ENGLISH COMPOSITION AS A HAPPENING

In this essay, Deemer speaks about the frailties and flaws of the modern school system (modern being 1967). He makes a point to clarify that the teacher's thought should not be the common thought of the class, it should be an idea in the pool of ideas that is the classroom. It seems as though Charlie Deemer has a firm grip on the reality of the classroom environment, which is stated in the second paragraph when he writes,"The "teacher" speaks from his place in the front of the classroom, sheltered more than likely by the wall of his podium, while the class in the rear listens or pretends to." When writing about this topic for the second time, he makes comments that point toward the fact that it doesn't matter how the class is taught, or where the teacher is standing, as long as it causes the class to learn.

Farther in the essay, Deemer states his solution to the problem the educational society faces. "If a framentation and lack of mutual participation by the class and the "teacher" (we need a new word) in a genuine educational experience constitute the disease, then a unified, joint experience should provide the remedy." Here Deemer expresses that he believes that there is actually a solution, instead of only whining and griping for one. He also suggests in multiple places how the modern university is just a factory for molding students, making them accept answers instead of thinking and coming up with their own.

Deemer also writes multiple times about what he calls "the Happening", which is I believe, the same as an experience. According to Deemer, in order to have this experience, a student must have the mind to have a different opinion from his instructor, and not have the instructor's opinion be the rule. This can be achieved by his solution of having a joint classroom where both the teacher and the students interact and have input. Though it may not be perfect, he is very firm in his ideas and believes that what he thinks is best, which is relayed through his writing, giving the reader a feeling of boldness in his or her own ideas.