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Second class of Hebrew school. It didn't go as smoothly as the first class, for two main reasons. One, the kids are more comfortable. So they're harder to direct or control. Second, parents. I like having parents there, but they can be a bit of a trial. . . I just want to say something like, "Look -- I'm getting paid to be here because someone -- actually, an entire committee of people -- thought I could do a pretty good job of teaching your children. Please try to trust that I actually know what I'm doing, 'kay? I know I'm not teaching this class the way you would, but, frankly, they didn't HIRE you. Maybe your way would work better, and I will listen to you, but I'd really appriciate it if you would just SHUT UP and let ME deal with MY class."

But I really do appriciate having the parents there, and I wouldn't say that anyway, but I think a couple of the parents are going to be problems. I don't have problem students -- I think I can deal with problem students. Problem parents are a little tougher.

Dad and I made a scale model of Noah's Ark. It's really cool. The kids were completely unimpressed. Oh, well.



My grandparents' 55th anniversary party was today. Lis flew back in from Texas, getting up at 3:30 in the morning to get here, to make it to the party. They were doing photos and stuff.

I really like my family. I learned a new card game, played some music.

Lis made a teddy bear for me -- there's a store where you buy teddy bear skins, and you stuff 'em, and you put little things in 'em so they talk when you squeeze their paws, and stuff like that. This one says, "I love you very, very, very much" in Lis's voice, so that I won't be as lonely next time she goes away. Awww. . . .

After the party, Lis and I dropped by my grandparents' house, to pick up some old shirts of my grandfather that he thought might fit me. And to just say hi in more private. I just like hanging out with my grandparents.

Papa told me a couple stories I hadn't heard before, about Louis Armstrong. I knew that he knew Louis Armstrong, but I hadn't realized that they were actually friends.

First -- important historical note: Louis Armstrong was responsible for the integration of the public schools in Alabama.

The Soviet Union offered a visit visa for one jazz band to go over there, and the Congressman for Harlem (one of the only Black congressmen at the time) asked Armstrong to go be a cultural ambassador. Armstrong said, "You don't want me. I go over there, I'll tell 'em the truth. I'll tell 'em that there's only two hotels in Boston that I can stay at. I'll tell 'em that I can't get into a lot of the best restaurants, because I'm black. I'll tell 'em that there's four black girls in Alabama that can't go to school. That's what I'll tell 'em. You get someone else."

The congressman told him, "You can't do that. You have to show loyalty. This is important to the President. You have to show solidarity."

Armstrong said, "If the President cares so much, you tell him that, if those girls get to go to school, I'll think about it."

The next week Eisenhower took direct control of the National Guard, and desegregated that school. And Louis Armstrong took his band to the Soviet Union.