English Class

The guys had a long week in English 112. They were spoiled in the first half of English comp. The professor graded easily (no one received less than a “C”) and the papers were spread out with each assignment requiring two rewrites. Not so with this English class. Welcome to college fellas!



The instructor is a real English Professor. Dr. “Y” is a mid-sixties African American woman who has set a high bar for these guys. “You’re just like any other college students except you dress alike.”


Every class is devoted to complex reading material including essays by well-known writers and scholarly works by professors at prestigious universities. Each three hour class includes a quiz and at least two in-class writing assignments. Homework is extensive.


And then, there are the critical essays and research paper. Over the eight week class, each student is required to write three critical essays and write a seven to ten page research paper on a contemporary issue. Walking out the first week a number of guys remarked “this lady is crazy!”


Which led to essay one. Dr. Y assigned an article by two social scientists concerning the question “Does money buy happiness?” With data from a Dutch sociologist and a Yale political scientist, the writers’ premise was tough to decipher. I asked a number of guys for their “take” on the article and soon realized almost to a man they missed it. “Don’t you see they’re telling you material goods can’t take the place of what we really crave – relationships?” “Man, Larry, I’ll just write the paper and get a “B”.


Last Monday night the first essays were returned. As I anticipated, we’re not in English 111 anymore! Here was the grade distribution.


1 A
2 B’s
9 C’s
16 D’s
8 F’s


Suddenly guys fell apart. “I’m quit’n.” “This sucks.” “I don’t need this bullshit.” But, reality soon set in. Then came desperation. Essay two is due this Monday. Guys began to line up for help. I prepared a draft outline of the requirements for essay two. Saturday morning at 8:00 I held a session in the day room. Fourteen guys showed up. Since the session, I’ve read twenty-three papers. My red pen is almost out of ink! I didn’t leave the building Saturday and probably won’t today. I can run tomorrow.


At one point Dre asked me to read his essay. Dre’s an interesting guy. He was a big drug dealer in a small, rural, south side Virginia community. Still married and the father of four small children, Dre puts a great deal of effort into his studies. What he lacks in basic intellect, he makes up for in a desire to be the best husband and father he can be.


I edited his piece and returned it to him. But Dre wanted to talk. “J told me you convinced him to stay in the program.” That was true. J had met with the principal and told her he couldn’t do the work. He came back and sat down with me and asked me some very pointed questions about my life. After we talked he sent a letter to the principal telling her he was staying in school.


“Your wife of 28 years really divorced you? Your kids really don’t write you? You signed your house over to her? The judge gave you fifteen years?” I told Dre everything he just asked was true.


“How do you stay so positive? How do you keep going?”


I showed him an index card I keep handy. It has two short Bible verses on it.


Proverbs 24:10: “if you faint in the day of adversity your strength is small.”


Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”


The fact is I’m not sure I’ll ever recover from the pain and emptiness I feel over the divorce. I hurt deeply, though I’ve come to accept and forgive my ex and my sons.


I put a great deal of effort into these guys. I’m not sure how many will make it, but if at least one guy gets out and stays out, it’s worth my effort.


English 112 is a very demanding class for the guys. But for me, with the pain I’m living with, it’s a blessing. My wife and kids didn’t need me, but these guys do. Every guy this weekend wrote their paper. More than one of them said “if you think I can do this, I’ll try.”