Blackboard Jungle (1955) Movie Script
1
Come here! What's the matter?
You wanna be a bum? Come here!
I believe I have an appointment
with the principal.
Name? Name?
Richard Dadier.
Business, please.
I've been here before.
It's about the English teacher's job.
- Sit down, please.
- Yes, thank you.
Not at all.
Mr. Dadier, Richard.
Good luck.
- In case anything turns up...
- We'll call you, Mr. Lefkowitz.
- Mr. Dadier?
- Yes, sir. Thank you.
What college did you attend?
Well, I believe it's right there
on the form, isn't it, sir?
But that was an all-girls school.
Yes, well, they took in veterans
after the war, you see.
I believe they still do. With so many of us
coming back all at once, it was a little...
...difficult to find a school or college.
- Veteran, huh?
- Yes, sir. The Navy.
I beg your pardon?
- I was in the...
- You speak very softly.
Can you be heard at the back
of a classroom?
Well, I did some dramatics at college, sir,
and they could always hear me...
...even in the last row.
- Really?
- Shall I project a little, sir?
- Go ahead and project.
Once more unto the breach,
dear friends, once more.
Or close up the wall
with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes
a man as modest stillness and humility.
But when the blast of war
blows in our ears...
...then imitate the action of the tiger.
Very aptly chosen. Henry IV, wasn't it?
It was Henry V, I believe.
Right. Give your credentials to
Miss Brady in the outer office.
- What, you..? You mean I have the job?
- Congratulations.
Oh, thanks.
Try to meet the other teachers
and get acquainted.
Organizational meeting in an hour.
Any questions?
No, I... No, sir.
There's just one question, sir.
The discipline problem here. I...
- I beg your pardon?
- Well, I understand...
There is no discipline problem in this school,
Mr. Dadier. Not as long as I'm principal.
I see. Thank you, sir.
Miss Brady, my credentials.
- Mr. Edwards. Joshua.
- Thank you very much.
Not at all.
Shall l..?
Anyway, he says to me,
"Exaggeration, pure exaggeration.
There is absolutely no
discipline problem here."
There's no discipline problem
at Alcatraz either.
You can't teach a disorderly mob.
You got to have discipline,
and that means obedience.
- How will you get that?
- With a ruler.
Take a ruler to one of these delinquents,
he'll beat you with it.
- Oh, my name's Murdock. New teacher?
- Yes. English. Richard Dadier.
- Lou Savoldi. Carpentry.
- George Katz. Social science.
I'm taking money under
the false pretense of teaching history.
- Thought you developed their muscles.
- No. Developing my own.
Getting in shape to defend myself
for the fall term.
- Makes it sound like a reform school.
- Oh, first teaching job, eh?
- That's right.
- Don't listen to him, he's a cynic.
Why not? This is the garbage can
of the educational system.
You put these schools
together and what have you got?
One big, fat, overflowing garbage can.
- Think of teaching in an all-girls school.
- Think of those 20-year jail sentences.
Got any tips for a rookie?
Two. Don't be a hero
and never turn your back on the class.
- Manners.
- Huh?
- How long have you been teaching here?
- Oh, 12 years.
Two purple hearts and no salary increase.
They hire fools like us
with college degrees...
...to sit on that garbage can,
keep them in school.
So women, for a few hours a day, can walk
around the city without getting attacked.
Really?
I mean, there must be some students
who wanna learn.
You gonna teach them in that outfit?
Because if those kids ever get a look at...
Have you arranged with the National Guard
to escort you to class every day?
Ladies and gentlemen,
your attention please.
Your principal, Mr. Warneke.
Welcome. Welcome to the old faces.
Welcome to the new faces.
Miss Panucci.
Say, these kids, they can't
all be bad, can they?
No? Why?
Makes you feel good, doesn't it?
Oh, it's funny. I didn't think it would affect
me this way. After all, it's only a job...
...but when I stepped in my own classroom,
it was like reaching a goal of a kind.
- I don't believe I got your name.
- Josh Edwards.
- How are you, sir?
- Two first names, like Harry James.
Do you like swing?
- Yeah, well, most of it.
- I've got a really fine collection.
I can't remember ever being so excited.
It'll pass. You wait till Monday.
The way some of the teachers
were talking...
...you don't really expect
any trouble, do you?
- I mean, I figure you can handle any kid if...
- lf you can handle them.
How's the most beautiful wife
in the whole world, huh?
Hot. Tired. I don't feel very much
like anything, especially not attractive.
- I just feel four months pregnant.
- Beautifully pregnant.
- Champagne.
- Yep.
- And ravioli.
- That's not all.
Oh, you got the job. Oh, darling.
Congratulations, professor.
You want some cheese?
Oh, champagne and ravioli. Now,
that's no way to feed an unborn child.
Well, champagne, that's for the mother.
That's for luck.
I've had luck from the very
first moment we met, Anne.
What? Is something wrong?
What's the matter, dear?
Nothing.
Now, look, honey.
It's all gonna be over real soon.
No, no, it's not that. It's just that I don't
wanna let you down again, that's all.
You've never let me down, ever.
I don't know what happened
the last time.
Now, look, it's not your fault.
Now, a lot of women...
...they lose babies. And after all, it was...
It was only two months.
I know. I can't help thinking about it. I just
don't want anything to happen this time.
Nothing's going to happen, now.
It's gonna be 7 and a half pounds
in weight. It's gonna...
...have your looks and my brains,
and it's gonna support us in our old age.
The most important thing is, darling,
you mustn't worry now. Please.
No bad memories, huh?
No guilty feelings, please. Please, Anne.
And you don't mind my being this way?
How could I mind?
I'm responsible, aren't I?
- To the three of us.
- To the three of us.
You all right?
- What happened?
- Some crazy kids. That's what happened.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
Last time I felt like this was
when we hit the beach at Salerno.
- At least they're not shooting at us.
- Not yet.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
How do you do?
- Do I look all right?
- Ravishing.
I'm really very nervous.
Do you think they'll like me?
They may even fight over you.
- Hi! I thought you said you weren't coming.
- Testing. Testing.
One, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
Hey, lookit. He knows
how to count up to four.
Sure, man. He graduated
from this school, didn't he?
Shut up.
All right. That's enough stupid nonsense.
Next guy opens his trap
knows what happens.
Who's that?
He teaches public speaking
or something. I don't know.
You already said hello, so cut the yakity,
and we'll get down to business.
First, in the name of your principal,
Mr. Warneke...
...I wanna welcome you back
to North Manual.
Now, without further ado, we'll have the
teachers call out the roll of their classes.
When you hear your named called out,
you fall out to the center aisle.
The first guy gives trouble
gets trouble right back.
We start with the seniors. And because
we're gentlemen, the ladies come first.
We got a new teacher here.
She's gonna take care of you senior boys.
Miss Hammond, please.
Miss Hammond.
Frank.
- Frank Adams.
- Hey, lucky old me.
Shut up.
Edward Alpina, Donald Beck, Samuel
Barstow, Harry Cohen, Leroy Croth.
All right, this way.
Up those stairs down there.
There'll be no talking on the way up.
Teach, what'd Mr. Halloran
say your name was?
- I said there'd be no talking.
- Dig this cat. He's playing hard.
- He's a big man.
- Get back in line.
All right, hold it. You, you.
What's the matter?
What's the matter, boy?
- Hey, you. You!
- Me?
- Yes. What's your name?
- Why? What..?
- What's your name?
- Why are you picking on me?
- I'm not. I'm asking your name.
- You never heard of Artie West, teach?
I want you to monitor this class.
Write down the names...
...of anybody who talks.
- Talks about?
- They open their mouth, write their name.
- No pencil.
- I've got a pencil.
- No paper.
Just take it. Will you take it?
Look out for a minute.
- What'd you make the kid cry for?
- Wasn't my fault.
Heads. Chiggee.
Hold it. Just hold it.
What is this? The officers' club
or something?
I don't wanna catch you smoking in here
again, you understand? Now get out.
Come on, you heard what I said. Get out.
What's the matter? You guys
privileged or something?
- We only just got here, chief.
- You did, huh? Well, now just get out.
- Can't a man wash his hands, chief?
- Wash them and get out.
- Sure, chief. You gonna watch me?
- Maybe he'd like to wash them for us.
What's your name?
You, I'm talking to you.
- Me?
- Yes, you.
- Emmanuel.
- Emmanuel what?
Emmanuel Trades. Don't you know, man?
This boy got the school named after him.
- What's your name, wise guy?
- Me? Miller. Gregory Miller.
You want me to spell it out
so you won't forget?
You don't have to. I'll remember, Miller.
Sure, chief. You do that.
Maybe you'd like to walk
to the principal's office.
- Is that what you want?
- You're holding the cards.
You wanna take me to see Mr. Warneke,
you'll do just that.
Who's your home-period teacher?
You are, chief.
Why aren't you with the rest
of the class?
Already told you.
Came in to wash up, chief.
All right, wash up. Just cut out
that "chief" routine, understand?
Sure, chief. That's what I been doing all
the time. Okay for us to drift now, chief?
- I don't wanna catch you here again.
- Suppose I got business here?
Look, how many times do I have to tell you?
Let's go, huh? Come on, let's go.
- Let's go, bright boy.
- Hey, he means me.
All right, sit anywhere.
We'll arrange permanent seating later.
You wanna close the door
for me there? Thank you.
Hey, how about that Miss Hammond?
All right, let's break it up back there.
- Hear what I said? I said, break it up.
- Why?
- What'd you say?
- I said, why?
Sit down.
First thing we're gonna do
is pass these cards out.
Take one and pass the rest back.
Number of this class is 55,
number of the classroom is 206.
My name is spelled...
...D-A-D...
...I-E-R.
Now, that's pronounced "Da-dee..."
Whoever threw that, you'll never pitch
for the Yanks, boy.
Hey, Artie. How do you like Mr. Daddy-oh?
- Daddy-oh.
- Daddy-oh!
Daddy-oh! Daddy-oh! Daddy-oh!
You all finished?
Fine. Glad you got that out
of your system.
The name is Dadier. Mr. Dadier.
Pronunciation is very important in English.
I'd hate to fail anyone
who couldn't pronounce it.
- Me too, teach.
- Mr. Dadier.
- Yeah, sure.
- Say it.
And take your hat off in this classroom.
You ever try to fight 35 guys
at one time, teach?
Take your hat off, boy,
before I knock it off.
The subject you'll learn in this class
is English. Some of you may...
...wonder if English can help you get a job
as a carpenter, a mechanic or an electrician.
The answer is yes.
It may surprise you to find
that English is your favorite subject.
- I'll be surprised.
- There will be no calling out.
If you've got any questions to ask,
just raise your hand.
- You hear that, Miller?
- Sure, teach.
You coming in strong.
I can't tune you out.
- His name ain't "teach."
- It's Daddy-oh.
- Hey, don't you know his name, jerk?
- Excuse me, Mr. Jerk.
West, since you're so cooperative,
stay after class and help me out.
- I'm busy.
- Oh, go on, Artie. Help him out.
- Then you could be together alone.
- Oh, Daddy-oh!
All right, all right, fine.
We had a few laughs.
In a minute, the bell's gonna ring
out there.
You go to your civics class. Tomorrow
morning when you come to class...
Hey, teach, you're coming back
here tomorrow?
Why, sure I'm coming back.
You know why?
Because I'll miss you, West.
All right, all right. Knock it off.
Now come on, huh?
Listen, that's enough, huh?
What's the matter with you?
You, Santini. What's your problem?
- Me?
- Yeah, what are you grinning for?
He's the grinningest cat in this
whole school. He smiles all the time.
That's because he's an idiot boy.
- Well, just try and pay attention, Santini.
- I pay attention.
Hey, Miller. Come here.
I wanna talk to you a minute, Miller.
A man-to-man talk, huh, Miller?
I've been looking up the records,
and you're a natural-born leader.
- Really?
- Yeah. You are.
Those guys out there,
they like you very much.
Don't be modest with me.
You know you're a little brighter,
smarter than those guys.
- Me?
- Yeah.
And every class needs a leader.
You could be that leader, Miller.
What you do, they'll do.
You cooperate, and they'll follow you.
How about it, Miller?
- I don't know.
- I do know, Miller. How about it?
- Sure, if you think so.
- That's a boy. Good. That's fine, Miller.
Oh, is this yours?
- Take it easy, man.
- Sure, man.
- Good night. Good night.
- Night.
- Why, hello.
- Miss Hammond. Oh.
- How did it go today?
- You mean after my disaster this morning?
My entire class volunteered to stay after
school and pound erasers or something.
- Got a ride home?
- I have a private limousine.
- Oh?
- City bus.
- My way's more private. I'll give you a lift.
- Well, I have to check out first.
That's all right. I'll meet you downstairs.
- They don't know their multiplication tables.
- All they can multiply is themselves.
- Well, how are they ever graduated?
- Graduated?
- Going down?
- No. Going up.
Graduated? They just get to be 18.
Then they're thrown out to make room
for more of the same kind.
You cockroach!
What happened?
Nothing.
- What is it? What happened?
- Why, it's the first day of school, teacher.
The way she screamed.
And the way she looked. Scared.
Man, I mean real scared.
I thought, "You know,
this could be happening to Anne."
- And then I hit him.
- Maybe she provoked the boy.
- What?
- Well, teachers ought not to dress sexy.
What do you mean? She had on...
What do you call it?
These sport outfits, buttoned up to here.
I'll bet. And black net stockings too.
No, they were kind of...
They were flesh-colored.
I see.
- Rick?
- Yeah?
- Is she beautiful?
- Who?
Miss Hammond, that's who.
Miss "Desirable" Hammond.
Oh, yeah. I'd say that in a...
Well, a kind of a flashy way, she's...
Yeah, I'd say she's...
Well, she's attractive.
What was I wearing
when you came home tonight?
- What were you wearing?
- You never noticed, did you?
Now wait a minute, let me think.
What were you wearing?
You were wearing... Let's see,
you had on a blue outfit, didn't you?
No, it was a blue...
The pink dress with the blue ribbon.
You know, the little ribbon you wear
up here, and you had on a little apron.
- You didn't take your iron tablets.
- Yes, I took my iron tablets.
- You didn't think I was sexy, did you?
- I thought you were irresistible.
Prove it.
- What about your calcium tablets?
- More, please.
- Did you take them?
- Don't be so medical.
Look, what was she wearing?
What were you wearing?
Now, what's this all about?
What was I wearing when I came home?
- Turn out the lights and hold me.
- What was I wearing? Remember?
- Do you?
- Your brown suit.
- No, it wasn't the brown suit.
- Gray suit.
- No.
- Striped necktie?
- No?
- No.
You don't remember, do you?
Now, does that prove you don't love me?
It just proves I'm silly and jealous
and love you too much.
- He looked terrible.
- He must have hit him from behind.
Teach must have some wallop.
No, he hit him with brass knuckles.
I seen them. He carries them
in that little old bag of his.
Four transfusions Joey had to have.
His nose was busted too.
What do you think, Artie?
They say he knocked all
Joey's front teeth out.
What'd the teach hit him with?
The teach was middleweight
champ of the Navy.
- Hey, George.
- Hey, Joe.
Morning, Miller.
Today we'll pinpoint
some of your faults in grammar.
I've written several sentences
on the board.
Read them using the proper word.
Now, does everybody understand that?
Well, you're very quiet today.
All right, now let's get started.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes
because that's how you learn.
By making mistakes.
All right, Miller, will you take the first one?
"Henry hasn't written no answer
to my letter."
No, Miller. It should be "Henry hasn't
written any answer to my letter."
- De Lica, second one.
- "If I were him, I wouldn't say that."
If I were you, I wouldn't say that either.
It should be, "If I were he."
- West, third one.
- "I throwed the ball fast."
You know better. This is third-term stuff.
You had that two years ago.
- "Won't anyone borrow you a pen?"
- "The class choose him as president."
"Where was you when it happened?"
We didn't do very well with this, did we?
All right. A little homework
will straighten that out.
Homework? Are you..?
Yes, homework. You can start copying
all 35 sentences in your notebooks now.
- It ain't even the first week.
- I gotta work after school.
This will count as a test. It might decide
whether you pass or fail this course.
Miller?
This...
This was your idea, wasn't it?
- What idea is that?
- This silent treatment.
Picking the wrong answers deliberately.
Look, I know you're the leader. Fine.
But you're leading them
in the wrong direction. Why?
Maybe you ought to mind
your own business, chief.
Not many guys like what happened to Joe
Murray. He going to jail. You know that?
I see. That's why you set
the class against me, huh?
They don't need no excuse.
Or me to help them.
Well, what about that talk
we had, Miller?
Suppose we just forget about
that little snow job, Mr. Dadier.
- Hi. I wanted to thank you.
- That's all right.
Would you mind walking
out to the car with me?
- With those kids out there and all, I...
- No.
- If it's too much trouble for you...
- No, not at all.
Thanks.
I hope I haven't hindered you
with your classes.
How'd you make out today?
Oh, the boys were very quiet.
I guess I know what they were thinking.
- Hello, Josh.
- Hi.
- How about a drink?
- Yeah. Fine.
Let's go over there.
- I gotta... I gotta get home.
- Well, this is the last one. For the road.
For the road.
Stan the man.
Terrific stuff.
- Very educated gentleman.
- Yeah. Just like our students.
Everything always comes back
to our students. You know something?
I am disappointed. Very disappointed.
Listen. Listen to this passage. Listen.
Mind those trumpets.
There's always that.
Oh, bartender?
I wonder if there are many alcoholics
among high school teachers.
It's not fair, Rick. I wanna teach.
I really wanna teach.
- So why don't they let me teach?
- I...
Any man who really wants to teach
should be allowed to teach.
I know. I know.
- Did I tell you?
- What?
I'm bringing my record collection
in and playing it for the class.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, what?
What do you mean, "Yeah, what"?
You told me you're bringing your records...
I mean, now wait a minute.
Suppose they don't like it? The records.
Why not?
Listen, it took me 15 years
to collect those records.
Half those records can't even be replaced.
Besides, music is based on mathematics.
Am I right?
- Yeah.
- What do I teach? Mathematics.
- You're right. Absolutely right.
- To teaching.
To teaching.
I gotta get home fast.
My wife's pregnant, you know.
- Well, congratulations.
- Thanks.
Hey, let's take a cut through here.
Shortcut to the bus.
All right.
Yes, sir.
It's the best profession anywhere.
- Kids.
- Yeah.
- Best profession anywhere.
- Why don't they let me teach?
- I guess because they're bad guys.
- They're not bad. They're just ignorant.
Bad and ignorant.
You don't really believe that, do you?
No, I... I don't really mean it, Josh.
I don't really mean it.
Josh.
- That's funny.
- What's funny?
- Footsteps. You hear..?
- Hey, Daddy-oh.
I don't want you to forget
Joe Murray, teach.
Oh, Josh. Josh.
- Hello?
- Mr. Dadier there?
No. No, no. He isn't here right now.
Who is this?
Hello? Hello.
- Turn out the lights.
- Well, Rick.
The lights.
Rick.
You mustn't be scared. I'm hurt.
- I'll call a doctor.
- No, no. I'll be all right.
Just don't look at me, Anne. Please.
No, please. You mustn't.
A thing like this could...
I don't want you to lose the baby, Anne.
You're never going back
to that school again. Never.
Oh, yes, I am.
Yeah, I've been beaten up.
But I'm not beaten.
There's a big difference. I'm not beaten...
...and I'm not quitting.
What's the answer, professor?
Oh, I'm going back to the school tomorrow.
Anne doesn't want me to go,
and maybe she's right.
Is it hopeless? Is there no way to..?
To get through to those kids?
Is there no way to make them understand?
- You'll find a way.
- And what if I don't? What then?
What's the point of teaching if kids
don't care about an education?
- And make no mistake about it, they don't.
- You're wrong.
You're the blind man who visits
an elephant.
He feels the tail, and he says,
"An elephant must be like a snake."
Come.
Porto, to carry.
Porto, portas, portat.
Portamus, portatis, portant.
Any teacher could get through to students
like these. The students I have, why bother?
- All children are entitled to an education.
- I'm not prepared for my job.
You were my college professor.
Should've taught me how to stop a fight.
How to deal with an IQ of 66. How to
quiet a class of screaming, wild animals.
Why bother about them?
They'll survive without me.
- Who wants animals on the street?
- If I'm a lion tamer...
...I should teach with a chair and whip.
Yes. We at the university were to blame.
We did not prepare teachers to teach
certain children of this generation.
Tell me, Richard. Why do you want
to be a teacher? Just to earn a living?
- No.
- It is easier, perhaps, than some other job?
Easier?
Perhaps you're dedicated.
No, hardly. No, I wanna teach.
Most of us wanna do something creative.
I can't be a painter, writer or engineer.
But I thought that if I could help to shape
young minds, sort of sculpt lives...
...and by teaching, I'd be creative.
- For every school like yours...
...there are hundreds like this one. We could
use you, but your school needs you.
You still want to teach here
in this school?
I think I'll take another crack at my jungle.
Report says you couldn't identify
any of the boys.
It was dark. I told you it was dark.
I couldn't see anything.
What are you protecting? The good name
of this school? Your job?
- Someone gotta die before you'll cooperate?
- It wasn't that serious.
- Weren't in class for a week. That's serious.
- What do you expect me to do?
Press charges. I'll find
the ones who did it.
- I'll go over every kid in this school.
- You'll do more harm.
Mr. Dadier, I've handled lots
of problem kids in my time.
Kids from both sides of the tracks.
They were 5 or 6 years old in
the last war. Father in the Army.
Mother in a defense plant.
No home life. No church life.
No place to go. They formed street gangs.
It's way over my head, Mr. Dadier.
Maybe the kids today are like the rest
of the world. Mixed-up, suspicious, scared.
I don't know. But I do know this:
Gang leaders have taken the place
of parents. If you don't stop them...
- Class is starting. You mind?
- Then you won't help us?
- I'm sorry.
- Sure.
- And I hope you'll never be sorrier.
- Thanks anyway.
For what? Tying our hands
so it can happen again?
And don't worry. It will.
Welcome back, chief. You bring
your cosmetics to school, chief?
Don't get touchy, chief.
I know lots of guys use makeup.
Well, at least the silent treatment
seems to have ended.
- New machine shop, chief.
- Since when?
Installed her last week.
Does this..? Does this go on all the time?
Most any time.
Oh, no. That's great.
It's all we needed.
This is a tape recorder.
- Was we gonna make records, teach?
- That's right.
- Well, go, man. Go.
- Go.
Now, we all talk too much,
but nobody listens.
Nobody listens.
I thought, perhaps, we talk into
this machine, then we listen...
Oh, it's a speech period.
"How I spent my summer vacation."
- This ought to be real jazzy.
- No. No speeches.
One thing I didn't like when
I went to school...
- Teach, teach. Did you go to high school?
- Can't you see, man, he ain't never got out.
Well, since you wanna talk so very badly,
I guess I'm not gonna have much trouble...
...getting you to talk into this machine.
- What kind of talk? Snappy stories?
Miller, how'd you like to bring
your mother to school?
How'd you like to bring yours?
Hey, Morales got a sister.
Maybe he'd like to bring her.
Come on with those records, man.
Hey, what do you say we all sing a little?
Come on.
- "The Last Rose of Summer."
- Teach, you got that recorder going?
Quiet!
All right, now, who's gonna be
the first to try this out?
- How about Morales?
- Hey, what's the matter with Morales?
- Sure, Morales. He loves to talk.
- No. Tomita. Step up here and try it.
You against Morales because
he don't talk good English?
- That has nothing to do with it.
- Morales get up there. I wanna hear you.
- Come on, Morales.
- Come on, chicken.
We want Morales.
- Hey, chicken.
- We want Morales.
I no chicken.
- All right. Start talking.
- What am I gonna talk about?
Talk about anything. How you got up
this morning, took the bus to school.
- Well...
- Go ahead.
I got up at 7:30, go wash.
But my stinking sister, she's still
in the bathroom, so I can't get in.
That's fine, boy. Just keep talking.
So then I go to the stinking bathroom.
I wash my stinking face.
- Then I ate some stinking sausages.
- Louder, come on.
- We can't hear you in the balcony.
- So then I go down the stinking street...
...with my stinking books, and then
I meet this stink-face. And he says:
"You go to school, Pete?"
I say, "You stinking right, boy."
So we walked to the stinking EI,
and we wait for the stinking train.
What do you think? The stinking train is
late. So I gotta get into the stinking crowd.
And that's why I'm stinking late
to school, teach.
- How was I? Okay?
- You sure stunk up that record, boy.
- That'll be enough for today.
- You gonna play it?
No. Thanks for picking Morales.
- I'm sure you're his friend.
- Sure enough, chief.
Too bad you can't see the same.
- And just what does that mean?
- Morales is a spic, that's what it means.
- Maybe you don't like spics.
- That'll be enough.
- What did I do, anyhow?
- Sit down, spic.
- You heard him, greaseball.
- At least I'm no Irish Mick.
I said, that'd be enough.
Now, pick up that magazine, Belazi.
Pick it up.
I wanna get one thing
very clear in this classroom.
There's not gonna be any name-calling here.
Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
- Understand?
- I was just kidding.
Yeah, I know you're just kidding.
That's how things start. Like a street fight.
Somebody pushes somebody in fun.
Somebody pushes back, and soon you
got a street fight with no kidding.
That's the same way with name-calling.
All right, West, look. You're of
Irish decent. So is Murphy over there.
You call him a Mick. He calls you a Mick.
Suppose Miller called you a Mick.
Is that all right?
No. Then you call him a nigger.
- I was just kidding.
- Well, stop kidding!
- Sure.
- Come on, come on, tell me.
Tell me all about your stinking sister.
You gonna play
Morales' record back, chief?
- Mr. Warneke wanted to see me?
- Sit down.
- That'll be all, Murdock.
- But, Mr. Warneke...
There are no buts. None that
forgive slapping a student.
- If you can't control yourself...
- Yes, sir. I understand.
Dadier.
He's rough today.
Sit down, Dadier.
Problems. Nothing but problems,
eh, Dadier?
Well, not the same as you have, sir.
If it isn't one thing, it's another.
Brutality, stupidity, bigotry.
Would you believe that some teachers
are guilty of racial prejudice...
...in their classes, in this school?
- I wouldn't know, sir.
- Comes out under pressure, I suppose.
Yeah, I suppose so.
If you knew of such a teacher,
would you tell me about it?
- I don't know.
- You don't know? Why not?
I don't know this idea of carrying tales.
You have someone in particular
in mind, Mr. Warneke?
What part of the country are you from?
How do you feel about Negroes, Dadier?
- How do I feel about..?
- Well, do you consider them inferior?
- As a race?
- Any way.
- No, I don't consider them inferior.
- What about spics?
- Spics?
- Spics. Do you like them?
- Depends on the individual.
- What does that mean, Dadier?
There are Puerto Ricans I like,
and some I don't like.
I see. What about Irish Micks?
I don't know what this is all about,
but if there's some teacher...
I'm talking about you, Dadier. You're the
teacher who's supposed to be the bigot.
What?
It's reported that you maligned
religious and racial groups in class.
- That's what this is about, Dadier.
- That's a lie.
Is it? Did you use the expression
"nigger" in your class?
- Yes.
- Then it is true.
- Just wait...
- Did you use "spic"?
- Yes, I used it in the same lesson...
- Lesson?
- Yes.
- What textbook did you get this from?
- Just listen to me a minute...
- You listen!
I don't care if a boy's skin is black, yellow,
purple. He gets the same teaching, breaks...
...as any white boy. Do you
understand that? Do you?
There's enough immorality in the world.
Without your adding to it. Enough hatred.
Hold it! You just hold it.
I used that expression to teach a lesson
in democracy. What should not be said.
- Those were negative examples.
- Not according to my report.
- This boy has accused...
- What boy?
- A boy in your class.
- What was his name?
Can't tell you that.
Well, suppose he's lying. Don't I have
any right to face my accuser?
I know I don't have any as a teacher left,
but what about my rights as a human?
- Nobody's depriving you of any rights.
- You accuse me. You condemn me...
...without even a hearing.
- Look, I'm sorry, Dadier. I...
...may have been hasty.
If I'm wrong, I apologize.
You were wrong.
In that case...
Dadier...
...I recall that you had some
dramatic training in college.
Will you take charge
of our Christmas show?
Well, is this a penalty?
Is this a reward? What is it?
Just an extra job.
All right.
Miller?
- What were you doing?
- Doing?
I'm just going down
to the machine shop, chief.
- This late after school?
- Doing a little homework on this carburetor.
What kept you after school, chief?
You doing your homework here too?
Miller.
You went to see Mr. Warneke
today, didn't you?
- Did I?
- Yes, and you told him a lot of lies.
A lot of deliberate lies.
You twisted everything I said.
There was no racial issue till you made one.
- Wait a minute, Miller.
- What is it, chief?
- What is what?
- Why you got the knife out for me?
Why I've got the knife out for..?
Oh, man, there's a real switch.
After all the trouble you caused. After the
way you fouled up that recording session.
- After the way you and West...
- Steady now. Just a minute.
- The way we did what?
- Ganged up on me.
- You don't mean that, chief.
- I do mean it.
- Boy, you really got it bad.
- You deny it?
- Well, do you deny it?
- You gonna hit me? I'd really like that.
That's all you need, boy. That'll
really wash you up around here.
Come on. Start swinging. Come on.
You go ahead. Come on.
- Why, you black...
- Go ahead and say it.
- You say it. Now, you go ahead and hit me.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry what I just said, Miller.
There's no excuse.
I just lost my head. I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Miller.
Truck will be here any minute.
You ready, Louie?
Come on, pay attention when
I'm talking to you, stupid.
We been over it 50 times.
I slug the guy, Pee Wee takes
the wheel. What's so special?
Look, you just stay with him in case
he needs you. That's what's so special.
Look, you drive to the park, dump
the papers and get rid of the truck.
When the guy sells the papers, we meet
back here and divvy up. Got that?
- You sure you got it, now?
- Got it.
Don't worry about it.
Go ahead, blow. Move.
How's the teaching business coming along?
Hey, what's the chance of getting
a job driving a truck like this?
Easy, teach. Easy. You could've got hurt
over there just now. What happened?
- Where'd you come from?
- I was just strolling along...
...and I saw some guy throw a bottle
at you. I figured they're out to get you.
You could've been maybe shot
or something.
Yeah, or something.
Was that Belazi with those kids?
- Belazi? You mean from our class?
- That's right.
Wearing the same jacket, like you are.
Members of the same gang, right?
It's a club, teach. It's a club
I belong to. I didn't see Belazi.
You didn't see those kids steal that
newspaper truck either, did you?
- You're just passing by.
- Right, I said...
...I was just strolling by.
Why should I lie to you?
- I don't give a damn what you believe.
- Know what happens when they're caught?
- What's that, teach?
- Reform school, year in jail. Maybe more.
A year from now, when the Army
comes and says, "Okay, Artie West...
...you get in a uniform, be a soldier,
save the world...
...and you get your lousy head
blowed right off."
Well, maybe I'll get a year in jail,
and when I come out...
...they don't want Artie West
to be a soldier no more.
- Maybe what I get is out.
- I see.
- Do you, teach? Do you?
- West, you got it all wrong...
Come on, get them off.
Look, you're in my classroom now.
And what I could teach you.
The first lesson is, don't butt in. Just don't.
Or you could flunk out for good.
- Hey, what you got there, teach?
- Music.
- Wasn't that music?
- For the next class.
- What's the matter?
- Ask the disc jockey.
- Records.
- Just keep your hands off of them.
- Beg your pardon.
- Come on, teach, play something.
Old Joshua, he's got a test for us.
Right, Josh?
You see, music is based on mathematics,
and it's just that the next class...
...is a little more advanced.
- We're advanced, teach.
- Two times two is four.
- Are four.
Haven't you heard that music
soothes the savage beast?
- Okay. Take your seats.
- We're crazy about music.
Mr. Edwards, why not play a record,
and then we'll all take the test.
- Sure.
- Please.
- Oh, come on, teach.
- Well...
...all right. This...
This is kind of a rare one. This is Bix
Beiderbeke doing "Jazz Me Blues."
- How about some bop?
- Yeah, bop us, teach.
Listen to this.
Pay attention to that cornet.
Beiderbeke came before James
and Elman and Spivak.
- How about Frank Sinatra?
- Frankie.
- Joni James.
- Come on, get with it, man.
- This is "Cow Cow Boogie."
- All right, keep away from the records.
- Give me the record.
- Sure, teach.
This is "Cherokee."
Anybody wanna hear this record, huh?
Hey, "Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie."
"Blue Moon."
- Wait till Miller hears about this.
- Where's that Miller man today?
- He's cutting class today.
- When there's action, he cuts.
That's funny. I was someplace else too.
Nobody was here.
They broke my records.
I don't understand, Rick.
I just don't understand.
Now, the broken records can never be
replaced. The phonograph cost about $40.
I don't know which of you did it.
But I know that none of you
tried to stop it.
So whenever you can, you just put your
nickels and your dimes in this tin can.
Can you deduct it from taxes?
- But how did Warneke discipline the kids?
- A masterful stroke.
He taught those little Mongolians
a lesson they'll never forget.
You know what he did? He got them
all in the auditorium, and he had them...
He had them write 500 times,
"I respect private property."
Did anybody ever pay Edwards
for those broken records?
Dadier, is that tin can
full of money yet?
- He's lucky they don't steal the tin can.
- I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll rig up an electric chair
and bring it to my class.
I'll tell my pupils it's a circuit tester. I'll
lead the little lice in the chair one by one...
...and throw the switch on.
- They'll rig up that hot seat first...
...throw you in it and fry you.
- I'd have clobbered them.
- Would you?
- Sure.
Would you? They outnumber you,
outweigh you and outreach you.
They get hit at home
and in the streets.
- They're used to it.
- And understand it.
- What's that got to do with teaching?
- I never have any real trouble.
That's right, Miss Panucci.
He's a clobberer, you're a slobberer.
"I'm just a nice woman trying to do my job.
Now, please be nice, boys."
You. You give them the veteran pitch.
"I got the purple heart, boys."
You tell them about... What is it? The steel
plate in your head, the artificial leg.
You beg for sympathy. "I'm a veteran.
Help me keep my job?"
You don't care if they learn. He's lucky
they don't kick the artificial leg...
...out from underneath him. And you're
a slumberer. You sleepwalk.
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
Oh, every once in a while you make
sounds like a teacher. Nobody cares.
Nobody listens. I mean,
nobody cares, especially you.
This man, he's a grumbler. You hate
the kids. You have contempt for them.
- You condemn them.
- All right, what about you, Zola?
I'm... I'm a fumbler.
- I'm not doing any better than you.
- What are we supposed to do?
- Butt our heads on a stone wall?
- Yes.
- With kids that don't wanna learn?
- Yes.
- All right. How?
- I don't know how.
I mean, there must be some way to...
- There must be some way to reach them.
- Whom are you trying to convince?
Me or you?
- Rotten day, ain't it?
- Hello, Mrs. Brophy.
- You shouldn't be walking in the snow.
- I like it.
If I had a condition, I'd be carried like a
Chinese pagoda. Where'd you go, movies?
It's funny, habits. In the morning
when my husband goes to work...
...click, I turn on the radio. Nothing but
serials. In one ear and out the other.
One day the radio breaks down.
It was quiet. I thought I'd go crazy.
Stark-naked crazy.
Your husband ain't home yet.
I stopped in just now.
- I loaned a little rum for cooking, you know.
- What time is it?
Let me see, it's a little bit after 5.
I don't care for liquor, personally...
...but my old man, he goes for it
in a great way.
You shouldn't be walking
in the snow, Mrs. Dadier.
Anne?
Anne?
Oh, I thought it was you.
- Is something wrong?
- No, no.
No, it was late. You weren't home.
I got lonely.
Sorry I was late.
What's a teacher do when he stays
after school?
Or is it ethical to tell?
Josh Edwards quit his job today.
I was helping him straighten his desk out.
I tried to get him to change his mind, but...
He was right to quit.
And if you had any sense,
you'd get out of this place too...
...before it's too late.
What would I do?
Sell shoelaces? Run for president?
You'd teach in a decent place,
where kids wanna learn.
Where a teacher's respected.
I wrote to Professor Kraal.
Here's his answer.
He says he can get you
a job in his school.
Tell him yes, Rick.
Maybe. We'll see.
- What's so important about this place?
- It's a challenge.
What else is it?
You wanna stay.
- You wanna stay in this filthy, miserable...
- Wait a minute.
Come on, now. Hold it. You got
enough troubles without me, you know.
Have I told you today that I love you?
- Have I?
- Do you?
What do you think?
I'm selfish. I wanna be told.
Let's splurge and take a taxi home.
We'll neck in the back seat.
How about that?
All right.
Taxi!
No, man. This ain't no jam session.
Stop jazzing it up, okay?
All right. Let's pick it up
with "Go Down, Moses."
Sounded real nice.
Fair, chief. It'll get better.
Cut out, fellas. I'll see you later.
If you're wondering, we didn't break in.
Mr. Halloran loaned us the hall.
No, no. I was just wondering if...
If maybe we'd play a spot
on your Christmas show?
- Yeah.
- I figured.
Would you?
That's why we've been rehearsing,
Mr. Dadier.
Where'd you learn
to play the piano this way?
Picked it up.
What are the rules, Miller?
- Rules?
- Yeah. What are they?
I mean, you can be so cooperative
on a thing like this.
In my classroom, I...
You better get a move on, teach.
You'll be late for your own class.
Wanna walk up with me?
I'll be along.
Yeah.
Help!
Master! Master!
Hey!
He's tough.
Jack ran for the beanstalk.
But the giant was close behind him.
So Jack got rich. And when he grew up,
he married a princess.
And they lived happily forever after.
- Teach, how about the main feature?
- Marilyn Monroe, hey?
Humphrey Bogart.
- What'd you think of the story?
- It was lousy. There was no dames.
- Miller, what did you think?
- This Jack, he's a pretty cool cat.
I don't like fairy stories, you know?
- Speranza?
- I don't know. I felt sorry for the giant.
Oh? Why's that?
Well, this Jack, he ain't no hero.
He's a pretty dumb hick.
Yeah, look. His old lady
sends him out to sell a cow.
Jack the jerk meets up
with a con man...
...and let him have the cow
for a couple of beans.
- That wasn't smart.
- He climbed that beanstalk...
...until he disappeared in another land.
- Without a space helmet, man.
How'd that giant get up
without any beanstalk?
This is a fairy story. He just flew.
- I got this Jack pegged for a thief.
- The giant was supposed to kill...
...Jack's father and stole his money.
- How'd Jack know?
- It was supposed Jack thought...
...that the giant stole from him. Did that
give Jack the right to steal the hen?
- No, he's gotta have proof.
- Suppose he had proof.
- Jack, he should've called the cops.
- Yeah, and the cops would've kept the loot.
- Could be.
- Not the FBI.
And that magic harp.
If the giant would've been so bad,
the harp would've wanted to be snatched.
- Could be.
- Why do you suppose that magic harp...
...liked that giant so much?
- I know. Because the giant, he liked music.
Jack was a heist man. He got away
with burglary three times.
I liked the part where
he knocked off the giant.
Who cares? The whole thing here's
a phony.
- You think Jack should've killed the giant?
- Yeah. He was chasing him.
If somebody stole from you,
wouldn't you chase him?
The way I got it figured,
this Jack, he's a square.
First off, he don't care
if his old lady starves to death.
Then he sells the cow
for a handful of beans.
- Then he turned burglar.
- Then he commit murder.
- And for all of this, he gets a reward.
- He's rich.
- He marries a princess.
- You know why?
Because he took what he wanted.
Crime always pays.
- But it was a crime.
- So what?
- It was only some giant.
- Why don't you like the giant?
- Because he's a giant.
- You're a Dodger fan.
No kidding, fellas. I mean, you don't like
the giant because he's different.
- That's right.
- But is that right?
I mean, is it right to dislike somebody
because he's different?
I mean, there's a lot of us here
in this classroom who are different.
If the story's so cockeyed,
what's the point?
Now we're getting somewhere.
All your lives, you're gonna hear stories,
what some guy tells you...
...what you see in books, magazines.
What you read in the newspapers.
But if you can just examine the story...
...look for the real meaning...
...and most of all, just learn
to think for yourselves...
Here it comes.
Here comes the commercial.
That giant, if he done wrong...
...least I think he should've had a trial.
- Teach, how about some more stories?
- Yeah, a story about football.
Hey, teach. Maybe I'll turn out to be
a critic on the movies.
How did you like Jack and the Beanstalk?
Turned out to be a thief.
I liked the story.
- So you finally got through to them.
- I think so.
Yes. For once, for the first time.
What's the answer?
Visual education?
Yeah, partly. If you
just get them stimulated...
They'll go for movies, but will that
teach them to read?
No, but if you can get them to use
their imagination, to reach out.
But certainly not knowledge.
If they use their intelligence,
get their minds out of comic books...
A mind would indicate a brain,
and a brain...
Before he proves Darwin was right,
I've got a class.
If you still need a Santa Claus
for your Christmas show...
- Yeah, I do.
- Well, you got one.
- Hello?
- Your husband won't be home tonight.
He's gonna be with her.
Who is this?
Hello.
Hello.
All right. Move in a little bit, fellas.
Just a little closer.
Now, will you hit them
with the spot here.
Wait a minute. I can't see.
Will you turn the footlights out.
Now, raise it up. I just wanna
catch their faces.
Up... That's it.
All right, remember that effect.
All right, fellas. Give me the work light.
Miller.
Stick around, Miller, will you?
I wanna talk to you about an encore.
I'm gonna go. I'm bushed.
- Thanks for staying.
- It's shaping up okay.
Isn't it always quiet
before an earthquake?
Good night, before he
has them burn the school.
- Well, now that you mention it...
- Good night.
Well, could I be wrong, have you got
these wild animals trained?
No, not trained.
Just interested.
Don't forget your history.
Never turn your back.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- You coming?
- I've a little more work to do.
- Need me for anything else, Mr. Director?
- No, thanks.
That's too bad.
- I mean, the costumes are fine, Lois.
- I know what you mean.
That's why it's too bad.
Look, Lois...
...you're tired.
- No, not tired. Just bored.
Just good and bored. You know...
...maybe I shouldn't have transferred
to this school. Maybe I should've...
Tell me, Rick. Don't you ever get
fed up with this place?
Don't you ever get tired of teaching?
Don't you wanna
throw your briefcase away...
...and take a flyer someplace, anyplace?
With me, maybe.
Don't you?
Don't you, Rick?
I guess not.
You'd like to all right,
but you're married.
You're married, and I'm bored.
You're afraid, and I'm choosy.
And you can't be choosy,
or you'll live alone.
Keep thinking that,
you're gonna end up in trouble.
- Mr. Dadier?
- I'll be right with you, Miller.
I gotta get to my job.
Good night, Lois.
- Darling?
- Your husband is with her right now.
- Stop it.
- He'll tell you he was rehearsing his show.
- Please, please don't call anymore.
- But he's with her.
Would you please leave me alone?
Please leave me alone.
- I don't need no more school.
- Why? Why, Miller?
So, what's wrong with being a mechanic?
- You don't want to be, do you?
- Well, there ain't much choice, is there?
The same reason I live
in this neighborhood.
Colored neighborhood, Mr. Dadier.
And folks don't care...
...who fix up their car, black or white.
Just so long as it's fixed good.
- You're late, boy.
- Yeah. I'll be early tomorrow night.
This one needs a new set of spark plugs.
They'll pick it up at 9.
Okay.
You think we got a good school,
Mr. Dadier?
- Yes.
- Do you really think that?
The important thing is,
do you want to learn?
In the beginning I tried, real hard.
But what's the use?
Nobody gives a hoot.
Not the other fellas. Not the teachers.
And not my folks even.
So you quit trying, huh?
- Well, that's the easy way out, Miller.
- That's the only way.
Sometimes we gotta do what's best...
...even though that might be
the more difficult way.
We talking from different sides
of the fence, Mr. Dadier.
- You're not black.
- That's not a good enough excuse.
Not nowadays.
Dr. Ralph Bunche proved that.
George Washington Carver,
Marian Anderson, Joe Louis.
- So?
- So I don't want you to quit, that's all.
Now, you'll be of age
the end of this term.
- Don't give up trying. Don't quit.
- Mr. Dadier, you pretty new at this.
- You gonna be quitting yourself.
- I'll make a deal with you.
We'll have a pact, you and I.
Neither of us quit. How about it?
Say, you know, that wasn't true
what you said about teachers.
Some of us do care, you know.
- Good night.
- Good night.
They took her to the hospital.
Emergency. I just dropped in.
- What happened?
- Your missus, I mean.
She started to have terrible pains.
Just terrible.
Seven months. Don't worry, Mr. Dadier.
I'll bring her things.
- Been here long?
- Yes, quite a while.
Is she gonna be all right?
- She's trying, Mr. Dadier.
- Are you sure of that?
Yes, your wife is fine. She just had a boy.
Well, what do you mean, "had"?
Well, he's still in danger.
- I don't understand.
- The baby was premature.
That together with...
What was your wife worried about?
She seemed disturbed...
...she wouldn't talk about it.
- She lost a baby once...
- No, no. I know about that.
No, this was something secret.
There was no trouble between
you and your wife, Mr. Dadier?
I'm sorry.
Is the baby gonna live?
I don't know. Three or four days
should tell us that.
Does Anne..? I mean, have you
told Anne about the baby yet?
Mind if I see her?
Well, she's still in a twilight condition,
not fully awake or fully asleep, but...
- All right, you can see her.
- Thank you.
Arthur?
- Hi.
- Hi.
You..? Are you all right?
I'm tired.
Just awfully tired.
I think I could sleep for a week.
Yeah, well, look, honey,
you try and get some sleep.
Don't go. Not yet.
Wait until they chase you.
It happened kind of suddenly.
We made it this time, didn't we?
Yeah.
Have you seen the baby yet?
No. No, I haven't.
It's a boy. Isn't it?
Yeah.
- Happy, Rick?
- Yeah.
Sure am.
You still love me?
Oh, Anne, I love you.
You know, I love you very, very much.
- I brought things for Mrs. Dadier.
- Thank you.
Oh, Mrs. Brophy. Thanks a lot
for all your trouble.
Trouble, what do you men
know about trouble?
I found these letters.
I guess she was reading them...
...when the pains started.
I don't understand you, mister.
I just don't understand you.
It's a necktie. A gift from the kids.
Merry Christmas.
The kids were only trying to show
their appreciation of what you did.
Yeah, well, I'd like to give them something
for what they did to me.
The show was a success.
Miller and his boys sang beautifully.
I don't wanna hear about it, Jim.
I don't wanna hear about the show...
...about the school, about anything.
Because I'm through.
I'm finished, I'm quitting.
As far as I'm concerned...
...that school is just dead.
What was it you called it?
Was it a great, big garbage can?
Yeah? Oh, man. How right you were.
Well, I've had it right up to here.
I'm quitting, I'm getting another job.
Ten miles and 3000 delinquents
away from here.
No, no. I was the one that was wrong.
You proved something.
The kids in our school can be taught
if you don't stop trying.
You got through to them.
And those kids, when they came
into my class, a little of your momentum...
...carried over, and all of a sudden,
I wanted to get through to them too.
Hey, that was a big day for me.
- If I could have two days a week...
- You can have it. You can have it.
Remember what you told me:
Don't turn your back on it.
If you quit here, you'll quit
at the next school. You'll quit teaching.
So what? Who cares, Jim? Who cares?
You think the kids care?
Their parents care?
Who cares about teachers anyhow?
I wanna show you something
I wrote down.
Now, just listen to this.
Teachers get $2 an hour, right?
Now, listen. A congressman and a judge
are $9.25 an hour.
Policemen and firemen, $2.75.
Carpenter, 2.81.
Plumber, 2.97. Plasterer, 3.21.
A household cook gets more money
than we do, and they get room and board.
Oh, yes, I know, a teacher, they get
as much as a babysitter or a soda jerk.
Two dollars an hour for a teacher.
We take you now to Times Square
in New York.
In a few moments, the New Year
will be officially born.
Come in, Times Square.
Hi.
Thank you.
- You feeling all right?
- Now that you're here.
- What's the matter?
- What? Nothing.
Is it about the baby?
No, I didn't see the doctor, Anne.
He... He was busy.
Happy New Year!
I'm scared, Anne.
I'm really scared.
What if the baby doesn't live?
- He will. I know he will.
- Yeah, but what if he doesn't?
You know, I wanted that baby.
I needed that baby
just as much as you did.
And all my life, I wanted to teach kids.
And my son was gonna...
He was gonna kind of help me out.
Through him, maybe I'd learn
to understand.
Rick.
No matter what happens, I love you.
I was silly and vain and selfish,
so I doubted you.
I was like one of the bad kids
in your class.
Somebody told me a lie,
and I believed that lie.
- One's as bad as the other.
- I wanna tell you...
I was wrong about something else too.
I wanted you to quit teaching
in that school.
I understand now why
you wanted to keep trying.
- Please.
- I'm glad you didn't quit.
Now, wait a minute.
Honey, kids are people.
And most people are worthwhile.
We all need the same thing.
Patience, understanding...
...love.
You've got that to give them, darling.
And that's why you'll get through to them.
Your son's out of danger.
He's gonna make it.
Happy New Year, Mr. And Mrs. Dadier.
Now, pretty soon, you're gonna be reading
in the newspapers want ads for jobs...
...apartments, something to buy.
Advertising space is expensive,
so abbreviations are used.
Write out the complete words to all
the abbreviations in these problem ads.
All right, get started.
Belazi. Let's keep your eyes
on your own paper.
Me?
Cheating won't help you learn
those abbreviations.
He won't look for no job.
His old man owns a store.
- I'm not gonna buy no Cadillac.
- It's cheaper to steal one.
That's arithmetic, teach.
All right, Belazi.
Bring your paper up here.
Five points off. What for?
For having loose eyes.
- West.
- You talking to me, teach?
Bring your paper up here, West.
What for?
I said, bring your paper up here.
And I said, what for?
Come on, Artie. Bring him the paper.
Now, look, you just keep your
rotten mouth out of this, black boy.
Miller!
Hold it.
All right. All right, Miller.
It's all right.
Now, bring your paper up here, West.
All right, we're going down
to see the principal.
We are?
You gonna make me, Daddy-oh?
- Come on, let's go.
- How'd you like to go to hell?
What's the matter, Daddy-oh?
Yeah, how about it, teach?
You got a big mouth.
Tell me to do this, do that.
Are you big enough to take me
to the principal's office?
Because that's what you're gonna
have to do. Take me. Come on, take me!
Come on!
Come on.
For a bright boy, you didn't learn nothing.
Come on. Step right up and taste
a little of this, Daddy-oh.
Give me that knife, West.
Where do you want it?
You want it in the belly?
Or how about in the face?
- Give me that knife.
- Here it is. All you gotta do is take it.
- Come on, take it. Come on!
- Take it easy, chief.
He's crazy, he's high, he's floating
on Sneaky Pete wine.
He's gonna kill him.
All you gotta do is take it.
Come on, take it.
That's just what I'm gonna do, big shot.
Come on, West.
Come on.
Come on.
Where you going, boy? Come on.
Belazi.
Come on.
Morales.
Stoker.
- Santini.
- You keep out of it.
You want a gang fight?
You wanna start a rumble?
Come on, boy, just make a move.
All right, you guys.
Bascillo, Rock, move, both!
What's the matter, West?
You need help?
Come on. You're holding
the handle of that knife.
Come on, you're the leader.
You're the tough guy.
You can't cut alone, huh, West?
You're not so tough without a gang,
but you were tough that night, weren't you?
Seven to two. That's about
your odds, isn't it?
- This time you get cut up.
- Yeah.
The gang-up didn't work. You went to the
principal with a story about race prejudice.
You couldn't get rid of me that way.
Then you started sending letters to my wife.
Didn't you? Didn't you, West?
End of the line, boy.
Not here.
Not here.
Not here.
Not here.
- Hey, Belazi.
- Shut up, chicken.
I'm getting out of here. I'm not going
to their reform school.
- Me, me, what about me?
- You, you're own your own.
Open up. You hear me? Out of the way!
What's the matter with you?
What do you got against me?
Come on, out of the way! You hear me?!
Morales.
Use it. Use it.
- Some cut.
- We'll take you to a doctor, teach.
After we take these two
down to the principal's office.
All right, fellas?
I know.
You're saying, "Why do that?
Why not forget..? Forget the whole thing."
No! No, no, not this time.
There's no place for these two
in your classroom.
Look, we've all made a step forward this
morning. Now, there's no sliding back now.
Not ever again.
Whether you like it or not,
I'm taking these two downstairs.
I think maybe we'll give you a hand,
Mr. Dadier.
- Okay, fellas?
- Yeah.
- Sure.
- Yeah.
Boys...
...I think they'll go alone.
Come on, West. Let's go.
Belazi. Come on!
- What made you change your mind?
- They did.
You okay, Mr. Daddy-oh, sir?
I think so, Santini.
I think so.
Mr. Dadier?
Eighty-seven cents so far.
Well, thanks, Miller.
- Thanks for everything.
- It's okay, chief.
There's talk of you quitting this school,
going where there's obedient boys and girls.
- What do you think?
- I figure it's just talk.
- Why?
- Well...
...you know the ropes around here
pretty good now.
It'd be a shame to waste all that.
I guess everybody learns something
in school. Even teachers.
- Yes, I guess so.
- Besides, it'd be kind of rough...
...breaking in somebody new.
Well, see you tomorrow, Mr. Dadier?
I thought you were quitting
at the end of the year. Is that right?
We have a pact, and we wouldn't
wanna break that.
No, I guess we wouldn't.
- See you around.
- I'll see you around.
Come here! What's the matter?
You wanna be a bum? Come here!
I believe I have an appointment
with the principal.
Name? Name?
Richard Dadier.
Business, please.
I've been here before.
It's about the English teacher's job.
- Sit down, please.
- Yes, thank you.
Not at all.
Mr. Dadier, Richard.
Good luck.
- In case anything turns up...
- We'll call you, Mr. Lefkowitz.
- Mr. Dadier?
- Yes, sir. Thank you.
What college did you attend?
Well, I believe it's right there
on the form, isn't it, sir?
But that was an all-girls school.
Yes, well, they took in veterans
after the war, you see.
I believe they still do. With so many of us
coming back all at once, it was a little...
...difficult to find a school or college.
- Veteran, huh?
- Yes, sir. The Navy.
I beg your pardon?
- I was in the...
- You speak very softly.
Can you be heard at the back
of a classroom?
Well, I did some dramatics at college, sir,
and they could always hear me...
...even in the last row.
- Really?
- Shall I project a little, sir?
- Go ahead and project.
Once more unto the breach,
dear friends, once more.
Or close up the wall
with our English dead.
In peace there's nothing so becomes
a man as modest stillness and humility.
But when the blast of war
blows in our ears...
...then imitate the action of the tiger.
Very aptly chosen. Henry IV, wasn't it?
It was Henry V, I believe.
Right. Give your credentials to
Miss Brady in the outer office.
- What, you..? You mean I have the job?
- Congratulations.
Oh, thanks.
Try to meet the other teachers
and get acquainted.
Organizational meeting in an hour.
Any questions?
No, I... No, sir.
There's just one question, sir.
The discipline problem here. I...
- I beg your pardon?
- Well, I understand...
There is no discipline problem in this school,
Mr. Dadier. Not as long as I'm principal.
I see. Thank you, sir.
Miss Brady, my credentials.
- Mr. Edwards. Joshua.
- Thank you very much.
Not at all.
Shall l..?
Anyway, he says to me,
"Exaggeration, pure exaggeration.
There is absolutely no
discipline problem here."
There's no discipline problem
at Alcatraz either.
You can't teach a disorderly mob.
You got to have discipline,
and that means obedience.
- How will you get that?
- With a ruler.
Take a ruler to one of these delinquents,
he'll beat you with it.
- Oh, my name's Murdock. New teacher?
- Yes. English. Richard Dadier.
- Lou Savoldi. Carpentry.
- George Katz. Social science.
I'm taking money under
the false pretense of teaching history.
- Thought you developed their muscles.
- No. Developing my own.
Getting in shape to defend myself
for the fall term.
- Makes it sound like a reform school.
- Oh, first teaching job, eh?
- That's right.
- Don't listen to him, he's a cynic.
Why not? This is the garbage can
of the educational system.
You put these schools
together and what have you got?
One big, fat, overflowing garbage can.
- Think of teaching in an all-girls school.
- Think of those 20-year jail sentences.
Got any tips for a rookie?
Two. Don't be a hero
and never turn your back on the class.
- Manners.
- Huh?
- How long have you been teaching here?
- Oh, 12 years.
Two purple hearts and no salary increase.
They hire fools like us
with college degrees...
...to sit on that garbage can,
keep them in school.
So women, for a few hours a day, can walk
around the city without getting attacked.
Really?
I mean, there must be some students
who wanna learn.
You gonna teach them in that outfit?
Because if those kids ever get a look at...
Have you arranged with the National Guard
to escort you to class every day?
Ladies and gentlemen,
your attention please.
Your principal, Mr. Warneke.
Welcome. Welcome to the old faces.
Welcome to the new faces.
Miss Panucci.
Say, these kids, they can't
all be bad, can they?
No? Why?
Makes you feel good, doesn't it?
Oh, it's funny. I didn't think it would affect
me this way. After all, it's only a job...
...but when I stepped in my own classroom,
it was like reaching a goal of a kind.
- I don't believe I got your name.
- Josh Edwards.
- How are you, sir?
- Two first names, like Harry James.
Do you like swing?
- Yeah, well, most of it.
- I've got a really fine collection.
I can't remember ever being so excited.
It'll pass. You wait till Monday.
The way some of the teachers
were talking...
...you don't really expect
any trouble, do you?
- I mean, I figure you can handle any kid if...
- lf you can handle them.
How's the most beautiful wife
in the whole world, huh?
Hot. Tired. I don't feel very much
like anything, especially not attractive.
- I just feel four months pregnant.
- Beautifully pregnant.
- Champagne.
- Yep.
- And ravioli.
- That's not all.
Oh, you got the job. Oh, darling.
Congratulations, professor.
You want some cheese?
Oh, champagne and ravioli. Now,
that's no way to feed an unborn child.
Well, champagne, that's for the mother.
That's for luck.
I've had luck from the very
first moment we met, Anne.
What? Is something wrong?
What's the matter, dear?
Nothing.
Now, look, honey.
It's all gonna be over real soon.
No, no, it's not that. It's just that I don't
wanna let you down again, that's all.
You've never let me down, ever.
I don't know what happened
the last time.
Now, look, it's not your fault.
Now, a lot of women...
...they lose babies. And after all, it was...
It was only two months.
I know. I can't help thinking about it. I just
don't want anything to happen this time.
Nothing's going to happen, now.
It's gonna be 7 and a half pounds
in weight. It's gonna...
...have your looks and my brains,
and it's gonna support us in our old age.
The most important thing is, darling,
you mustn't worry now. Please.
No bad memories, huh?
No guilty feelings, please. Please, Anne.
And you don't mind my being this way?
How could I mind?
I'm responsible, aren't I?
- To the three of us.
- To the three of us.
You all right?
- What happened?
- Some crazy kids. That's what happened.
- Good morning.
- Morning.
Last time I felt like this was
when we hit the beach at Salerno.
- At least they're not shooting at us.
- Not yet.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
How do you do?
- Do I look all right?
- Ravishing.
I'm really very nervous.
Do you think they'll like me?
They may even fight over you.
- Hi! I thought you said you weren't coming.
- Testing. Testing.
One, two, three, four.
One, two, three, four.
Hey, lookit. He knows
how to count up to four.
Sure, man. He graduated
from this school, didn't he?
Shut up.
All right. That's enough stupid nonsense.
Next guy opens his trap
knows what happens.
Who's that?
He teaches public speaking
or something. I don't know.
You already said hello, so cut the yakity,
and we'll get down to business.
First, in the name of your principal,
Mr. Warneke...
...I wanna welcome you back
to North Manual.
Now, without further ado, we'll have the
teachers call out the roll of their classes.
When you hear your named called out,
you fall out to the center aisle.
The first guy gives trouble
gets trouble right back.
We start with the seniors. And because
we're gentlemen, the ladies come first.
We got a new teacher here.
She's gonna take care of you senior boys.
Miss Hammond, please.
Miss Hammond.
Frank.
- Frank Adams.
- Hey, lucky old me.
Shut up.
Edward Alpina, Donald Beck, Samuel
Barstow, Harry Cohen, Leroy Croth.
All right, this way.
Up those stairs down there.
There'll be no talking on the way up.
Teach, what'd Mr. Halloran
say your name was?
- I said there'd be no talking.
- Dig this cat. He's playing hard.
- He's a big man.
- Get back in line.
All right, hold it. You, you.
What's the matter?
What's the matter, boy?
- Hey, you. You!
- Me?
- Yes. What's your name?
- Why? What..?
- What's your name?
- Why are you picking on me?
- I'm not. I'm asking your name.
- You never heard of Artie West, teach?
I want you to monitor this class.
Write down the names...
...of anybody who talks.
- Talks about?
- They open their mouth, write their name.
- No pencil.
- I've got a pencil.
- No paper.
Just take it. Will you take it?
Look out for a minute.
- What'd you make the kid cry for?
- Wasn't my fault.
Heads. Chiggee.
Hold it. Just hold it.
What is this? The officers' club
or something?
I don't wanna catch you smoking in here
again, you understand? Now get out.
Come on, you heard what I said. Get out.
What's the matter? You guys
privileged or something?
- We only just got here, chief.
- You did, huh? Well, now just get out.
- Can't a man wash his hands, chief?
- Wash them and get out.
- Sure, chief. You gonna watch me?
- Maybe he'd like to wash them for us.
What's your name?
You, I'm talking to you.
- Me?
- Yes, you.
- Emmanuel.
- Emmanuel what?
Emmanuel Trades. Don't you know, man?
This boy got the school named after him.
- What's your name, wise guy?
- Me? Miller. Gregory Miller.
You want me to spell it out
so you won't forget?
You don't have to. I'll remember, Miller.
Sure, chief. You do that.
Maybe you'd like to walk
to the principal's office.
- Is that what you want?
- You're holding the cards.
You wanna take me to see Mr. Warneke,
you'll do just that.
Who's your home-period teacher?
You are, chief.
Why aren't you with the rest
of the class?
Already told you.
Came in to wash up, chief.
All right, wash up. Just cut out
that "chief" routine, understand?
Sure, chief. That's what I been doing all
the time. Okay for us to drift now, chief?
- I don't wanna catch you here again.
- Suppose I got business here?
Look, how many times do I have to tell you?
Let's go, huh? Come on, let's go.
- Let's go, bright boy.
- Hey, he means me.
All right, sit anywhere.
We'll arrange permanent seating later.
You wanna close the door
for me there? Thank you.
Hey, how about that Miss Hammond?
All right, let's break it up back there.
- Hear what I said? I said, break it up.
- Why?
- What'd you say?
- I said, why?
Sit down.
First thing we're gonna do
is pass these cards out.
Take one and pass the rest back.
Number of this class is 55,
number of the classroom is 206.
My name is spelled...
...D-A-D...
...I-E-R.
Now, that's pronounced "Da-dee..."
Whoever threw that, you'll never pitch
for the Yanks, boy.
Hey, Artie. How do you like Mr. Daddy-oh?
- Daddy-oh.
- Daddy-oh!
Daddy-oh! Daddy-oh! Daddy-oh!
You all finished?
Fine. Glad you got that out
of your system.
The name is Dadier. Mr. Dadier.
Pronunciation is very important in English.
I'd hate to fail anyone
who couldn't pronounce it.
- Me too, teach.
- Mr. Dadier.
- Yeah, sure.
- Say it.
And take your hat off in this classroom.
You ever try to fight 35 guys
at one time, teach?
Take your hat off, boy,
before I knock it off.
The subject you'll learn in this class
is English. Some of you may...
...wonder if English can help you get a job
as a carpenter, a mechanic or an electrician.
The answer is yes.
It may surprise you to find
that English is your favorite subject.
- I'll be surprised.
- There will be no calling out.
If you've got any questions to ask,
just raise your hand.
- You hear that, Miller?
- Sure, teach.
You coming in strong.
I can't tune you out.
- His name ain't "teach."
- It's Daddy-oh.
- Hey, don't you know his name, jerk?
- Excuse me, Mr. Jerk.
West, since you're so cooperative,
stay after class and help me out.
- I'm busy.
- Oh, go on, Artie. Help him out.
- Then you could be together alone.
- Oh, Daddy-oh!
All right, all right, fine.
We had a few laughs.
In a minute, the bell's gonna ring
out there.
You go to your civics class. Tomorrow
morning when you come to class...
Hey, teach, you're coming back
here tomorrow?
Why, sure I'm coming back.
You know why?
Because I'll miss you, West.
All right, all right. Knock it off.
Now come on, huh?
Listen, that's enough, huh?
What's the matter with you?
You, Santini. What's your problem?
- Me?
- Yeah, what are you grinning for?
He's the grinningest cat in this
whole school. He smiles all the time.
That's because he's an idiot boy.
- Well, just try and pay attention, Santini.
- I pay attention.
Hey, Miller. Come here.
I wanna talk to you a minute, Miller.
A man-to-man talk, huh, Miller?
I've been looking up the records,
and you're a natural-born leader.
- Really?
- Yeah. You are.
Those guys out there,
they like you very much.
Don't be modest with me.
You know you're a little brighter,
smarter than those guys.
- Me?
- Yeah.
And every class needs a leader.
You could be that leader, Miller.
What you do, they'll do.
You cooperate, and they'll follow you.
How about it, Miller?
- I don't know.
- I do know, Miller. How about it?
- Sure, if you think so.
- That's a boy. Good. That's fine, Miller.
Oh, is this yours?
- Take it easy, man.
- Sure, man.
- Good night. Good night.
- Night.
- Why, hello.
- Miss Hammond. Oh.
- How did it go today?
- You mean after my disaster this morning?
My entire class volunteered to stay after
school and pound erasers or something.
- Got a ride home?
- I have a private limousine.
- Oh?
- City bus.
- My way's more private. I'll give you a lift.
- Well, I have to check out first.
That's all right. I'll meet you downstairs.
- They don't know their multiplication tables.
- All they can multiply is themselves.
- Well, how are they ever graduated?
- Graduated?
- Going down?
- No. Going up.
Graduated? They just get to be 18.
Then they're thrown out to make room
for more of the same kind.
You cockroach!
What happened?
Nothing.
- What is it? What happened?
- Why, it's the first day of school, teacher.
The way she screamed.
And the way she looked. Scared.
Man, I mean real scared.
I thought, "You know,
this could be happening to Anne."
- And then I hit him.
- Maybe she provoked the boy.
- What?
- Well, teachers ought not to dress sexy.
What do you mean? She had on...
What do you call it?
These sport outfits, buttoned up to here.
I'll bet. And black net stockings too.
No, they were kind of...
They were flesh-colored.
I see.
- Rick?
- Yeah?
- Is she beautiful?
- Who?
Miss Hammond, that's who.
Miss "Desirable" Hammond.
Oh, yeah. I'd say that in a...
Well, a kind of a flashy way, she's...
Yeah, I'd say she's...
Well, she's attractive.
What was I wearing
when you came home tonight?
- What were you wearing?
- You never noticed, did you?
Now wait a minute, let me think.
What were you wearing?
You were wearing... Let's see,
you had on a blue outfit, didn't you?
No, it was a blue...
The pink dress with the blue ribbon.
You know, the little ribbon you wear
up here, and you had on a little apron.
- You didn't take your iron tablets.
- Yes, I took my iron tablets.
- You didn't think I was sexy, did you?
- I thought you were irresistible.
Prove it.
- What about your calcium tablets?
- More, please.
- Did you take them?
- Don't be so medical.
Look, what was she wearing?
What were you wearing?
Now, what's this all about?
What was I wearing when I came home?
- Turn out the lights and hold me.
- What was I wearing? Remember?
- Do you?
- Your brown suit.
- No, it wasn't the brown suit.
- Gray suit.
- No.
- Striped necktie?
- No?
- No.
You don't remember, do you?
Now, does that prove you don't love me?
It just proves I'm silly and jealous
and love you too much.
- He looked terrible.
- He must have hit him from behind.
Teach must have some wallop.
No, he hit him with brass knuckles.
I seen them. He carries them
in that little old bag of his.
Four transfusions Joey had to have.
His nose was busted too.
What do you think, Artie?
They say he knocked all
Joey's front teeth out.
What'd the teach hit him with?
The teach was middleweight
champ of the Navy.
- Hey, George.
- Hey, Joe.
Morning, Miller.
Today we'll pinpoint
some of your faults in grammar.
I've written several sentences
on the board.
Read them using the proper word.
Now, does everybody understand that?
Well, you're very quiet today.
All right, now let's get started.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes
because that's how you learn.
By making mistakes.
All right, Miller, will you take the first one?
"Henry hasn't written no answer
to my letter."
No, Miller. It should be "Henry hasn't
written any answer to my letter."
- De Lica, second one.
- "If I were him, I wouldn't say that."
If I were you, I wouldn't say that either.
It should be, "If I were he."
- West, third one.
- "I throwed the ball fast."
You know better. This is third-term stuff.
You had that two years ago.
- "Won't anyone borrow you a pen?"
- "The class choose him as president."
"Where was you when it happened?"
We didn't do very well with this, did we?
All right. A little homework
will straighten that out.
Homework? Are you..?
Yes, homework. You can start copying
all 35 sentences in your notebooks now.
- It ain't even the first week.
- I gotta work after school.
This will count as a test. It might decide
whether you pass or fail this course.
Miller?
This...
This was your idea, wasn't it?
- What idea is that?
- This silent treatment.
Picking the wrong answers deliberately.
Look, I know you're the leader. Fine.
But you're leading them
in the wrong direction. Why?
Maybe you ought to mind
your own business, chief.
Not many guys like what happened to Joe
Murray. He going to jail. You know that?
I see. That's why you set
the class against me, huh?
They don't need no excuse.
Or me to help them.
Well, what about that talk
we had, Miller?
Suppose we just forget about
that little snow job, Mr. Dadier.
- Hi. I wanted to thank you.
- That's all right.
Would you mind walking
out to the car with me?
- With those kids out there and all, I...
- No.
- If it's too much trouble for you...
- No, not at all.
Thanks.
I hope I haven't hindered you
with your classes.
How'd you make out today?
Oh, the boys were very quiet.
I guess I know what they were thinking.
- Hello, Josh.
- Hi.
- How about a drink?
- Yeah. Fine.
Let's go over there.
- I gotta... I gotta get home.
- Well, this is the last one. For the road.
For the road.
Stan the man.
Terrific stuff.
- Very educated gentleman.
- Yeah. Just like our students.
Everything always comes back
to our students. You know something?
I am disappointed. Very disappointed.
Listen. Listen to this passage. Listen.
Mind those trumpets.
There's always that.
Oh, bartender?
I wonder if there are many alcoholics
among high school teachers.
It's not fair, Rick. I wanna teach.
I really wanna teach.
- So why don't they let me teach?
- I...
Any man who really wants to teach
should be allowed to teach.
I know. I know.
- Did I tell you?
- What?
I'm bringing my record collection
in and playing it for the class.
- Yeah.
- Yeah, what?
What do you mean, "Yeah, what"?
You told me you're bringing your records...
I mean, now wait a minute.
Suppose they don't like it? The records.
Why not?
Listen, it took me 15 years
to collect those records.
Half those records can't even be replaced.
Besides, music is based on mathematics.
Am I right?
- Yeah.
- What do I teach? Mathematics.
- You're right. Absolutely right.
- To teaching.
To teaching.
I gotta get home fast.
My wife's pregnant, you know.
- Well, congratulations.
- Thanks.
Hey, let's take a cut through here.
Shortcut to the bus.
All right.
Yes, sir.
It's the best profession anywhere.
- Kids.
- Yeah.
- Best profession anywhere.
- Why don't they let me teach?
- I guess because they're bad guys.
- They're not bad. They're just ignorant.
Bad and ignorant.
You don't really believe that, do you?
No, I... I don't really mean it, Josh.
I don't really mean it.
Josh.
- That's funny.
- What's funny?
- Footsteps. You hear..?
- Hey, Daddy-oh.
I don't want you to forget
Joe Murray, teach.
Oh, Josh. Josh.
- Hello?
- Mr. Dadier there?
No. No, no. He isn't here right now.
Who is this?
Hello? Hello.
- Turn out the lights.
- Well, Rick.
The lights.
Rick.
You mustn't be scared. I'm hurt.
- I'll call a doctor.
- No, no. I'll be all right.
Just don't look at me, Anne. Please.
No, please. You mustn't.
A thing like this could...
I don't want you to lose the baby, Anne.
You're never going back
to that school again. Never.
Oh, yes, I am.
Yeah, I've been beaten up.
But I'm not beaten.
There's a big difference. I'm not beaten...
...and I'm not quitting.
What's the answer, professor?
Oh, I'm going back to the school tomorrow.
Anne doesn't want me to go,
and maybe she's right.
Is it hopeless? Is there no way to..?
To get through to those kids?
Is there no way to make them understand?
- You'll find a way.
- And what if I don't? What then?
What's the point of teaching if kids
don't care about an education?
- And make no mistake about it, they don't.
- You're wrong.
You're the blind man who visits
an elephant.
He feels the tail, and he says,
"An elephant must be like a snake."
Come.
Porto, to carry.
Porto, portas, portat.
Portamus, portatis, portant.
Any teacher could get through to students
like these. The students I have, why bother?
- All children are entitled to an education.
- I'm not prepared for my job.
You were my college professor.
Should've taught me how to stop a fight.
How to deal with an IQ of 66. How to
quiet a class of screaming, wild animals.
Why bother about them?
They'll survive without me.
- Who wants animals on the street?
- If I'm a lion tamer...
...I should teach with a chair and whip.
Yes. We at the university were to blame.
We did not prepare teachers to teach
certain children of this generation.
Tell me, Richard. Why do you want
to be a teacher? Just to earn a living?
- No.
- It is easier, perhaps, than some other job?
Easier?
Perhaps you're dedicated.
No, hardly. No, I wanna teach.
Most of us wanna do something creative.
I can't be a painter, writer or engineer.
But I thought that if I could help to shape
young minds, sort of sculpt lives...
...and by teaching, I'd be creative.
- For every school like yours...
...there are hundreds like this one. We could
use you, but your school needs you.
You still want to teach here
in this school?
I think I'll take another crack at my jungle.
Report says you couldn't identify
any of the boys.
It was dark. I told you it was dark.
I couldn't see anything.
What are you protecting? The good name
of this school? Your job?
- Someone gotta die before you'll cooperate?
- It wasn't that serious.
- Weren't in class for a week. That's serious.
- What do you expect me to do?
Press charges. I'll find
the ones who did it.
- I'll go over every kid in this school.
- You'll do more harm.
Mr. Dadier, I've handled lots
of problem kids in my time.
Kids from both sides of the tracks.
They were 5 or 6 years old in
the last war. Father in the Army.
Mother in a defense plant.
No home life. No church life.
No place to go. They formed street gangs.
It's way over my head, Mr. Dadier.
Maybe the kids today are like the rest
of the world. Mixed-up, suspicious, scared.
I don't know. But I do know this:
Gang leaders have taken the place
of parents. If you don't stop them...
- Class is starting. You mind?
- Then you won't help us?
- I'm sorry.
- Sure.
- And I hope you'll never be sorrier.
- Thanks anyway.
For what? Tying our hands
so it can happen again?
And don't worry. It will.
Welcome back, chief. You bring
your cosmetics to school, chief?
Don't get touchy, chief.
I know lots of guys use makeup.
Well, at least the silent treatment
seems to have ended.
- New machine shop, chief.
- Since when?
Installed her last week.
Does this..? Does this go on all the time?
Most any time.
Oh, no. That's great.
It's all we needed.
This is a tape recorder.
- Was we gonna make records, teach?
- That's right.
- Well, go, man. Go.
- Go.
Now, we all talk too much,
but nobody listens.
Nobody listens.
I thought, perhaps, we talk into
this machine, then we listen...
Oh, it's a speech period.
"How I spent my summer vacation."
- This ought to be real jazzy.
- No. No speeches.
One thing I didn't like when
I went to school...
- Teach, teach. Did you go to high school?
- Can't you see, man, he ain't never got out.
Well, since you wanna talk so very badly,
I guess I'm not gonna have much trouble...
...getting you to talk into this machine.
- What kind of talk? Snappy stories?
Miller, how'd you like to bring
your mother to school?
How'd you like to bring yours?
Hey, Morales got a sister.
Maybe he'd like to bring her.
Come on with those records, man.
Hey, what do you say we all sing a little?
Come on.
- "The Last Rose of Summer."
- Teach, you got that recorder going?
Quiet!
All right, now, who's gonna be
the first to try this out?
- How about Morales?
- Hey, what's the matter with Morales?
- Sure, Morales. He loves to talk.
- No. Tomita. Step up here and try it.
You against Morales because
he don't talk good English?
- That has nothing to do with it.
- Morales get up there. I wanna hear you.
- Come on, Morales.
- Come on, chicken.
We want Morales.
- Hey, chicken.
- We want Morales.
I no chicken.
- All right. Start talking.
- What am I gonna talk about?
Talk about anything. How you got up
this morning, took the bus to school.
- Well...
- Go ahead.
I got up at 7:30, go wash.
But my stinking sister, she's still
in the bathroom, so I can't get in.
That's fine, boy. Just keep talking.
So then I go to the stinking bathroom.
I wash my stinking face.
- Then I ate some stinking sausages.
- Louder, come on.
- We can't hear you in the balcony.
- So then I go down the stinking street...
...with my stinking books, and then
I meet this stink-face. And he says:
"You go to school, Pete?"
I say, "You stinking right, boy."
So we walked to the stinking EI,
and we wait for the stinking train.
What do you think? The stinking train is
late. So I gotta get into the stinking crowd.
And that's why I'm stinking late
to school, teach.
- How was I? Okay?
- You sure stunk up that record, boy.
- That'll be enough for today.
- You gonna play it?
No. Thanks for picking Morales.
- I'm sure you're his friend.
- Sure enough, chief.
Too bad you can't see the same.
- And just what does that mean?
- Morales is a spic, that's what it means.
- Maybe you don't like spics.
- That'll be enough.
- What did I do, anyhow?
- Sit down, spic.
- You heard him, greaseball.
- At least I'm no Irish Mick.
I said, that'd be enough.
Now, pick up that magazine, Belazi.
Pick it up.
I wanna get one thing
very clear in this classroom.
There's not gonna be any name-calling here.
Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.
- Understand?
- I was just kidding.
Yeah, I know you're just kidding.
That's how things start. Like a street fight.
Somebody pushes somebody in fun.
Somebody pushes back, and soon you
got a street fight with no kidding.
That's the same way with name-calling.
All right, West, look. You're of
Irish decent. So is Murphy over there.
You call him a Mick. He calls you a Mick.
Suppose Miller called you a Mick.
Is that all right?
No. Then you call him a nigger.
- I was just kidding.
- Well, stop kidding!
- Sure.
- Come on, come on, tell me.
Tell me all about your stinking sister.
You gonna play
Morales' record back, chief?
- Mr. Warneke wanted to see me?
- Sit down.
- That'll be all, Murdock.
- But, Mr. Warneke...
There are no buts. None that
forgive slapping a student.
- If you can't control yourself...
- Yes, sir. I understand.
Dadier.
He's rough today.
Sit down, Dadier.
Problems. Nothing but problems,
eh, Dadier?
Well, not the same as you have, sir.
If it isn't one thing, it's another.
Brutality, stupidity, bigotry.
Would you believe that some teachers
are guilty of racial prejudice...
...in their classes, in this school?
- I wouldn't know, sir.
- Comes out under pressure, I suppose.
Yeah, I suppose so.
If you knew of such a teacher,
would you tell me about it?
- I don't know.
- You don't know? Why not?
I don't know this idea of carrying tales.
You have someone in particular
in mind, Mr. Warneke?
What part of the country are you from?
How do you feel about Negroes, Dadier?
- How do I feel about..?
- Well, do you consider them inferior?
- As a race?
- Any way.
- No, I don't consider them inferior.
- What about spics?
- Spics?
- Spics. Do you like them?
- Depends on the individual.
- What does that mean, Dadier?
There are Puerto Ricans I like,
and some I don't like.
I see. What about Irish Micks?
I don't know what this is all about,
but if there's some teacher...
I'm talking about you, Dadier. You're the
teacher who's supposed to be the bigot.
What?
It's reported that you maligned
religious and racial groups in class.
- That's what this is about, Dadier.
- That's a lie.
Is it? Did you use the expression
"nigger" in your class?
- Yes.
- Then it is true.
- Just wait...
- Did you use "spic"?
- Yes, I used it in the same lesson...
- Lesson?
- Yes.
- What textbook did you get this from?
- Just listen to me a minute...
- You listen!
I don't care if a boy's skin is black, yellow,
purple. He gets the same teaching, breaks...
...as any white boy. Do you
understand that? Do you?
There's enough immorality in the world.
Without your adding to it. Enough hatred.
Hold it! You just hold it.
I used that expression to teach a lesson
in democracy. What should not be said.
- Those were negative examples.
- Not according to my report.
- This boy has accused...
- What boy?
- A boy in your class.
- What was his name?
Can't tell you that.
Well, suppose he's lying. Don't I have
any right to face my accuser?
I know I don't have any as a teacher left,
but what about my rights as a human?
- Nobody's depriving you of any rights.
- You accuse me. You condemn me...
...without even a hearing.
- Look, I'm sorry, Dadier. I...
...may have been hasty.
If I'm wrong, I apologize.
You were wrong.
In that case...
Dadier...
...I recall that you had some
dramatic training in college.
Will you take charge
of our Christmas show?
Well, is this a penalty?
Is this a reward? What is it?
Just an extra job.
All right.
Miller?
- What were you doing?
- Doing?
I'm just going down
to the machine shop, chief.
- This late after school?
- Doing a little homework on this carburetor.
What kept you after school, chief?
You doing your homework here too?
Miller.
You went to see Mr. Warneke
today, didn't you?
- Did I?
- Yes, and you told him a lot of lies.
A lot of deliberate lies.
You twisted everything I said.
There was no racial issue till you made one.
- Wait a minute, Miller.
- What is it, chief?
- What is what?
- Why you got the knife out for me?
Why I've got the knife out for..?
Oh, man, there's a real switch.
After all the trouble you caused. After the
way you fouled up that recording session.
- After the way you and West...
- Steady now. Just a minute.
- The way we did what?
- Ganged up on me.
- You don't mean that, chief.
- I do mean it.
- Boy, you really got it bad.
- You deny it?
- Well, do you deny it?
- You gonna hit me? I'd really like that.
That's all you need, boy. That'll
really wash you up around here.
Come on. Start swinging. Come on.
You go ahead. Come on.
- Why, you black...
- Go ahead and say it.
- You say it. Now, you go ahead and hit me.
- I'm sorry.
I'm sorry what I just said, Miller.
There's no excuse.
I just lost my head. I'm sorry.
Yeah.
Miller.
Truck will be here any minute.
You ready, Louie?
Come on, pay attention when
I'm talking to you, stupid.
We been over it 50 times.
I slug the guy, Pee Wee takes
the wheel. What's so special?
Look, you just stay with him in case
he needs you. That's what's so special.
Look, you drive to the park, dump
the papers and get rid of the truck.
When the guy sells the papers, we meet
back here and divvy up. Got that?
- You sure you got it, now?
- Got it.
Don't worry about it.
Go ahead, blow. Move.
How's the teaching business coming along?
Hey, what's the chance of getting
a job driving a truck like this?
Easy, teach. Easy. You could've got hurt
over there just now. What happened?
- Where'd you come from?
- I was just strolling along...
...and I saw some guy throw a bottle
at you. I figured they're out to get you.
You could've been maybe shot
or something.
Yeah, or something.
Was that Belazi with those kids?
- Belazi? You mean from our class?
- That's right.
Wearing the same jacket, like you are.
Members of the same gang, right?
It's a club, teach. It's a club
I belong to. I didn't see Belazi.
You didn't see those kids steal that
newspaper truck either, did you?
- You're just passing by.
- Right, I said...
...I was just strolling by.
Why should I lie to you?
- I don't give a damn what you believe.
- Know what happens when they're caught?
- What's that, teach?
- Reform school, year in jail. Maybe more.
A year from now, when the Army
comes and says, "Okay, Artie West...
...you get in a uniform, be a soldier,
save the world...
...and you get your lousy head
blowed right off."
Well, maybe I'll get a year in jail,
and when I come out...
...they don't want Artie West
to be a soldier no more.
- Maybe what I get is out.
- I see.
- Do you, teach? Do you?
- West, you got it all wrong...
Come on, get them off.
Look, you're in my classroom now.
And what I could teach you.
The first lesson is, don't butt in. Just don't.
Or you could flunk out for good.
- Hey, what you got there, teach?
- Music.
- Wasn't that music?
- For the next class.
- What's the matter?
- Ask the disc jockey.
- Records.
- Just keep your hands off of them.
- Beg your pardon.
- Come on, teach, play something.
Old Joshua, he's got a test for us.
Right, Josh?
You see, music is based on mathematics,
and it's just that the next class...
...is a little more advanced.
- We're advanced, teach.
- Two times two is four.
- Are four.
Haven't you heard that music
soothes the savage beast?
- Okay. Take your seats.
- We're crazy about music.
Mr. Edwards, why not play a record,
and then we'll all take the test.
- Sure.
- Please.
- Oh, come on, teach.
- Well...
...all right. This...
This is kind of a rare one. This is Bix
Beiderbeke doing "Jazz Me Blues."
- How about some bop?
- Yeah, bop us, teach.
Listen to this.
Pay attention to that cornet.
Beiderbeke came before James
and Elman and Spivak.
- How about Frank Sinatra?
- Frankie.
- Joni James.
- Come on, get with it, man.
- This is "Cow Cow Boogie."
- All right, keep away from the records.
- Give me the record.
- Sure, teach.
This is "Cherokee."
Anybody wanna hear this record, huh?
Hey, "Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie."
"Blue Moon."
- Wait till Miller hears about this.
- Where's that Miller man today?
- He's cutting class today.
- When there's action, he cuts.
That's funny. I was someplace else too.
Nobody was here.
They broke my records.
I don't understand, Rick.
I just don't understand.
Now, the broken records can never be
replaced. The phonograph cost about $40.
I don't know which of you did it.
But I know that none of you
tried to stop it.
So whenever you can, you just put your
nickels and your dimes in this tin can.
Can you deduct it from taxes?
- But how did Warneke discipline the kids?
- A masterful stroke.
He taught those little Mongolians
a lesson they'll never forget.
You know what he did? He got them
all in the auditorium, and he had them...
He had them write 500 times,
"I respect private property."
Did anybody ever pay Edwards
for those broken records?
Dadier, is that tin can
full of money yet?
- He's lucky they don't steal the tin can.
- I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll rig up an electric chair
and bring it to my class.
I'll tell my pupils it's a circuit tester. I'll
lead the little lice in the chair one by one...
...and throw the switch on.
- They'll rig up that hot seat first...
...throw you in it and fry you.
- I'd have clobbered them.
- Would you?
- Sure.
Would you? They outnumber you,
outweigh you and outreach you.
They get hit at home
and in the streets.
- They're used to it.
- And understand it.
- What's that got to do with teaching?
- I never have any real trouble.
That's right, Miss Panucci.
He's a clobberer, you're a slobberer.
"I'm just a nice woman trying to do my job.
Now, please be nice, boys."
You. You give them the veteran pitch.
"I got the purple heart, boys."
You tell them about... What is it? The steel
plate in your head, the artificial leg.
You beg for sympathy. "I'm a veteran.
Help me keep my job?"
You don't care if they learn. He's lucky
they don't kick the artificial leg...
...out from underneath him. And you're
a slumberer. You sleepwalk.
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.
Oh, every once in a while you make
sounds like a teacher. Nobody cares.
Nobody listens. I mean,
nobody cares, especially you.
This man, he's a grumbler. You hate
the kids. You have contempt for them.
- You condemn them.
- All right, what about you, Zola?
I'm... I'm a fumbler.
- I'm not doing any better than you.
- What are we supposed to do?
- Butt our heads on a stone wall?
- Yes.
- With kids that don't wanna learn?
- Yes.
- All right. How?
- I don't know how.
I mean, there must be some way to...
- There must be some way to reach them.
- Whom are you trying to convince?
Me or you?
- Rotten day, ain't it?
- Hello, Mrs. Brophy.
- You shouldn't be walking in the snow.
- I like it.
If I had a condition, I'd be carried like a
Chinese pagoda. Where'd you go, movies?
It's funny, habits. In the morning
when my husband goes to work...
...click, I turn on the radio. Nothing but
serials. In one ear and out the other.
One day the radio breaks down.
It was quiet. I thought I'd go crazy.
Stark-naked crazy.
Your husband ain't home yet.
I stopped in just now.
- I loaned a little rum for cooking, you know.
- What time is it?
Let me see, it's a little bit after 5.
I don't care for liquor, personally...
...but my old man, he goes for it
in a great way.
You shouldn't be walking
in the snow, Mrs. Dadier.
Anne?
Anne?
Oh, I thought it was you.
- Is something wrong?
- No, no.
No, it was late. You weren't home.
I got lonely.
Sorry I was late.
What's a teacher do when he stays
after school?
Or is it ethical to tell?
Josh Edwards quit his job today.
I was helping him straighten his desk out.
I tried to get him to change his mind, but...
He was right to quit.
And if you had any sense,
you'd get out of this place too...
...before it's too late.
What would I do?
Sell shoelaces? Run for president?
You'd teach in a decent place,
where kids wanna learn.
Where a teacher's respected.
I wrote to Professor Kraal.
Here's his answer.
He says he can get you
a job in his school.
Tell him yes, Rick.
Maybe. We'll see.
- What's so important about this place?
- It's a challenge.
What else is it?
You wanna stay.
- You wanna stay in this filthy, miserable...
- Wait a minute.
Come on, now. Hold it. You got
enough troubles without me, you know.
Have I told you today that I love you?
- Have I?
- Do you?
What do you think?
I'm selfish. I wanna be told.
Let's splurge and take a taxi home.
We'll neck in the back seat.
How about that?
All right.
Taxi!
No, man. This ain't no jam session.
Stop jazzing it up, okay?
All right. Let's pick it up
with "Go Down, Moses."
Sounded real nice.
Fair, chief. It'll get better.
Cut out, fellas. I'll see you later.
If you're wondering, we didn't break in.
Mr. Halloran loaned us the hall.
No, no. I was just wondering if...
If maybe we'd play a spot
on your Christmas show?
- Yeah.
- I figured.
Would you?
That's why we've been rehearsing,
Mr. Dadier.
Where'd you learn
to play the piano this way?
Picked it up.
What are the rules, Miller?
- Rules?
- Yeah. What are they?
I mean, you can be so cooperative
on a thing like this.
In my classroom, I...
You better get a move on, teach.
You'll be late for your own class.
Wanna walk up with me?
I'll be along.
Yeah.
Help!
Master! Master!
Hey!
He's tough.
Jack ran for the beanstalk.
But the giant was close behind him.
So Jack got rich. And when he grew up,
he married a princess.
And they lived happily forever after.
- Teach, how about the main feature?
- Marilyn Monroe, hey?
Humphrey Bogart.
- What'd you think of the story?
- It was lousy. There was no dames.
- Miller, what did you think?
- This Jack, he's a pretty cool cat.
I don't like fairy stories, you know?
- Speranza?
- I don't know. I felt sorry for the giant.
Oh? Why's that?
Well, this Jack, he ain't no hero.
He's a pretty dumb hick.
Yeah, look. His old lady
sends him out to sell a cow.
Jack the jerk meets up
with a con man...
...and let him have the cow
for a couple of beans.
- That wasn't smart.
- He climbed that beanstalk...
...until he disappeared in another land.
- Without a space helmet, man.
How'd that giant get up
without any beanstalk?
This is a fairy story. He just flew.
- I got this Jack pegged for a thief.
- The giant was supposed to kill...
...Jack's father and stole his money.
- How'd Jack know?
- It was supposed Jack thought...
...that the giant stole from him. Did that
give Jack the right to steal the hen?
- No, he's gotta have proof.
- Suppose he had proof.
- Jack, he should've called the cops.
- Yeah, and the cops would've kept the loot.
- Could be.
- Not the FBI.
And that magic harp.
If the giant would've been so bad,
the harp would've wanted to be snatched.
- Could be.
- Why do you suppose that magic harp...
...liked that giant so much?
- I know. Because the giant, he liked music.
Jack was a heist man. He got away
with burglary three times.
I liked the part where
he knocked off the giant.
Who cares? The whole thing here's
a phony.
- You think Jack should've killed the giant?
- Yeah. He was chasing him.
If somebody stole from you,
wouldn't you chase him?
The way I got it figured,
this Jack, he's a square.
First off, he don't care
if his old lady starves to death.
Then he sells the cow
for a handful of beans.
- Then he turned burglar.
- Then he commit murder.
- And for all of this, he gets a reward.
- He's rich.
- He marries a princess.
- You know why?
Because he took what he wanted.
Crime always pays.
- But it was a crime.
- So what?
- It was only some giant.
- Why don't you like the giant?
- Because he's a giant.
- You're a Dodger fan.
No kidding, fellas. I mean, you don't like
the giant because he's different.
- That's right.
- But is that right?
I mean, is it right to dislike somebody
because he's different?
I mean, there's a lot of us here
in this classroom who are different.
If the story's so cockeyed,
what's the point?
Now we're getting somewhere.
All your lives, you're gonna hear stories,
what some guy tells you...
...what you see in books, magazines.
What you read in the newspapers.
But if you can just examine the story...
...look for the real meaning...
...and most of all, just learn
to think for yourselves...
Here it comes.
Here comes the commercial.
That giant, if he done wrong...
...least I think he should've had a trial.
- Teach, how about some more stories?
- Yeah, a story about football.
Hey, teach. Maybe I'll turn out to be
a critic on the movies.
How did you like Jack and the Beanstalk?
Turned out to be a thief.
I liked the story.
- So you finally got through to them.
- I think so.
Yes. For once, for the first time.
What's the answer?
Visual education?
Yeah, partly. If you
just get them stimulated...
They'll go for movies, but will that
teach them to read?
No, but if you can get them to use
their imagination, to reach out.
But certainly not knowledge.
If they use their intelligence,
get their minds out of comic books...
A mind would indicate a brain,
and a brain...
Before he proves Darwin was right,
I've got a class.
If you still need a Santa Claus
for your Christmas show...
- Yeah, I do.
- Well, you got one.
- Hello?
- Your husband won't be home tonight.
He's gonna be with her.
Who is this?
Hello.
Hello.
All right. Move in a little bit, fellas.
Just a little closer.
Now, will you hit them
with the spot here.
Wait a minute. I can't see.
Will you turn the footlights out.
Now, raise it up. I just wanna
catch their faces.
Up... That's it.
All right, remember that effect.
All right, fellas. Give me the work light.
Miller.
Stick around, Miller, will you?
I wanna talk to you about an encore.
I'm gonna go. I'm bushed.
- Thanks for staying.
- It's shaping up okay.
Isn't it always quiet
before an earthquake?
Good night, before he
has them burn the school.
- Well, now that you mention it...
- Good night.
Well, could I be wrong, have you got
these wild animals trained?
No, not trained.
Just interested.
Don't forget your history.
Never turn your back.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- You coming?
- I've a little more work to do.
- Need me for anything else, Mr. Director?
- No, thanks.
That's too bad.
- I mean, the costumes are fine, Lois.
- I know what you mean.
That's why it's too bad.
Look, Lois...
...you're tired.
- No, not tired. Just bored.
Just good and bored. You know...
...maybe I shouldn't have transferred
to this school. Maybe I should've...
Tell me, Rick. Don't you ever get
fed up with this place?
Don't you ever get tired of teaching?
Don't you wanna
throw your briefcase away...
...and take a flyer someplace, anyplace?
With me, maybe.
Don't you?
Don't you, Rick?
I guess not.
You'd like to all right,
but you're married.
You're married, and I'm bored.
You're afraid, and I'm choosy.
And you can't be choosy,
or you'll live alone.
Keep thinking that,
you're gonna end up in trouble.
- Mr. Dadier?
- I'll be right with you, Miller.
I gotta get to my job.
Good night, Lois.
- Darling?
- Your husband is with her right now.
- Stop it.
- He'll tell you he was rehearsing his show.
- Please, please don't call anymore.
- But he's with her.
Would you please leave me alone?
Please leave me alone.
- I don't need no more school.
- Why? Why, Miller?
So, what's wrong with being a mechanic?
- You don't want to be, do you?
- Well, there ain't much choice, is there?
The same reason I live
in this neighborhood.
Colored neighborhood, Mr. Dadier.
And folks don't care...
...who fix up their car, black or white.
Just so long as it's fixed good.
- You're late, boy.
- Yeah. I'll be early tomorrow night.
This one needs a new set of spark plugs.
They'll pick it up at 9.
Okay.
You think we got a good school,
Mr. Dadier?
- Yes.
- Do you really think that?
The important thing is,
do you want to learn?
In the beginning I tried, real hard.
But what's the use?
Nobody gives a hoot.
Not the other fellas. Not the teachers.
And not my folks even.
So you quit trying, huh?
- Well, that's the easy way out, Miller.
- That's the only way.
Sometimes we gotta do what's best...
...even though that might be
the more difficult way.
We talking from different sides
of the fence, Mr. Dadier.
- You're not black.
- That's not a good enough excuse.
Not nowadays.
Dr. Ralph Bunche proved that.
George Washington Carver,
Marian Anderson, Joe Louis.
- So?
- So I don't want you to quit, that's all.
Now, you'll be of age
the end of this term.
- Don't give up trying. Don't quit.
- Mr. Dadier, you pretty new at this.
- You gonna be quitting yourself.
- I'll make a deal with you.
We'll have a pact, you and I.
Neither of us quit. How about it?
Say, you know, that wasn't true
what you said about teachers.
Some of us do care, you know.
- Good night.
- Good night.
They took her to the hospital.
Emergency. I just dropped in.
- What happened?
- Your missus, I mean.
She started to have terrible pains.
Just terrible.
Seven months. Don't worry, Mr. Dadier.
I'll bring her things.
- Been here long?
- Yes, quite a while.
Is she gonna be all right?
- She's trying, Mr. Dadier.
- Are you sure of that?
Yes, your wife is fine. She just had a boy.
Well, what do you mean, "had"?
Well, he's still in danger.
- I don't understand.
- The baby was premature.
That together with...
What was your wife worried about?
She seemed disturbed...
...she wouldn't talk about it.
- She lost a baby once...
- No, no. I know about that.
No, this was something secret.
There was no trouble between
you and your wife, Mr. Dadier?
I'm sorry.
Is the baby gonna live?
I don't know. Three or four days
should tell us that.
Does Anne..? I mean, have you
told Anne about the baby yet?
Mind if I see her?
Well, she's still in a twilight condition,
not fully awake or fully asleep, but...
- All right, you can see her.
- Thank you.
Arthur?
- Hi.
- Hi.
You..? Are you all right?
I'm tired.
Just awfully tired.
I think I could sleep for a week.
Yeah, well, look, honey,
you try and get some sleep.
Don't go. Not yet.
Wait until they chase you.
It happened kind of suddenly.
We made it this time, didn't we?
Yeah.
Have you seen the baby yet?
No. No, I haven't.
It's a boy. Isn't it?
Yeah.
- Happy, Rick?
- Yeah.
Sure am.
You still love me?
Oh, Anne, I love you.
You know, I love you very, very much.
- I brought things for Mrs. Dadier.
- Thank you.
Oh, Mrs. Brophy. Thanks a lot
for all your trouble.
Trouble, what do you men
know about trouble?
I found these letters.
I guess she was reading them...
...when the pains started.
I don't understand you, mister.
I just don't understand you.
It's a necktie. A gift from the kids.
Merry Christmas.
The kids were only trying to show
their appreciation of what you did.
Yeah, well, I'd like to give them something
for what they did to me.
The show was a success.
Miller and his boys sang beautifully.
I don't wanna hear about it, Jim.
I don't wanna hear about the show...
...about the school, about anything.
Because I'm through.
I'm finished, I'm quitting.
As far as I'm concerned...
...that school is just dead.
What was it you called it?
Was it a great, big garbage can?
Yeah? Oh, man. How right you were.
Well, I've had it right up to here.
I'm quitting, I'm getting another job.
Ten miles and 3000 delinquents
away from here.
No, no. I was the one that was wrong.
You proved something.
The kids in our school can be taught
if you don't stop trying.
You got through to them.
And those kids, when they came
into my class, a little of your momentum...
...carried over, and all of a sudden,
I wanted to get through to them too.
Hey, that was a big day for me.
- If I could have two days a week...
- You can have it. You can have it.
Remember what you told me:
Don't turn your back on it.
If you quit here, you'll quit
at the next school. You'll quit teaching.
So what? Who cares, Jim? Who cares?
You think the kids care?
Their parents care?
Who cares about teachers anyhow?
I wanna show you something
I wrote down.
Now, just listen to this.
Teachers get $2 an hour, right?
Now, listen. A congressman and a judge
are $9.25 an hour.
Policemen and firemen, $2.75.
Carpenter, 2.81.
Plumber, 2.97. Plasterer, 3.21.
A household cook gets more money
than we do, and they get room and board.
Oh, yes, I know, a teacher, they get
as much as a babysitter or a soda jerk.
Two dollars an hour for a teacher.
We take you now to Times Square
in New York.
In a few moments, the New Year
will be officially born.
Come in, Times Square.
Hi.
Thank you.
- You feeling all right?
- Now that you're here.
- What's the matter?
- What? Nothing.
Is it about the baby?
No, I didn't see the doctor, Anne.
He... He was busy.
Happy New Year!
I'm scared, Anne.
I'm really scared.
What if the baby doesn't live?
- He will. I know he will.
- Yeah, but what if he doesn't?
You know, I wanted that baby.
I needed that baby
just as much as you did.
And all my life, I wanted to teach kids.
And my son was gonna...
He was gonna kind of help me out.
Through him, maybe I'd learn
to understand.
Rick.
No matter what happens, I love you.
I was silly and vain and selfish,
so I doubted you.
I was like one of the bad kids
in your class.
Somebody told me a lie,
and I believed that lie.
- One's as bad as the other.
- I wanna tell you...
I was wrong about something else too.
I wanted you to quit teaching
in that school.
I understand now why
you wanted to keep trying.
- Please.
- I'm glad you didn't quit.
Now, wait a minute.
Honey, kids are people.
And most people are worthwhile.
We all need the same thing.
Patience, understanding...
...love.
You've got that to give them, darling.
And that's why you'll get through to them.
Your son's out of danger.
He's gonna make it.
Happy New Year, Mr. And Mrs. Dadier.
Now, pretty soon, you're gonna be reading
in the newspapers want ads for jobs...
...apartments, something to buy.
Advertising space is expensive,
so abbreviations are used.
Write out the complete words to all
the abbreviations in these problem ads.
All right, get started.
Belazi. Let's keep your eyes
on your own paper.
Me?
Cheating won't help you learn
those abbreviations.
He won't look for no job.
His old man owns a store.
- I'm not gonna buy no Cadillac.
- It's cheaper to steal one.
That's arithmetic, teach.
All right, Belazi.
Bring your paper up here.
Five points off. What for?
For having loose eyes.
- West.
- You talking to me, teach?
Bring your paper up here, West.
What for?
I said, bring your paper up here.
And I said, what for?
Come on, Artie. Bring him the paper.
Now, look, you just keep your
rotten mouth out of this, black boy.
Miller!
Hold it.
All right. All right, Miller.
It's all right.
Now, bring your paper up here, West.
All right, we're going down
to see the principal.
We are?
You gonna make me, Daddy-oh?
- Come on, let's go.
- How'd you like to go to hell?
What's the matter, Daddy-oh?
Yeah, how about it, teach?
You got a big mouth.
Tell me to do this, do that.
Are you big enough to take me
to the principal's office?
Because that's what you're gonna
have to do. Take me. Come on, take me!
Come on!
Come on.
For a bright boy, you didn't learn nothing.
Come on. Step right up and taste
a little of this, Daddy-oh.
Give me that knife, West.
Where do you want it?
You want it in the belly?
Or how about in the face?
- Give me that knife.
- Here it is. All you gotta do is take it.
- Come on, take it. Come on!
- Take it easy, chief.
He's crazy, he's high, he's floating
on Sneaky Pete wine.
He's gonna kill him.
All you gotta do is take it.
Come on, take it.
That's just what I'm gonna do, big shot.
Come on, West.
Come on.
Come on.
Where you going, boy? Come on.
Belazi.
Come on.
Morales.
Stoker.
- Santini.
- You keep out of it.
You want a gang fight?
You wanna start a rumble?
Come on, boy, just make a move.
All right, you guys.
Bascillo, Rock, move, both!
What's the matter, West?
You need help?
Come on. You're holding
the handle of that knife.
Come on, you're the leader.
You're the tough guy.
You can't cut alone, huh, West?
You're not so tough without a gang,
but you were tough that night, weren't you?
Seven to two. That's about
your odds, isn't it?
- This time you get cut up.
- Yeah.
The gang-up didn't work. You went to the
principal with a story about race prejudice.
You couldn't get rid of me that way.
Then you started sending letters to my wife.
Didn't you? Didn't you, West?
End of the line, boy.
Not here.
Not here.
Not here.
Not here.
- Hey, Belazi.
- Shut up, chicken.
I'm getting out of here. I'm not going
to their reform school.
- Me, me, what about me?
- You, you're own your own.
Open up. You hear me? Out of the way!
What's the matter with you?
What do you got against me?
Come on, out of the way! You hear me?!
Morales.
Use it. Use it.
- Some cut.
- We'll take you to a doctor, teach.
After we take these two
down to the principal's office.
All right, fellas?
I know.
You're saying, "Why do that?
Why not forget..? Forget the whole thing."
No! No, no, not this time.
There's no place for these two
in your classroom.
Look, we've all made a step forward this
morning. Now, there's no sliding back now.
Not ever again.
Whether you like it or not,
I'm taking these two downstairs.
I think maybe we'll give you a hand,
Mr. Dadier.
- Okay, fellas?
- Yeah.
- Sure.
- Yeah.
Boys...
...I think they'll go alone.
Come on, West. Let's go.
Belazi. Come on!
- What made you change your mind?
- They did.
You okay, Mr. Daddy-oh, sir?
I think so, Santini.
I think so.
Mr. Dadier?
Eighty-seven cents so far.
Well, thanks, Miller.
- Thanks for everything.
- It's okay, chief.
There's talk of you quitting this school,
going where there's obedient boys and girls.
- What do you think?
- I figure it's just talk.
- Why?
- Well...
...you know the ropes around here
pretty good now.
It'd be a shame to waste all that.
I guess everybody learns something
in school. Even teachers.
- Yes, I guess so.
- Besides, it'd be kind of rough...
...breaking in somebody new.
Well, see you tomorrow, Mr. Dadier?
I thought you were quitting
at the end of the year. Is that right?
We have a pact, and we wouldn't
wanna break that.
No, I guess we wouldn't.
- See you around.
- I'll see you around.