By Steve Running
In this day of modern communications many of us too often depend on devices to do our listening for us. It is not unusual, for instance, to see high school and college students carry tape recorders from class to class, thus leaving the mind open for more important things like daydreaming.
At a recent Lions club meeting attended by a colleague of yours truly, the following tale was told by Scott Ferguson, executive director of Region VIII Service Center in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.
Here’s a summation of what he said.
A SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT TO HIS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT:
“Next Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Haley’s Comet will appear over this area. This is an event which occurs only once every 75 years. Call the school principals and have them assemble their teachers and classes on their athletic fields and explain this phenomenon to them. If it rains then cancel the day’s observation and have the classes meet in the auditorium to see a film about the comet.”
ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT TO SCHOOL PRINCIPALS:
“By order of the superintendent of schools, next Thursday at 10:30 a.m., Haley’s Comet will appear over your athletic field. If it rains then cancel the day’s classes and report to the auditorium with your teachers and students where you will be shown films, a phenomenal event which occurs only once every 75 years.”
PRINCIPALS TO TEACHERS:
“By order of the phenomenal superintendent of schools at 10:30 next Thursday Haley’s Comet will appear in the auditorium. In case of rain over the athletic field the superintendent will give another order, something which occurs once every 75 years.”
TEACHERS TO STUDENTS:
“Next Thursday at 10:30 the superintendent of schools will appear in our school auditorium with Haley’s Comet, something which occurs every 75 years. If it rains the superintendent will cancel the comet and order us all out to our phenomenal athletic field.”
STUDENTS TO PARENTS:
“When it rains next Thursday at 10:30 over the school athletic field the phenomenal 75-year-old superintendent of schools will cancel all classes and appear before the whole school in the auditorium accompanied by Bill Haley and the Comets.”