the program in our school. He would be bringing along a photographer and a reporter. I was honored to learn that I was one of the teachers my Principal selected for our visitors to see.
The day was set for the visitors to come along with our school superintendent and a school board member. We were all really excited to have all of these visitors of distinction coming to our school. On the day they were scheduled to come, I was beginning to think that perhaps they had changed their minds. Then, about an hour before the last bell for dismissal rang, in came the visitors escorted by my proud Principal.
The day was set for the visitors to come along with our school superintendent and a school board member. We were all really excited to have all of these visitors of distinction coming to our school. On the day they were scheduled to come, I was beginning to think that perhaps they had changed their minds. Then, about an hour before the last bell for dismissal rang, in came the visitors escorted by my proud Principal.
As he was talking to the editor, the secretary made an announcement over the intercom. She announced to the Principal "Mr. L...., your strippers are here!" I had to chew on the insides of my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. I watched the poor man squirm red-faced as he faced the shocked expressions of our guests. He hurriedly excused himself and made his way to the office. I continued teaching the lesson while the photographer snapped away. The superintendent introduced me to the editor and we talked for a few minutes before they left. I looked around for my assistant and found her literally crying from laughter in the back of the room.
Later, we found out that the men who had come from the Central Office to strip the wax off the lobby floor had arrived and the Principal had told the secretary to be sure to page him as soon as they got there. Well, you have to give her credit for following directions! She had been a school secretary for forty years so I am certain it never dawned on her how her announcement might have sounded.
