I had my first spirituals and the blues class tonight, which means I just got back from sitting on the floor in a really hot third floor room in Kendade for two and a half hours. The professor is great though, he reminds me of a preacher. He phrases his statements so well and his thoughts are very interesting. If only I could write them down. Wait, rewind…
So, I’m sitting on the floor in Kendade, thinking about how hot I am and how great it would be if my feet weren’t asleep from sitting cross-legged and I’m sort of skimming through the syllabus and sort of using it as a fan when the course expectations catch my eye. After the usual regular attendance and full participation points, he throws this out there: “In order to develop a sensitivity and an appreciation for the power and richness of the oral tradition under study, students cannot take any written notes during class or bring and recording equipment to class. Instead, students are urged to remember the information presented in the class lectures and discussions.”
At this point, I wonder if the sauna has gone to my head and I look up to watch as other people get to this section as they scan the syllabus. One of the girls leaning against the wall next to me elbows her friend in the ribs and points to the syllabus. Her friend’s eyes grow wide and she throws her pen on the floor while the first girl mouths, “That’s awesome!” and kicks her notebook out of the way. Other people are looking a bit perplexed, and at the table in front of me, some five college guy raises his hand and says, “um, on the syllabus, um, it says that we, uh…”
The prof interrupts him and he’s like, “you’ve all just read through the course expectations, haven’t you? Let me say a little more.” Please, please, say a little more! For the love of compulsive Mount Holyoke note-taking, say a little more!
His explanation is this: we are not permitted to take notes because the slaves (this is the point in the story where holly said, “Wait. Do I really want to hear the rest?…Yes, yes I do”) either didn’t know how to read or write or they weren’t allowed to, and therefore, neither are we. How are more people not freaking out about this?
Quote of the day: “A million prayers to god above, a million tears make an ocean of one for love, one for truth” – Bon Jovi
Leave a Reply