Charles Sachs:  

Yes, fond memories of Central and the various groups and interests. Key is that school often is where your long term interests develop and usually into a career. With my interest in US history, many of you maybe recall Mr. Hoyer's class when when it was the week of Civil War history, I gave a talk for a whole day in the little theater, using borrowed flags, rifle and other props talking the War. Them I showed a 15 minutes short film from the D. W Griffith "The Birth of a Nation", the first three hour movie from 1915. It was then the 100th anniversary and the Mishawaka Theater planned to dhow the classic silent film, but the local NAACP picketed the theater and it was cancelled. I had soved money over the summer, selling in Indiana, illegal fireworks that I got from a kid in the Michigan side of our summer cottage in Michiana Shores, when there they were legal. I made enough to get the film and and lot left over the play with and did cause a slight local problem with selling to kids who then caused problems so stopped (TMI but more could add that was funny). SO, with lots left over, that is how in Mr.Madden's speech class were were to "sell something" as a speech. With the tiny class of 8-10 students, most did rather boring things like toothpaste. WELL, my speech was to happen, and it was a female student teacher from St. Mary's running the class and Mr.Madden, used this to take a break in the teacher's lounge. SO, for the afternoon I am walked around school with a paper bag "filled with fireworks" of all kinds. So, I get up to give my talk, I ask the students to raise their right hands, which they did and I said, "I resolve to not tell anything of the following proceedings." They all looked with "What the F--K over?" They sort of nodded. I then pulled down the window shades to make the room darker. I then said, "I am going to sell you fireworks." Well, with that I pulled various "goodies"out of the bag, starting with one inch fire crackers, up to a cone and ending with "a roman candle" which I then said, I will demonstrate. Well, I had 2 types, one weak and one stronger. I took "the wrong one" and lite it. As the first sparks started, not the first of the "5 balls" , and she said, "Charles, those are sparks. Charles, explain yourself." Well at that, the first fired, the fire ball hit the center of the 12 foot ceiling, then the back wall and then, still of course, afire, on the wood floor and under desks. All the students dove under their seats. The black girl started to run out the room and I pulled the closed to keep the smoke in. The firing continued and at the end, the room FILLED with smoke, and all under their seats in shock, I said, "Now, the most important thing about using fire works is safety precautions. Realizing what I had just said, I started to laugh and could not stop laughing. I tossed the used roman candle into the waste basket. Mistake. Should have kept it as a momentoe (sp). This was Thursday and at 3:15, Mr.Madden was not back and when the bell rang, I dashed out. WELL, Tuesday came around and we all got our speech outline back and on mine, the student teacher gave me a C- and noted,"Demonstration not necessary." It was X'ed out and was written, "See me after class. M" So, at that, after class, Mr.Madden said, "Charles, I know you would not have done it if I here here." I said, Well, Mr.M" cutting me off, again, he said, I know you would not have done it . . . and again I almost said no but after 3-4 times, I said, "NO." At that, he dismissed me." First, later it w...Expand for more