Tim Donovan
The culmination of Mrs Don's class was in June 1976, when each student had to write their idea of a utopia. Knowing I would have a lot to say, she brought the stapler to my desk to staple the pages of my voluminous work. It was entitled IIRC "2093 A 21st century Universal Utopia." The work predicted the rise of an authoritarian US, which will subdue and unify the world, and then expand far into space, aided by "subclones" and "superclones." "This will amaze you" I said, and she replied "Good, I like to be amazed."
A day or so later I got my paper back graded, with comments. At one point in the work, where I mentioned mass production of UFOs by a future regime, Mrs Don rightly pointed out that they'd be identified under those circumstances. And where I first mentioned the future ruler, the Leader, she wrote "How did "the Leader" get his job?" (Believe me I would get to that!) In conclusion she wrote "It made interesting reading, if frightening."
Soon I showed the work to valedictorian-to-be Doug Baker, who laughed at Mrs. Don's comment ("It made interesting reading if frightening"). I told Doug to keep it in memory of me. Of course, that paper was a mere maiden effort, far inferior to later iterations of the thesis. One of these btw, is said to have "scared the heck out" of another teacher, in 1988. I believe OMNI editor Pamela Weintraub reacted the same way. ….Mrs. Don was far from the only one who found my writings frightening…
Btw I think I last saw Mrs. Don at the Sheldon road P.O. in Manchester, maybe in the late 90s or early 2000s. After she got in line behind me, another former student--who probably had Mrs. Don long after I did and still recognized her--greeted her warmly.
A day or so later I got my paper back graded, with comments. At one point in the work, where I mentioned mass production of UFOs by a future regime, Mrs Don rightly pointed out that they'd be identified under those circumstances. And where I first mentioned the future ruler, the Leader, she wrote "How did "the Leader" get his job?" (Believe me I would get to that!) In conclusion she wrote "It made interesting reading, if frightening."
Soon I showed the work to valedictorian-to-be Doug Baker, who laughed at Mrs. Don's comment ("It made interesting reading if frightening"). I told Doug to keep it in memory of me. Of course, that paper was a mere maiden effort, far inferior to later iterations of the thesis. One of these btw, is said to have "scared the heck out" of another teacher, in 1988. I believe OMNI editor Pamela Weintraub reacted the same way. ….Mrs. Don was far from the only one who found my writings frightening…
Btw I think I last saw Mrs. Don at the Sheldon road P.O. in Manchester, maybe in the late 90s or early 2000s. After she got in line behind me, another former student--who probably had Mrs. Don long after I did and still recognized her--greeted her warmly.
