Lee Note 62 More Math Stories
From Karen Franta:
I was another Mrs. Plagens survivor. I was also in the class with Mary Lee as well as Scott Mann. Some of us were convinced that she had a crush on him. He always seemed to make good grades, that is, after his paper was graded and he was sent back to correct his mistakes.
I, like Larry, remember her book as well as her famous two-problem test. I finally made 100 on one and she told me to frame it. I never wanted to hit a teacher until that moment.
I did survive and escaped the class with a "C" I think.
Karen Franta Hawkins
From Lillian Swick
No one has mentioned Mr. Collin's (was that his name?) algebra class. He wrote one algebra problem on the board, put his feet on the desk and spent the remainder of the class talking to ... anyone remember who ... I don't. I think that was his last year to teach.
It was so bad I signed up for business math in college. The nightmare continued when I was "accidentally" placed in a college algebra class. Thinking we would start at the beginning of the book, I stayed.
The instructor started in the middle of the book so during winter break a friend taught me algebra! I passed but still panic when I see "x="!!!
Lillian Swick McGary
From Carolyn Geyer:
I am finding it so hard to believe that so many people had such a hard time with Mrs. Plagens and Algebra II. I hated that class and felt like I was the dumbest one in the whole room. Board after board of rules! If you even left a comma out on a test when you had to cite every rule back to her, she counted off for everything.
I do remember that I thought it was so odd that she had lots of diamonds on those fingers and that she had dress after dress made just alike. They were of different material but were all just alike.
Maybe I concentrated on that because the math was too much for me. I wish I had known that I was not the only one who felt so afraid and inadequate. I tried to hide it and myself from her. Miss Robson the next year was a definite relief. It is really neat to know after all these years that I wasn't alone!
Carolyn Geyer Smith
From Bill Edwards:
Larry,
I recall those _exact_ words from Ms Plagens - she was the worst!
But I have to put in a good word for Mr. Wedgeworth; geometry was much better, after Ms. P's algebra. There was some logic there, not copying and memorizing. I recall he called a quiz "refreshments." Now I teach math (theory of computer science, college, actually) so I can sympathize.
I try to remember what not to do from Ms. Plagens.
Regards,
Bill Edwards