After reading about Mr. Coker's 90th birthday celebration in Tuesday's Beacon, I felt compelled to take pen to paper and say "Thank you."

It was June 1970 at Pilgrim High School, 50 years ago, that one of your star-crossed students sat submerged and confused in the back row of your senior physics class. He had unrealistic dreams of becoming a teacher, secure in the knowledge that Bernoulli's Principle was a headmaster from a Roman high school and Ohm's Law was the Hippocratic Oath of Yoga teachers. Needless, to say, “Physics was not the lad's strong suit."

Scratching your head, you passed back my Final Exam adorned with a flaming red "F" stating, "You're in College Prep. You know you need a "B" in this class for college credit. There are no make-ups. This is the end of the line, but you're a good kid and I shouldn't do this.

OK, I'm going to make an exception. This weekend park yourself under a tree like Isaac Newton with your physics book on your lap and maybe you'll get hit with the fruit of knowledge. I'm giving you one last chance."

The following Monday, after 48 hours of fretting and studying, the thankful (but clueless) scholar fatefully took the make-up exam.

You corrected it immediately, sighed, looked up, and lamented, "Your make-up score is even lower than the first result!  Didn't you say you wanted to become a teacher?"  

"Yes Sir, it's always been my dream."

“Well, promise me one thing. You'll never become a science teacher."

Blinking back the tears, the lad responded, "Yes Sir, I promise."

I'm not sure which formula you used but I did receive a "B" in physics, graduated, went onto college, and taught English and history for more than 40 years.

Mr. Coker, the lesson you taught that day was never forgotten and shared with my own students…because a force in motion

tends to stay in motion.

Stephen Andolfo

Warwick