To Sir with Love

Courtesy of the Weekly Reviews, Florian is ecstatic to know the trip went well, and promises to help with any future endeavors. Braithwaite holds very informal lessons, in which the students lead the discussions and he provides merely the textual background. They use a human skeleton to learn about physiology, and Braithwaite uses his own background to teach them about geography and natural resources. Braithwaite remarks on the prejudice witnessed in textbooks, and how this prejudice translates into much of British teaching and the beliefs of both teachers and students alike. They discuss race and ethnicity as well as the word “native,” among other things.

On his way home, Braithwaite is intercepted by the tobacconist, who introduces him to his mother and tells him of a good boarding opportunity he has. Braithwaite immediately goes to check on its availability, but the woman tells him it’s not available. Braithwaite presses her, but she says she’s changed her mind and calls him a “darky” (102). Barbara Pegg emerges, completely embarrassed when she realizes that her mom has just made a racist remark about her teacher. Braithwaite decides to stop looking for housing. Any time he sees Barbara Pegg in school thereafter, she hangs her head in shame.

A few weeks later, Braithwaite has his first date with Blanchard. He learns she is from a well-off family that financially supports her. A few days later, Mrs. Pegg stops by to offer a half-hearted apology for her remark, mostly because her daughter has been hounding her and she failed to realize Braithwaite was her daughter’s teacher. She offers Braithwaite the room, but Braithwaite politely refuses. Mrs. Pegg persists, saying that her daughter won’t forgive her. Braithwaite agrees to speak to her daughter about the matter, although he is slightly annoyed at Mrs. Pegg. He contends that if Barbara does “not share her mother’s snap prejudices; if the young ones were learning to think for themselves in such things, then even that painful incident had been worth something” (104). Later, Braithwaite speaks to Barbara and fixes the situation, promising her that if he needs a room, she will be the first he will ask. 

Blanchard goes to Geneva for the August break, while many of the students work the fields of Kent. Braithwaite and the remaining, wealthier students miss them. Pamela Dare is back but “somewhat changed…quiet, moody, aloof” (105). Braithwaite incorrectly assumes she is just missing Barbara Pegg, but then Pegg returns with the other, poorer children, and Dare is just as moody but helps Braithwaite by fetching him tea and doing other domestic tasks. The students tell Braithwaite the important events happening in their lives.

One day, Denham and company bring Braithwaite a football to fix. Braithwaite pricks his finger, and Potter is surprised at the sight of red blood. The boys laugh but Dare makes a vicious remark, which shocks the boys, and Potter stammers an apology. Denham asks Dare what is wrong, but Dare waits until Denham addresses her properly before she answers. Dare loses her temper, telling them it is only for Braithwaite’s decency that he never acknowledges how painful their racist comments are. She calls Potter fat and the rest of them idiots, mimicking all the insensitive questions they ask him about washing and haircuts. Denham tries to defend their questions, saying that Braithwaite said they could ask him anything, but Dare turns on him. Then she turns her fury on the forever silent Seales, who is half-Black, saying that he never comes to Braithwaite’s defense.

Seales is patient with her and gives justification: “they’re only trying to find out things they don’t understand” (109). But Dare is not to be mollified. After she continues yelling, the boys decide to leave, and Denham says she only cares because she has a crush on Braithwaite and then leaves. Dare and Braithwaite make eye contact; Dare blushes deeply and flees. Braithwaite finds the situation uncomfortable and decides to talk to Dale-Evans about it. She is completely unsurprised and thinks it ignorant of him to be surprised, considering how different he is in mannerisms and appearance from every other male in their lives. She tells him how the students all look up to him and constantly talk about him, and how he just must be patient with Dare.After this, Dare’s temper improves.

When Florian frequently drops by to take part in the discussions, he sometimes divides the class into debate teams, himself as one side’s leader and Braithwaite as the other: “[h]ere indeed was a vindication of this man’s beliefs and of the soundness of the concepts on which he acted. They wore no school uniform, but they possessed character and confidence and an ability to speak up for themselves” (112-113).

Florian tells Braithwaite that Patrick Fernman has been arrested after knifing a bully in Mrs. Phillips’ class. Florian wants Braithwaite to prepare a report on Fernman’s behavior to help him in Juvenile Court. Florian is worried about the school’s image; the judiciary thinks “this school is a breeding ground for delinquents” (114). Braithwaite prepares the report, both in aid of the school and for Fernman, who he believes to have been provoked. He discusses the situation with Blanchard, who accompanies him to the Fernman’s house. The Fernmans are in mourning, although they are appreciative both of Braithwaite’s presence and of the personal letter written by Florian.

Mr. Fernman recounts the incident, saying that Patrick was entrusted with his grandmother’s prized silk knives, which he was to get sharpened. Apparently, he had unwisely shown the knives to Bobby Ellis, who tried to take them by force, smashing their case. A scuffle ensued, resulting in Ellis being gravely wounded and Patrick’s receiving a deep cut. Patrick fled, but after tending his wound, Mr. Fernman insisted they go to the police. Ellis had been taken to the hospital by a passerby. Braithwaite and Blanchard comfort the family, assuring them they would do anything possible for the always-friendly and cooperative Patrick.

After asking Florian’s permission, Braithwaite attends Patrick’s sentencing, wanting to see how the Juvenile Courts function. Patrick looks miserable, and Braithwaite is surprised at the lack of formality in the courtroom’s appearance. Braithwaite listens to some cases prior to Patrick’s sentencing, including a young pregnant girl who does not know who the father of her child is. Braithwaite is surprised by the terminology used: “The actual machinery of the court was intended to be as informal as possible, yet the terminology used was vague and involved” (118). The chairman is very gentle with her, and Braithwaite likens her to the female students in his class, wondering about the relevance of his lessons when they face such problems.

When Patrick enters the room, he looks dejected, hanging his head as the charges are brought against him. A probation officer asserts that Patrick has never caused any problems before, although Ellis has been in the court innumerable times, including for assaulting his own mother. The chairman tells Patrick he is lucky because he could have killed Ellis, and Patrick becomes so ill he must sit. The chairman uses Patrick’s sentencing to pontificate on the danger of weapons and the problems associated with the loose discipline of Greenslade. Patrick is given a year’s probation, and Braithwaite feels more responsible for the students in his care. 

At first, Fernman is withdrawn, but gradually warms back up to his old self. The class goes on more field trips, including to see Hamlet and the Harlem Globetrotters, which they pay for themselves, although Florian and Braithwaite pay for anyone who cannot afford to go. Some of the staff accompany them, and the children learn the context of the plays before watching them and surprise everyone with their critical intelligence.

One morning, Pamela Dare’s mother comes to visit Braithwaite. She says that Pamela has been worrying her by staying out late and asks Braithwaite to speak with her. Braithwaite tries to refuse, but Mrs. Dare insists, saying Pamela looks up to him because he reminds her of her late father, who was also in the Air Force. Braithwaite seems unconvinced as she leaves, but Florian tells him it is the right thing to do. Braithwaite explains the situation to Blanchard, who tells him that he is the most involved teacher in the school. Blanchard then makes a series of offensive remarks about the relationship between Dawes and Phillips, indicating that lesbianism is “unhealthy to say the least, and bad for the children” (128). Braithwaite says it doesn’t matter if they are good teachers.

Weston and Clinty ask what Mrs. Dare wanted. Braithwaite tells them she was here to see Florian. Clinty and Weston talk about how attractive Mrs. Dare is, which Clinty uses as an excuse to question Weston’s masculinity.

At the end of the day, Braithwaite speaks to Pamela Dare, who asks him to call her by her first name. She explains that she’s been going over to her grandmother’s house, and that her mother doesn’t care what she does, but she feels like the other students are gossiping about her, although she is evasive about why. Eventually she explains that recently, her mother has had many male suitors, leading her mother to come home very late and often have men call at the house. Pamela asks Braithwaite to come to the house to speak with her mother, and Braithwaite accepts. When Braithwaite tells Blanchard of his plans, she cautions him to be careful, and then tells him he should look at other schools so as not to waste his talents. Braithwaite thinks he should wait and build his talents here, then leaves for Pamela’s house.

Mrs. Dare explains how Pamela came home early from holiday to find her mother in bed with a male friend; ever since, people have been gossiping. Braithwaite relays that Pamela feels like her mother doesn’t care about her, and Mrs. Dare expresses her fear that Pamela has done something silly to get back at her. Braithwaite feels entirely out of his element but says that Pamela wouldn’t do anything silly. He feels as if he made a mistake getting involved, worrying what people—such as his other students, and Weston—would say if they knew he went to a student’s house. He calls Pamela in to scold her, saying that she should act ladylike and be respectful of her mother, “being deliberately severe and pedagogic” (134) so he won’t have to deal with this again. Braithwaite then abruptly leaves.