paintings by Rachelle's father. One was of a quaint farm house in
front of which a maiden feeds a gaggle of white geese. Another was of a
sailboat, the stern showing Esther II. Another, a still life of apples
and pears. And lastly, the portrait of a radiant beauty, with a small name
plate bottom center–Esther Webster Zannes.
On the wall behind Rachelle's desk hung two 4x5 posters. One, a black and
white picture of the famous poet, T.S. Eliot. The other, a color photograph of
the other T.S. Eliot, her cat.
Rachelle stepped to the window and opened the blinds. The office
flooded with light. She looked at the picture view of the tree shrouded campus
lawn. After a distilled moment, she stepped to a CD stereo player. Below the player,
in neatly ordered rows, were many CDs. Most prominent: CATS, Oklahoma, Guys and
Dolls, Madam Butterfly, and her father's favorite, Phantom of the Opera.
She snapped the stereo on, loaded the CATS' CD and a piano version of “Memory”
filled the room.
She sat at her desk and read the permission-to-admit form that Kay had
given her:
PERMISSION TO TAKE GRADUATE COURSE FOR UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT
Student Name: Trudow, Seth
Student ID: 286-11-1754, Cumulative GPA: 3.18
Course: Com. 501
Reason for this request: Art Major, need eight elective credits hours (not
ART) to graduate … hate math, chemistry, political science, and pizza….
Approvals: signature approval from these five people in descending
order—course instructor, student's advisor, department chair, dean of graduate
studies, and associate provost.
(Note: signatures must be obtained in descending order)
Rachelle paused, smiled, then looked, below the 'approvals' notice at
the blank space for her authorization. Below the blank space were four
signatures: Seth's advisor, the department chair, the dean, and the associate
provost. All there but hers. If she didn't approve, it was all for naught.
“Hummm.” She again read the reason for the request then with flourish signed
the form and took it back to Kay.
Kay said, “You're going to let him in!”
“Yes.”
“Heaven help us.”
“We need all the help we can get.”
Kay looked at the form, “The charmer said he'd be back to pick it up,
he acted like it was a done deal.” She looked at Rachelle, “Not too late, I
could lose it.”
“Kay, be nice. Maybe he will stir some creative juices around here.”
“He's juiced all right.” Kay made circles, this time with a yellow
pencil, at her right temple. “'Something there is that doesn't like a wall….'”
Rachelle smiled, returned to her office, closed the door, sat at her
desk and read the M.S.U. catalogue description for her new course:
Com. 501, Department of Communication
Creative interpretation in the study of abstract meanings through the
written word. Emphasis is on communicating universal truths through poems,
novels, short stories, novellas, plays.
She picked up and studied the printed notes for the class syllabus she
had prepared:
Com. 501, FALL SEMESTER
Olds Hall, Room #107, MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY, 2-3:00
Dr. Rachelle Zannes
Department of Communication
OFFICE: 201 Bessey Hall, office hours T/TH, 10-11 A.M., or by
arrangement. Phone 272-4767
TEXTS: Reading list attached. A one page synopsis with a second page
criticism will be due as indicated on the list. Students who wish to study
works others than those listed, please see me. Writing journal, in-class
readings, discussion required.
NOTE: Course writing project due, April 1. Prior approval of writing project
required. Make appointment to discuss. No formal class meeting in second
semester. Individual conferences only. Make appointments with instructor.
Rachelle penciled the draft 'OK,' made a note to Kay, 'Fourteen copies,'
then began reading, from a yellow legal pad, lecture notes for her first class
meeting:
...We will delve into the uniquely abstract (human we assume) concepts
of universal truths—love, honor, pity,
front of which a maiden feeds a gaggle of white geese. Another was of a
sailboat, the stern showing Esther II. Another, a still life of apples
and pears. And lastly, the portrait of a radiant beauty, with a small name
plate bottom center–Esther Webster Zannes.
On the wall behind Rachelle's desk hung two 4x5 posters. One, a black and
white picture of the famous poet, T.S. Eliot. The other, a color photograph of
the other T.S. Eliot, her cat.
Rachelle stepped to the window and opened the blinds. The office
flooded with light. She looked at the picture view of the tree shrouded campus
lawn. After a distilled moment, she stepped to a CD stereo player. Below the player,
in neatly ordered rows, were many CDs. Most prominent: CATS, Oklahoma, Guys and
Dolls, Madam Butterfly, and her father's favorite, Phantom of the Opera.
She snapped the stereo on, loaded the CATS' CD and a piano version of “Memory”
filled the room.
She sat at her desk and read the permission-to-admit form that Kay had
given her:
PERMISSION TO TAKE GRADUATE COURSE FOR UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT
Student Name: Trudow, Seth
Student ID: 286-11-1754, Cumulative GPA: 3.18
Course: Com. 501
Reason for this request: Art Major, need eight elective credits hours (not
ART) to graduate … hate math, chemistry, political science, and pizza….
Approvals: signature approval from these five people in descending
order—course instructor, student's advisor, department chair, dean of graduate
studies, and associate provost.
(Note: signatures must be obtained in descending order)
Rachelle paused, smiled, then looked, below the 'approvals' notice at
the blank space for her authorization. Below the blank space were four
signatures: Seth's advisor, the department chair, the dean, and the associate
provost. All there but hers. If she didn't approve, it was all for naught.
“Hummm.” She again read the reason for the request then with flourish signed
the form and took it back to Kay.
Kay said, “You're going to let him in!”
“Yes.”
“Heaven help us.”
“We need all the help we can get.”
Kay looked at the form, “The charmer said he'd be back to pick it up,
he acted like it was a done deal.” She looked at Rachelle, “Not too late, I
could lose it.”
“Kay, be nice. Maybe he will stir some creative juices around here.”
“He's juiced all right.” Kay made circles, this time with a yellow
pencil, at her right temple. “'Something there is that doesn't like a wall….'”
Rachelle smiled, returned to her office, closed the door, sat at her
desk and read the M.S.U. catalogue description for her new course:
Com. 501, Department of Communication
Creative interpretation in the study of abstract meanings through the
written word. Emphasis is on communicating universal truths through poems,
novels, short stories, novellas, plays.
She picked up and studied the printed notes for the class syllabus she
had prepared:
Com. 501, FALL SEMESTER
Olds Hall, Room #107, MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY, 2-3:00
Dr. Rachelle Zannes
Department of Communication
OFFICE: 201 Bessey Hall, office hours T/TH, 10-11 A.M., or by
arrangement. Phone 272-4767
TEXTS: Reading list attached. A one page synopsis with a second page
criticism will be due as indicated on the list. Students who wish to study
works others than those listed, please see me. Writing journal, in-class
readings, discussion required.
NOTE: Course writing project due, April 1. Prior approval of writing project
required. Make appointment to discuss. No formal class meeting in second
semester. Individual conferences only. Make appointments with instructor.
Rachelle penciled the draft 'OK,' made a note to Kay, 'Fourteen copies,'
then began reading, from a yellow legal pad, lecture notes for her first class
meeting:
...We will delve into the uniquely abstract (human we assume) concepts
of universal truths—love, honor, pity,
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