Academics, Dr Bannister.
‘Please sit down, Mrs Johnson.’
I sat down and waited. In appearance he reminded me of Mr Clemens, even though he
did not wear white suits and did not smoke (thank goodness!) those horrible cigars.
But he had that untidy halo of white hair and that look of a jovial Satan. I liked
him on sight.
He went on: ‘You have completed your special examinations. May I ask what standing
you expected to receive here?’
‘I had no expectations, Doctor. I asked to be examined in order to find out where I
belong.’
‘Hmm. Your application shows no schools.’
‘I was privately tutored, sir.’
‘Yen, so I sce. You’ve never attended school?’
‘I have attended a number of schools, sir. But briefly, never long enough for
academic credit. My father travelled a great deal:
‘What did your father do?’
‘He was a doctor of medicine, sir.’
‘You used the past tense.’
‘He was killed in the Battle of Britain, Doctor.’
‘Oh. Sorry. Mrs Johnson, your correct advanced standing is that of bachelor of arts
– no, no, attend me. We do not award that degree or any degree simply on the basis
of examinations with no time in residence. Do you expect to be on campus for the
next two semesters? The academic year of 1946-47?’
‘Certainly. And this present summer session as well. And then some, as I purpose
asking to be accepted as a candidate for a doctor’s degree if and when I achieve a
baccalaureate.’
Indeed. In what field?’
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‘Philosophy. Metaphysics, in particular.’
‘Well. Mrs Johnson, you amaze me. In your application you describe yourself as
“housewife”.’
‘Me description is correct, Doctor. I still have three children at home. However,
two of them are adolescent girls; both are good cooks. With cooking and housekeeping
divided among us we all have time to go to school. And, I assure you, there is
nothing basically incompatible between dishwater and curiosity abut noumera. I am a
grandmother who never had time to go to college But I cannot believe that I’m too
old to learn. This granny refuses to sit by the fire and knit.’ I added, ‘Dr Will
Durant lectured here in 1921. That was my initial exposure to metaphysics.’
‘Yes, I heard him myself. An evening series at the Grand Avenue Temple. A charming
speaker. Goodness, you hardly seem old enough. That was twenty-five years ago.’
‘My father took me. I promised myself that I would resume the study of philosophy
when I had time. Now I do.’
‘I see. Mrs Johnson, do you know what I taught before I went into administration?’
‘No, sir.’ (Of course I know! Father would be ashamed of me if I failed to scout the
territory.)
‘I taught Latin and Greek… and the Hellenic philosophers. Then the years moved
along, and Latin was no longer required and Greek no longer offered, and Greek
philosophers were ignored in favor of “modern” ideas, such as Freud and Marx and
Dewey and Skinner. So I was faced with a need to find something else to do on
campus… or go look for a job somewhere in the busy marts of trade.’ He smiled
ruefully. ‘Difficult. A professor from the physical sciences can find work with Dow
Chemical or with D. D. Harriman. But a teacher of Greek? Never mind. You say you
plan to take this summer session:
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Suppose we call you a senior now… and graduate you at the end of the first
semester, January ’47, as a bachelor of arts, uh, major subject, modern languages;
minor in – oh, what you will. Classical languages. History. But you can use the
summer session and the first semester to support your real purpose, metaphysics. Um.
I’m a grandfather myself, Mrs Johnson, and an obsolete teacher of forgotten
subjects. But would it suit you to have me as your faculty adviser?’
‘Oh, would you?’
‘I find an interest in your purpose… and I feel sure that we can assemble a
committee sympathetic to that purpose. Hmm –
‘ “Old age hath yet hls honour and his toil.
Death doses all; but something ere the end