What are some misconceptions that readers have of Victorian fiction?

[[deleted user]]

LauraT wrote: "Thanks Antìa!"

I always thought there are great writers appearing in any age or place, but reading the classics is (most of time) a "safe bet" when looking for a worthy reading, but that won't stop me from giving chances to new authors or contemporary acclaimed authors, such as you said, Cormac McCarthy (I've been meaning to read his "The Road" for months). I usually try to change from modern to classics as a way to get variety; I'm current reading Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin and really enjoying it, but looking forward to The Portrait of a Lady next :) But any person is different and all opinions and views are worthy :D

[Sasha]

The Road is a great book if you like eating babies. Cormac McCarthy doesn't really do it for me, although I recognize his talent. Garcia Marquez, on the other hand, definitely floats my boat. Of course there are wonderful contemporary authors. Dave Eggers is great, too; his What is the What is astonishing. But as you say, Antia: it feels like more of a gamble, taking on a new book, than hitting the classics. And I only plan to be alive for like forty more years; there's a lot of reading to do.

[K.]

Yes, yes, Alex & Anna. I feel I too, had enough of what I call mainly "junk" lit early on. I've now got to follow the advice of Thoreau: "Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all."

The best books feed me like wholesome food does...I'm full way longer and have much more energy...

[K.]

In light of this conversation, it occurs to me that all of you incredible readers may have some advice for me.

I have two voracious readers (12yob, 9yog) & two more coming up. For years I've been working on collecting the "best" books for them to grow up with. My 12yo has almost entered adult-level reading--his latest reading log entries are "The Count of Monte Cristo;" "The Scarlet Pimpernel;" "The Black Arrow;" "The Phantom of the Opera" --basically typical boys adventure books once upon a time. I'm not sure he has comprehension for things like Tolstoy or Hugo yet, but he's doing pretty well on this level & loving it. My 9yo is into Little House and "Anne of Green Gables", Narnia and such. She is very skilled and quick, but not ready for "Jane Eyre" yet.

I've been collecting all the common classics and have been working on a list of lesser known boys adventure books for a few years but I can always use suggestions--especially for lesser known greats.

My wish is for books with true heroes and themes that follow natural law, doesn't matter what culture or religious persuasion--in fact the wider the scope the better.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions, they will be seriously considered.

[Kristen]

Anna wrote: "@K. Has your 9yo read Frances Hodgson Burnett? I read A Little Princess and The Secret Gardenas precursors to Jane Eyre, around 9 or 10. Then I started on the Brontes as a ..."

i loved those books as a kid. so magical. and the characters are interesting.

[Kristen]

K. wrote: "In light of this conversation, it occurs to me that all of you incredible readers may have some advice for me.

I have two voracious readers (12yob, 9yog) & two more coming up. For years I've been..."


Heidi might be a good one for the girl.

[Kristen]

And I get offended when they accuse me of being out of touch, so I generally either challenge them to a duel or gallop away in my phaeton.

haha! that's awesome! do you need a "second"? haha

[Everyman]

K. wrote: "II've been collecting all the common classics and have been working on a list of lesser known boys adventure books for a few years but I can always use suggestions--especially for lesser known greats.
"

I highly, highly, highly recommend the works of Arthur Ransome, starting with Swallows and Amazons and working through the series mostly in sequence (the children do grow up, and while each book an be read independently, they make more sense read sequentially.)

I loved them as a child, my children love them, and my grandchildren soon will start to love them. Some of the many things I love about them are that the children are just plain nice, wholesome children you would like your own children knowing and playing with (which is unusual; who really wants their children, for example, hanging around with Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys?), they are creative and imaginative, in a non-obtrusive way they mingle in things they have learned in school so that they make school learning relevant but in a very subtle way, they are nice to each other, both girls and boys like the stories because they emphasize both doing really neat things, their adventures are things that a child could really imagine happening tot hem, unlike many children's books where you know they are unrealistic ... I could go on, but if that's not enough to whet your appetite, nothing will. But true story: when I was about 7 my mother offered to read Swallows and Amazons to my sister and me. I had no interest in a book about birds and fat women, so I didn't go in to listen to it, but as I did other things around the house I started hearing this stuff about a lake and boats and vacations and camping and I decided I was missing out, so went in and mother started the book over for me so I didn't miss anything. And from then on I was, and have been forever after, hooked on Ransome.

In a different vein, the more fantastic adventure vein, the "Island/Mountain/River/etc. of Adventure" series by Enid Blyton were also favorites of mine growing up.

Other suggestions: your son might like the John Buchan stories, both the Richard Hannay stories and some of his other work. Kipling's Kim. H. Rider Haggard. Just a couple of ideas.

[K.]

Thank you all! I particularly love recommendations based on what people like you loved in childhood.

Yes, we've done Burnett & Spyri & loved them. I don't think she's read "The Secret Garden" on her own yet--that was one of my favorites as well. (And I was a bit surprised that my 12yob was as interested in Heidi as he was--marks of a pretty good story.)

Everyman, I came across mention of Swallows & Amazon just today, in fact. I'm glad for that recommendation, I'll be searching them out, as well as the Blyton. Your description of the children in S&A remind me of those in the E. Nesbit "5 Children & It" stories. We love those.

Thanks so much! Buchan is one of the authors I've worked on collecting, I think we now have everything he wrote--we're hooked. The boy has been through the Dick Hannay's & a couple of others so far. I LOVE Kim, I'll put that on his pile today. Love Haggard too. All those authors are on my boys book list...it's been fun collecting!

More, more, please give me more!!!

[Sasha]

Book recommendations for a 12-year-old boy might be my favorite question ever. (Your girl's on her own. Um, Little House on the Prairie?)

Robert Louis Stevenson is awesome. I ate Treasure Island alive around that age. And Jekyll & Hyde.

And I was super into Sherlock Holmes, too. (Still am.)

Was it an abridged version of Monte Cristo? Otherwise, holy crap.

Dickens might be iffy, but he could try Oliver Twist.

[K.]

Thanks so much Anna! I will look both of those up very soon. k

[Kristen]

i remember really liking The Cay by Theodor Taylor when i was around 8 or 9

[K.]

Thanks, Alex!

He's done Treasure Island, and "The Black Arrow" is Stevenson. He really enjoyed that. I have more on the shelf, but he likes to mix things up (whereas I tend to read out an author). Love him.

Yes, he's a huge Sherlock fan...that's where he goes for rereads. (Me too, by the way;)

We read Oliver Twist together this year, and he's thinking about starting Dickens on his own with Pickwick. We'll see.

And, UNABRIDGED!!! Monte Cristo!!! Yes!! It was a dare and he proved up to the mark. (Yes, proud mama here...) I truly loved watching him eat it up.

It is such a great question. I really have a personal fondness for this genre as well and have absolutely delighted in filling about 5 shelves full of so much fun & adventure. (Buchan, Wren, Marryat, Haggard, Stevenson, Scott, Hope, Henty, Forester, Pyle...the list goes on.) So fun.

[K.]

Looking it up...

You people are terrific!

[Sasha]

Oh my God! The Cay! I'd forgotten all about that book. I read it like ten times around that age.

I have no idea if it's, y'know, actually good, I have to admit.

A couple of books I've had my eye on: The Penguin Book of Gaslight Crime: Con Artists, Burglars, Rogues, and Scoundrels from the Time of Sherlock Holmes and Dracula's Guest and other Victorian Vampire Stories. Haven't personally read them, but don't they look awesome?

[[deleted user]]

K. wrote: "Thanks, Alex!

He's done Treasure Island, and "The Black Arrow" is Stevenson. He really enjoyed that. I have more on the shelf, but he likes to mix things up (whereas I tend to read out an author)..."

If your son enjoyed Montecristo, how about Dumas' "Musketeers trilogy?. It might not be "classic" but when I was little I loved Michael Ende's The Neverending Story

[SarahC]

Ok, to me -- recommending young reads to a girl is pretty much the same as to a boy, IMO. I think both your kids will enjoy a lot of these suggestions. Good lit is good lit -- Yes, both could like The Secret Garden certainly and I also think The Little White Horse, as Anna said. I will look around my shelves because I also have a growing reader. Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt and The Stolen Lake by Joan Aiken are good books with good story and good, good writing.

[[deleted user]]

K. wrote: "Thanks, Alex!

He's done Treasure Island, and "The Black Arrow" is Stevenson. He really enjoyed that. I have more on the shelf, but he likes to mix things up (whereas I tend to read out an author)..."

K. I'm not sure what type of books are you exactly looking for your kids, but I've just seen my copy of this book on my shelf The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter and I remembered how much I loved this story when I heard it read by a story-teller when I was a child. Until last year I didn't know it was a classic (10th century) japanese book. I still think it's a great fairy-tale, for any age.

[Kristen]

Alex wrote: "Oh my God! The Cay! I'd forgotten all about that book. I read it like ten times around that age.

I have no idea if it's, y'know, actually good, I have to admit..."

the reason i thought of this book was because i was recently cleaning some stuff out of my parents garage, and found a book report complete with an illustration that i had done for school (can't believe my mom kept this stuff!!) i had to laugh because the drawing shows a guy standing next to a knife that's in a tree, with little lines around it to show that it was just thrown.

like alex, i'm not sure really how it's literary merit would stand if i read it now as an adult, but i also read it several times. and apparently it captured my weird little childish imagination, what with the knife drawing and all. ;)

[Everyman]

Alex wrote: "And I was super into Sherlock Holmes, too. (Still am.)"

Oh yes, how did I overlook Sherlock Holmes??

[Everyman]

Alex wrote: "Dickens might be iffy, but he could try Oliver T"

I would be cautious about Dickens. My experience has been that most (though not all) younger readers don't like him at that age, and then they get committed to the idea that he's boring and hard. I frankly think that for most readers, he should be held back until about 30.

My mother-in-law was force fed him when she was in her early teens, hated him (but was paid by her parents for each Dickens she read, so forced herself through them all), and has never gone back to them though she reads serious literature extensively. Too bad.

[K.]

Thanks, all of you, again and again. I'm actually pasting all these suggestions into another document so I can then go look them all up. I hope my finances can support another book buying binge ;)

Alex, he has Musketeers in his to-read pile, but I think he can stay with just the first at this tender age. I read all five in the Musketeer series about 18 mo ago. Three were great, one so-so, one dreadful ("Louise"). Such a fun idea. He'll get there, by and by.

SarahC--yes, many recommendations work for both, although the boys don't readily pick up Heidi as a girl might pick up something more adventurous. I am taking all suggestions seriously for both kids! Thank you for yours!

Antia, your bamboo books sounds like something we'd love. My girl is so into fairy tales, and she loves them from other lands as well. She's read tales from the Amur, Japan, China and other places. Thank you so much!

Everyman, you are correct in your entire statement about Dickens. This year, I read all the kids "Oliver Twist" out loud. Much of the humor went over heads, but it was a good experience for them to just listen whilst I did the work. They did get really caught up in the story (I LOVE hearing, "just one more chapter, please!!"). But, I'm not going to push them into him--I love Dickens far too much to risk jeopardizing that relationship!! Good advice!

Have any of you read any P.C. Wren? So very, very politically incorrect these days, but the boy, his dad & I greatly enjoyed his Beau Trilogy ("Beau Gest, Beau Sabreur, Beau Ideal).

Thanks again!! My list is getting longer...I love it.

[SarahC]

Pickwick Papers is lengthy but it is some good reading without being too heavy -- and if nothing else -- A Christmas Carol -- which you may have already done, K.

Everyone did provide some kind, thoughtful suggestions -- nice topic for discussion.

[Everyman]

K. wrote: "T I hope my finances can support another book buying binge ;) ..."

Sure they can. “When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.” Desiderius Erasmus

[[deleted user]]

K. wrote: "Thanks, all of you, again and again. I'm actually pasting all these suggestions into another document so I can then go look them all up. I hope my finances can support another book buying binge ;) ..."

You welcome, K. I find great your kids are growing into book-lovers. Another sugestion The Captain's Daughter It's short and fun as adventure story and I know many kids (me included when I was at that age) who loves Le Petit Nicolas it might work better for your younger readers, but it's fun

[LauraT]

How many interesting suggestions!
My son, age 14, read last year Dickens -The Old Curiosity Shop even if he didn't like it so much - but he prefered Orwell Animal Farm/1984 or Write Black Boy.
This year is on italian literature: Un anno sull'altipiano about the first world war or Sostiene Pereira about the Salazar dictatorship in Portugal - really beautiful if you don't know it!
Frances Burnett was a favourite of his in primary school.
My daughter, 11 years, is on more "soft" book: Little Women, Pollyanna, Robin Hood or on stories about historical periods which she's studying in school: Spartan; Alexander 1: Child of a Dream...

[[deleted user]]

Laura, thanks for reminding me of "Sostiene Pereira" I haven't read it but watched some time ago a film based on it with Marcello Mastroianni and really liked it so I'll search for the book. Of italian literature I really liked when I was younger "Il barone rampante" by Italo Calvino.

I don't have kids of my own but a little cousin that will celebrate her 9th birthday this weekend. She likes reading so I bought her "Through the Looking-glass" because I did "Alice in Wonderland" for last Christmas and Roald Dahl's "The Witches"

[Maggie]

Kristen wrote: "Anna wrote: "@K. Has your 9yo read Frances Hodgson Burnett? I read A Little Princess and The Secret Gardenas precursors to Jane Eyre, around 9 or 10. Then I started on the ..."

How about Black Beauty?

[LauraT]

Antìa: the film with Marcello Mastroianni is one of the really few ones which I think is almost as beautifull as the book, which I sincerelly recomend to everybody.
The Witches was one of both my kids favourite! And they also liked CArrol's works, but I had to read it to them; maybe a little coplicated to read on their own ...

[Nina]

Everyman wrote: "Alex wrote: "Dickens might be iffy, but he could try Oliver T"

I would be cautious about Dickens. My experience has been that most (though not all) younger readers don't like him at that age, an..."


I think age 30 might be setting the bar a bit too high, though I agree that Dickens is not great for younger teens. I read David Copperfield last year (when I was 22) and LOVED it. It is very close to being my all time favourite and I have read four Dickens stories since then. I think you can safely recommend Dickens to people in their twenties:)

(I just discovered this group and I just had to join it(-: )

[K.]

Everyman wrote: "K. wrote: "T I hope my finances can support another book buying binge ;) ..."

Sure they can. “When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes.” Desiderius Erasmus"

Which is my guiding life principle, Everyman. It's too bad, however, that the kids need to eat and not be allowed to run naked in the streets. Can't wait till they're gone. Totally just kidding.

[K.]

Thank you all again!

Antia, I am loving your multi-cultural suggestions. Thank you!

Yes, Maggie, she's read Black Beauty! Not many young girls who lack a horse fascination--she's no exception. Great book.

We read "A Christmas Carol" each December. I have a serious thing for that book. I have, perhaps, 6 or 7 copies. I can NOT resist a gorgeously illustrated copy. It works, they all have one to use to follow along if they want!

And, Jackie Renee, you're right about force. I try to "expose" and "inspire" and then do a lot of hoping they'll take the bait. They usually do. YOU must have been quite the precocious young reader as well!

Alex, it's a privilege to HAVE a boy who tackled the Count! Pretty cool. I'll pass on the Fanny Hill for now, though ;)

I have a feeling I'm going to be stuck in "kid-book" land for a while...(I happily admit I still love a good story, no matter what age it's for).

[[deleted user]]

K. wrote: "Thank you all again!

Antia, I am loving your multi-cultural suggestions. Thank you!

Yes, Maggie, she's read Black Beauty! Not many young girls who lack a horse fascination--she's no exception. ..."

You welcome K. There are so many great books out there, don't you think? Somehow you made me want to re-read some children classics for a while (I've started with Oscar Wilde's fairy-tales this afternoon and feel an urgent need of re-reading Peter Pan soon :)

Do you think you have a "serious thing" for Christmas Carol? I own 10 different editions of "The Little Prince" each in one language, I got them while travelling abroad or presents from friends. Curiously, I didn't really like story when I was child but fell in love with it as adult. Now I'm moving to collect editions of "Jane Eyre"

[Lauri]

K. wrote: "In light of this conversation, it occurs to me that all of you incredible readers may have some advice for me.

I have two voracious readers (12yob, 9yog) & two more coming up. For years I've been..."

All of my kids (2 boys and 2 girls) LOVED everything by Roald Dahl. My favorite when I was growing up was Island of the Blue Dolpins (for your daughter, but may need to wait a few years). Some European authors with lovely children's books for your daughter are Tove Jansson (Moomins) and Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking). Not sure how old you need to be to read The Lord of the Rings series, but if your son has already read Dumas, then The Hobbit is surely well within his reach!!

[Kristen]

Lauri wrote: My favorite when I was growing up was Island of the Blue Dolpins (for your daughter, but may need to wait a few years)

Ooooo! I forgot about the Island of the Blue Dolphins. I really loved that book. That was one I read quite a few times. I think I was about your daughter's age when I read it the first time.

[Lauri]

Oh, and what about the Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis) and The Wrinkle in Time series (Madeline L'Engle)!

[K.]

Antia: I suspect, being part of this group, that many of us have similar book buying propensities ;) I am a little loopy when it comes to any Dickens, really. I just can't let a copy sit unappreciated on a thrift-store shelf. I have to buy it and give it to someone who'll love it.

Lauri: Same here with Dahl, they adore him. And yes, he's been through the LOTR books several times. I told him he had to read them BEFORE he saw the movies (I didn't think he'd read them when he was 9--so that kind of backfired on me. Oh well!) Love Narnia & Pippi too.

And yes, we've got the Blue Dolphins, but I'll wait a bit for her--she's not even close to understanding the process of physical maturing that goes on in that book yet, and I'm okay with that!

[Deanne]

K
I loved Enid Blyton's Famous Five books, and The magic Faraway Tree and The Wishing Chair when I was younger.
Roald Dahl was another favourite but in particular The Fantastic Mr Fox, as well as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
I read LOTR when I was 11 and have to read it again every two years or so.
I remember having a set of 8 children's classics as a child, all five of us read them at some point, some have already been mentioned:-
Heidi
Black Beauty
Treasure Island
The Water Babies
Robinson Crusoe
Tom Sawyer
Hans Christian Anderson
and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
I read them when I was about 12. There's also The Whale Rider.

[K.]

Thank you, Deanne. I do not have "The Water Babies" or any Enid Blyton (she was prolific!). Nor do I have "The Whale Rider." Thanks for the suggestions!

Jackie Renee--no, I do not have that edition, now you're really getting me going! Thanks!

[Everyman]

K. wrote: "Yes, Maggie, she's read Black Beauty! Not many young girls who lack a horse fascination--she's no exception. ..."

This isn't the place for an extended discussion of gender proclivities, but I have been struck by the trend here among this well educated and I suspect mostly sociologically liberal group to accept almost implicitly that, while certainly not an absolute, there are some books that will be more appealing to girls and some that will be more appealing to boys. And I think those of us who have had both girls and boys realize the truth of that. But it certainly flies on the face of the PC feminist movement!

[SarahC]

Everyman, you missed my message #76. I dont agree with the idea that certain books should be routed toward the girls and others toward the boys. I think when that is assumed or accepted, it isn't just the girls (or us feminists overall) who get short-changed either -- it also means we are telling the boys what to read also.

My family for several generations now has had that "pick up any book that strikes you" policy and in my family, operating under that method, our reading has turned out not to be very gender-divided. It seems my view is based on readers in my own family, but in the library where I work, I also see girls and boys headed only toward the "boy" books and the "girl" books much less than you might think.

And, of course, there are the books today that are very "girl" oriented, published with startling pink covers (don't you love what society does to itself - we are controlled by a color, folks) and very specific tween girl copy to entice -- who would we expect would pick those up more? But as far as the kinds of classic, transcendent stories we have mentioned in this thread, I think both girls and boys cue into the idea that they are good stuff.

[Everyman]

SarahC wrote: "Everyman, you missed my message #76. I dont agree with the idea that certain books should be routed toward the girls and others toward the boys.."

I wasn't suggesting that either. What I was instead noting is that girls and boys, with considerable overlap, tend to gravitate toward different books on their own. Growing up, I liked the Nancy Drew books, but not many of my male friends did; most boys I grew up with loved the Tom Swift stories, but my sister and her friends were bored by them. On adult literature, for example, I find that Jane Eyre is generally much more liked by women than by men, and among the readers of classical works I know, while both men and women seem to like the Odyssey, the Iliad is much more appreciated by men than by women. My daughters and son all read, but quite different things, not because we encouraged it but because we had such a houseful of books that they were free to choose from a wide selection, and did so.

There's nothing universal or hard and fast here, of course. But without any steering (and as you note, publishers do at times engage in quite blatant attempted steering) I think boys and girls often do favor some books over others based on their gender.

OTOH, I have been very interested to see that the Harry Potter books seem to appeal strongly to both boys and girls. Good for Rowling!

I didn't plan to make a big deal out of this, and certainly we did encourage our children to read a wide variety of books, but as a parent, literature teacher, and long time book club participant, that's my observation.

[SarahC]

You are right, Everyman, especially over time boys/girls and then men/women will certainly gravitate to what "speaks" to them most in literature, often based on what we deal with in own gender. And if they have had good chances and making their own choices while young, which I can only picture a good opportunity with you around as parent or teacher! :), they can feel free making those choices as adults.

The books that obviously have appealed to both sexes while young, like Harry Potter, are a great thing. I imagine they have been a good avenue of communication between boys and girls together -- finding they have some mutual ground. I have heard mention of some of the other fantasy books in those "mutual" discussions at the library.

[Ellen]

SarahC wrote: "Ok, to me -- recommending young reads to a girl is pretty much the same as to a boy, IMO. I think both your kids will enjoy a lot of these suggestions. Good lit is good lit -- Yes, both could like ..."

When I was a small girl but had learned to read fairly well, my favorite books were the "Little House" series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. These are quite "American", and portray a pioneer family that moves from homestead to homestead; the main character is Laura, one of the middle daughters of four (I think?), and although at times the writing can be sentimental I think they're good choices for girls from 9-12. Another favorite of mine as a child is "A Wrinkle in Time", by Madeleine L'Engle; this is a science fiction/fantasy story in which the GIRL is the hero, not the brother. The premise is that the children's scientist father has been kidnapped by an evil being named "It", and the kids have to rescue him. Also appearing the book are some witches: Witch Who, Witch What, Witch Where, and Witch Why! I just adored this book as a child. These aren't Victorian books, but they do make good reading for a little girl! Thanks.

[Vrixton]

One of the biggest misconceptions I've heard [mostly at school] is that Charles Dickens and the other Victorian writers are all horrendously dull and couldn't tell a good story if their lives depended on it.

I mean, I can give them that the prose can be dense at times, much denser than some modern works, but "couldn't tell a good story"? That's just not true. Our Mutual Friend, for example, has one of the most exciting plots and most entertaining subplots that I've read.

[K.]

Vrixton:

What do they teach in schools these days??

Bizarre.

[Everyman]

Ellen wrote: "SWhen I was a small girl but had learned to read fairly well, my favorite books were the "Little House" series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder.."

Excellent recommendation. I love those books also.

[Everyman]

K. wrote: "What do they teach in schools these days?? "

Trust me, you don't want to know. Or if you really have to know (perhaps you have kids or grandkids in the schools) be sure to check your intelligence and sensibility at the door.

Okay, I exaggerate. A bit. A tiny little bit. There are a few great literature teachers out there. But most of those trained in the teacher education programs today are more concerned with PC and not challenging students because it will hurt their egos if they can't get things right away than they are with developing lifetime learners who can understand that sometimes things that are worth reading can be a challenge.

[Ellen]

Everyman wrote: "Ellen wrote: "SWhen I was a small girl but had learned to read fairly well, my favorite books were the "Little House" series, by Laura Ingalls Wilder.."

Excellent recommendation. I love those boo..."

Glad to hear this, Everyman! Interestingly, I cannot say that I enjoyed the TV series anywhere near as much as I did the books. Not sure why, but I think I just prefer to imagine things myself rather than having them depicted for me. Thanks!

[Vrixton]

K. wrote: "Vrixton:

What do they teach in schools these days??

Bizarre."

I'm not really the person to ask. All of my English classes were Honors or AP, but I was glad to hear that a friend of mine's English class was reading Dracula and Othello [and some of the class read Macbeth instead].

My school was strange, though. It was a minority-dominated school in a neglected part of the county. The only part of the school that the Superintendent paid attention to was the Magnet Program for Medicine and Research. No one cared that the library made itself almost obsolete and was open a maximum of one hour after school. Later, I think it closed 30 minutes before school did. I don't even know. It was very annoying getting kicked out of the library when I was working on a calculus project, though.