Question

Describe the discussion that took place between Miss Phillips and Denham.

Answer 1

Following the class presentations, a panel of teachers was randomly selected to answer questions that the students might have regarding the reports. This panel included Mrs. Dale-Evans, Miss Euphemia Phillips and Mr. Weston. Denham’s class report was a criticism of the P.T. class and as a follow-up to his report, he asked the panel of teachers to justify the need for such a class, as he believed it offered no physical advantages. Being a trained boxer, Denham was of the opinion that exercises could only benefit the students if they were performed daily and for longer periods of time, thereby implying that as the P.T. class was only for twenty minutes twice a week, it was a waste of time. While Mr. Weston could not offer any satisfactory explanation, Miss Phillips stepped in and responded by reminding the students that because the school had limited resources, the goal was to have a timetable that ensured maximum benefit for maximum number of students. She argued that while Denham and other physically fit students like him might not see the benefit of the P.T. class because of their participation in other sports, but the school has many more students that could benefit from it. In addition, she even called upon senior students like Denham to help out in this respect. Denham, though impressed by Miss Phillips’ clever response, was not ready to give up his questioning and further argued that if what Miss Phillips was saying was true, then only those students who need P.T. should be made to take it and boys like Denham, who don’t depend on it for the exercise, should be allowed to use the time as they see fit. This question, as the narrator observes, was tricky, but Miss Phillips was as calm as ever and responded by saying that the school prepares the students for the real world, it was therefore important for them to get used to doing things they have been told to do, even if they don’t like it. Miss Phillips argued that participating in the P.T. class was an example of such a thing and that the boys could think of it as an exercise of the mind as well as of the body. Knowing he had been outwitted, Denham accepted defeat and gave up his line of questioning. Thus, Denham’s aggressive and blunt probing proved to be no match for Miss Phillips’ patience and composure.