Day One - Before Class

Last year, I encountered an article in American Scholar - the publication of Phi Beta Kappa. No, I am not a member of Phi Beta Kappa, although I knew a member of Phi Beta Kappa (Douglas Clark, University of Denver, 1964). Anyway, the article was published postumously when the widow of Professor Lionel Basney discovered it among her late husband's papers. Basney was a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, at the time of his death at age 57 in 1999. Basney's postumous article was selected as the best article in American Scholar in 2003. Basney's earlier contribution - "Immanuel's Ground" - was selected as best article published in 1999.

Basney's final publication - "Teacher: Eleven Notes" - appeared in the Winter 2002 issue of American Scholar (pp. 75-88). I was particularly taken with Note 5.

The basic equipment for a classroom teacher is the same as for a stand-up commedian: a striking voice, a direct gaze, and the inner freedom to say more or less anything that comes to mind. Also useful is a thick mental deposit of miscellaneous information: anecdotes, publication dates and other historical clutter, phrases from songs, the names and saleable features of recent movie figures all stick involuntarily in my mind and are subject to random, improvisatory recall....

I must go and prepare for class in one hour. I feel as if I am going into the belly of the beast. 31 years and no time off for good behavior....