Telling Tales Out of School
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
APPLES FOR THE TEACHER
No, I never received an apple in the traditional sense. Before we had filing cabinets, the students had to come to my desk for paper, carbons, etc. One particular day I had brought an apple to school and planned to have it for lunch as I was on duty that day. Much to my surprise, when I opened the drawer to get it, the apple was gone! No, it did not make me mad! I simply remarked that I would know who got my apple before the day was over as I had poisoned it. I teased them a lot during the lunch hour. To my surprise, when I arrived at school the next day, there were 15 bright, shiny red apples on my desk. To this day, I do not know who ate my apple. Probably they all took a bite. In fact, I can't remember those who were in this particular class. I just know it happened.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT
During the '50s when I helped sponsor the 4-H Club, we decided to have a talent show. I contacted students I knew from Rayville and St. Joseph and they helped us spread the word. We had a huge turn-out and netted a fairly large sum of money. The outstanding thing about this event was who appeared on the Epps stage-a group from Ferriday wearing blonde wigs. One played the piano, standing up part of the time and occasionally using his boot on the keyboard. He sang 'A Whole Lot of Shaking Going On' and 'Great Balls of Fire.' Yes, none other than the Jerry Lee Lewis! This singer would later give a command performance before the Queen of England and is still very popular today. Ironically, he did not place first.
Segars approved as long as they were well-behaved. I was in the office that period. I never was aware of any mischief that they got into, because they never bothered any of my things.
In retrospect, I recall how they became quite interested in one of my live plants, a 3' tall dieffenbachia, also called Dumb Cane. 'Mrs. Lusk, have you noticed your plant? Maybe it needs some fertilizer or may we water it?' They kept it watered for me, and on several occasions remarked that they thought it really looked sick. Before the school year was over, it actually wilted and died. It was not until years later, at a class reunion, that I learned the true fate of my plant. These boys had chewed tobacco and spit on the soil around my plant. Don Raley and Paul Mercer were the culprits! I wonder why I was not surprised.
THE BLIND BOYS
Each day during the last period that I would spend in my room, I always had volunteers to close the windows (this was before air-conditioning) and adjust my venetian blinds. I'm truly not a perfectionist, but I did like my pictures straight and my blinds even. Of course, they made fun of me. I've actually heard them say, as they sized up the situation, 'No, that blind needs to come down about one-fourth inch or no, no, that one is too high.' It kept my room neat the way I liked it.
Also, who can forget having to center the carriage, cover the typewriter, close the typing book and place it to the right of the typewriter. Just a routine I demanded. Yes, my room always looked neat!
THE SENIOR TRIP - 1955
Once my husband Bo and I took a group of seniors to New Orleans on their senior trip. Bo drove a school bus for the trip. Knowing the first place they would want to go was Bourbon Street, we had each student get a parent's signature giving us permission to take them down in the French Quarter. I was later told that they did not have any trouble getting their parents to sign as they did not know what Bourbon Street represented.
Formats
Book Details
About the Book
It covers the years of the '50's 60's and '70's, with comments about, 'What Was Right With Our Schools'. With so much press and talk about the deterioration of our schools, this book points out vividly what the author feels used to be right (not perfect) but certainly right about our schools.
She states that it is true-life stories and personal reminiscences of years gone by. It is in no way a complete autobiography, just her memories, impressions and perceptions of these phases in her teaching career. Being a child of the Great Depression, it shows how an insignificant farm girl became a teacher. It includes her thoughts on teaching which she learned by trial and error. Included are humorous incidents of many students, confessions and other interesting information. Also included are numerous 'bloopers' made by the teacher. This included the year that integration came to the south.
It has been critiqued by a staff member of LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He states he can detect historical and educational value (especially for high school teachers and students) as well as humor. Of course, most of her former students will enjoy it as it includes tales about many of them.
About the Author
Christine Clack Lusk grew up on a farm in rural northeast Louisiana near Rayville. In reflecting on her past she recalls that as a little girl playing, she always insisted on being the teacher.
She graduated from Rayville High School in Rayville, Louisiana at the age of 16 with a grade-point average of 3.7, placing second in a class of 73. The scholarship she received allowed her to attend LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She planned to go into the field of business and work in that capacity, certainly not teach.
During the World War II, there was a teacher shortage and her former principal asked her to fill in temporarily for him in the business department. The money was tempting, so after only 3 years of college and at 19 years of age she taught for two years at RHS in Rayville, Louisiana, her alma mater. She found that she truly enjoyed teenagers and usually related well to them. So she became a teacher, really by accident. She states that it was a serendipitous event in more ways than one!
She later married W. A. 'Bo' Lusk of Epps, Louisiana, and they have two sons. They have been blessed with 5 granddaughters, who added a whole new dimension to her life. She still lives in the sleepy little village of Epps, Louisiana, where Bogzack creek meanders lazily on the western side.
She states the book Telling Tales Out Of School, evolved really by accident as the result of a joke. It has been a most pleasant task for her. She dedicates it to all her former students, each of whom have left 'footprints on her heart'.