The 8 O'Clock Bell

Poetry and accompanying historic photographs about all things "school".

An introduction to school? Certainly, no one beyond the age of six really needs such a thing, but the verses within may well stand as a re-introduction to a world of experiences and their associated feelings which may not be tucked quite as far away as we might think. And no matter where, or when we attended school, many of these experiences and feelings bring us together. For from its most harrowing bullified nightmares to its most passionate after-the-ballgame dances, from the depths of its most disappointing report cards to its peaks of hilarity, school has been these things, or at least some storied piece of these things, to all of us at one time or another. Several of the photographs included in this book were taken in schools nearly a hundred years ago, yet they clearly point out to us that, in many ways, school hasn’t dramatically changed since the pencil. Perhaps the styles of the clothes were a little different, or the desks had inkwells - but look to the eyes! The excitement, wonder, anger, anticipation, worry, humor, love and frustration associated with school is seen on the faces of schoolkids (and teachers) from any era. Thus, this collection of verses rings true for virtually anyone who ever had a lunch money envelope pinned to his or her chest. Part One: Of Teachers and Teaching, came into existence through my own teaching for the past quarter century, and any- one who has ever taught kids of any grade level will have lived out many a line in these sometimes humorous, sometimes rather reflective verses. But, no matter what your occupation, you will no doubt find yourself (or someone you knew) within Part Two: Of Classmates and Class. From the class clowns, to those who took the idea of a schoolhouse education a bit more seriously, they’re all here. Of course, their names may be different, but that doesn’t matter. You know who they really were.

Neil Brewer spent the first twenty years of his teaching career in 5th and 6th grade classrooms, and has drawn from that journey with students on many occasions in various written forms. For his epic thematic adventure, The Travels of Harmon Bidwell, Neil received The Christa McAuliffe Fellowship, and Phi Delta Kappa International published Flying With Both Wings, which tells the story of how 104 year-old Harmon and the highly interactive curriculum of his travels were created. Neil also penned the story, and co-wrote the music for the book and stage performance: Rusty and Dusty, a fun-loving romp of encouragement for young audiences. The author also enjoys playing a variety of instruments, and has performed in two long-running stage productions of A Cotton Patch Gospel. Neil has also taken The 8 O'Clock Bell to the stage of The Derby Dinner Playhouse, to The Ogle Center for the Arts as a member of the Chase Bank Children's Series, and to Hayswood Theatre of Corydon, Indiana. A frequent keynote speaker/performer for special events and conferences across the country, Neil has written hundreds of poems related to personal experiences, and performs the very best of the 'school ones' in his current presentation. All of us - at least, those of us who have ever been to school - can relate to the humorous, yet often deeply poignant verses and music of The 8 O'Clock Bell. Currently, Neil greatly enjoys his family, his Bentley, his writing, his presentations to students and adults throughout the country, and his work with teachers in his graduate and undergraduate education courses at Indiana University Southeast, in New Albany, Indiana.