Re: Invitation

["Shapiro, Mark" <mshapiro@EXCHANGE.FULLERTON.EDU>]

Leigh,

        Thanks for the contribution.... I'm going to schedule it for
publication....

        I would encourage everyone to send their contributions directly to
me at (mshapiro2@home.com), rather than posting them to the list...unless,
of course, you feel that the contribution relates directly to PHYS-L.

Thanks,

Mark
http://www.IrascibleProfessor.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Leigh Palmer [mailto:palmer@SFU.CA]
Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 11:13 PM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: Invitation


>        If other members of PHYS-L have similar experiences or anecdotes
> relating to education that deserve a more "permanent" place on the web, I'd
> be happy to consider publishing them.

I had a look at IrascibleProfessor.com. Here is a brand new original
anecdote which is not exactly along your theme lines, but which you may
put on your web site with or without attribution if you wish to do so:

On Friday I gave an examination in my large introductory physics course.
An hour and a half before the examination was scheduled to begin I
received a phone call in my office from a student. He said he wouldn't
be able to sit the examination because he had been in an automobile
accident. I said I hoped he would recover quickly and not to worry about
the exam, but to be sure to get a note from the physician who was
attending him. He then told me that he was unhurt; he was at home and
didn't have a car to get to school. I suggested that he take a bus. He
lives half an hour from the university on a frequently serviced bus line,
and the weather was fine. He told me that he had never taken a bus and
didn't know how. I suggested he call a taxi, to which he replied "Oh,
OK. ... Can you give me the phone number of the taxi?" I won't go on
with the story, but I did not become abusive. I may well have become a
bit sarcastic, however; who would blame me?

This student lives in his parents' home. My wife and I made it a point
of policy to send our four children away from home to attend university.
While some may be unable to afford to do this (I attended a JC for two
years out of financial necessity), it is not a luxury. My experience
today suggests it is a necessity.

Leigh
(a professor who just learned to spell "irascible" correctly today. How
many times have you guys seen me misspell it - and nobody ever let on!?
Thanks, Mark Shapiro.)