User:GruntCorpsman

Dr. Nathan Wadler; Educator, public high schools, City of New York

'Dr Nathan Wadler', most likely a PhD in Education taught social studies at the New York School of Printing, a graphic arts high school in mid-town Manhattan during the 1950s. During the landmark Supreme Court decision of Brown verses the Kansas City Board of Education in 1954, Dr Wadler brought out the N- word in front of the class of which I was in attendance, after the decision was handed down. For a moment there was dead silence in the room. Although average New Yorkers during that era were deeply biased against African-Americans, we had never, at least for myself, heard that word mentioned in a classroom.

I had always thought along with my classmates that there was a sinister persona about Dr Wadler because he was very strict and made what we presumed to be unjustly decisions, both academiclly and diciplinarily.

When he announced the grades in the final exam, he had failed everyone whose name ended in a vowel. Myself being of Italian decent I jumped up in shock and exclamed "what"!. Social studies was my best subject whereas I had gotten 98% of the multiple choice right but he claimed I only got 28% in the essay part which constituded a failure. I thought the administrators would notice the discrepencies because it was so obvious so I didn't tell my Dad. Well the school year ended a few days later and the matter was never addressed.

The following academic year was my senior year and I had to repeat social studies. I maxed the classwork and test in the preliminary marking period but Mr MacDonald whose been teaching for over 40 years did not believe in giving a perfect report card so he gave me a mark of 96. Mid-terms came up with the same results so he gave me a mark of 98. Same results in the finals and this time Mr. MacDonald stood me up in front of the class and said "Never in my over 40years of teaching have I given a perfect mark but this time will be the exception", I got a 100 on my report card. I showed it to Dr Walder and all he could say was "I see it pays to repeat a subject".

Does anyone know if any diciplinary action was taken or what ever happened to Dr Walder. Does this surprise anyone about that era and has anyone heard of a similar situation?