"I guess you were right after all."

While I'm a big fan of  "English teacher stuff" like thesubjunctive tense and all things related to Henry David Thoreau,  I realize that our most influential teachers affect us in many more ways than delivering content knowledge.  Hinsdale Central English teacher Mike Palmquist recently forwarded me this email from one of his past students.  I think it's a testament to the powers of teachers on young lives.  It's also a testament to how HC teachers change students' perception of "what can be done in life."

Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2013 1:48 AM
To: Palmquist,Michael  

Subject: A Moment of Truth at 1:47 in the Morning Mr. Palmquist

 I had you three years ago for American Studies (great class by the way). I remember you assigning us a five page paper one morning and getting a unanimous groan from the whole class about how unfair that was. You said that one day we would be struggling to get all of our thought into fifteen pages. I thought that was the biggest joke I had ever heard... Well. Here I am... Trying to write a fifteen page final paper on why or why not global governance works. I just hit twenty-five pages. I guess you were right after all.  Thought you'd like to know.