OT: For some reason, I am recalling my American Lit class from Fall '76

[LionJim]

Forget the professor's name, looked every bit the English professor. He said that everyone reads "The Great Gatsby" in high school so he skipped that and gave us "The Sound and the Fury." "The Sun Also Rises," Dos Passos's "The 42nd Parallel," the first of his "U.S.A." trilogy, (the trilogy is superb, unique, very highly recommended), and "Long Day's Journey Into Night." Damn. This was when we had terms, not semesters. Also extensively covered American poets, I got turned on to e.e. cummings, Robinson, and Frost (I can still recite "After Apple Picking": "I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight/ I got from looking through a pane of glass / I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough / And held against the world of hoary grass. / It melted, and I let it fall and break / But I was well / Upon my way to sleep before it fell / And I could tell / What form my dreaming was about to take.")

I wasn't able to graduate PSU (I wasn't tough enough or aware enough at the time), but, as you can see, I got a hell of a lot out of my time there. I'm very grateful.

 

[sarasotan]

Probably either Philip Young or James West. PSU's English Dept was outstanding. It likely is, still.

 

[GregInPitt]

Jim,

Where did you graduate from and in what major?
You should have gotten into Engineering, as I didn't have to take such nonsense for coursework. I'd still be there if I had to take that stuff....

How's ur daughter doing at SRU?

My SRU grad has worked for Pitt doing virus research for UPMC.
My 2015 U of Dayton grad (Criminal Justice, Magna Cum Laude) is doing ministry in Dayton and will be going to seminary next fall. Either Southern Baptist Theo. Seminary (Louisville), or The Masters in LA.

 

[demlion]

Forget the professor's name, looked every bit the English professor. He said that everyone reads "The Great Gatsby" in high school so he skipped that and gave us "The Sound and the Fury." "The Sun Also Rises," Dos Passos's "The 42nd Parallel," the first of his "U.S.A." trilogy, (the trilogy is superb, unique, very highly recommended), and "Long Day's Journey Into Night." Damn. This was when we had terms, not semesters. Also extensively covered American poets, I got turned on to e.e. cummings, Robinson, and Frost (I can still recite "After Apple Picking": "I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight/ I got from looking through a pane of glass / I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough / And held against world of hoary grass. / It melted, and I let it fall and break / But I was well / Upon my way to sleep before it fell / And I could tell / What form my dreaming was about to take.")

I wasn't able to graduate PSU (I wasn't tough enough or aware enough at the time), but, as you can see, I got a hell of a lot out of my time there. I'm very grateful.

U.S.A. trilogy was excellent. I read it around that same time on my own. I really like dos Passos when I was younger. I need to go back and read some of that stuff.

 

[LionJim]

Jim,

Where did you graduate from and in what major?
You should have gotten into Engineering, as I didn't have to take such nonsense for coursework. I'd still be there if I had to take that stuff....

How's ur daughter doing at SRU?

My SRU grad has worked for Pitt doing virus research for UPMC.
My 2015 U of Dayton grad (Criminal Justice, Magna Cum Laude) is doing ministry in Dayton and will be going to seminary next fall. Either Southern Baptist Theo. Seminary (Louisville), or The Masters in LA.

I transferred to Gallaudet and got a degree in math. Worked out perfectly.

Daughter is doing well, looking for an internship for the summer, finishing up her junior year. Really making the most of her opportunity (not like her old man); it's very nice to see.

 

[LionJim]

U.S.A. trilogy was excellent. I read it around that same time on my own. I really like dos Passos when I was younger. I need to go back and read some of that stuff.

Those books were right up our alley, eh, Dem?

 

[Ralpoh]

Forget the professor's name, looked every bit the English professor. He said that everyone reads "The Great Gatsby" in high school so he skipped that and gave us "The Sound and the Fury." "The Sun Also Rises," Dos Passos's "The 42nd Parallel," the first of his "U.S.A." trilogy, (the trilogy is superb, unique, very highly recommended), and "Long Day's Journey Into Night." Damn. This was when we had terms, not semesters. Also extensively covered American poets, I got turned on to e.e. cummings, Robinson, and Frost (I can still recite "After Apple Picking": "I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight/ I got from looking through a pane of glass / I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough / And held against world of hoary grass. / It melted, and I let it fall and break / But I was well / Upon my way to sleep before it fell / And I could tell / What form my dreaming was about to take.")

I wasn't able to graduate PSU (I wasn't tough enough or aware enough at the time), but, as you can see, I got a hell of a lot out of my time there. I'm very grateful.

Forget the professor's name, looked every bit the English professor. He said that everyone reads "The Great Gatsby" in high school so he skipped that and gave us "The Sound and the Fury." "The Sun Also Rises," Dos Passos's "The 42nd Parallel," the first of his "U.S.A." trilogy, (the trilogy is superb, unique, very highly recommended), and "Long Day's Journey Into Night." Damn. This was when we had terms, not semesters. Also extensively covered American poets, I got turned on to e.e. cummings, Robinson, and Frost (I can still recite "After Apple Picking": "I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight/ I got from looking through a pane of glass / I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough / And held against world of hoary grass. / It melted, and I let it fall and break / But I was well / Upon my way to sleep before it fell / And I could tell / What form my dreaming was about to take.")

I wasn't able to graduate PSU (I wasn't tough enough or aware enough at the time), but, as you can see, I got a hell of a lot out of my time there. I'm very grateful.

I had Oldsey's father for that course in'56....great guy and teacher. Read USA summer before going to PSU.

 

[GregInPitt]

I transferred to Gallaudet and got a degree in math. Worked out perfectly.

Daughter is doing well, looking for an internship for the summer, finishing up her junior year. Really making the most of her opportunity (not like her old man); it's very nice to see.

Isn't it rewarding to see children work hard and make their won breaks..... That's great.

 

[Tweedbear]

If Dos Passos had not been so left of center No one would have heard of Hemingway.
GreginPit if you had broadened your mind you would have been a better engineer.
I toutored econ while in grad school. Had eng majors who had great GPA's but were struggling with econ because they placed no value on the subject.
Was friends with a very very successful manufacturing entrepreneur. He commented one day "A Drexel university graduate will be a better engineer than a Princeton grad. In ten years the Drexel grad will be working for the Princeton grad because the Princetonian will have a broader education which will enable him to be a better manager/executive.