When I learned SPA was the right place for me

Thank you for every one's support of the blog! I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the all entries. I have my own Pamela Anderson story .... but that's a different blog.

I want to share my story of the day I knew I belonged at SPA. It wasn't an inspirational moment of academic or athletic achievement (still waiting for those.) I believe it was a confluence of the space/time continuum or a divine intervention, but it was probably just dumb luck.

For those that do not know, I did not attend the Lower School, but started SPA in the Seventh Grade. The adjustment from public to private education was a struggle for me in general, but nowhere more so than math classes. In the Eighth Grade, I was in Mr. Drechsel's math class. I think it was the lower class tract, which we affectionately termed "dumb math." I wasn't Mr. Drechsel's favorite student and the feeling was mutual. He would call on me daily to solve problems on the chalk board in front of the class. Often, I couldn't solve the problem. I realize now it was a growing experience and the process was more important than finding the correct solution. However, I distinctly remember being humiliated on most days and sent back to my desk simmering with anger or fighting back tears, depending on my mood.

One day, the humiliation overcame me to the point I needed to vent, and it wouldn't wait until after class. I was just sent back to my desk and the class was to work a problem individually, so the room was silent There was a small sliver of chalk on my desk in front of me. Against my better judgement, I grabbed the chalk and whipped it at Mr. Drechsel with all my might! The next few seconds were in slow motion as the chalk flew true, end over end horizontally. It drilled Mr. Drechsel on his forehead, right between his eyes. The next split second (the bargaining phase) I thought, "Maybe the old man's nerve endings are detached and didn't feel it?" No such luck:

"WHO THREW THAT! I WANT TO KNOW WHO THREW THAT!" as he shot out of his chair to his feet. I never knew he could move that quickly. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, "OR DID IT FALL FROM THE CEILING?"

Almost as one, the class responded affirmatively, "That's what happened. It just fell. Strangest thing I ever saw."

Surely, somebody saw me throw the chalk. Yet nobody ratted me out. Amazing! You can imagine my relief.

That's when I felt accepted, not by faculty, staff, or administration, but by my classmates. That was far more important to me. With the help of my friends, I could deal with the authorities and challenges at SPA. That's when I learned SPA was the right place for me.

Dave