The Glass Teat - essays of opinion on the subject of television
Page 30
That was incorrect reportage.
Barbara Benham of the Center has sent me a salient bit of information. Straight from the mouths of the kids.
Each of the classes was presented with “Student Evaluation Sheets” which were to be filled in with a) whether or not they enjoyed the presentation, b) whether or not they’d care to see similar presentations in the future and c) remarks on the lecturer’s performance.
I expected the Dunbar kids to rate me high. We’d done okay together. We’d related. But I also expected the kids from Wilbur Wright High School, the ones with whom I’d gotten nowhere, to really put me down. I present here the results of the two Evaluations.
DUNBAR STUDENTS: 17 evaluations received.
ENJOYED THE PROGRAM: 17
DID NOT ENJOY THE PROGRAM: 0
WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SIMILAR PROGRAM AGAIN: 17
WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE A SIMILAR PROGRAM: 0
SOME REMARKS: “It’s something refreshing for the mind.” “He talked the same talk we talk.” “With him we could really get down and express our feelings.” “I enjoyed it because he told what he thought and because he showed you don’t have to go to college to learn things.” “Liked it because he talked on my level and tried to get everyone to talk.”
Yeah, great. But what about those Wilbur Wright kids whom I knew despised me and refused to even speak? How about them?
WILBUR WRIGHT STUDENTS: 22 evaluations received.
ENJOYED THE PROGRAM: 21
DID NOT ENJOY THE PROGRAM: 1 317
WOULD LIKE TO SEE A SIMILAR PROGRAM AGAIN: 22
WOULD NOT LIKE TO SEE A SIMILAR PROGRAM: 0
SOME REMARKS: “Enables one to meet someone from another walk of life. A few moments with an interesting person like him is worth a lifetime with a dull one.” “. . . He made all students think about the institutions . . .” “I enjoyed the program from the aspect of Mr. Ellison’s ideas, but I believe many of his thoughts were of a Utopian essence and I think the world the way he wishes it is somewhat hard to imagine. I was surprised that an association joined with the Board of Education would bring a person like Mr. Ellison to the Living Arts Center. His profanity during the program was uncalled for. To me, it seems that he was ... contradicting himself.” “I think that he was a good speaker, not because of his language but for his knowledge and experience.” “It really wasn’t long enough and each person could not talk to him privately.” “The speaker was certainly different from most. He was much freer, easy to speak with, and very frank .. .” “He was very open with us which I liked.” “I liked Ellison’s approach. He tried to get everyone involved. We didn’t talk anything about writing and that was our main objective. He did convey good ideas to me, though.” “Ellison told it like it was.” “He was frank and outspoken, but was an intelligent man who told things from experience. I could have listened to him all day! A marvelous person with a fantastic outlook on life.” “I liked it because it was not formal and the talking was open. There was nothing I didn’t like about the performance.” “... Programs like this are very valuable to high schoolers because we are preparing to take our place in society and we must realize what society is really like.” “If Mr. Ellison is going to be the speaker I wouldn’t care to attend any other program concerning any topic ...”
You know, I actually went for the okeydoke Glenn Ray laid on me, that I’d turned the kids off and hadn’t related to them. Which—added to my thoroughly misjudging and ignorantly putting-down those kids—goes to prove how muddied grow one’s perceptions, the longer on the firing line. And it even seems I managed to convey in my ham-handed fashion that Barbara Benham was a culprit. Not so. A victim, like all of us, yeah sure; and frightened, like all of us, yeah that too. But a bad guy ... no.
I owe apologies, herewith tendered. To Miss Benham, and to the kids of Wilbur Wright, who are infinitely wiser and groovier than any California mush-head come to tell them “where it’s at.” Once again, troops, you have showed me there is still hope, and you make it easier to fight the battles, big and small. Jesus, I feel good today.