A Springfield Girl's Dreams of a Seven Sisters Education

I note that the writers have rotated Mount Holyoke into Lisa Simpson's college dreams this season. Wellesley and Vassar used to top her list. Last night's reference (as best as I can recall): a documentory film maker scolds Lisa's dilettantism and threatens that she'll end up at MHC . . . then "squeezing out babies"! -- "Well, I never!"

After I posted yesterday, the rain changed to big, wet snowflakes. The "wintery mix" lasted for hours. Today, we had bright sun, and it got into the 40s.

I filled in for the attendance secretary at venerable ol' Douglas Southall Freeman High School today. I sent teens off to orthodontist appointments and recorded on the computer the unexcused tardiness of oversleepers. I found the work frantic, but low-stress. Like at a temp assignment, people who weren't sure "what she usually does" tried to teach me a system in two minutes.

I wished I could have roamed around Freeman, more, and admired the 1950s details (though much seems older in styling, including the lettering on the front). It's got that brick-shaped glazed tile in the main hall (pinky tan, trimmed with maroon), and oak-colored wood doors and trim in the spaces I did visit.

Having met a remarkable cross-section of young people, I also wonder how they feel about being "the Rebels," still. I met a number of recent immigrants (Asian and Hispanic); a few black kids; and, still the majority, white kids (few of whom had Virginia accents, though many if the teachers and administrators did).