Sophomore year. The Peddie School. Mr. Roberts, English Department Head and also my teacher, mandated that all Peddie Boys keep a journal. It was about encouraging us to observe, to reflect, to engage, to report, to just plain write about what was on our mind every day – every day! Many of the students had never taken on such a project, and some hadn’t even considered what was outside their personal thought bubble. I recall the evenings in Wilson Hall as the awkwardness of beginning with no experience and without any of the tools of the trade happily gave way to the thrill that came when I couldn’t wait to grab a Bic pen and my spiral notebook and start writing. Arm, meet needle.
In hindsight, I believe Mr. Roberts wanted each of us trained to recognize and be able tell our own story, and was preparing us for the task. Ala Viva.
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