The unruly spring storm has finally blown itself away, but we’re still dealing with unseasonably chilly temperatures. Yesterday felt like a day in mid-November. Students and teachers hustled from one building to another through the frosty air, and at recess I noticed many of the children simply huddled in corners to hold the warmth in. Many of the kids were wearing “flip flops” (the shoe of choice in April and May), and I’m sure their exposed feet were feeling the touch of the wintry air.

My college class is going well. I have, as usual, a group of polite, ambitious, and intelligent students. I feel sorry for them as I look out at their tired faces. After a full day of work, and after tending to the needs of their children at home, they come to the college to be instructed in the complexities of literature from 6:30 to 9:00. It’s not a simple task to stay alert in an overly warm room when the professor does most of the talking and the literature is enigmatic and seemingly inaccessible. Their heads droop now and then, but they do a brave job of staying attentive most of the time.