I was just wondering if there is anyone out there who can verify something I remember from my childhood? I remember having Ray Bradbury as a substitute teacher in elementry school and yet I can find no reference to any such thing in any biographical article that I read about him. I went to school in a little town in El Monte, California This would have been in the early 60's. He would read to us from a story he had written or even from one he was working on. Of course he was a very popular teacher. Now that I am old enough to realize what a great thing this was I am beginning to question if I am imagining things. If anyone knows anything about this I would really appreciate hearing from you.

I don't remember reading anything that he was a schoolteacher, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that he did some drop-in guest teaching periodically.

If Sam Weller sees this, he would know. There may be others more familiar with Ray and/or his biography that could speak to this.

He lectures and speaks often and is always fascinating.

Note: I went through 1959 - 1966 of William Nolen's classic "The Ray Bradbury Companion". At this period, there are references to panels, radio, speeches, and addresses to university audiences; but I don't see any references to visits to secondary schools. This does not mean they didn't occur, it just means I can't provide any documentation that they did.



[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 05-15-2004).]

Sandi, consider this possibility: Maybe "you" were reading Ray Bradbury while there was a substitute in for your regular teacher. You probably were in math class, and you were reading from Golden Apples of the Sun, hidden behind an upright, thick and always so popular text entitled "Math: Basic and Intermediate Applications."

As the il-prepared substitute reminded your classmates, "For the last time, please hold the noise down!" and questioned the usual suspects about who had sent the paper airplane streaking on its crash course to the front chalkboard (to join the rest of the squadron already nose-crumpled on the floor), you were completely engrossed (with maturity beyond your early teen years) in the likes of stories such as "Fog Horn," "April Witch," "Sound of Thunder," "Pedestrian," et al. It really wasn't your fault though (to be neglecting your algebraic equations). The illustration by Joe Magnaini combined with the words of Ray Bradbury were enough to transport any young person in time and space.

That's what happened to me (grade 9) more than a few years ago! So, I say Ray Bradbury was your substitute teacher. It happened. He was there. Though, as Mr. Dark has so carefully researched, it can not be substantiated in Wm. Nolan's earlier biography.

Over to you, NK, D, or Sam!

That was beautiful, fjpalumbo. reminds me of the ray bradbury books i read "illegaly" during classes.

Okay. I was a little "out there" at times and always quite the rebel, but I really think he was a physical presence (as opposed to a metaphysical presence) in my 6th grade classroom at Parkview School in El Monte, California. He came often and we all hoped and prayed for a sick teacher. He had dark hair back then but when I look at book jackets today, I know it was him. I am just amazed that an author that would have already been so successful at that time would have come to our poor little school and put up with the likes of us. Rumor has it that the teacher we had for that year actually taught her first and last year with us. We were terrors. If ever there were kids that needed someone to inspire them, it was us.
I now have a dyslexic son whom I home schooled for years. I was told he may never learn to read by the public school teachers when he was in second grade. This just wasn't an option in my house if at all possible. Ray Bradbury was the turning point for him. He is now a junior in public high school. taking Advanced English with an overall 3.75 GPA. One more success story for Ray Bradbury's part in Inspiration.

[This message has been edited by sandi (edited 05-26-2004).]

Sandi, your son's magnificent achievements are a reflection of what love can inspire. It is crystal clear he had the best teacher. Bless you!

Mr. B's stories touch every corner of our psyches it seems, kind of like a "kaleidoscope!"

As for that substitute teacher....Dandelion?!

When you say dark hair, how dark are we talking?

Well, brown not grey or white. That is all I really can say. Not really dark.

Thanks for the kind words fjpalumbo. Love truly does conquer all. I guess that is why I am so interested in knowing about Ray Bradbury now. He truly touches so many lives. There are so many people in my life that have made a difference and most of them don't even know it. As I am getting older I guess I have a desire to make some of them known. Many are people who probably thought they did very small things but to me as a child they were huge.

I am just discovering Mr. Bradbury as a great teacher by way of some DVD "Extras" in which he is interviewed numerous times. The latest discovery comes via Leonard Maltin on the Disney Tomorrow Land DVD. Ray's advice on how to be happy by staying busy has changed my life. He is also quoted in a book called "The Hidden Truth of Your Name" under of course "Ray" in which he says: "Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-concious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must DO things."

Dear Sandi--

Hate to debunk a fond memory, but, according to Ray, he never was a substitute teacher. I should be seeing him in the next few days and I will bring him your post just to verify, but he was insistent that he never did this. I feel bad being the spoil sport. It's possible Ray doesn't recall it, but his memory is pretty darned amazing.

Cheers,

Sam Weller

[This message has been edited by Sam Weller (edited 06-01-2004).]

Mr. Weller: I look forward to your book and accounts of your next visit with Mr. Bradbury. How often does he grant interviews? What project is he currently working on? Please pass along greetings from all of us admirers. Have fun!

Thanks Sam for checking for me. Why I started to question this because I thought the teacher was reading us the Martian Cronicles and saying he was in the process of writing the book which as I became an adult, realized when the book was written I knew that this could not be true. Then I wasn't sure if I was mistaken about which story was read. Now I wonder if this was just a very creative way to get cooperation from a class like a substitute teacher could not even imagine. We did not make a peep. He kept us spellbound. Unlike other times when we were known to lock poor little petite Mrs. Roy in the coat closet. It was a difficult group of kids. Who ever he was he handled us well. Thanks again. Sandi

I too am anxiously awaiting your book. That impersonator got me hooked years ago.

Two observations.

Ray did continue to write, or at least publish, Martian stories after the publication of "The Martian Chronicles," and

the would-be Ray could have been taking a page from Ray's story "Any Friend of Nicholas Nickelby's is a Friend of Mine," in which an admirer of Dickens impersonates him and pretends to be in "progress" of writing certain Dickens works. He, too, absolutely enthralls a young boy. Sounds as if the method worked well for somebody in real life!

Dandelion, great parallel! Metaphors, metaphors, metaphors & RB facts, myths, methods are infinite is seems.

Thanks to all who have helped me with this. As far as the fond memory, this makes it even a bit more fun. Like the final twist in a good book or movie. Totally unexpected. Sandi