Chapters 11 and 12

"When I was severed from the school, I knew I had lost a relationship of infinite and timeless value, and one that I would never know again." (Conroy, 2006, p.318)

            I could imagine the surprise that Conroy encountered with he found out that he would not return to the island for the next school year. It is sad that a teacher who had worked so hard to help the academic growth of the children of the Yamacraw Island was dismissed from his position. Mrs. Brown wanted to see Conroy gone from the school. Conroy, despite the challenges he had on commuting to the island still never took his frustration out on the children. Mrs. Brown was constantly beating the children and dominating over their every word. The parents and the people on the island knew that Conroy was needed and wanted on the island. They formed a petition telling about why Mr. Conroy was late and how he was wanted by the children. Conroy's teaching impacted not only the children but the whole island. "When I was severed from the school, I knew I had lost a relationship of infinite and timeless value, and on that I would never know again. (Conroy, 2006, p.318) Conroy knew that he had a bond with the children that was irreplaceable. At the ending of the book, Conroy seems to look at the situation that Mr. Bennington and Piedmont did not understand what and how the people on Yamacraw island felt. These two men had pleasant homes and lived in comfort, not realizing the uncomfortable situation that the people of Yamacraw lived. He seen Mr. Bennington and Piedmont as nothing but racist people. Conroy viewed Mrs. Brown as a tragedy being a woman victimized by her own insecurity. Conroy felt that Mrs. Brown wanted to fit in to and to be accepted by whites. Even though Conroy felt that within the year he did not impact the quality of the lives of the children, I feel that he made a great difference. I am sure that the children hurt losing Conroy as much as Conroy hurt losing them. 

Conroy, P. (2006). The Water Is Wide. New York, NY. Bantam Dell.

Chapter 9 and 10

"Somehow my days on the island seemed numbered and I grew restless and impatient with the sluggish pace of learning in the classroom."

                It seems that teachers are forever wondering what else can be done or changed to excel the academics for children. It is not that teachers rush the children along with the learning process, they feel that they can do more to reach every child and for every child to move forward. Conroy was the same as any other teacher with expectations for his children. He wanted the children to know more not even just in the academic rim. However, Conroy was growing tired and he knew that he needed more resources and help. "Somehow my days on the island seemed numbered and I grew restless and impatient with the sluggish pace of learning in the classroom." (Conroy, 2006, p.262) He had taken the boys to see the Globetrotters and his wife had hosted a Valentine party, but he was searching for something more. He even loaded the children up and went to Washington. The lines that divided the streets only brought to his attention how much more these children were needing and how isolated they have been. Conroy searched for so many ways to reach the children. He even taped his friend's voice, Dick Caristi, from Boston to do a lesson. Boston was identified on the map and the children were explained how their language sounded different as well. Conroy's sister visited the island and did magic tricks. It was funny when the children claimed she was a witch. So many things that the children had not been exposed to and so many things that Conroy knew lacked at the school. Saul when visiting the Globetrotters used the bathroom in public. He didn't think anything about if it was inappropriate or would it offend anyone. He did it because that was what the boys on the island did when they felt the urge to go. Conroy was battling with the thoughts of  what more could he do to help the children.

Conroy, P. (2006). The Water Is Wide. New York, NY: Bantam Dell.

Chapter 7 and 8

"One of them she called Dr. Discipline; the other she called Professor Medicine."

"Even though these kids were unfortunate enough to be born on Yamacraw Island, it will take you and a team of varsity scholars to convince me they don't deserve the same quality of education received by children in Beaufort itself."

I am not sure how Mrs. Brown expected the children to respect her when she treated them so disrespectfully. The incident in the restroom when Prophet was hanging from the urinal shows that Mrs. Brown had no regard to how the children felt by embarrassment. Mrs. Brown seems to be a tough lady that is scared of not having the control with the children. My attention in this chapter is focused on how Mrs. Brown has responded to the children. "One of them she called Dr. Discipline; the other she called Professor Medicine," this was Mrs. Brown's way of dealing with any situation. She was not respected by the children, they fear her. Even the people on the island felt that Mrs. Brown was a mean and hateful lady. However, Mrs. Brown saw the island people as savages and filthy. Mr. Conroy is different than Mrs. Brown and the children respect him. In the eighth chapter, it is written that Conroy had grown closer to his students. The children would anxiously await Conroy's arrival every morning. When they saw him coming, Fred would put logs in the stove. Conroy would come in and get all warmed up by the stove. One day when Conroy arrived at the dock, he slipped and fell into the water. Even though some of the children felt it was funny, it was clear that they loved Conroy.  I feel that Mr. Conroy was a threat to Mrs. Brown. Mr. Conroy was so convinced that the children deserved more than what they were receiving. One thing that caught my eye in this chapter was the letter Conroy wrote to Mr. Piedmont. "Even though these kids were unfortunate enough to be born on Yamacraw Island, it will take you and a team of varsity scholars to convince me they don't deserve the same quality of education received by children in Beaufort itself." (p.211) The children had respect for Conroy because Conroy had respect for them unlike Mr. Discipline and Professor Medicine.

Chapter 5 and 6

"These children need the basics. The basics. If they get the basics that's all they need."

"The children don't need trips. They need fundamentals. They need drill and more drill."

Unfortunately, in education today we still have a Mrs. Brown lurking around in the classroom teaching children drills and more drills. In a classroom there is a Mrs. Brown belittling children and causing a fear of participation. Mr. Conroy wanted to bring a different way of learning to the children. However, Mrs. Brown seen it as a waste of time having videos played during school time. Mrs. Brown did not realize that the films were stimulating something she did not understand. On one occasion Conroy used the film about The Salem Witch Trials which motivated a discussion involving witches the children thought they knew. However, when Big C commented about throwing water on a witch to make her die, the classroom became the stage of actors and actresses from The Wizard of Oz. John Dewey, the theorist, would have noted this as an opportunity to build upon a past experience. Despite Conroy's thoughts about TV, he was starting to see the connection between it and the classroom.

            "These children need the basics. The basics. If they get the basics that's all they need." Conroy was teaching the basics and much more without the characteristics of a stern school teacher with a leather strap. When the college boys from California arrived the basics were just a mere laugh. The clapping of hands to get the children to respond and pay attention was an attempt to identify the children as ordinary. Little did the college boys know that what Conroy had been teaching was not ordinary, it was extraordinary.  

            Conroy wanted the children to connect with life. He wanted them to be able to see it

and experience it. He worked diligently planning the trip to Beaufort for Halloween. The

 parents were reluctant because of the fear of losing the children to the river. Conroy faced

the problem head on and convinced the parents and grandparents to let the children go.

Mrs. Brown still set in her mind believed it was a waste of time. "The children don't need

trips. They need fundamentals. They need drill and more drill." However, the journey of

learning was going to be the boat trip to Beaufort, an experience that they can

retrieve from their minds when Halloween is mentioned.

"And though I enjoyed these walks, several characteristics of the island made them uncomfortable an even painful."

Conroy gives detail description as he walks around the island. He explains how he gets eat up my the bother-some mosquitoes that swarm and how he walks through the swamp to the beach. The beach depicts a history lesson as he tells about he terrible smells of the death and the decaying marine life. The escape to the beach is like a walk back into a time where Conroy once resided. The old house with the confederate flag symbolizes how people's attitude toward blacks once existed outside the waters of the island.Conroy tells about how the flag was dead, and that the old house was dead. Conroy has transformed himself from the world that had so much hatred toward black people, what he once stood for was dead and he was transformed. However, the attitudes that contributed to the characteristics of the island seemed to linger in the form of the man named Ted Stone. Even though Conroy found enjoyment during his walks such attitudes of Stone had an uncomfortable and even painful sting to his heart. "And though I enjoyed these walks, several characteristics of the island made them uncomfortable and even painful."Ted Stone and Mrs. Stone seemed to have great power and controlled everything. Ted Stone had the attitude that "pure blacks" were "worthless." Conroy had grown toward being a better person and had made a connection with the children on the island. He was so connected that when he married he could not let go of the island. Conroy most likely found pain in the attitude toward the children. The perception that "one" white child deserved a much better education than "many" black children was an attitude that should have died like the flag and the old house. Conroy being put in this uncomfortable and painful situation will most likely have to reach further within himself to find some of his answers. Conroy will now be balancing his family needs while striving to fulfill the needs of others.

"I then told them that they had to look upon themselves in a different light, that they had to be convinced of their basic worth, and that they could learn just as fast as anybody else."

The school's library supplied little hope for catching the interest of young readers. The local library was seen as useless so donations quit coming to the island. It was looked upon that all these people needed was a little education and some books. However, Conroy knew that the children deserved more than what they had been offered. "I then told them that they had to look upon themselves in a different light, that they had to be convinced of their basic worth, and that they could learn just as fast as anybody else." Conroy began encouraging the children to do more and be more. He focused on that the children could learn rather than that they were just "dumb." Conroy using "Bay Cloven" engaged the children into a world that they had not been and focused around the world of learning. Pep rallies formed from listening to the news from the existing world led the children into a journey of obtaining the basic knowledge that was once non-existent. Instilling in the young minds that they needed to take hold of the their worth meant unwinding what had not been wasted on them to start with which was time. Conroy was not quick to be startled by the pronunciation of some of the words spoken. As compared to some teachers who would gasp and assume the child meant what was spoken. Through this chapter, Conroy continuously searches for ways to build upon the lack of knowledge the students bestow. Conroy was trying to prove to others that these children were worth the time to teach and convince the children they were the valuable tool.

"I heared it in I pledge a legent to the flag of United States of America."

Pat Conroy is faced with the challenge of educating young boys and girls who have had no teaching of the world that exists outside of living on the island. Conroy's language is not understood by many of the children, and the children's language is not understood by Conroy. The attempt to gain insight of where the children are only fails by the perception of where academically they should be. Conroy interprets drawings of himself in comparison to self-portraits the children had drawn. He analyzes them to determine the developmental level of the children. The heartbreaking outcomes puts Conroy in a frustrated state toward those who have had the opportunity to teach these children but have for some reason not even had success on showing them how to hold a fork.How can children be so isolated from the rest of the world? How can children not know on a map of where they are located? One of the worst things is that these children didn't even know that they were a small part of something that was greater, the United States of America. "I heard it in I pledge a legent to the flag of United States of America." If the United States consists of "freedom for all" then where is the bridge that sets these children free to receive a better education? Oceans wash up to a sandy shore and roll away in a foamy matter being set free to generate energy and to be given the opportunity to come back as a bigger wave. However, the children are similar to the waves but they can only reach the sandy shore, not given an opportunity to come back as a growing wave.